"I love AAC. It's in my blood"

Thom-Erik, you have been with Xella since 2009 - that's a long time. What brought you to the company?
I joined Xella, when Xella bought the company I used to work for.  But my story with AAC starts much earlier - I have been in the autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) business since 1994. I started by working in a plant for six years - I really wanted to get a job by then, I didn't know anything about AAC at that time. This changed over the years. Looking back this really helped me as I've learned from the beginning and even now I'm still learning new things.

What is your job as General Manager today?
In our office in Drammen, 40 km from Norway's capital city Oslo, there are only five of us. I like short distances to make decisions. I only spend about a third of my time on management tasks - fortunately, my job is so much more. I do project development, I do proposals and other sales tasks - I do almost everything. That makes every day interesting.

How useful is it today that you started your AAC journey in the factory?
I feel comfortable in a lot of meetings with customers because I know a lot about this material - I made it, I built with it, we were taught about it. I love AAC, it's in my blood. Likewise, I've always worked with it. Furthermore, I built my own house with it: it is easy to use and energy efficient. It fits into every type of building, from small garages to huge public and industrial buildings, offices and apartment buildings.

What role do sustainability issues play in your love of AAC?
The requirements have become more and more stringent in recent years. I think it won't be long before you won't be able to supply materials to major customers without the appropriate sustainability and climate documentation. But we are well positioned with our product: AAC is a durable and mineral material with which you can create affordable, efficient and sustainable building solutions.

How difficult is it to convince people in a wood country like Norway to build differently?
It's very difficult. The timber industry has about 95% of the market in Norway, knowledge about the advantages of our material is low. But we've had some big projects, and it's getting easier as our list of good references in different markets grows.

Which of these projects do you remember best?
I am very proud that we supplied a lot of material for the new government building in Oslo, as well as all the interior walls in the new National Museum. Last year we supplied a new battery factory, and we opted for transport by ship, even though it was complicated to get the material from the Netherlands to northern Norway efficiently.  You may have noticed: we like challenges. We also delivered external insulation to Kunstsilo Nordic art museum in Kristiansand.

And what kind of projects do you enjoy the most?
Firewalls! We have delivered them to all the big customers that supply Norway with food. These firewall projects are the ones I like the most. This year, we will deliver our Construction Services to the largest oil company in Norway, which meant that we also managed the construction site - a completely new way of delivering and a completely new type of project.

What drives you after such a long time in the industry? 
I want Xella Norway to become a well-known brand. That's what we've been working on all these years, and now we're finally getting into the big projects. Our customers like working with us and our materials.

How do you relax after work?
My wife and I like to travel and spend time in nature, such as hiking in the mountains. We also work out a few days a week. We also have two small grandchildren who live close by and are full of energy. Furthermore, we all like to do a lot of outdoor activities.