Provexa Group CEO Anders Hultmark has the floor
Text and image: Janne Näsström
Everyone my age remembers when cars’ exhaust systems rusted out in three years and needed to be replaced. Now it’s been a long time since I heard the characteristic sound of holes in silencers. This is because the protection against corrosion is so much better today. It is the same with other products.
Certainly, the surface treatment cannot be given all the credit. Other explanations are material selection and more corrosion-resistant constructions. But surface treatment is a factor of great importance.
When the exhaust system lasts several times longer, the need for materials, labor and energy is reduced. The result over the life of the car is that we save much more of the earth’s resources than the protection consumes.
In today’s situation with war in Europe and skyrocketing energy prices, it is easy to stare blindly at resource consumption at the moment. It is true that the processes at Provexa consume a lot of electricity and also a small amount of gas. But at the same time, even more resources would be wasted over time if we completely shut down operations and gave corrosion free rein.
We have great demand for our Kombiline and are expanding it to double its capacity. To make room for the investment, we are closing line E2. Rising costs for electricity and consumables have contributed to this decision. The goods that ran on line E2 is moving mainly to line E1.
Surface treatment is also an increasingly important part of the products’ function. The clearest proof is a growing mission for our technology company Provexa Technology AB. For example, we check and improve electrical connections at power plants and silver contact surfaces to reduce resistance. It is the same with our customers who manufacture batteries for vehicles. The fewer the losses, the more is left to the range of the electrical car. Here too, surface treatment plays a key role. This is what we call: surface technology.
When I am asked what we do at Provexa, I answer sustainability. This is also our vision: We dream about a sustainable world, where our contribution is world-leading surface technology.
Anders Hultmark
CEO, Provexa Group