Surfcleaner stages inaugural Distributors Conference following ‘five-fold’ growth across global network

Surfcleaner recently successfully concluded its inaugural Distributor Conference following rapid expansion of its global partner network.

The event, which was staged at the company headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, attracted a total of 18 delegates from 8 countries including Egypt, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, with online guests tuning in from across Europe, the Middle East and America.

It follows a period of major growth for the water treatment specialist which has seen its international network expand five-fold since 2020.

By 2023 it expects to have secured more than 25 global partnerships.

The two-day Distributor Conference involved company presentations from Surfcleaner Founder and Corporate Relations Manager Christina Lundbäck alongside CEO Mikael Andersson, plus many other senior team leaders.

The first day provided an opportunity for distributors to learn about the company’s rich heritage, with the Surfcleaner technology inspired by an invention from Christina’s father, the late Stig Lundbäck, mimicking the pumping principles of the human heart.

Insight was provided on the overarching company vision, mission and values which centres around making a positive, direct and sustainable impact on the environment, as well as the firm’s future roadmap, strategy for growth, R&D investment as well as global marketing and promotional efforts.

The delegation was later taken on a customer site tour to Stockholm environmental company Ragn-Sells where Surfcleaner recently struck a deal to deliver large-scale oil recovery services. Distributors witnessed a specialist unit in action, which is currently doubling oil recovery rates to near 100%. A market leader in waste management, environmental services and recycling across Scandinavia, the Ragn-Sells processing facility collects and treats circa 40,000 tonnes of oil from workshops, harbours, and industries annually.

The excursion provided a perfect opportunity to showcase Surfcleaner’s technology in action, demonstrating its benefit to the ‘circular economy’ with the recovered oil being resold and exported to multiple markets, while increasing revenue streams for Ragn-Sells.

The second day involved further site visits to Surfcleaner’s dedicated manufacturer JohSjö in Norrkoping for a factory tour combined with on-site product training. A total of four Surfcleaner units were set up in oil-contaminated water tanks, before delegates were given ‘hands on’ tuition demonstrating how to install and set-up the systems, as well as solve technical issues working through a range of troubleshooting scenarios.

This was followed by a second site visit to a wastewater treatment plant Tekniska Verken in Linkoping to observe the new SCW 6000 in operation. The device, which is world’s first ‘skimmer-separator’ designed to tackle floating sludge, was recently unveiled at the VA-mässan Water and Wastewater Fair in Sweden.

The SCW 6000 has been specially designed to relieve the notoriously challenging and labor-intensive process of sludge treatment, while improving working conditions and general health and safety for plant operators. In addition to sludge collection, the system separates the material, again presenting an opportunity for re-use in the form of biogas or fertilizer, contributing to the circular economy.

The conference concluded with a networking dinner at Stockholm’s prestigious Vasa Museum, famous for displaying one of the world’s best preserved 17th century ships, the mighty warship Vasa – which capsized and sank in Stockholm in 1628, before being salvaged 333 years later.

“We were thrilled to stage our first ever Partner Conference, which provides a firm indication of the seriousness of our global expansion plans. We have aimed to establish a strong dialogue with our new partners at an early stage, many of which I have known from previous roles in the industry. Alongside intensive training, we were able to help our international colleagues connect on a deeper level with the Surfcleaner brand and align with our core company vision and values. In addition, we all benefited from practical conversations to ensure consistent product delivery and customer support across the board. There has been excellent feedback to date, and based on our current growth trajectory we are planning to potentially stage a second conference in Autumn, as we continue to expand our network.”

Surfcleaner VP of International Sales, Stefan Wall Qvist

“The Surfcleaner sessions were great! Both the overall company presentations, classroom sessions and not least the ‘hands-on’ training. This event really showed what the Surfcleaner products can do. It was great to meet the enthusiastic and highly knowledge team at Surfcleaner. Truly inspiring!”

Herman Thon, Christian Berner AS Norway

“Very nice location, and good split between presentations and hands-on training. Interesting to meet delegates from other countries and listen to their experiences.”

Rune Vieskar, Christian Berner AS Norway

“The Surfcleaner team are highly enthusiastic, and the oil removing technology is absolutely fantastic.”

Janos Major, Aquasolv Systems Kft Hungary

“The timing of this conference was perfect. It was staged in a good location and the mix of product knowledge, combined with connections to the entire Surfcleaner clean were hugely beneficial.”

Andrea Fumagalli WTE SRL Italy

“Surfcleaner gives us the opportunity to enter new markets and broaden our customer base by building on an excellent product.”

Környei Ákos, Aquasolv Hungary