A year has passed!

Imagine how quickly a year can pass by. It feels like yesterday I was writing the first blog of the year renaming it “2011 – The ultimate challenge”. 160 blogs have become over the year, a fantastic number, with and even more interesting content. In Fors MW, we believe in open rather than closed doors. Our openness in the blog is clear proof of that.

Fors MW is investing heavenly in marketing in everything from our ads, which are contained in nine countries in seven languages in 49 magazines continuously throughout the year, to our participation in trade shows all over Europe. Our dealers each year carry out numbers of demonstration days and participating in the regional fairs, while Fors MW took responsibility for the major events in countries such as Spain, France (SIMA), Finland, England and Sweden. Under the slogan “The future is here!” we proudly showed our most news-packed stand ever at SkogsElmia in Jönköping, Sweden. Never before in my Fors MW career have I been as proud as at that moment!

Our website is currently our most important marketing tool, available in seven languages in its entirety and will soon be updated to nine languages, in which we choose to add the Norwegian and Brazilian languages. The website has lead to several new dealers from parts of the world that to us previously has been undiscovered corners. Many are the old dealers who visited us for information and training during the year. This year´s main event was the dealer trip from Sweden, where around 70 dealers from across Sweden were flown over for education, presentation of news and a tour of the factory. An important and meaningful time that together with all the visits we´ve had over the year, are something that we remember with joy!

Several new dealers have strengthened up the Fors MW team and everyone, old or new, are worthy of mentioning but the list would be too long. The huge introduction that Helms in Denmark conducted for BIGAB after years of declining sales is well worth a special recognition and so are our Irish dealers Dave Power Plant which against all odds, took on sales of forest trailers and succeeded beyond expectations. The fact that our Norwegian, Finnish and German dealers have ensured that the sales of lumber trailers has broken all previous records are of course worth its special mentioning!

Sales during the year were really good. 2011, FARMA sales surpassed all previous records, both in complete sets as well as loose cranes, the energy cutters under the name BC 18 (introduced 2011) beats all expectations as are the sales of our grapple series. The new dump trailer that was introduced on the market has started well in its sales, BIGAB hook lift systems retain their good level while the BIGAB crane Z 6,6 has become something of a bestseller. This has been a year where old workhorses in our product range strengthened their position and newcomers in some cases proved that old are not always best!

During the year we strengthened our aftermarket team with its headquarters in Norrköping, Sweden with three people. This will speed up the delivery of spare parts, improve the internal administration and provide reinforcement for support and reclamations handling. In Estonia, we have dogged, casted, built and mounted in several parts of the factory all to get the 27 m long laser at place, the 300 kg heavy press with capacity of 3000 tons, the completion of the container workshop, the new two component coating system that has contributed to one of the best paint jobs on the market just to mention some.

2011 Fors MW changed management when Leif Fors, founder of Fors MW, after years of being CEO decided it was time to leave the daily responsibilities to the Vice President Peter Kastberg. Peter Kastberg in his role as CEO will follow in the spirits of Fors MW and continue the successful path of the business idea. The Boards appointed Leif Fors to the role of executive chairman. Leif is also ultimately responsible for the company´s product development and thus daily on location at the factory.

Finally, one can look back and agree that 2011 probably was a year full of challenges some tougher than others, some as yet only in the initial stage while others are in place and functioning properly. We know that a lot is waiting around the corner. 2012 will be the year of surprise, a year of even more exciting challenges but also a year where we continue to work on strengthen the role as the responsible market leader!

CONGRATULATIONS FORS MW 20 YEAR - 2012!

2012 Fors MW celebrates 20 years on the market! We promise a year that you will not forget and from our side we simply say – let the party begin!

We at Fors MW in Estonia, Sweden, Germany, England and China would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Through;
Ulrica Fors Stenmarck
Market/Information manager AS FORS MW

En tid att ge!

This is such an important blog so we share it in both Swedish and English. For the English blog see just below.

En tid att ge!

Det är morgon. Du hör alarmklockan som ringer alldeles för tidigt. Det är dags att gå upp ur din varma och sköna säng.

Du har en säng och rena lakan.

Om du har riktig tur finns det någon där vid din sida då du lyfter dina ögonlock för första gången den där dagen, någon som vet hur du vill ha ditt kaffe och som kanske brygger dig en kopp under tiden du tar din dusch.

