On January 9, Nicklas Magnusson joined Ovako as Process Development Manager - Climate & Environment. Nicklas comes to us from Skanska, where he has worked for six years in various roles within climate and sustainability, most recently as Team Lead for a group of climate specialists. He will now report to Katarina Kangert, Ovako's Head of Sustainability and EHS.
What was the reason you chose Ovako and in what way do you think you will contribute?
I have a background in the construction sector, and I have worked in various projects to reduce the climate impact of heavy construction materials, especially concrete and asphalt. That also includes steel, and I have been following the development in the steel industry and its ongoing transformation process with great interest. In this regard I think Ovako stands out, not only because of its current low carbon footprint and high ambitions going forward, but also because of the major commitments that are being made right now. I felt that Ovako humbly "walks the talk" in a way that appealed to me.
In my previous field of work, I have focused on how to develop processes or products to improve the carbon footprint, but also on how such initiatives could be valued by the market. It is key that there is a business case for being at the forefront in cutting emissions. It is also important that what is measured and communicated regarding climate impact is done in a standardized way, and I feel that the construction sector has come quite a long way in this respect. I hope to be able to contribute with my experience in these areas.
What has been your main focus to begin with?
It's been a great start. I have focused on getting to know Ovako: our processes and products, all the new colleagues and the different collaboration platforms we participate in. So far, I have been in Hällefors, Hofors and Smedjebacken. Soon I will be heading to Imatra and I look forward to getting to know all our sites. It has been great to see the production and meet all the colleagues with such solid expertise! I've also spent time getting to grips with the various requests we get from customers and everything that's going on in the industry, especially all the carbon initiatives. During the year I will be focusing on the carbon emissions that take place outside our sites but which are still linked to our production. This ties in well with the partnership we have in the Polestar 0 project and our other commitments.
What is your view on Ovako's sustainability position today and what will you focus on in your role going forward?
I think we have an industry-leading position in the climate field, both in terms of our current situation and our ambitions for the future. I also feel that there is a strong will and courage to not only maintain this position but to strengthen it, which I find very inspiring. In the future, I think customers and the market in general will demand and evaluate even more carbon related information. We may be asked to report the carbon footprint of specific deliveries or articles, or it could be on a momentary basis for a certain period in relation to targets, carbon budgets and the like. My focus will thus be on how we do this efficiently, and here I think digitalization is crucial. I also think there will be even more focus on collaboration in the value chain. The issue is complex, and some emissions are hard to abate. But by making the best use of all the expertise in the value chain I am certain we will reach net zero emissions for the whole life cycle of steel.
Where do you see Ovako in 5 years?
2030 is just around the corner and many companies have targets to halve the emissions by then. At Ovako we are going further, and we have an action plan for how to get there which is already being implemented. It's fantastic that we from this year on start production with hydrogen! I think that is a concrete example of how we are living our values. In other words, I think we are well equipped to continue delivering high-quality special steel with a market leading sustainability profile.
Ovako's core values are Innovative, Skilled and Responsible. How do these words apply to you?
As a person, I am quite curious and keen to understand things from different perspectives. In some cases, I tend to dig deep into the details to really understand things on a deeper level, whether it might be what causes an emission or the economics behind it. Whilst in other cases, I might be more of a generalist trying to understand different perspectives sufficiently in order to find common pathways forward. I guess that is somewhat of a character trait of mine which I think fits well with the values.
We warmly welcome Nicklas and hope that he will enjoy working with us here at Ovako!
