Ragn-Sells United #1 2016

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1st ISSUE 2016

© RAGN-SELLS AB

RAGN-SELLS ONE COMPANY NEWS

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

MEET OUR NEW CFO

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RAGN-SELLS GROUP

STRATEGY WORK WITH FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

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RAGN-SELLS GROUP

KEY DEALS AND NEW ACQUISITIONS

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FROM A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL TO SUCCESS Leadership, commitment and innovation the keys to success in Norway.

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RAGN-SELLS UNITED 1st ISSUE 2016

It was in 2007 that Madeleine Ljunggren joined Ragn-Sells.

‘I was taken on as a controller and superuser in the area of finance, because the company was working to assess a new business system at that

time. In parallel with that, I was given a number of controller-related assignments at Group level.’

Once the system implementation was complete, Madeleine was asked to become Head of Auditing for the Swedish organisation – an assignment she was quick to accept, and which was carried out for the next 18 months.

‘Later on, when the Head of Business Control stepped down, I was asked to take over that position. It’s never been dull in the slightest, even though I’ve been working for Ragn-Sells for nine years now. I’ve constantly been given new opportunities to de-velop, which has been absolutely fantastic.’

Madeleine is a graduate economist, and before she came to Ragn-Sells she worked in the tele-coms industry – focusing on auditing and financial analysis – and then as a business consultant in the ERP sector.

Working togetherBefore Christmas last year, it was time for her to climb the ladder once more. Madeleine was asked to step into the position of CFO at Group level, taking over from Per Bartholf who had decided to retire.

‘It came as a bit of a shock, and I hadn’t even considered the possibility that I might be asked. However, having taken some time to think it over, I was happy to accept the opportunity.’

The spring months were devoted to training for the role of CFO, with Madeleine and Per working in parallel.

‘Per has been with the Group for a long time and has naturally built up in-depth knowledge and extensive experience that cannot simply be passed on from one day to the next. That’s why it is such an advantage to have the chance to work with him during a protracted change-over period.’

Up until taking over as CFO on August 1, Madeleine will be combining her ‘training period’ with her current role as Head of Business Control – a position that is not exactly uncomplicated.

‘The two roles naturally collide occasionally, and it’s quite a challenge to find time for everything – and to keep switching focus from Sweden to the Group as a whole.’

Working relationship importantAs the ‘CFO in waiting’, Madeleine is looking forward to tracing the development of Ragn-Sells, where the Group-wide perspective plays a key role.

‘I think we’ve reached a high level of maturity, with the opportunity to work more closely together across national borders. The time has come for us to become a coherent whole, where we take a shared approach to multiple issues. This is naturally both a challenge and a great opportunity. I love working with processes and structures, and have identified plenty of potential in getting the Group units to work together in a more structured manner than previous-ly.’

Privately, Madeleine lives in Järfälla just outside Stockholm with her partner and two sons, aged 10 and 13.

‘I like to work hard and I often put in a lot of hours. So when I’m not working, I really enjoy tak-ing it easy. The children’s activities define my week-day evenings, and at the weekends I think it’s won-derful just to be at home.’

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

MEET OUR NEW CFOMadeleine Ljunggren is taking over from Per Bartholf

Madeleine Ljunggren is living proof that the Ragn-Sells Group provides excellent opportunities for development. Since joining the organisation in

2007, Madeleine has held a number of prominent roles in the area of finance, and she was recently asked to become CFO for the entire Ragn-Sells Group.

‘I’ve constantly been presented with new opportunities to develop,’ relates Madeleine, who is currently working alongside Per Bartholf, the outgoing CFO,

before fully taking over the position in August.

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RAGN-SELLS GROUP

VIRTUAL SPRING CHALLENGE TO ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The second consecutive Group Spring Challenge competition was held between April 25 and June 12 of this year with the objective of encouraging all Ragn-Sells employees to improve their health. This year, the challenge was also given a virtual twist.

Spring Challenge 2015 was a great success. The Spring Challenge is a Ragn-Sells Group initiative – backed by Tappa.se – that involves ‘walking’ around the world. The purpose is to encourage physical activ-ity among the Group’s employees, and to have fun together at the same time. This year the challenge took place between April 25 and June 12, and, just like last year, all countries and subsidiaries were invited to take part.

The objective was to achieve an aver-age level of activity equivalent to 10,000 steps per day by ‘walking’ from one Ragn-Sells facility to the next on a virtual map. Participants competed in teams of 2–8. It was also possible to challenge other teams and countries, and to motivate eachother to reach the goal. Prizes were distributed every week among those employees who had succeeded in hitting the target of 10,000 steps a day.

In addition, the winning team will be presented with a diploma and a trophy.

MADELEINE LJUNGGREN IS TAKING OVER FROM PER BARTHOLF“ During the spring and summer, outgoing CFO Per Bartholf and his successor Madeleine Ljunggren will be working in parallel to ensure as smooth a transfer as possible.

‘Per has been with the Group for a long time and has naturally built up in-depth knowledge and extensive experience that cannot simply be passed on from one day to the next. That’s why it is such an advantage to have the chance to work with him during a protracted change-over period,’ explains Madeleine.

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Safety first was launched in the wake of a tragic, fatal accident in Sweden a year ago.

‘Following the incident, we commis-sioned an independent party to examine our internal routines with a view to checking

our processes and identifying potential weak spots. Previously, health and safety was not a clear prior-ity, and we found many areas in need of improve-ment in both our routines and our behaviour,’ relates Sofia Blomdal.

