ESBE’S CEO PRESENTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023

2024-02-06

We asked ESBE’s CEO and Group CEO, Peter Cerny, to summarize the year 2023 through events that have stuck with him and deserve to be highlighted in an annual report.

Annual Report 2023, signed by Peter Cerny

The year 2023 has been a highly successful one for ESBE. Therefore, I want to start by highlighting all my fantastic colleagues, suppliers, and customers. This annual report is for you! ESBE’s successes are the result of several months (sometimes years!) of work, and all of you are important pieces of the puzzle that forms ESBE’s brand.

From left to right: Maria Bard, Per-Johan Brodén, Peter Cerny, Joi Elebo

ESBE’s awards in 2023

The past year contained many exciting occasions, and I want to highlight two awards that I am particularly proud of.

• Gold Member – Sweden’s Best Managed Companies

To receive the title ‘Gold Member’ is an honour given to companies that have received the ‘Sweden's Best Managed Companies’ award for four consecutive years. I am proud to have such fine colleagues and that for four years, we have been one of the few companies in Sweden to demonstrate outstanding strategic direction, good corporate governance, and sustainable growth.
Learn more: Fourth consecutive BMC award for ESBE »

• Career company of the year

In Sweden, approximately 1,000 employers meet the basic criteria of Employers of the Year, ESBE was one of them. Along with 400 other companies, we were selected for standing out as employers. Finally, we were one of 200 companies to receive the prestigious award, ‘Employer of the Year’. Since my colleagues and I spend a lot of time at ESBE, it feels more than good that we have been mentioned for “offering an outstanding work environment”.
Learn more: ESBE named career company of the year 2024 »

ESBE continues to invest and build for a sustainable future

In 2022, we expanded by an extra 2,700 square meters, but we are not satisfied! ‘Never stand still’ is an expression we live by, and it shows in our investments.
• Land Project 2.0
We have prepared land so that, if necessary, we can quickly launch another expansion of the factory.

• Multi-million-investments in machines
ESBE has a long-term investment plan to meet the future. Last year, we commissioned new machines worth over SEK30 million!

• Sustainable investments
Our production is powered solely by renewable energy, or as our supplier ‘Enkla Elbolaget’ calls it: climate-friendly electricity. They call it that because every kilowatt-hour is delivered with an origin guarantee showing that the electricity has been produced by sun, wind, and water. Our own 700 square meters of solar panels at the factory are a welcome additional energy boost. What else has happened? Well, fourteen charging stations have been installed in accordance with our new company car policy. All new company cars must be pure electric cars, and this also applies to our new truck.
Learn more: ESBE's sustainability philosophy »

ESBE’s brand was recognised in several ways

ESBE’s business idea is simple. We aim to help our customers provide property owners with the market’s most resource-saving products and solutions for hydronic heating, cooling, and tap water systems. This year, our brand has been recognised in several ways.

• ISH 2023

As we at ESBE love meeting our customers, we find trade fairs an excellent meeting place. We traditionally exhibit at ISH, the world’s leading HVAC fair. Here, visitors can see how our products contribute to both the energy transition and energy-efficient, sustainable societies. The interest was very high. A personal reflection regarding our well-visited stand: I believe that the effects of the pandemic still affect us, and therefore, there is a pent-up need for physical meetings. There is also great curiosity about fossil-free heating since the energy crisis in 2022 that paralyzed large parts of Europe’s inhabitants.

• EHPA conference in Brussels

The ongoing energy transition in Europe is important to us at ESBE. Our products are very much involved in shaping the future of sustainable and affordable heating. We are members of the European Heat Pump Association, EHPA, and we were gold sponsors of a significant event in Brussels where energy companies, heat pump manufacturers, researchers, and politicians met to discuss how we can more quickly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It’s not an easy job because the development is erratic, rather than linear. European grant programs change, and gas prices fall – but we at ESBE stand firm!

Learn more: ESBE amoung the participants in a crucial EHPA forum »

ESBE GmbH celebrated 30 years.jpg

• ESBE GmbH celebrated 30 years

Our first subsidiary, German ESBE GmbH, turned 30 in 2023. It was a fantastic occasion where a festive event took place with invited employees, customers, and suppliers. ESBE GmbH has developed from a small subsidiary into a distribution and logistics centre with large parts of Europe as its field of work. A journey to be impressed by.

Learn more: ESBE GmbH turns 30 »

• Increased ESBE presence in Europe

The ESBE group includes four brilliant subsidiaries with offices in Germany, Poland, France, and Italy. To strengthen our position in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, we have hired André Westerbeek and Darren Myers. André is the sales manager for the Netherlands, and Darren is the sales manager for the UK and Ireland. It will be really interesting to follow their progress in these strategically important markets!
Learn more: ESBE ambassadors »

• Compassion is one of ESBE’s values

In our toolbox, there are six core values that guide us in our work: energy saving, comfort, safety, long-term strategy, leadership, and compassion. The words permeate everything we do. One of the words that has truly characterized us since the beginning of the last century is ‘Caring’. During the past year, we have sponsored several organizations, associations, and athletes. Some I especially want to highlight are UNHCR and Save the Children, Gislaved Volleyball Club, Rickard Nilsson, one of the world’s best para-badminton players and Why Bag. We have also made donations and support to World’s Children and Safe Every Child.

Finally:

I end as I begin, namely by extending a big and heartfelt thank you to all my colleagues, suppliers, and customers around the world. You make my job so much more interesting, exciting, and valuable. It’s challenging to constantly keep an ear to the ground and try to interpret where the market is heading, but if we continue to collaborate as before, we cannot fail. Together as ONE ESBE.