ROCA Industry 50 years – owners talk about past, present & future
This year, ROCA Industry turns 50 – a significant anniversary for the family-owned company based in Tyresö, which operates in 65 markets worldwide. Owners Hans Lindbohm and Magnus Eriksson offer a look back and share their thoughts on the future.
When we meet, it is like so much else at ROCA Industry - uncomplicated and unbureaucratic. Magnus' dog, the little dachshund Luigi, begs having his back scratched during the interview, but despite this distraction, the conversation is focused and goal-oriented.
When asked what makes the company ROCA Industry special, the owners don't have to think long:
"It is, above all, the people. The commitment, the collaboration and the will to always do your best. It is also noticeable everywhere - in the passion for the business and in the pride for the products we develop and offer. Together, this creates a culture where experience, quality and faith in the future go hand in hand", says Magnus, who is ROCA Industry's Chief Operating Officer.
When asked what makes the company ROCA Industry special, the owners don't have to think long:
"It is, above all, the people. The commitment, the collaboration and the will to always do your best. It is also noticeable everywhere - in the passion for the business and in the pride for the products we develop and offer. Together, this creates a culture where experience, quality and faith in the future go hand in hand", says Magnus, who is ROCA Industry's Chief Operating Officer.
"Easy to work with"
The results of this commitment are noticeable in customer conversations, say Hans and Magnus. The general atmosphere out there is that ROCA "is easy to work with", as Magnus puts it. The level of service, availability and reliability is appreciated by customers and partners:
"When we receive a commitment, we complete it and continuously provide feedback to the customer. We are innovative and have developed several product lines based on direct input from customers - something that they undeniably appreciate", says Magnus. Hans, who is the CEO of ROCA Industry, adds:
"We want to build and nurture long-term relationships with our customers!"
When we ask about milestones or events that Hans and Magnus look back upon with extra pride, Magnus tells an anecdote about an event almost a decade ago:
"A sales rep and I were sitting in a restaurant in northern Sweden and we came to discuss our window fittings. I didn't understand why they were so small and simple - they were real low-cost products for a customer price of 1-2 Swedish kronor. So I asked the sales rep if we could develop a new offering in window fittings developed by our technical department. The answer was "yes", and today we challenge the big companies in this niche with window handles, window locks and other stylish peripheral products. So stylish that we know that more and more architects are choosing us over the big brands.
In the meantime, Luigi found a ball to play with, and Magnus mentions a meeting with ROCA Industry's largest reseller in Asia over ten years ago. It turned out that Magnus would sit in a room with eight critical Japanese businessmen who more or less cross-examined him:
"This was because they hadn't met or heard from ROCA for several years. So they were afraid that we would disappear. But I managed to restore trust and today we have a solid collaboration."
"When we receive a commitment, we complete it and continuously provide feedback to the customer. We are innovative and have developed several product lines based on direct input from customers - something that they undeniably appreciate", says Magnus. Hans, who is the CEO of ROCA Industry, adds:
"We want to build and nurture long-term relationships with our customers!"
When we ask about milestones or events that Hans and Magnus look back upon with extra pride, Magnus tells an anecdote about an event almost a decade ago:
"A sales rep and I were sitting in a restaurant in northern Sweden and we came to discuss our window fittings. I didn't understand why they were so small and simple - they were real low-cost products for a customer price of 1-2 Swedish kronor. So I asked the sales rep if we could develop a new offering in window fittings developed by our technical department. The answer was "yes", and today we challenge the big companies in this niche with window handles, window locks and other stylish peripheral products. So stylish that we know that more and more architects are choosing us over the big brands.
In the meantime, Luigi found a ball to play with, and Magnus mentions a meeting with ROCA Industry's largest reseller in Asia over ten years ago. It turned out that Magnus would sit in a room with eight critical Japanese businessmen who more or less cross-examined him:
"This was because they hadn't met or heard from ROCA for several years. So they were afraid that we would disappear. But I managed to restore trust and today we have a solid collaboration."
Tough times in the early 2010s
As Magnus points out, ROCA Industry has experienced tough times, especially when he and Hans began to get involved in the company, first as external consultants and later as owners. This time, when they took over the company in the early 2010s, was “really special,” as Magnus says thoughtfully:
"Back then, in 2011-12, the company had hit a dead end. There was a bad atmosphere, poor internal communication, and the money had run out. The finance department couldn’t answer the question of whether we were liquid. So we had to look at the accounts ourselves, and also contribute our own money to ensure survival."
A reorganization and downsizing of the company was also required:
"We had to downsize, but unfortunately it was necessary. Today’s ROCA doesn’t have much in common with the company as it looked then. The flexible, open-minded employees from that time are still here today, the rest have moved on – either voluntarily or at our request."
"Back then, in 2011-12, the company had hit a dead end. There was a bad atmosphere, poor internal communication, and the money had run out. The finance department couldn’t answer the question of whether we were liquid. So we had to look at the accounts ourselves, and also contribute our own money to ensure survival."
A reorganization and downsizing of the company was also required:
"We had to downsize, but unfortunately it was necessary. Today’s ROCA doesn’t have much in common with the company as it looked then. The flexible, open-minded employees from that time are still here today, the rest have moved on – either voluntarily or at our request."
Emerging stronger from today's economic uncertainty
At the time of when this article is published, the world's economy is in full swing. Military and armed conflicts in several places, threats of a tariff war between the USA and the rest of the world and other uncertainty factors contribute to a climate that makes it difficult to plan long-term. But Hans and Magnus are still full of confidence, mainly thanks to ROCA Industry's high rate of innovation and the employees' competence:
"We trust the individual employee's ability to make decisions. Our finances are excellent, so we continue to invest when others become more defensive", says Magnus.
According to Hans, ROCA Industry's goal is to act and think long-term, grow slowly but surely and continue to build and nurture long-term relationships with customers, suppliers and the company's employees.
"We trust the individual employee's ability to make decisions. Our finances are excellent, so we continue to invest when others become more defensive", says Magnus.
According to Hans, ROCA Industry's goal is to act and think long-term, grow slowly but surely and continue to build and nurture long-term relationships with customers, suppliers and the company's employees.
"Then ROCA Industry will continue to celebrate anniversaries like this in the future", concludes Hans - who almost on command is supported by Luigi, who barks once, just as we end the interview.