To establish employees’ attitudes to the issue of Occupational Health and Safety management (OHAS), the company has conducted a survey on the topic.

‘The survey revealed a lot of shortfalls – there is no culture of talking about safety on a daily basis, for example – and we’ve learned from this. Safety has to be a part of our everyday work, and it must be visible in all contexts.’

‘The responses to the employee survey also demonstrated that there are weak spots in the intro-duction course new employees complete on joining Ragn-Sells.’

Created an appPreventative work is most important when it comes to preventing accidents at the workplace. The company has therefore simplified the system, for example, by preparing a checklist that has to be completed before work is carried out. ‘Safety first’ is the motto that is to permeate all areas of the in-ternal work process. It must apply to all employees, with the objective of ensuring everyone takes re-sponsibility for their own safety – and that of others. All managers will be taking a special course in

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

‘SAFETY FIRST’ TURNS THE SPOTLIGHT ON OCCUPATIONAL

HEALTH AND SAFETYPreventative work, identifying risks and communication are the cornerstones of the safety initiative ‘Safety first’. By taking a broad approach and focusing on workplace safety in all processes – and for all employees – Ragn-Sells is to

become a safer place to work.

OHAS as part of the ‘Safety first’ initiative. The idea is that they should then standardise the safety work within their respective areas. This also involves them taking responsibility for ensuring that employ-ees have the appropriate skills and safety training. All managers will also be taking a course in radical collaboration over the coming year, to provide them with a set of tools to assist with their everyday work.

‘One important aspect is to make things clear and simple for the employees. We’re running activities and training courses, and we’ve placed high empha-sis on simplifying routines for reporting accidents and close calls.’

‘We’ve created an app – TRIA – that everyone can use. You can use the app to report risks, close calls and accidents by taking a photo and describ-ing what happened. The report is then saved, and everything is available in one and the same place. The app has boosted reporting, and the people who have already used it think it’s great.’

Has to be second natureEven the sales staff are to complete OHAS training, along with all employees in the mobile production and collection organisation, with courses starting in autumn.

‘OHAS has to cover every link of the chain, from sales to production, and it’s essential to be able to identify risks to safety as early as possible in the chain.’

The objective of ‘Safety first’ is to ensure con-stant awareness of OHAS in everyone’s work.

‘It has to be second nature that you simply do not do any work unless you can do it properly. An important part of this initiative involves changing


TRIA is Ragn-Sells deviation system to report accidents, incidents, risk and take part of the risk management templates.

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RAGN-SELLS ESTONIA

RAGN-SELLS ESTONIA RECEIVED THE SILVER BADGE OF CSR

The Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Index has been the most important and comprehensive assessment tool in the area of corporate responsibility in Estonia since 2007. It assists companies in performing self-analysis in the area of corporate responsibility and, if the results are good, the best companies are recognised with quality badges.

In late January, the Minister of Entrepreneurship Liisa Oviir handed over the badges of the Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Index for 2105 and the performance of Ragn-Sells was deemed worthy of the silver badge.

‘Silver is a good result and represents positive feedback for our work. On the other hand, it also shows that Ragn-Sells must continue investments in the working environment, staff and customers, and society as a whole,’ said Rainer Pesti, Head of Marketing and Communications at Ragn-Sells Estonia.

attitudes. There is a tendency for macho culture to arise, where people don’t really care about safety – and this is something we have to change. ‘Safety first’ is everyone’s responsibility – every day.’

Multiple sources of informationThe forum for information is being adapted so as to ensure that ‘Safety first’ permeates work in all areas. In addition to an app and information on screens, the company is also developing a pocket leaflet.

‘The idea is that everyone can carry this with them at all times, and it contains a check-

list of what to do if an accident does occur.’Another source of information is the ma-

terial prepared to highlight the biggest risks, as well as what employees need to be aware of with regard to safety. From now on, this will be part of the introduction courses held for new employees.

‘The intention is naturally to make sure that everyone can enjoy a completely safe workplace. Thus far, we have received an overwhelmingly positive response to the initiative, and we hope that ‘Safety first’ will pay dividends in the form of fewer accidents and close calls,’ concludes Sofia Blomdal.


EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING SAFETY INTO CONSIDERATION – EVERY DAY.IT SHOULD BE SECOND NATURE

“Sofia Blomdal, Occupational Health andSafety Manager at Ragn-Sells Sweden

Kaire Soovik Ragn-Sells personnel managerreceiving a silver badge from Liisa Oviir,Minister of Entrepreneurship.

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It was Erik Sellberg, working Chairman of the Board at that time, who first showed interest in our neighbour to the west when he took the initi-ative for the first establishment outside Sweden.‘Back then, in 1988, I was generally interested

in expanding the business. Moving into Norway seemed like an exciting and natural step for us to take,’ he says.

However, Erik’s interest in Norway left him in a minority of one.

‘I was on my own. Neither Lars Löfstedt, Pres-ident and CEO at the time, nor my father Ragnar Sellberg – who had stepped down as Chairman but still retained a seat on the Board – believed in my idea of establishing operations in Norway,’ he adds.

However, Erik refused to give up on the plan and looked at a number of Norwegian comp-anies before Ragn-Sells finally purchased half of Systemtransport (subsequently called Norsk Renovasjon) in 1988. When Ragn-Sells bought out the other half-owner shortly afterwards, the company changed its name to Ragn-Sells AS. At that time, business consisted of transporting industrial waste in the Oslo area.

