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FOCUS: GEOPOLITICS
ROXTEC
The US – an optimistic and
transformative market
Being a Swedish company operating in the US has been a mix of
opportunity and learning for Roxtec. The American market is vast
and competitive, offering immense growth potential – particularly in
infrastructure, energy, and technology.
“Navigating the US business environment has occasionally
proved to be a challenge, including learning and understanding local
regulations, culture, labor differences, and market dynamics.” says
Adrian Graham, Regional Director US.
The current market situation in the US is optimistic, with Feralco, emphasizes that flexibility was a crucial success factor.
transformative trends in renewable energy and infrastructure
modernization. Roxtec expects to see an increasing pace of
investment in sectors critical to the future such as AI, advanced
semiconductors, and small nuclear reactors.
Given the recent presidential transition, the company continuously
monitors changes in tariffs, taxes, and policies. Primarily with a focus
on the energy system transition, linked to renewable energy, grid
modernization, and energy storage technologies.
“Tariff wars may give the upper hand to companies with a broader
global presence and diversified supply base,” says Adrian Graham.
“Roxtec has been working on this diversification for a few years now.”
There has been a heated protectionism rhetoric in the US, with
intensifying concerns about domestic manufacturing and the trade
deficit.
“We have seen some barriers, particularly around trade tariffs on
energy-related goods like solar, and procurement policies favoring
domestic suppliers,” says Adrian Graham. “We’re also seeing
increased scrutiny of foreign investments associated with critical
infrastructure.”
In 2025 opportunities might be found within energy and
infrastructure projects. Sectors Roxtec sees as particularly impactful
are energy storage, grid modernization, semiconductors, and AI
related power generation.
“The US is now ramping up its efforts to boost domestic production
associated with these critical technologies,” says Adrian Graham.
“And I see foreign companies operating in all these sectors reacting
when new regulations and incentives appear. Agility will be key.”
ADRIAN GRAHAM,
Regional Director US, Roxtec
FERALCO
Flexibility – an asset in a
changing world
As a producer of water treatment products, Feralco is aware of how
important it is to be able to secure supplies to its customers, even
in crisis periods. This has been put to the test on several occasions,
most recently during the coronavirus pandemic and the war in
Ukraine.
During the pandemic, it became clear that the supply chain was
an Achilles heel for many industries. But while many companies had
to shut down, Feralco could not stop supplying its water treatment
products, which are essential to society. Ludovic Huitorel, co-CEO of
The next crisis, the war in Ukraine, put further pressure on the
industry. Energy costs rose sharply, forcing some suppliers to shut
down. For this reason, Feralco needed to review its entire raw
materials supply chain.
“This forced us to become more flexible in sourcing raw materials,
which has meant that nowadays we avoid becoming dependent on a
single company,” says Stephen Childs, co-CEO of Feralco. “We’re also
investigating whether we can increase our stocks of raw materials so
that there’s always a buffer available.”
Where Feralco is concerned, navigating geopolitical change in
the world means having the ability to be flexible and, in particular,
increasing investment in supply chain capacity.
In addition, Feralco is making a concerted effort to make the
transition towards long-term strategies that increase resilience. In
these strategies, diversification and decentralization become key
principles. In addition, local solutions are crucial to ensuring the
supply of the company’s critical products. However, both approaches
recognize that the current uncertainty requires constant adaptation.
“We won’t be able to change the world per se, but we will have
to adapt to new geopolitical environments,” says Ludovic Huitorel.
“Where we’re concerned, this means increasing investment to
maintain the same level of stability. It’s more a question of adapting
to the new realities of the world,” he concludes.
LUDOVIC HUITOREL AND STEPHEN CHILDS
co-CEOs, Feralco
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