Madeleine Nordstrand,
Head of Product Development
Madeleine Nordstrand is the Head of Product Development at Vallviks Bruk and is involved in several exciting projects. The core values, leadership, and the opportunity for flexibility in work.
How do you like working at Vallviks Bruk?
When you arrive at Vallviks Bruk, you immediately get the feeling that it is a very close-knit workplace—and that is exactly the case. People here are very welcoming and helpful.
There is a strong willingness at the mill to try new things, which makes the job exciting. If something happens in the factory, everyone is quick to step up and do what they can to solve the situation. People are engaged and work well together.
What is your background?
I have worked in the forest industry my entire professional life. Most of my time has been at BillerudKorsnäs in Gävle, where I held various roles, including development engineer, production engineer, and process development manager. I also spent a few years working in development and technical customer support at Aylesford Newsprint outside London. Most recently, I worked at SCA Ortviken in a role similar to my current one—collaborating with a team of engineers on operational development and continuous improvements in production.
However, I actually started at Vallviks Bruk in May 2021, initially as a production engineer for bleached pulp before transitioning into my current position.
What attracted you to Vallviks Bruk in the first place?
There were, of course, several factors. Leadership is very important to me, and I have worked with Peter Sävelin before, so I knew his leadership style and values. Rottneros is also a smaller organization, which means there are great opportunities to influence decisions, and the decision-making processes are short.
However, what was most important for me was the flexibility.
To balance commuting to Vallvik with my personal life, I needed the possibility to work partly from home in Gävle. This has worked well since we have all become accustomed to working more digitally during the pandemic.
Looking ahead, what excites you the most?
We have an engaged management team and organization, as well as many challenges to tackle. A lot is happening at Vallviks Bruk, and it is exciting to be part of it. You really feel that you can contribute and make a difference.
