"The most important thing is to build the team and focus on constant renewal."

The Board Academy awards Guldklubban (the Golden Mallet) to companies for meritorious board work, and Jan Wallberg represents Gävleborg in the national award ceremony at Grand Hôtel in Stockholm in December. The nomination is a selection process based on interviews with companies in the county about how their corporate boards work.

The entire staff was gathered, and the bubbly was poured when Jan received the nomination from Mira Jonsson, chairman of Styrelseakademin Gävleborg. Jan is happy and proud of the award.

"It is great, both for me personally and for Huddig that our work is recognized.
I see it as a sign that we are on the right track. Board work is very much about cooperation to achieve the goals set by the owners. We should act as support for the management".

Huddig's sustainability work started early with the development of the full hybrid Tigon, and today, all customers can choose between hydrostatic and electric drive on the machines. Today, the work covers more areas than the environment and is run in line with Agenda 2030, where some goals have been selected. Sustainability is also an important issue for the board, and several initiatives are underway in the work environment, education, and social sustainability.

"When I joined the company, a lot had already been done, and now we are taking the next step and involving even more people. Sustainability is central to all companies today", Jan continues.

Huddig has many departments under one roof, such as development, production, and aftermarket. According to Jan, this provides strength and good conditions for dialogue and cooperation.

"Teamwork builds strength and pride in the company. A strong corporate culture sprouts development and innovation but also perseverance. And a bit of guts when needed. Huddig and other companies that stick with it for a long time in both ups and downs have that".

Jan describes Huddig as having a lot of development potential in the export market. Strategies to reach out to more markets are highly prioritized issues for the board over the next year. He also looks forward to further developing the cooperation with Huddig's owners and management.

Håkan Bäckström takes over as the new CEO at the turn of the year when Lars Lindahl hands over the post. Lars will then continue to be part of the board. According to Jan, this is an excellent solution that strengthens the company and creates continuity and stability.

"The combination of experience and new perspectives is great for driving development. Then you can lie one step ahead, develop, and be in motion, a prerequisite for being at the forefront".

He believes that it is vital for all companies to keep their ear on the ground and be responsive to what is happening in the market. This includes close contact with customers, dealers, and service providers, which is particularly important in times of uncertainty in many industries. A HUDDIG machine can be used for many different tasks, increasing the possibilities for adjusting when tasks vary.

Jan looks forward to continuing to drive the development of Huddig together with the owners and management.

"I am proud to be part of the Huddig team. It includes all stages, from the workshop to customer and service workshops. It is actually quite unique to have such close relationships at all levels", Jan concludes.