KONGAMEK THROUGH TIME

2006 THE SETTLERS

“So many people that have given and are giving so much to this company…. It’s fantastic." – Paul Haglund about the cooperation between the local community and the company.

Konga for a long time was synonymous with one thing – The mill. For a period of 250 years different types of products was manufactured by the mill. This would change, as a newcomer with drive and passion grew and became big.

Already in the middle of the 18th century, blast furnace blowing and casting was carried out at the mill in Konga. Later, paper pulp was produced on the same site before wooden house manufacturing took over in the 1940’s. Industrial activity in Konga then continued to flourish during the 60’s and 70’s, first under the ownership of Svenska Stålpressnings AB and then Volvo Cars. Kongamek’s founder Paul Haglund remembers.

– For the first 20 years we were almost invisible for most people in the region. It was Volvo and the Mill that was Konga. Nobody knew who and what we were.

However time and the circumstances would change things. Parallel with the decline of the business at the mill in the 90’s and forward, Konga Mekaniska slowly but surely grew as the orders increased.

New Era, new premises

In the year of 2013 the once small family business could now state that they had become the biggest employer in the region. The year before the warehouse had been extended. Further investments were made with both office and production extensions.

Being the small villages biggest employer comes with certain obligations. Since the expansive years in the mid -2000’s , Kongamek has not only worked actively for the success of the company. Resources has also been allocated to promote the community. One has sponsored many of the local sports clubs, made contributions the new swimming pool and made sure the old cinema has been given new life.

– Kongamek has been able to help fill many bellies in the village, that’s right. But the village has also been invaluable to Kongamek. So many people who have given and are giving so much to this company…. It’s fantastic, says Paul Haglund

Forever in Konga

Even though Kongamek has continued to grow after the new built in 2006-today we export to over 30 countries – there are no plans to move the core business.

– We are going nowhere, not now, not ever. There is a certain charm over the fact that we still are in Konga. Even though we are growing there is always a local feeling present, says Jonathan Haglund, CEO.