MADE IN EUROPE: How HANZA Blends ESG, Vertical Integration, And Smart Acquisitions To Scale with CFO Lars Åkerblom

MADE IN EUROPE: How HANZA Blends ESG, Vertical Integration, And Smart Acquisitions To Scale with CFO Lars Åkerblom

What happens when a manufacturer treats values as part of an operating system, not a slide? I sit down with HANZA CFO Lars Åkerblom at their recent Capital Markets Day to unpack how code of conduct and sustainability guide every decision—from factory floor safety and anti-corruption to transparent relationships with customers, suppliers, and investors—and why that stance fuels both resilience and growth. We trace the recent uptick in organic momentum as customer activity returns and orders turn into revenue, then dig into how vertical integration turns execution into advantage. By pulling more of the value chain inside, HANZA cuts handoffs, speeds problem-solving, and earns room to co-design with clients—lifting margins while deepening loyalty. That same discipline shapes acquisitions: the BMK deal did more than add revenue, it opened powerful cross-selling channels and sharpened the integrated model. Just as important are the deals you walk away from and the customers you let go when the fit is wrong; culture and long-term economics win over short-term volume. Looking ahead to the 2028 target of 14 billion SEK, we explore a balanced route: expand with existing customers, win new ones through capability-led differentiation, and use market softness to acquire quality assets at the right price. Agility stays central—building footprint, capacity, and geography to serve faster and better—while ensuring every acquisition leaves customers better off on day one. Throughout, two voices steer the ship: customers who reveal where value is moving, and employees who make safe, consistent delivery possible. That alignment turns ESG into everyday practice and strategy into steady compounding. If this conversation sparks ideas on culture-led growth, integrated operations, or smart M&A, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more builders can find it. This podcast is part of series filmed at HANZA's Capital Markets Day in Stockholm on March 10th 2026. MADE IN EUROPE is a Global Electronics Association podcast hosted by Philip Stoten and produced and published by SCOOP. For more information on Global Electronics Association visit https://www.electronics.org/ [https://www.electronics.org/]

MADE IN EUROPE: The STI Acquisition Repositions NOTE For Long-Term Defense Programs, says NOTE CEO Johannes Lind-Widestam

Defense electronics is pulling the EMS industry in a new direction, and the companies that move early will shape the next decade of the supply chain. I’m joined by Johannes Lind-Widestam, CEO of NOTE to unpack what’s really behind their latest moves and why the UK has become such a central piece of the puzzle. We get into the STI acquisition and how it strengthens NOTE’s position in the UK defense supply chain, expands geographic coverage, and adds specialized sites that win in distinct niches. Johannes also shares the story of adding former Chief of the Air Staff Sir Michael Wigston to the board and why board-level defense experience matters when customers are making long-term manufacturing decisions for security and defense programs. From there, we widen the lens to the broader electronics manufacturing services market: where order coverage is improving, why communication and industrial look healthier, why medtech is softer, and why greentech can swing customer to customer. We also talk supply chain risk in plain terms, including memory constraints, AI pressure on foundry capacity, potential PCB allocations, pricing, and how geopolitical shocks can ripple through logistics and materials. Finally, we tackle regional strategy and growth beyond 2026, balancing organic growth targets with disciplined M&A. If you care about EMS strategy, defense manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and where electronics production is headed next, hit subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more builders can find it. What trend do you think will reshape EMS the most this year? MADE IN EUROPE is a Global Electronics Association podcast hosted by Philip Stoten and produced and published by SCOOP. For more information on Global Electronics Association visit https://www.electronics.org/ [https://www.electronics.org/]

MADE IN EUROPE: How Vertical Integration Builds Smarter Defense Supply Chains with HANZA CSO Mattias Lindhe

War has sped up everything—demand signals, lead times, and the tolerance for fragile supply chains. I sit down with Mattia Lindhe, HANZA's Chief Strategy Officer at their recent Capital Markets Day to dig into HANZA's Lynx program’s twofold mission: deliver urgent support for Ukraine while building a stronger, more resilient European defense base that can scale locally and reliably. Along the way, we open the toolbox on what HANZA's twin superpowers: deep vertical integration that spans heavy mechanics to electronics, and advisory services that rewire supply chains for speed, flexibility, and lower tied-up capital. From there, we take a sober look at drones. Everyone has a drone program, but not everyone will matter when the market consolidates and drones behave like consumables. We share why picking the right partners beats chasing every RFP, how standardization and scale shape the winners, and where an integrated manufacturer should commit versus collaborate. The question is not “can we build it,” but “should we build it, and with whom,” so that capability compounds rather than fragments. We also step beyond traditional EMS boundaries. Drawing on HANZA's experience in heavy construction equipment and near-complete systems, we map the conditions where it makes sense to take on full assemblies and even vehicles—provided volumes and regulatory regimes align. The throughline across all of this is clarity: sell what customers need, not only what they want; put the right people on the same side of the table; and align on outcomes that endure through ramps and redesigns. If you care about European defense manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and the real path to scale in a volatile market, this conversation is a pragmatic field guide. Subscribe for more candid insights, share this with a colleague who’s wrestling with supply chain strategy, and leave a review to tell us where you want us to go deeper next. This podcast is part of series filmed at HANZA's Capital Markets Day in Stockholm on March 10th 2026. MADE IN EUROPE is a Global Electronics Association podcast hosted by Philip Stoten and produced and published by SCOOP. For more information on Global Electronics Association visit https://www.electronics.org/ [https://www.electronics.org/]

