CUSTOMER-DRIVEN ESTABLISHMENT
In that era, it was common for blacksmiths to travel around to perform forging work where needed. When demand in a region became saturated, one had to relocate to where it was active.
As a 23-year-old, Levi settled in Bottesbol outside Deger fors, where he ran the village smithy. In 1917, he moved on to Hedetången, Väse, where Gunnar Persson was born in 1923. In 1927 Levi and his family moved to Degerfors and founded Smidesbolaget.
MASTER CRAFTSMAN DIPLOMA
During Per Andersson’s early life, the crafts occupations were regulated by the guild system. Within each craft, the internal conditions that applied to those belonging to the craft were determined, and within the guild manufacturing methods, price, quality, raw materials and more could be controlled. Before 1864, when the guild system was completely deregulated and the Freedom of Trade Act was implemented, only those who belonged to a guild were allowed to practice a craft professionally. In order to start a workshop, one was required to be of legal age, confirmed and a master of his craft.
The Master Craftsman Diploma is still considered to be the highest proof of professional skill in a craft profession, and obtaining it requires great professional knowledge, experience and reliability as a craftsman.
In 1943, Levi took his Master Craftsman Diploma as a blacksmith. By this time, the family forging tradition had followed the trend of the times and evolved into a more industrialized workshop – Smidesbolaget.
Smidesbolaget was marked by the two world wars that raged during Levi’s lifetime. Among other things, he rebuilt automobiles to run on alternative fuel – producer gas. Otherwise, truck beds and trailers were popular Smidesbolaget products.