From Hindås to Chicago!

Hi folks,

My second rotation at Aspen in Hindås (a metropol outside of Gothenburg) has ended, and it was one of the most exciting projects I have done. I was asked to develop a packaging strategy for Aspen, and quite quickly I decided to focus on a sustainable scope, as it is a great interest of mine and it seems more relevant than ever.

Aspen is a local company on a global market selling alkylate petrol for small machinery and motors, which is a product that contains less bad and hurtful chemicals and components that impact machinery, people and environment. The petrol is sold in plastic containers, and I was asked to develop a future packaging strategy for these products. 

When my great instructor Magnus gave me a tour in Hindås

Within the first weeks I learned more about alkylate petrol and plastics than I ever thought I would. I was through a thorough 2-week introduction program with my colleagues at Aspen. I read any reports I could get my hands on regarding plastics, and I attended a plastic conference at the UN city in Copenhagen, Bio Plastics conferences in both Copenhagen and Gothenburg, and finally an internal packaging seminar at the Lantmannen HQ in Stockholm.

Within the first month I realised that the most common and impactful path to take with the plastic packaging was an effective return- and recycling system. I proceeded by looking at what the legislators did on local-, national- and international level, what other companies had done, and of course what could be done by us. I finished the project off by looking at a long-term solution with bio plastics instead of fossil-based plastic. After attending the bio plastics conferences I believe that a change of raw material for plastics will happen, but a major change is probably still some years ahead of us.

Life has been good in Sweden the past seven months (Stockholm & Gothenburg), but now it is time to move on to Chicago, where my next project is awaiting. I am going to work for Lantmännen Unibake, and will focus on digital marketing on the American market. I am looking forward to the challenges, as well as living the American dream for the first time in my life.  

Stay updated on the blog as Lovisa is about to drop a lit blogpost within few days!

So long!

Mikkel