‘A little while later, we purchased the other half of the business as well, because it was performing so poorly. Everything went really badly to begin

with, and because I was the person behind the initia-tive, I was anxious to turn things around. And things gradually began to improve, as from the time Bjørn Hoel took over as CEO.’

Drew crossesBjørn Hoel’s involvement with Ragn-Sells AS started 20 years ago when, as newly appointed CEO of the company, he drew a number of crosses on a map. More specifically, 32 of them – and this constituted the first strategy plan for the Norwegian business. The red marks have now turned black – at least most of them have – changing colour following the expansion of Ragn-Sells AS. Today, the company is represented in 21 locations in Norway and runs recycling stations on commission from local municipalities in five other places.

‘Our goal is expansion – always and in every way. We have to have ambitions and keep our eyes open for new markets and opportunities. Being an entrepreneur is in my blood, and I make sure things happen. The idea of spending all day shuffling papers around the office leaves me cold,’ says Bjørn Hoel.

The spirit of entrepreneurship has been applied. The fact of the matter is that this is probably the biggest single reason for Ragn-Sells’ successes in

RAGN-SELLS NORWAY

LEADERSHIP, COMMITMENT AND INNOVATION THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN NORWAY

Ragn-Sells AS is generating a turnover of 1.4 billion NOK – and continues to grow.

From a fight for survival to success – the development achieved by Ragn-Sells in Norway is truly remarkable. Over the past 20 years, the company has grown

to become one of the strongest players on the Norwegian recycling market. In just five years, the organisation has succeeded in almost doubling

turnover – and continues to grow.


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WE’RE PROUD TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP THEIR COUNTRY CLEAN.“ Bjørn Hoel, CEO of Ragn-Sells AS, whose leadership has clearly made a big contribution to the company’s success.


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Norway. That said, it has not exactly been a bed of roses. Establishing operations on an already competitive market was a real challenge, and the first ten years were quite simply a fight for survival. Ragn-Sells’ biggest competitor was Norsk Gjenvinning, which dominated the market, buying up and merging with smaller players. In order to avoid being sucked into this giant organisation on account of poor performance, the company needed innovation and aggressive management. This simple strategy of marking crosses on a map succeeded, however, leading Ragn-Sells on a noteworthy journey – particularly over the past five years, where the organisation has managed to double its revenues and continues to grow.

Conscious leadership styleBjørn’s leadership is widely considered to be one of the factors behind the success. His colleagues describe him as straightforward and honest, as well as tough and demanding.

‘I’ve experienced wanting both to hug and to shake Bjørn,’ says Bente Sørum, Director of Marketing, with a smile, before adding that a hug is more likely.

Bjørn Hoel himself explains that he has adopted a conscious leadership style, which he considers crucial in maintaining a good, efficient working en-vironment.

‘Having authority as a manager is not about wandering around the office in a black suit and

then sitting in your office with the door closed. As a manager, you have to be professional, participate in important processes and give your employees direct feedback,’ he says.

Committed employeesThe successes achieved by Ragn-Sells in Norway can also be traced back to the overarching corpo-rate culture. In a business distinguished by small margins, the company is dependent on skilled, committed employees who are prepared to go the extra mile. Loyalty to the company is crucial. Employees are given appreciable responsibility and independence when it comes to their work assign-ments, but they are also held accountable for their choices.

‘Give us the freedom to make choices – as well as responsibility for the consequences of same – and you will inevitably reinforce our commitment to the company,’ explains Anders Ellefsen, one of the 400 people employed by Ragn-Sells AS.

Anders is not alone in his commitment and his attitude towards the company. The annual employee satisfaction survey reveals an extremely high proportion of committed employees.

‘I think that clear leadership, committed staff and focus on innovation are key criteria for success. We have managers who are visible and present in practical situations, i.e. at the plants. Results from the employee satisfaction survey demonstrate that we have an ‘unusually’ high number of committed


From a fight for survival to success – Oslo by night.

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FACTSRagn-Sells AS

Founded: in 1988, when Ragn-Sells AB purchased half of Systemtrans-port, as it was called at the time.

Turnover: 1.4 billion NOK.

CEO: Bjørn Hoel

Number of employees: approx. 400

Number of facilities: 21 including the head office in Lilleström and an additional five recycling stations run on commission from the local municipalities.

Businesses: The core business at all plants is the reception, sorting and processing of waste – both mixed and sorted at source. The facilities that receive hazardous waste work exclusively with waste of this kind. At six sites, the company also performs the environmental stripping and recycling of vehicles, and the Hitra and Stord facilities process discarded equipment from the fishing industry.

employees. We also have a loyal group that has been with the company for many years, and which makes a contribution far in excess of normal input,’ says Cecilie Lind, Chief Sustainability Officer.

InnovativeOther key success criteria in Norway are innovation and continuously striving to improve. The capacity to adapt to overarching changes in society by always remaining one step ahead in development has given Ragn-Sells clear competitive advant- ages. While the first 10–15 years were devoted to keeping the company’s head above water, focus in recent years has been on building the Ragn-Sells AS brand. Thanks to this work, the company has now captured the role of leading contractor in the ‘waste and environment’ sector.

‘I’m proud that Ragn-Sells has become the first certified environmental and recycling contractor in Norway. The need for appropriate and secure handling of waste has existed since the beginning of the 1800s, and Ragn-Sells has long played a key role in society. The social responsibility we bear is both a privilege and a burden. The ‘burden’ consists of the complex laws, regulations, bure- aucracy and requirements we are obliged to follow. The ‘privilege’ is that we fulfil one of the most important functions in society. We’re proud to make it easier for people to keep their country clean,’ says Bjørn Hoel.

