Tromsø is not only home to the world's northernmost university. It's also where our Norwegian Country Manager Bjarte Kaldestad works. When we call him up, the summer heat has arrived in Tromsø and the sun has stopped setting - and maybe that's a good thing, given all that's happening in our Norwegian operations in the near future?
Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
I live in Tromsø with my wife and two daughters. I have worked in the car parts industry for 25 years, where I ran my own car dismantling business, which I sold in 2013. It was in connection with this that I got to know Johan Livered and Mattias Pettersson (Autocirc's founders). This eventually led to me getting the opportunity to start as Country Manager at Autocirc in January 2022. My mission here is to build a network with national coverage in Norway and operations in transport, dismantling and damage repair.
What attracted you to join Autocirc?
The concept and vision that Johan and Mattias presented was very interesting. Working for a circular economy in the auto parts industry and showing that we can get there not only in Norway but also on a European level is very motivating. This role was an exciting opportunity to be involved from the beginning and build up the business in Norway. I already knew what great entrepreneurs Johan and Mattias are and it feels very rewarding to work with them.
What does a typical day at work look like?
It ranges from acquisition processes with all that they entail to supporting and developing the existing businesses here in Norway. I'm also involved in negotiating agreements with partners, such as transportation or insurance companies. Then there are also administrative things like answering emails or questions that concern us at Autocirc and our business.
What are you most looking forward to in 2023?
In August, our new central warehouse will open in Vestby, outside Oslo. Here we will also build an organization to better support our Norwegian operations, but also relieve the head office in Borås. The new warehouse will be a strategic hub for trade in the Nordic region and Europe, while we will become a full-service supplier to our customers in Norway, reaching 80 percent of them with the car parts they need within 24 hours. In parallel, we are currently building a state-of-the-art car dismantling facility in Tromsø with the capacity to handle cars throughout northern Norway. It is expected to be ready by the end of the year. Together, these investments will make us the leading player in the reuse and recycling of car parts in Norway within the next year.
What do you do when you're not working?
I like to spend time with my family. I also appreciate the forest and countryside very much, here in northern Norway there is the most beautiful nature in the world with fantastic opportunities for hiking, mountain running and skiing.
