Liljas Plastics CEO gives us an insight into life in China
Joakim Larsson is the new CEO of Lilja Plastic in Suzhou, China. We have asked him about what it is like to live in Suzhou and be CEO of a Chinese company in a Swedish group, and what he sees as the biggest challenges in his job today.
Who are you?
I am a down-to-earth Småland boy who was born in Jönköping. Since 1999 I have had the privilege to work with companies around the world, which has been an incredible journey! I have two grown up daughters in Sweden, and a son who currently lives with me and my wife here in Suzhou.
What do you see as the biggest challenge of your mission?
Right now, the world is in a state of flux and many companies are thinking about what future supply chains will look like. The challenge lies in balancing the uncertainty. Liljas Plast Group has an enormous strength here in that we can offer both manufacturing in our factories in Sweden and in Suzhou in China, mainly for the Asian market. Liljas Plast Group will be the obvious choice for customers with factories in both Europe and China, enabling us to produce where the customer wants to make their purchase with the same secure supplier.
Why should you contact Liljas Plastic in China as a company?
We have a Swedish management team in place that runs the company with a Scandinavian mindset, not least with a focus on sustainability and the environment. An advantage is that we are IATF16949 certified, which is a must for Automotive customers.
I have worked in different parts of China and my perception is that there are very competent staff in Suzhou. Most of our staff live in Suzhou, which is different from many other places in China where people often go to one place to work and then go home when the Chinese New Year comes. In other words, there is a long-term perspective here. It also shows that many of our employees have been with us since the start in 2005, which shows our high quality and pride among our employees.
What is it like to live in Suzhou and in China today?
I first visited Suzhou 15 years ago and it has grown enormously since then but still retains its charm and authenticity. Many Chinese cities are building away their history in the quest to become hyper-modern, while Suzhou has managed to balance both worlds and become a very cultural city.
There are endless possibilities in Suzhou. The old town is fully preserved and very pleasant to visit. You can wander between canals and houses from ancient empires. Half an hour away, you can then find yourself in large modern shopping centres containing all the shopping in the world, and then go go-karting, visit riding stables or skate on an ice hockey rink. In short, you can say that there is everything you can imagine from culture, entertainment and shopping. Suzhou is a very nice city to live and work in.