Building the brandDespite the fact that the waste industry in Norway is growing, it is still accorded low status and viewed as obsolete. The capacity for innovation within the sector and the work being done to adapt to the idea of a circular economy are not generally recognised. That is why it is quite a challenge to attract young, highly skilled people who can contribute to raising the company to an even higher level so as to ensure continued growth. The strategic focus is therefore on brand building for both the company itself and for the sector as a whole. The employees have a crucial role to play in this work, and Bjørn Hoel makes it clear that the success would never have been as great without them. Ragn-Sells AS employs a mixed group of people who represent a broad spectrum as regards education, origin and experience. Ragn-Sells has recruited pensioners, apprentices, young people still completing their education and minorities. In addition, the company has the highest proportion of female managers of any business in the industry.

Yet another factor behind the company’s success is its capacity to lead the field in communication. The company is more than keen to highlight the strong, green brand that Ragn-Sells now represents.

‘We’ve put a good deal of money into our profile – on vehicles, containers and flags. We are also investing continuously in our facilities and have improved both web solutions and our marketing,’ concludes Cecilie Lind.


Bjørn Hoel, CEO and Cecilie Lind, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ragn-Sells AS, Norway.

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RAGN-SELLS POLAND

New/Key customer:

MIXED HAZARDOUS WASTE (MHW) COLLECTION SERVICES

Summary of the deal:In January 2016 Ragn-Sells teamed up with a local waste management compa-ny to start providing MHW collection services in Kostrzyn, a region in which Ragn-Sells has never operated before. The contract is to run for two years.

RAGN-SELLS POLAND

New/Key customer:

BEWI GROUP

Summary of the deal:Ragn-Sells Poland is in the process of setting up a new joint venture company – Ragn-Sells Technology – in partnership with the BEWI Group. The main scope of activities will be the collec-tion, compression and recycling of EPS material in the joint venture’s own facility, which is currently under development. Through participation in projects of this kind, Ragn-Sells will be helping to provide authentic ‘cir-cular economy’ service to the fishing industry by collecting used fish-boxes and EPS waste and then turning it into polystyrene pellets for reuse in other contexts.

RAGN-SELLS ESTONIA

New/Key customer:

ESTONIAN ENERGY

Summary of the deal:At the beginning of the year Ragn-Sells launched an industrial cleaning service on the Estonian market. Active work during the launch period brought in a variety of contracts, the most noteworthy of which being the one with Estonian Energy.

Eesti Energia is the largest energy producer and supplier in Estonia, op-erating a number of power plants in Tallinn and the north-east of the coun-try. Ragn-Sells Estonia has signed an industrial cleaning contract with Iru incineration plant. The contract includes 24/7 emergency clean-up services involving high-pressure trucks and vacuum excavators.

Developed in partnership with Danish colleagues from OMÖ A/S, industrial cleaning is the latest Ragn-Sells service to be introduced in Estonia.

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

KEY DEALS AND NEW ACQUISITIONS

Numerous important deals are completed within the Ragn-Sells Group every year. The Group sometimes also acquires external companies and incorporates

them into existing operations. Here are some examples of key deals, new establishments and acquisitions completed thus far this year.


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RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

New/Key customer:

E.ON VÄRME (HEAT)

Summary of the deal:On February 1 Ragn-Sells launched a new operation at the E.ON Värme facilities in Malmö, Norrköping, Örebro and Stockholm, which involves Ragn-Sells taking over responsibility for industrial cleaning and sanitation. The launch ran smoothly, thanks to an excellent working relationship between the regional departments, sales and central resources. During the spring, Ragn-Sells also successfully completed a number of cleaning and sanitation assignments during the E.ON audit shut-down. The extraordinary priority E.ON gives to safety posed quite a challenge, but Ragn-Sells was happy to accept it, and delivered on their promise.

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

New/Key customer:

NYA KAROLINSKA SOLNA (NKS) HOSPITAL

Summary of the deal:In June, Ragn-Sells service managemet team in Stockholm will be commenc-ing its exciting new assignment at the NKS hospital. The NKS mission is to be the world’s leader in environmentally friendly applications to a world class university hospital. With the human factor as the focal pivotal point, NKS will be built and operated with the lowest environmental impact to date in new hospital construction.

The assignment places high demands on Ragn-Sells in regards to safety, cleanliness, routines, statistics, and overall neatness and tidiness. Ragn-Sells will have two members of staff on site full-time, and they will be responsible for dealing with hazard-ous waste (including high-risk waste), sorting and recycling of waste materi-als, handling of confidential waste and other types of waste processing. The agreement has been signed with COOR Service Management.

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

New/Key customer:

PORTS OF STOCKHOLM

Summary of the deal:Collection of engine room oil from vessels in Stockholm Harbour. Ragn-Sells’ new Oil Recovery Centre on Högbytorp will be ready to start handling material of this kind around the scheduled start of the assignment, and the flow of material from Ports of Stockholm will serve as an important base in the oil treatment process.

RAGN-SELLS ESTONIA

New/Key customer:

CONSTRUC- TION COMPANIES & AUTHORITIES

Summary of the deal:Residential pollution – a kind of ‘parting gift’ from Soviet times – is an issue in many areas of Estonia. Ragn-Sells is now taking on the role of soil treatment partner for construction companies and authorities in the country. Over the past two years, Ragn-Sells has helped sanitise residential pollution at more than 20 sites in Estonia. It is encouraging to note that Ragn-Sells also won a major tender for a joint project ordered by the Estonian Ministry of the Environment in September 2015. This project is intended to eliminate sources of pollution in eight different areas at the same time.

