“I’ve been working with metallurgy since 1998, but this is the first time I’ve worked at a steelworks. It’s also the first time I’ve worked at a completely Swedish company, and that’s extremely positive. The decision-making paths are short, employees possess very high levels of competence and the company lives up to its values,” says Mikhail Lukin, listing some of the values that Höganäs AB stands for: long-term value, sustainable development, a focus on the customer and respect for each other.

“At Höganäs these aren’t just empty words on a piece of paper, but something that pervades the business and everyday life for those of us who work here.

Mikhail Lukin is Smelting Manager at the Atomising Plant in Halmstad, which means that he is responsible for work from the scrapyard – where scrap metal is delivered – to the smelting process, were scrap is melted down and transformed into new steel. Then the atomising process starts.

He feels that collaboration between the departments works well, and that there is a family atmosphere in the company. Employees look out for each other and there’s always someone you can ask.

“I think that’s important. In some ways Höganäs is like my previous job, but in many other ways it’s a new process to learn. There’s such an incredible amount of knowledge gathered in one place here.”

At the Atomising Plant they have started work with Lean Management, which involves, among other things, solving problems directly in the department and everyone being able to put forward suggested improvements.

“As an individual, I think there are good opportunities to contribute to renewal and change,” says Mikhail. “If I’ve got a good idea and can justify it well, it’s passed on to the decision-makers. As an employee, I can influence the work, and that was something new for me.”