What is it like to run EWES? We sat down with the company owners Anders Cederqvist and Anton Svensson to get an insight into their experiences after 20 years. Anders is Head of Development for EWES Group and Anton is CEO. Two cousins, two persistent entrepreneurs with different strengths. This is how they describe each other – can you guess who is who?
Persistent, analytical and empathetic.
Persistent, technical and creative.
Both share the same persistence (perhaps it runs in the family?), but their strengths complement each other. We asked them to describe the qualities they most admire in each other, and why these qualities have been so important.
Anders' superpower – analytical sharpness
Anton does not hesitate when describing his admiration for Anders' analytical ability.
”Anders has an almost magical analytical ability. It is clearly his superpower. He can extract masses of valuable information from minimal amounts of data, and he always sees things from a new perspective. That has helped me enormously in my day-to-day work.”
At the same time, Anton admits that Anders' direct manner can sometimes create challenges.
”He tells it like it is. Even though we all know he is usually right, his honesty can sometimes be a little … provocative,” says Anton, smiling before he continues: Over time I have learned to appreciate the clarity and insight Anders brings, even if it sometimes takes a moment of reflection.”
Anton's superpower – creativity
When it is Anders' turn to highlight Anton, he does not need to think for long.
”Anton is brilliant at brand building. He knows how best to present EWES.”
Anders admits that he himself could never achieve what Anton does.
”I really admire him for his endless stream of ideas and visions.”
Pride in the global network
When we ask what they are most proud of, both fall silent for a moment. Then Anders says:
”The factories abroad.”
Anton nods in agreement.
”Yes, the subsidiaries in Serbia, Bosnia and China are something we have built up from scratch. It has been an enormous journey and we are proud of what we have achieved. It goes hand in hand with having succeeded in implementing our ‘we culture’.”
There is always a WE in EWES
The strong team spirit at EWES is something both Anders and Anton highlight as crucial to the company's success. The employees are the company's most important asset, and EWES has deliberately worked towards a flat organisation, free from unnecessary hierarchies.
”We care about each other,” says Anton. “‘The Power of WE’ is more than just a slogan – it is a way of working together. For example, when we invest in new machines, we let our machine setters travel with us to the machine manufacturer, wherever in the world the machine is made. Everyone should feel involved.”
Anders adds:
”We also try to give all employees the opportunity to attend trade fairs, and our canteen offers both breakfast sandwiches and the option to order lunch. It is part of how we take care of each other.”