RAGN-SELLS ESTONIA

New/Key customer:

ESTONIAN TAX AND CUSTOMS BOARD (CLO)

Summary of the deal:Ragn-Sells has been named an official partner of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (CLO). As such, Ragn-Sells is responsible for handling the destruction of cigarettes, alcohol, fuel and other goods confiscated by the customs officers. Moreover, Ragn-Sells has also been entrusted with the destruction of their confidential documents.

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN (RSM&CO)

New/Key customer:

VOLVO CARS

Summary of the deal:RSM&CO will provide ISO training for the management team at Volvo Cars as well as fundamental training and supplementary courses for internal auditors, Gap Analysis, new ISO 9001 and 14001.


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Ragn-Sells is to be Living proof that care for our planet and good business go hand in hand. The Group’s mission is to provide inno-vative and efficient solutions for dealing with

waste and converting it into resources.‘In order to succeed with this aim, it is essential

that we have a shared view of how we are to achieve our objectives within the Group. The overarching strategy has been in place for quite a while now, but only on a more visionary level. As it was not previ-ously sufficiently deployed and tangible, we realised that the time had come to make things clearer, so that everyone understands what the strategy entails and how it affects the choices we make going forward,’ says Helena Karlsson, CEO of Ragn-Sells AB in Sweden.

The work was initiated in February, and compa-nies in all countries within the Group were tasked with setting up strategy groups comprising repre-sentatives from various parts of the business.

‘We have got off to a good start in these strategy teams; the atmosphere is one of broad agreement and we have a shared plan concerning the fundamen-tal features of the work,’ says Michael Cederborg, Regional Director for Eastern Europe.

Varying degrees of progressRepresentatives from companies in the different countries have met to work together to establish a shared framework for the Group’s strategy work.

‘At present, the different countries have made var-ying degrees of progress, but this is part of a longer process where it is unlikely that we will all reach the

finish line at the same time. We have agreed on the overarching framework, so it’s now a matter of interpreting it and formulating strategies for the in-dividual markets. It’s a comprehensive project that we will continue to work on going forward,’ says Michael Cederborg.

The objective of developing a Group-wide strategy is to clarify the long-term business direc-tion for the Ragn-Sells operation, and to use this work to identify possible synergies between com-panies within the Group.

For the biggest company in the Ragn-Sells Group – the Swedish operation – the work on the new strategy has also provided the opportunity to review the organisation structure.

‘We need to continue to develop our organisa-tion and our capacity to work together within it. There has been an element of frustration within the business, with people finding it difficult to identify roles, responsibilities and mandates. We now need to adapt the organisation to match the size of the business and the market conditions – and, above all, the strategic decisions we have made,’ adds Helena Karlsson.

New organisation structureThe goal is to create a clear, simple and straightfor-ward organisation.

‘We need clear roles and responsibilities, clear mandates, quick and simple decision-making channels, and unambiguous communication. We need to simplify everyday work so as to achieve our goals. The strategy has to be broken down even

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

IMPORTANT STRATEGY WORK INITIATED WITH FOCUS ON THE FUTUREDuring spring, the Ragn-Sells Group has had a strong focus on

developing and clarifying a joint strategy. The objective is to define a shared, long-term business strategy for Ragn-Sells businesses in

general, and for the individual companies within the Group.


Michael Cederborg, Regional Director for Eastern Europe.

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further and made tangible in an everyday context so that everyone can understand the contents and act accordingly. The work on the business plan will be the next important step in the project to apply the strategy in the operative side of the business.’

In May, the management in Sweden com-menced work on identifying a new organisation structure.

‘Our current goal is to do as much as we can before the summer and the holidays. The work to staff the organisation will continue this autumn. Organisational changes are always tough, but at the end of the day this is sure to produce an excellent result. Organisational development is long-term work, and will also involve focusing on soft values such as leadership and the capacity to work together.’

The work on strategy will continue this autumn for all companies in the Ragn-Sells Group.


OUR VALUEPROPOSITION 2024

Vision

Values Simplicity Responsibility Big Picture Go

To be a living proof that care for the Earth and business growth, goes hand in hand

Mission To offer circular solutions – reduce, take care of and transform waste into resources

Objectives

Society

Customers

Owners

Employees

The society sees Ragn-Sells as a truly sustainable company in the forefront of the field of Circular Ekonomy

Our customers receive well-adopted and environmentally sound service solutions. We strive towards being customers first coice.

Our owners feel that all companies within the RS Group contributes in line with owners directives as well as annual KPI’s.

Our employees are motivated, competent and feel that they have the means to contribute in a positive way towards our goals.

Desired position

RAGN-SELLS IS TO BE ‘LIVING PROOF THAT CARE FOR OUR PLANET AND GOOD BUSINESS GO HAND IN HAND’“

Helena Karlsson, CEO of Ragn-Sells AB Sweden.

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RAGN-SELLS UNITED 2nd ISSUE 2015

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

RAGN-SELLS ROBOT HELPS KEEP WATER CLEANER

Around 60 traffic-intensive locations in Sweden have been fitted with hydrofil-ters that remove heavy metals from run-off water. The problem is that they be-come useless when blocked by sludge. The solution has now been provided by Ragn-Sells, the only company to use a robot to clean the filter – and help keep water cleaner.

