Canada is the next stop for the Forss family
Samuel Forss and his family will soon pack up and head to Canada, where Samuel will help get Ljunghäll’s new factory up and running. For Samuel, the move abroad is the realization of a long-held dream.
“It’s really wonderful to be given this responsibility,” he enthuses.
Samuel Foss from Storebro is living proof that you don’t have to move to Stockholm or Gothenburg to achieve an exciting career in the world of business. He is a global key account manager at Ljunghäll; in layman’s terms, he is responsible for a number of the company’s customer contacts. The customers are located all over the world – as a result, Samuel has built up an expansive, global network.
“I talk to Chinese, American or French people almost every day,” he says.
When Ljunghäll opened a factory in the Czech Republic in 2008, Samuel was already on board. Now the company is ready to make its next major expansion abroad with the opening of a new factory in Canada – and Samuel is set to play a key role. By creating new business contacts in the United States and Canada, he will help Ljunghäll launch its Canadian operations
“I’ll be handing my current customers off to someone else, and will build a new customer base in the North American market. The plan is that my family and I will move to Canada sometime next year,” explains Samuel.
Negotiating new business deals is a long-term process that requires great patience. From the first meeting to signing a contract, it can take several years to gain a new customer. It has not yet been decided exactly how long the family will stay in Canada, but the contract is temporary and the plan is to eventually move back to Sweden and to Storebro.
“Of course it feels challenging to be charged with such a great responsibility. But it’s incredibly fun, too; I’ve always wanted to do something like this. It’s quite strange really, that the pieces of the puzzle all fell into place so perfectly.”
How does the rest of the family feel about the move?
“I have a wife and three children, ages seven, four and one. My wife is really excited, and the children are also on board, although they may not really understand what such a move entails. But they understand that they’ll have to speak English.”
About 400,000 people live in the city of London, where the new plant is located. London, Ontario flanks the shores of the Thames River, just like in the eponymous British metropolis.
“The British had a big influence on Canada, which is still part of the British Commonwealth. The country recognizes Queen Elizabeth as its regent, although she has no political power,” explains Samuel.
From London, it’s two hours to Toronto and two hours to Detroit, an area with a strong automotive industry. Ljunghäll has already signed a major deal in Canada, which is the primary reason why the plant is being built.
“We expect to deliver the first parts around 2019-2020.”
What are you most looking forward to about the move?
“I’m excited to build up something completely from scratch, both inside and outside of work. We also get the chance to move to an entirely new continent, and the children will gain language skills that are difficult to acquire in Storebro.”