A long-term perspective runs throughout Aircoil
Long-term thinking. According to Jenny Eriksson, Managing Director at Aircoil, it is one of the words that best describes what she wants to characterise the company.
“I want everything we do to have a long-term perspective. We are not interested in quick fixes, whether in the organisation, in our customer relationships or in our supplier relationships. The same applies to our products. They are built to last for many, many years, provided we have the right conditions to dimension them correctly.”
For customers, this long-term approach is largely about trust and confidence. They should be able to rely on Aircoil in every situation, whether it is about getting the right product or knowing that everything behind the scenes is handled properly.
Used to keeping everything on track
As Managing Director, Jenny is involved in most areas of the business, but she stresses the importance of trusting her colleagues.
“If I hand something over, I trust that the person responsible will take care of it.”
She enjoys being involved in everything, although she sometimes has to hold herself back from getting too caught up in the details. It is a balancing act, but as a former site manager at Peab, she is used to keeping track of many different things while carrying overall responsibility. Being involved in so many parts of the business is also one of the things she enjoys most about her job.
“I learn so much every day. It can be anything from learning about different materials to working with some form of reporting. It is a role where I am constantly learning and developing.”
Learning should be part
of the company culture
The desire to improve and learn new things is important to Jenny personally, but she also wants it to be a strong part of Aircoil’s company culture.
“I think that is incredibly important. It is easy to become a little too accustomed to the way things are and think, ‘this is how we have always done it’. But when you attend a course, visit somewhere else, meet other people and hear about their experiences and challenges, you come back with fresh eyes and new ideas. And, of course, with new experience and more knowledge.”
Jenny explains that this is also about sharing knowledge internally, as well as gaining a better understanding of the entire process.
“For example, by visiting the factories and seeing how the products we sell are manufactured. That is incredibly valuable. The development work we do together with them at product level is important too, but above all, we look at how we can make workflows more efficient, minimise errors and speed up certain processes.”
Jenny Eriksson
Background
A four-year technical programme at upper secondary school was followed by an internship at Peab in Karlstad. The internship led directly to a job as a supervisor and, eventually, as a site manager. After eight years in the construction industry, she joined Aircoil in a sales role.
Interests
Enjoys all kinds of exercise, from football to CrossFit. She also loves both downhill and cross-country skiing.
Lives
With her family in a house that she and her partner built together. Naturally, the house has a ventilation system with a heat exchanger from Aircoil.
Sustainability with
people at the centre
Sustainability remains a constantly relevant topic, and like most companies, Aircoil will continue to place considerable focus on it in the years ahead. For Jenny, sustainability is closely linked to Aircoil’s long-term vision. Personally, the human aspect is especially close to her heart.
“When I think about sustainability, I often tend to focus more on the human and social side of it. Of course, I also think about the environment and the planet, but very much about the person behind it all and the people who will live on this planet in the future.”
The sustainability report
will guide the way forward
Sustainability is certainly high on the agenda, and in December 2024 a new EU directive was introduced requiring companies to take greater responsibility for human rights and the environment. The directive applies to large companies and companies operating in certain sectors. Aircoil is not required to produce a sustainability report, but Jenny sees it as an opportunity to gain an overview of where there is potential for further development.
“What are we doing well today, and what can we do better in the future? It is difficult to address those questions when you do not really know where you stand. You almost have to start by establishing the current situation.”
During the year, she and her colleagues have gathered data to prepare a simple sustainability report covering what is referred to as Scope 1 and 2 in the directive. The report was completed this spring, and Jenny is pleased that they have now mapped out how Aircoil can continue its sustainability work.
“It will benefit us in many ways. We will improve, our producers will improve their processes and our customers will become even more aware. It creates a positive cycle all round.”
A way to stay ahead
Aircoil also supplies several large companies that are affected by the directive, so starting now is a way of staying one step ahead.
“If you are a smaller company with customers that are, for example, publicly listed or subject to stricter requirements, those requirements will also make their way down through the supply chain.”
A changing view
of sustainability
Jenny describes what she sees as a positive shift in the sustainability debate. Rather than expecting both individuals and companies to work flat out on every front, there is now more focus on choosing the areas that are relevant to your own situation. No one can do everything.
“…but we can probably do it better than we do today. Find a balance and something we can actually keep up over time so that the change lasts.”
As an active CrossFit enthusiast, Jenny also finds it natural to draw a parallel with training:
“There is no point in going all in for five days in January and then giving up. It is much better to do it once a week and keep going for a year.”
By setting the bar at a level where Aircoil can be genuine and transparent in its sustainability work, Jenny hopes the company can continue taking small steps in the right direction.
Wants to make a
local contribution
An important part of this is continuing to support positive initiatives in Årjäng Municipality. Aircoil has, among other things, been a long-standing sponsor of local sports for children and young people. In 2024, the company also contributed to a new outdoor gym in the municipality. For Jenny, who played football at elite level in her youth and today has a strong interest in training and health, this is particularly rewarding.
“I think it is incredibly important, and I believe it matters to everyone. We are really talking about everyone from small children to an 80-year-old grandmother. That there are things to do and opportunities to stay active, for both physical and mental health.”
Jenny tries out VR glasses at VVS-dagene in Norway in 2024.
What is Jenny
looking forward to?
A lot is happening right now, but what is Jenny most looking forward to further down the line?
“The future in general, I think. Simply being part of the journey and hoping that, together with all our colleagues, factories and customers, we can create something really good. I really enjoy being involved in so many different things and in so many different contexts.”
In the longer term, Jenny wants to ensure that Aircoil maintains its market-leading position in heat exchangers in Sweden, while also strengthening its presence in other markets. In particular, this means continuing to develop sister company Aircoil AS in Norway and strengthening Aircoil’s presence in Finland.
Jenny also admits that she genuinely enjoys organising celebrations and events. So the fact that Aircoil turns 55 in 2025 is something she is especially looking forward to.
