Hi Anna Karlsson, Site Manager, Vetlanda

"We want to develop in order to perform as well as possible"
What does your daily work as site manager at Vetlanda Machinery Facility look like?
– No day is the same as the next. I have very varied tasks, and that’s what makes it fun, in my opinion. I handle invoices and personnel matters, depending on what’s going on. Sometimes, I step in and work with spare parts. And I also meet customers, which I really enjoy.
Which operations fall under your responsibility?
– At our facility in Vetlanda, we have a workshop as well as sales of machines and spare parts. Everyone at the facility is equally important, and everything is connected – together, we are a team. When the sales team sells a new machine, we create a startup package or modify it according to the customer’s wishes. This, in turn, allows the customer to service the machine with us or choose to buy spare parts to repair it themselves.
You became site manager quite recently – tell us about your journey within Lantmännen.
– I started working with spare parts here in Vetlanda in 2012. For a short period in 2023, I was acting store and spare parts manager before becoming acting site manager in August 2023. In April this year, I got the job permanently.
What lessons have you taken from your previous roles?
– They have mainly given me a good understanding of the staff’s situation. I know, for example, how stressful it can be at times. Also, my husband and I have our own farm, so I understand the customer's perspective as well. When the weather is good and you have to work, you have to work – and when a machine breaks down, you need help quickly.
How do you handle these types of urgent cases?
– The staff here are very skilled, so most of the time, we manage to solve issues well. We have to redirect resources and prioritize the most pressing matters. That’s just how it is in this industry.
Do you have low and high seasons?
– Yes, I would say so. During spring, when it’s time for fieldwork, repairs and maintenance get quite intense. In summer and early autumn, it’s harvest season, followed by threshing. In winter, many of our customers focus on snow clearing and forestry work.
You’ve almost covered the entire year…?
– Yes, haha… that’s actually how it is. But between these intense periods, things slow down a bit, so there’s time to recover.
Looking ahead – what is most important to you?
– That’s a tough question because there are so many things. But the whole facility wants to move forward. We want and need to develop in order to perform as well as possible. Machines are constantly evolving, so to understand how they work and how to repair them, our technicians must continuously attend training sessions to stay up to date. Technical advancements have been rapid in recent years, and we want to be at the forefront.
ANNA KARLSSON
Age: 37 years
Family: Husband and four children (11, 10, 8, and 4 years old)
Lives: On a small farm outside Vetlanda. Her husband runs the farm with about 160 beef cattle.
Interests: Enjoys spinning and strength training and likes building things.