When he started manufacturing vehicle movers in 1985, Göran Fahlén had no idea he had founded a family business. Although both his children had summer jobs at Stringo growing up, he never expected them to return to pursue long-term careers in the company once they’d left for university.
Today, his daughter Nina Thelin leads the company as CEO, while his son Johan Fahlén acts as Operational Purchasing & Production planner.
“I never pressured them to follow in my footsteps, but I’m very happy they have, both as an entrepreneur and a father,” says Göran.
“Everything I studied could be applied to Stringo.”
For Nina, it was looking at the company through the lens of her university training that made her realize what an interesting company she’d grown up with.
“Everything I studied in my courses in economics, human resources, and marketing, could be applied to Stringo. Branding, the complexity of working with resellers, building a strong team and company culture—it was all there”.
After finishing her degree, Nina was eager to use her learnings in the real world, and asked her father for a chance to contribute. She began attending board meetings to listen and learn more about the company.
“From the very first meeting, I was hooked,” she recalls.
A natural shift in leadership
Nina’s transition into the role of CEO happened gradually. Both father and daughter describe the shift as a natural part of Stringo’s development, as different phases call for different leadership profiles.
“My father has a very broad skillset, and was much more involved than I am in the production and R&D, where we now have dedicated managers. During the early years, I would have been the wrong person for the job”, Nina explains.
Göran, in turn, humbly describes himself as “an ordinary worker” without a formal education beyond high school. Praising Nina’s leadership, he claims Stringo wouldn’t be where it is today with himself as CEO.
“Negotiating with resellers or managing personnel… Those aren’t easy tasks. She does it all with remarkable strength,” he says proudly.
Staying true to your roots while conquering the world
Although Stringo now serves automotive customers across Europe, North America and Asia, each vehicle mover is still manufactured where the company was founded: in the Northern Swedish town of Nyland. In his role as Operational Purchasing & Production planner, Nina’s brother Johan Fahlén carries on their father’s tradition of keeping procurement as local as possible.
“We value the close relationships with our suppliers,” he says. “It feels good to contribute to the local community, not just as an employer, but as a partner to other businesses in the area.”
Whether or not it stems from being a family business, Stringo has always had a strong and caring culture, he continues:
“Through all the growth and developments, we never lose sight of the fact that we’re working with people. That mindset is important to all of us, and very present in Nina’s leadership.”
How does being a family business impact other aspects of Stringo? Nina says it helps the company apply a long-term perspective on everything they do:
“We want to make decisions that we can look back on one day and feel proud of, knowing we did what we believed was right— for the company, our employees, and our customers.”
Which doesn't stand in the way of keeping a healthy profit margin, as she points out:
“To me, there’s no contradiction between running a profitable business and treating people with genuine care and respect.”
Looking ahead to the next 40 years
As 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Stringo—what’s the key to staying relevant for another four decades?
“The short answer is to keep developing. The industry doesn’t stand still, and neither do we. Our customers come to us with their challenges, asking for our help and expertise, which is something we’re very proud of. We love coming up with new solutions. To me, that’s the true heart of Stringo. That’s what brought us where we are today, and that’s what we’ll continue doing,” says Nina.
Whether this legacy will be carried on as a family business by a third generation is still much too early to say. Although some of Göran’s grandchildren have already had summer jobs at Stringo, the founder’s no-pressure policy is firmly upheld by Nina and Johan.
“The main thing is doing something you enjoy. I’ve had a lot of fun with Stringo, and I’m sure my children have as well. Sure, running a business is hard work, but also incredibly rewarding,” Göran concludes.