Du är inte ensam och det finns gott om varmt rinnande vatten.

Medan du njuter av ditt kaffe och funderar över vad du ska ha till frukost eller om du ska ha någon överhuvudtaget börjar du så smått fundera över vad du ska ha på dig till jobbet idag och allt detta funderande börjar göra en smått galen, eller hur? Alla små beslut som ska fattas.

Men en sak vet vi - Du kommer inte att gå hungrig och du kommer inte att vara kall.

Sedan rusar du iväg till jobbet.

Det finns en plats där du behövs. Där du gör skillnad.

Hela dagen kommer du att göra sådant som måste göras. Du kanske älskar det, du kanske hatar det men när dagen är tillända har du en familj och vänner att gå hem till.

Du kommer inte att passera obemärkt!

Vet du hur lyckligt lottad du är?

Ibland glömmer i alla fall jag…

Fors MW har som tradition att ge och under åren har det blivit en hel del till välgörande ändamål. I år har vi precis som förra året valt att ge en betydande summa till de hemlösa i Tallinn. Gåvan är tänkt att bjuda på en fin julmiddag och värme under den kommande långa och kalla vintern.

Donera som vi har på:
Tallinna Rehabilitatsioonikeskus
Account no : 221015838965
IBAN EE122200221015838965
Swedbank

A time to give ...

Its morning. You hear the alarm clock ring and realise that its time to wake up ... to get out of Your warm and cozy bed.

You have a bed and clean sheets.

If Your truly lucky there is someone waking up beside You, someone who knows how You like Your coffee and makes You a cup while You shower.

Your not alone , there is plenty of hot water.

While enjoying the coffee Your trying to decide what to have for breakfast or should You have it at all? And what to wear to work today.... it makes you nuts doesnt it?!

You wont go hungry and get cold.

Then Youll rush off to work.

There is somewhere You need to be.

All day long Youll do what You need to do. You may love it , You may hate it ... but in the end, when everything gets done You have a home and a family to go to.

You will not go unnoticed.

Do You know how lucky You are?
I sometimes forget...

Fors MW continues the tradition of giving. This year (as we did last year) Fors MW donates a substantial sum to the homeless of Tallinn. The money provides for a nice Christmas dinner and gives warmth during a long and cold winter.

Donate as we have:
Tallinna Rehabilitatsioonikeskus
Account no : 221015838965
IBAN EE122200221015838965
Swedbank

Christmas party!

Yesterday evening Fors MW had its traditional Christmas party at noon traditional grounds. We left the office to head for Tallinn and the Indian restaurant Chakra. At place we were served fantastic foods and some nice drinks. We had a good time together and as always it feels so nice to look around the room and feel that you are among friends!

A head of the dinner our CEO Peter Kastberg presented a short over view over the fantastic year that has soon passed. Sales have been amazing and several new introduced products during the year have more than contributed to the good numbers. Next week it is time to sum up the year here in the blog. Then you will be able to read more about our interesting journey in 2011.

In need of education!

To deliver a top notch product is a good first step but nevertheless not enough. Delivery control and transferring knowledge about the actual product when a dealer is handing over the product to the customer is equally important. It is important in our goal for pleased customers but also necessary in regards to the CE mark.

Are you a customer to our products? You should always have your machine controlled by the dealer accordingly to the delivery control check list and his knowledge about the products do´s and don’ts. Are you a dealer? Are you or your staff in need of more knowledge about the product you sell in regards of aftermarket and handling instructions? If so, let us know and we will invite you to come to Estonia to receive practice and training.

On Your Birthday, Ago

Our wish wish for You is a light soul and a happy heart,
that You make laughter as important as air,
and play as essential as hard work...
That You believe in Yourself and the magic and power that are all Your own,
and that Your eyes are open to the miracles within and around You...

May joy,smiles and a lot of luck follow You through Your life!

A walk down memory line

On the final day of my visit to France I headed to the town of Caen, to then take the boat back to the UK, with time to spare I visited a place which is beyond words, a place where statistics mount, where feats of bravery and determination make you reflect on the previous days.

