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F E AT U RE NORTHERN DELIGHTS Besides evoking images of fjords, forests and interminable winters, Nordic countries are renowned for their forward-thinking and pragmatism. Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden enjoy a reputation for getting things done with minimal fuss and resolving problems swiftly. By Andrew Mourant N ordic countries are stable and prosperous, so its easy to assume theyre somehow immune from the economic travails that are common elsewhere. Of course, theres no such immunity and the removals and relocation industry has had to grapple with the challenges of cost-cutting and shrinking volumes of shipped goods. However, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are home to some of the worlds most resilient moving firms. In a region where temperatures can drop as low as 50 degrees below freezing, they are used to ice and deep snow. With the right tyres and snow chains, specialist heating systems for truck cabins and cargo compartments, they find a way through. And when it comes to economic challenges they are just as adaptable. DIVERSE REVENUE STREAMS Firms around the region have evolved their own business models. For Norway-based NFB International Relocations AS, government trade is a valuable mainstay. Its major accounts include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with offices in around 100 countries, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian military and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. This gives us a relatively risk-free exposure in terms of credit, says Managing Director Bjrn Carlsen. Local authority moves offer another good source of business for NFB, such as its four-year contract with the municipality of Brum. Over Easter, that meant moving 900 employees from the main administration building, which was undergoing renovation, to three temporary offices. Everyone will be moved back in two years time. While NFBs main business remains global moving and storage, the company still only 10 years old has been swift to diversify. Alongside office removals, it also operates domestically throughout Norway. In the first few years we grew at a steady 20-30 per cent annually, but then reached a point where we were noticed by our competitors and taken seriously, says Carlsen. 54 FF292 AugSep19 pp54-67 Regional Focus.indd 54 WWW. F I D I . OR G 15/07/2019 15:14