MADE IN EUROPE: How EMS Can Scale Defense Production Faster, with Kitron's CEO Peter Nilsson

Defense electronics is moving faster than the supply chain can comfortably handle, and the numbers are forcing a rethink of what “normal” growth looks like. I sat down with Peter Nilsson, President & CEO of Kitron Group to unpack a dramatic jump in defense-related revenue, what’s driving it, and how an EMS provider can scale without getting trapped by over-concentration or runaway complexity. We get specific about where the demand is coming from: legacy defense primes with long ramps and long program lives, plus a newer wave of defense tech companies building products at startup speed. That difference changes everything for electronics manufacturing services, from how you plan capacity to how you support rapid product development and transition into repeatable production. We also talk about the less glamorous reality behind big order books: lead times, component shortages, and the pain of distributor decommitments even after parts have been on order for a year. From there, we explore what modern operations teams are doing to stay ahead, including AI agents embedded in ERP to chase recommits, validate the master schedule weekly, and trigger automatic replanning. We also zoom out to broader growth drivers like AI and data centers, and why industrial IoT, connectivity, and data-center infrastructure hardware are creating demand far beyond the server rack. Finally, Peter shares how they think about organic growth versus M&A, what makes an acquisition worth integrating, and why brand expectations around performance and reliability can’t slip during expansion. If you care about defense manufacturing, EMS strategy, electronics supply chain resilience, and scaling production under pressure, hit play. Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review, then tell us what supply chain risk keeps you up at night? You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWPIC4XR6zdFjzkBEeCZsQq5IW3gTdJBw]. MADE IN EUROPE is a Global Electronics Association podcast hosted by Philip Stoten and produced and published by SCOOP. For more information on Global Electronics Association visit https://www.electronics.org/ [https://www.electronics.org/]

MADE IN EUROPE: Vertical Integration as a Superpower with HANZA Founder & CEO Erik Stenfors

What if your supply chain felt like one well-run factory instead of a maze of vendors and shifting promises? I sit down with founder and CEO Erik Stenfors at Hanza's Capital Markets Day in Stockholm to unpack a simple but powerful idea: build a manufacturing partner the way a buyer wishes it worked. That means vertical integration where it counts, smart outsourcing where it helps, and a single accountable brain coordinating many capable hands. We walk through the evolution from scattered globalization to an orchestrated model that turns fixed costs  variable, reduces delivery risk, and makes room for growth. As Erik explains, HANZA's framework runs on three axes—geography, technology, and capacity—so investments land where customers feel them most. HANZA 2025 was a phase focused on capacity and balance, HANZA 2028 shift toward technology, adding processes that expand the scope of supply and collapse handoffs. Not every site needs every tool; instead, clusters keep a common backbone while deepening specialities that remove real bottlenecks in electronics, mechanics, and final assembly. Voice of customer sits at the center. We share a standout story where a client moved from roughly forty suppliers to one orchestrated solution, gaining shorter lead times, clearer data, and fewer escalations. Acquisitions matter only when they extend the backbone or sharpen regional coverage without diluting standards. The aim stays constant: a consolidated supply chain that behaves like an integrated plant, priced like a flexible network, and measured by outcomes buyers actually care about—reliability, responsiveness, and total landed cost. If you’re ready to rethink how you scale, reduce risk, and free your team to focus on design and market instead of firefighting, press play.  Subscribe for more candid operations strategy, share this with a teammate who’s drowning in vendors, and drop a review to tell us what capability you want added next. This podcast is part of series recorded at HANZA's Capital Markets Day in Stockholm on March 10th 2026. MADE IN EUROPE is a Global Electronics Association podcast hosted by Philip Stoten and produced and published by SCOOP. For more information on Global Electronics Association visit https://www.electronics.org/ [https://www.electronics.org/]