I travelled through this fantastic country of France, free, seeking trade, forging friendships and flying the flag of a company not from these shores, not from even close to this place, yet was made to feel welcome by all, greeted by men with free minds, in a free economy, who freely opened up to our products, ideas and visions.

After my last afternoon. The word “free” is what sticks in mind and drew me to some of these interesting places ,I visited a cemetery ,where 2781 men lay in graves, in the words of the gate upon entering, ``laid upon the alter of Freedom” . It’s a place where the world stand still for a few moments, its quiet, very quiet , an atmosphere that money couldn’t buy, the wind has no sound, the birds no song, even the cows in the next door field walk in a silent slow world.

Harry Jackson,21, Stafford England. James Tennat 20, Utah U.S.A. Patryik Dudek 24 Poland James “jimmy” Ranch,21,Edmonton,Canada,four young men, from four different countries, who names are upon some of the grave stones I read, to who, I owe debt, I debt of freedom to travel like I did, a freedom to write this I guess.

The sad thing is, this cemetery is one of many, some on a scale you would not believe without seeing, I place I would say you must visit some day for sure, I will be back.

After reading some of the reports from June 6th 1944 during my visit, then returning to the ferry home, reading about economic meltdown, cash crisis, credit crunch in the news paper ,I cast my mind back ,to Harry, James Patryik and James, and thought ,life isn’t too bad….is it????

Tom Belton
Sales representative BIGAB

A French road trip

A couple of weeks ago I travelled into France to meet with clients and dealers mostly to follow up on the enquiries that we have had from there the last couple of months. It was a fantastic trip. It is great to see the country that you work so hard to promote our machinery to, to get a sense of feeling for what goes and where and how things are working. I was quite shocked to see the scale of farming in the northern areas and down through the midlands. There are some very large farms and huge infrastructure to service it like sugar factories and grain plants.

As I travelled further south on what has to be said, superb roads, the farms seem to become smaller and more diverse with wine production, live stock and forests. The dealers which I visited were impressed with our products and likewise, I was impressed with the level of stock they seem to have on yard. All around I was made to feel very welcome and I look forward of my next visit to this wonderful country.

Tom belton
Sales representative BIGAB

Did You know...

That Swedish Monarch, king Johan II 1497-1501 , was prescribed gingerbread as a remedy against his depression ? People believed that gingerbread makes one happy.And one wants his/her king to be happy – dont You agree?

We dont have kings in Estonia but we do serve a little bit of happiness here today-just in case.

To Rene ...

May this Birthday be full of light and laughter,
a fireworks explosion of joy.
May it live in Your memories,
creating happiness and satisfaction
whenever You remember it...

Happy, happy Birthday!

Report from China

At Fors MW we travel several times a year to our office in China. Once in place in Shanghai we use the opportunity to travel this huge country. We literally travel back and forth to look for suppliers for our products.

Something that strikes us in our travels is that virtually all is made in China today. Everything is available and the brands from back home that states that they produce trailers based on providers locally possible buy most of their parts quite expansive from a nearby provider but in which, in turn, imports directly from China.

Here at Fors MW, we are proud of our three market-leading products and we have for example never hidden that we produce and assembly our products in Estonia and why should we? Here is an engineering tradition that goes at least as far back as the Swedish.

Nor have we avoided talking about the parts that we purchase from China, our trips, or our office in the country for that matter, and why should we? It is good products at place but you need to know which contracts to sign, you need to have experienced people at place that has dealt with the people and culture before and you do need to have regular checks of the quality. Did you know for example that Fors MW has one person at place whose only task is to travel around to our suppliers for quality control?

However, there is a big difference between us and other competitors. We deal direct with the factory in China and do pay accordingly, while others purchase from subcontractors (though imported from China) but with mark –ups that the customer ultimately pays for through expansive products.

Recently one of our purchasers, Svante Högnert, visited China and went for a tour. He also had the opportunity to visit some really interesting exhibitions focused more on the products we produce. Along with him on the tour was Norris Xiao responsible on-site in China for the team handling the day to day operations.

It was a pleasant trip, but as always you will find everything from suppliers that you must do business with to the contrary. It is ultimately about finding good quality products at reasonable prices. Buying the cheapest on the market has never paid off and has never been the goal for us here at Fors MW. If the quality is not complied with, we always produce the part ourselves at place in Estonia. That is quality that You can trust!