It is becoming increasingly common in Sweden to use a filter to remove heavy metals from runoff water and wastewater. Traffic-intensive locations such as car parks, car washes, airports and harbours are fit-ted with what are known as ‘hydrofilters’ that remove heavy metals from runoff water by capturing them in a series of filters.

‘The practice has long been common in Ger-many, which is why they are ahead in the de-velopment of water purification solutions. In Sweden, hydrosystems of this kind have been in-stalled in around 60 locations, and demand for them is on the rise. It is an excellent way to pu-rify water, and one that has a major impact on the environment,’ says Manfred Lavicka, Product

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

CLOUD-BASED IT SERVICES CREATE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RAGN-SELLS GROUP

The coming year will see the launch of a modern, flexible communication platform that is sure to facilitate work both inter-nally and externally. The Ragn-Sells Group is now leading the way into the future by adopting Microsoft’s cloud-based IT solu-tion and applying it throughout the Group.“All of a sudden, Ragn-Sells has become a leading edge player and a role model in the field of IT,” states Maria Gustafsson, CEO of RSGIT.

Supervisor for oil separators at Ragn-Sells Sweden.One precondition for hydrofilters to function opti-

mally is that the filters themselves must be cleaned at regular intervals – otherwise they are utterly use-less.

‘This was something that seems to have been forgotten when the filters were installed, namely that the sludge that builds up would block the filter.’

In Germany, there is a truck fitted with a filter cleaning system, but no such machine existed in Sweden, so the filters remained useless in spite of the high investment costs. Then Ragn-Sells came up with a solution to the problem.

‘Having met representatives from the sector and examined the problem, I went to Germany to see how the issue is dealt with there. Problems are there to be solved, and we have now taken one of Ragn-Sells’

rinsing vehicles and fitted it with an electronic unit that can wash the filters clean.’The invention – a small robot – rinses the filters with water and compressed air applied in pulses to loosen the sludge. The suspended sludge, which is full of heavy metals, is then extracted using a suction hose.

‘We are the only company in Sweden that can clean these filters, and it feels good to be the first to launch this solution.’

The Ragn-Sells robot is busily employed cleaning hydrofilters all over Sweden so that they can keep on removing heavy metals from runoff water.

‘The filters need to be cleaned between one and six times per year, depending on where they are in-stalled. Demand for our solution is increasing among private companies, municipalities and environmen-tal offices.’

Since January 1 2015, Ragn-Sells Group IT – RSGIT – has been run as a separate company tasked with supplying IT services to the entire Group.

‘Starting in 2013, we have completed an in-depth overhaul of the IT systems and introduced a new strategy. We have adopted the Microsoft cloud-based service as the standard solution within the Ragn-Sells Group, which makes things easier for everyone. Another feature of this project is the move from locally managed solutions to shared, One Com-pany solutions,’ explains Maria Gustafsson, CEO of RSGIT.

The ‘cloud’ contains a number of elements in-cluding Office 365, SharePoint and a CRM system designed to make everyday operations easier for the Group’s employees.

‘You can now share documents, no matter where you may be physically working.’

Launching a platformA shared Group company for IT operations also pro-vides financial benefits when all IT development projects are decided centrally and followed up by a project office. The IT costs in different countries are collated monthly and checked against budget.

Over the coming year, RSGIT will be launching a shared communication platform for the entire Group, designed for both internal and external communica-tion. The new intranet solution will be introduced before summer, and autumn will see the arrival of an external client platform.

‘Using Microsoft’s existing solutions ensures that we always have access to the latest versions of the

software, and that we will never drop off the pace as regards updates and the like. Briefly put, it means goodbye to obsolete software,’ says Roland Björk, Global Enterprise Architect.

Ahead of the packAnother feature of the new set-up is the fact that hardware in the form of computers and other units has been centralised, and that all computer equip-ment in the Group is leased.

‘Our guiding principle has been to eliminate dependence on specific hardware when it comes to using the IT system. You can access everything, no matter what unit you use to link up,’ explains Roland.

‘The entire platform makes it possible to work in virtual teams,’ adds Stefan Krantz, Global Manager for Infrastructure at RSGIT.

During the development project, the team has also prepared a global PMO project intended to create shared management models within the Ragn-Sells Group. The methodology can be applied in all businesses within the Group and is designed to ensure that projects stay on course as regards both time and budget.

From having rather outdated IT solutions, Ragn-Sells has now moved ahead of the pack – from an international perspective as well – in the field of IT systems.

‘All of a sudden, Ragn-Sells has become a lead-ing edge player and a role model among Microsoft’s customers. This means we enjoy full support in the context of product development – which feels wonderful,’ concludes Maria Gustafsson.

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RAGN-SELLS NORWAY

RIGHT SKILLSFOR VEHICLE STRIPPING

Bilgjenvinning AS is the name of the part of the Ragn-Sells organisation in Norway that strips vehicles before scrapping. Norway is one of the few countries to op-erate a ‘scrap deposit’ scheme, and Au-toretur – which holds principal responsi-bility for ensuring that worn-out vehicles are scrapped in a safe, eco-friendly man-ner – has chosen Bilgjenvinning as its partner.

The ‘scrap deposit’ scheme means that 3,000 NOK is added to the price of all new vehicles sold in Nor-way. This sum is returned to the last owner when the vehicle is turned over to an approved breaker’s yard for disposal.

