Corporate structure and corporate synergies in focus for NOTE's CEO

November 1st marks the start of Arne Forslund's term as CEO for NOTE. – NOTE has a strong business model and I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead such a successful and growing company, says Arne Forslund. Arne comes most recently from Teleflex Morse where he was European Operations Manager. – My initial focus will be developing NOTE's corporate structure and corporate synergies, says Arne Forslund. – We must create even greater volume advantages for our customers by better capitalising on the corporation's resources. As new CEO, I will also help make NOTE more effective and efficient. NOTE is clearly the market leader in certain customers segments, and increased focus on those segments will be interesting. At the same time, we need to expand our scope and manufacture more complete products. NOTE shall be the customer's first choice, due largely to our total concept and skills as an electronic manufacturer, he continues. Arne Forslund, 42, grew up in Gävle. – My first really exciting job was as Technical Production Manager at Trimble, which sells advanced measurement and positioning tools. We managed to influence the design phase, which led to more flexible production. The factory was also the first in Sweden to wash PCBs in water, recounts Arne. Trimble has been a NOTE customer for the past 15 years, and it was there that Arne first came into contact with NOTE. Following Trimble, Arne joined Siemen-Elema from 1994-1997 as the Production Manager for the x-ray division. Here as well Arne had regular contact with NOTE as a supplier. He then moved on to Ortivus in Täby, a world leader in EKG-equipment. Arne worked there for two years as Technical director, amongst other roles. In 2000, Arne was hired by Danaher Motion as CEO for its newly acquired Kihlströms Manometer factory. – I was asked to create a corporate structure at Kihlströms, which has been family owned since 1986. I was the first ever newcomer, continues Arne. After only one year, Arne was offered the position of Vice President Operations at Danaher Motion, which then had annual revenues exceeding 1 billion SEK. At the same time, he was CEO for Danaher Motion Flen, where he improved operations by implementing lean production. Soon thereafter Arne was commissioned to develop a strategy for Danaher Motion's global purchasing, which was responsible for deals totalling over 6 billion SEK per year. As Global Manufacturing Strategy Manager, Arne developed a new corporate policy for Danaher Motion's purchasing and design processes. In the beginning of 2004, Arne accepted the position as CEO for Teleflex Morse Stockholm, and he and his family settled in Sigtuna. Teleflex Morse promoted him shortly thereafter to European Operations Manager for the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden. It was from this role that Arne takes his next career step – as CEO of NOTE effective November 1, 2005. In his spare time, Arne focuses mainly on his family, outdoor activities, and his country house outside of Gävle. Which book is currently lying on Arne's bedside table? Dan Brown's thriller, Deception Point. – Dan Brown is keeping me awake into the wee hours of the morning, so my wife thinks I should avoid him for a while, laughs Arne. Arne Forslund succeeds Kjell-Åke Andersson as CEO of NOTE.