RAPID GROWTH
SCANDINAVIA'S LARGEST PRESS BRAKE
In 1991, Smidesbolaget invests in a new press brake – Scandinavia’s largest. The press brake is 13 meters long, weighs 280 metric tons and has a bending force of 2,000 metric tons.
In connection with the investment, Avesta Sheffield be comes a 20 % partner in Smidesbolaget, since they outsourced the bending of their most important product in Degerfors – stainless steel chemical tanker plate – to Smides bolaget.
WATERJET CUTTING AND BOAT BUILDING
Waterjet cutting of heavy plate was introduced early at Smides bolaget in Degerfors. The technology proved to be suitable for an odd project, namely the production of the template for Team EF’s sail boats for the Whitbread Round-the-World Race 97-98. The race consisted of a 51,500-kilometer sail in nine stages: Southampton – Cape Town – Freemantle – Sydney – Auckland – San Sebastiao – Fort Lauderdale – Baltimore – La Rochelle and back to Southampton.
The designer in the US, the boat builders in Gothenburg and the waterjet cutters in Degerfors could easily collaborate by using the then-new Internet. Drawings were transferred to machine control and templates for the boats were cut out. Then two similar boat hulls were cast using the templates, one for a boat with a female crew and one for a boat with a male crew. And the best was that one EF boat won!
Like the landlubbers we are, we never claimed our compensation, a sail on the winning boat!
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHE LAUNAY
Entrepreneurial spirit and unconventional solutions have always been a hallmark of the family business. When Gunnar Persson did not receive funding to build an industrial building, the machines were simply placed outdoors.
Plate bending, 1973. The picture shows Per Persson,
brother of Anders Persson, with his back to the camera.
On the other side of the plate is Roger Andersen,
Anders’ uncle.