‘More than 141,000 vehicles were brought in for scrapping in Norway in 2015. Of these, Ragn-Sells’ vehicle stripping facilities handled 5,039,’ says Lars Fallmyr from Bilgjenvinning AS.

In 2006, Ragn-Sells AS teamed up with Hellik Teigen in Norway and founded Bilgjenvinning AS. Ragn-Sells AS is skilled in the field of waste and logistics, while Hellik Teigen is one of the leading companies in the field of metal recovery.

RAGN-SELLS GROUP

RECORD HIGH INTEREST IN INNOVATION DAY

The theme for the annual Innovation Day, held in the middle of May, com-prised various aspects of past and pres-ent. The event featured four sources of inspiration and attracted a record num-ber of participants.

‘Waste – then and now’ was the theme for the eleventh edition of Innovation Day, which took place on May 13 at the Sätra Gård site, just outside Stockholm, and attracted around 80 participants.

‘The whole point of Innovation Day is to give the research specialists we interact with during the year the opportunity to showcase their results. It’s a good way to spread knowledge,’ explains Lars Tol-gén, coordinator for Ragnar Sellberg’s foundation for research and development in waste-related issues – the organiser’s of Innovation Day.

Four lecturers were present at the event. First up

Bilgjenvinning AS has links with around 50 vehicle collectors, equivalent to approximately 44 per cent of the Norwegian market.Previously, Ragn-Sells’ vehicle stripping facilities were only to be found at Oslofjorden and in East Nor-way, but additional installations have recently been set up in locations including Stord on the west coast and in Bergen.

‘When a vehicle is delivered to one of our facil-ities, our staff make sure that it is reported to the

authorities as ‘scrapped’. We can also take care of licence plates, which are sent to the National Road Administration.’

The actual stripping process consists of several stages and involves removal of everything from bat-teries and tyres to AC systems and airbags. A time consuming process is to drain the vehicle of fluids such as petrol, oil and sprinkler fluid. Finally, the stripped vehicle is crushed by a front-loader and then sent to the fragmentation plant.

was Ylva Sjöstrand from the Department of History at Stockholm University, who presented her research into waste and waste products from a historical per-spective. Her talk was followed by a philosophical observation of waste as a parenthesis in societal de-velopment, when Stefan Persson from the company Rhetikfabriken put forward his views on the value of waste and a waste-free future.

Yariv Cohen related how ash may become a re-source for Ragn-Sells in the future in the context of extraction. Last on stage was Gen Larsson from the Royal Institute of Technology, who spoke about how

the Industrial Biotechnology department is conduct-ing research into E-coli bacteria and how their genes can be manipulated to produce substances we can use constructively.

Another highlight of Innovation Day was Richard Mutafela who won the competition for best thesis project that Ragn-Sells set up for students last year.

Richard held a presentation about the raw ma-terial factory with maggots he has built up at Hög-bytorp, and which may provide a solution for protein supply in the future.

Lars Tolgén, coordinator Ragnar Sellberg’s foundation and Richard Mutafela the winner of best thesis project. A competition Ragn-Sells set up for students during 2015.

More than 141,000 vehicles were brought in for scrapping in Norway in 2015

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On December 2, 2015, the EU Commission presented a new proposal concerning a cir-cular economy. The proposal comprised two sections – an action plan for a circular economy and a ‘waste package’ containing

suggestions for revising six directives that currently apply to the area of waste.

Ragn-Sells had been active throughout the com-mission’s creation process of the proposal, so when EU Commissioner Jyrki Katainen, in May 2015, looked for inspiration and advise on the topic of circular economy, he came to Ragn-Sells. Jyrki Katainen is responsible for Jobs, Growth, Invest-ment and Competitiveness in the European Com-mission. Prior to the visit, his view was that landfills were a relic of the linear economy, something that a circular economy should leave behind. After the visit he urged Ragn-Sells to actively provide guid-ance to the European Commission work on Waste and Circular economy.

Recycling and re-use of resourcesRagn-Sells strongly support the development of a framework for a circular economy. A circular econ-omy, that operates within the planetary boundaries and manages to break the unsustainable dependen-cy on finite resources, is the only way forward to a more sustainable use of natural resources.

‘A circular economy helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating innovation, competi-tiveness and jobs,’ says Jonas Roupé, Marketing Director of Ragn-Sells AB. One of our key messag-es, is that it must be more profitable to recycle and

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

RAGN-SELLS RESPONDS TO THE EU REGARDING CIRCULAR ECONOMY

When the EU Commission presented its proposal concerning circular economy at the end of last year, it asked selected players – including Ragn-Sells – for

their feedback. In February, Ragn-Sells submitted its comments on the proposal, putting forward the company’s view on how best to promote conversion to a

circular economy.

re-use resources than to extract virgin resources,’ concludes Jonas.

‘As an appendix to our comments on the propos-al, we also submitted a summary of our conclusions from the breakfast seminar and round table we held on the topic of circular economy on February 16. This was an event to which we invited politicians and representatives of the business community to discuss the preconditions for a circular economy,’ says Viveke Ihd, Sustainability Strategist at Ragn-Sells AB.

In 2016, the proposal from the EU Commission will be put before the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.


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RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

INVESTMENT IN WHEEL WASHING KEEPS ROADS CLEAN

The first permanent wheel-wash-ing installation for trucks has been set up at Högbytorp, the Ragn-Sells treatment facility in Upplands-Bro. The investment helps improve the environment and keeps the roads clean, which is something that has long been in demand. ‘The response has been remarkably positive,’ says Kent Rubensson at Ragn-Sells Högbytorp.

Ragn-Sells runs Högbytorp, the leading recycling and treatment facility in Sweden, in the Municipality of Upplands-Bro, just outside Stockholm. Every year, the facility receives and processes around a million tonnes of waste, and every day the site is visited by 300–500 trucks carrying material for sorting and processing. Previously, the truck wheels picked up clay and soil from the site, carrying it with them and depositing it on the surrounding roads.

‘This has caused problems with dirty roads outside the Högbytorp facility, and we have been looking into all kinds of methods to deal with the issue,’ relates Kent Rubensson, System Support at Ragn-Sells in Högbytorp.

The solution was eventually found in Switzerland, where one of the two manufacturers of wheel washers in the world is located. The first permanent wheel washing facility in Sweden was recently installed at Högbytorp.

‘The roads are much cleaner now. Not only does this look better, but it is also positive for the environment now that the trucks no longer deposit material from the site on the roads.’

Ragn-Sells model for a circular economy. Incineration is used to detoxify and separate vital compounds, Landfills lock-away toxins that shouldn’t be circulated back to society, as well as a temporary storage of vital compounds that should be returned in purified form.

RAGN–SELLS MOVING TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

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Reclassifying incorrectly sorted materials – and charging a fee for it – is not new to Ragn-Sells AB. What is new is that the company has now set up a shared system for how to handle deviations in the form of

incorrectly sorted waste. The initiative is important to Ragn-Sells from the perspectives of both profit-ability and quality.

‘This is actually nothing new, as it is stated in our general terms and conditions. What we are do-ing now is ensuring compliance with our terms, and making sure that the material we receive is actually what the customer says it is. If it isn’t, our terms and conditions clearly state that we have the right to charge a fee to cover the costs incurred,’ says Rolf Pihlquist.

Checking on delivery is to become a part of the standard process, and routines are to be set up to identify and document incorrectly sorted material.

‘We also view this as a way to help our cus-tomers do things right from the beginning, and it’s positive that we’re helping them with their environ-mental work.’

Quality importantAny incorrectly sorted material that deliveries

contain has to be reclassified.‘We handle around 37,000 reclassifications

every year, of which we have debited 650. The work generates both administration and production costs, and we need to start charging a fee to cover them,’ says Rolf Pihlquist, Production Manager.

The material that has to be reclassified is to be documented with photographs. These are attached to the order to highlight the cost for the customer.

RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

SHARED INITIATIVE TO COMBAT INCORRECT SORTINGEvery year, Ragn-Sells AB has to deal with around 37,000 cases of incorrectly

sorted materials – work that is naturally linked with high costs in both administration and production. A new initiative is designed to get the message more clearly across to customers, and to ensure that

the company is paid for its reclassification work.

‘This affects sales, production and, at the end of the day, our finances,’ relates Rolf Pihlquist, Production Manager.

Documentation of the incorrect sorting is an important part of the work to justify the costs to the customer.

Another part of the new reclassification initiative involves setting up shared systems and routines.

‘We have to operate with a shared definition of what the different materials are, and this definition must be the same for sales and production alike,’ adds Rolf Pihlquist.

Internal challengeNew material sheets have been produced in order to clarify what is classified as a given material. The intention is to use these sheets for support exter-nally in relation to customers, and internally within the company.

Another aspect of following up on material deviations is for Ragn-Sells to abide by its own ISO requirements and quality certification with regard to non-conformities.

Anna Lundbom, Regional Sales manager, explains that the internal process is a challenge in itself, and that sales, production and customer service need to work together in a chain. Rolf Pihlquist agrees.

‘We have previously introduced firm initiatives in this area – most recently in 2013 – but we have never had a shared functionality, which we do now. We are now making the issue manageable and gathering everything together in the same place so that customer service can help customers who have questions. Our organisation in Norway has been operating this routine for quite a while now, and it has produced positive development.’


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RAGN-SELLS SWEDEN

NEWMANAGEMENT TRAINING IN RADICAL COLLABORATION

Over the coming year, all managers at Ragn-Sells AB in Sweden will be taking a course in what is known as ‘radical collaboration’. The objective is to create and maintain trusting relationships, both internally and externally.

In order to produce ‘sustainable manag-ers’ who are ‘sustainable’ both at work and at home, the Ragn-Sells Academy has produced a training course in trust-ing partnerships.

‘The course is intended to provide managers with a number of practical, valuable and readily applicable skills that they can use directly in their every-day lives. That is why ‘Radical Collab-oration’ now forms part of our basic management training course,’ relates Kristina Eklund Nielsen, Head of Stra-tegic Competence Development and Ragn-Sells Academy at Ragn-Sells AB in Sweden.

The management training course is run over four days. Self-awareness is the cornerstone when participants are tasked with studying a range of different tools, working with experience-based learning, and training interest-based problem solving, interface meetings, negotiation and conflict management.

The course is one of a kind and often produces almost instant results.

‘After we held the course for the first time, we were soon able to identify spe-cific results in the business.’

The intention is for all Ragn-Sells AB managers to complete the course in radical collaboration over the coming year.


EVERY YEAR, RAGN-SELLS AB HAS TO DEAL WITH AROUND 37,000 CASES OF INCORRECTLY SORTED MATERIALS“

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RAGN-SELLS ONE COMPANY NEWSRAGN-SELLS UNITED 1st ISSUE 2016

Documents

Ragn-Sells United #1 2016