When LEMAN opened its Värnamo office in early March 2026, it came with a clear advantage: someone who already knows the region, the industries, and the people. With 15 years of logistics experience in the local market, the office’s first team member hit the ground running. We caught up to hear how the first weeks went, what it actually takes to win trust in a tight-knit industrial community, and what’s next for LEMAN in Värnamo.
Setting the scene
- LEMAN: You were announced as LEMAN’s commercial entry point in Värnamo when the office launched in early March 2026. How would you describe the first weeks? What did your days look like on the ground?
- ELINOR: My first weeks at LEMAN have been very welcoming thanks to everyone I’ve met. I quickly realized that this is a company where we take care of each other and support one another. First goal was to get all the programs and to learn to navigate in the systems and to get to know my colleges in GBG and HBG.
- L: LEMAN Sweden CEO Håkan Siwersson described Värnamo as “an important industrial cluster.” Being from the region yourself, did that description resonate with what you already knew, and has anything surprised you once you started working the market?
- E: Yes, I agree with Håkan. You can say that here are no end of possibility and the business you can get. There are so many manufacturing industries here! And no, nothing really took me by surprise when I started, as I have worked within this area and with logistics for 15 years.
Local Knowledge as a Superpower
- L: There’s a big difference between knowing a region on a map and knowing its business community: the companies, the people, the way things work locally. How much of an advantage has that local knowledge been in your first conversations with potential customers?
- E: Quite a lot, first that they recognize me from my time at Schenker and hopefully they have a positive impression of me.
- L: What do you know about doing business in the Värnamo area that a logistics provider based in Gothenburg or Stockholm simply wouldn’t know?
- E: I think that “bönder” do business best with “bönder” as we say in Sweden- Lika barn leker bäst. And as I`m a “bonde” I know how the people around here think and what they like (hopefully 😉).
- L: Are there industries or company profiles in the region you’ve deliberately prioritised because of that local insight? Have any surprised you, either as stronger opportunities or tougher than expected?
- E: Yes, my focus has been on the large companies and our current customer, so they know I´m here.
Building Real Relationships
- L: You’re a one-person office, which might sound like a limitation but could equally be a strength. How do customers respond when they realise they’re always talking to the same person, someone who knows their name, their setup, and their needs?
- E: I don’t think it has much to do with my office, but rather it`s more of LEMAN`S setup, that you usually have one person you turn to.
- L: What local business networks or industry events in the Värnamo area have you already tapped into? How important are those face-to-face moments for building the kind of working relationship where customers pick up the phone and call you?
- E: Something that called Värnamo Näringsliv. I think it´s very important to be out there and show our brand- LEMAN. It show that we are interested and that we are part of the region.
- L: Trust is built over time. What does the early stage of a customer relationship look like for you. What do you do to make sure a new contact becomes a long-term partner?
- E: I don`t believe in pushing and not to be understanding. You need to show respect for the client and for their time and you need to understand their business. No for me stands for- Next Opportunity. So patient and persistent approach is the key.
Bringing LEMAN’s Full Portfolio to a Local Market
- L: Your role spans Road, Air, Sea, and Parcel/Express. When you sit down with a local manufacturer or exporter for the first time, how do you figure out what they need? How does that local context shape the conversation?
- E: I´m very curious in my nature and I`m not afraid of asking and I think that is very appreciated in this area. They want me to ask about their company.
- L: A smaller, regional business might assume a global freight forwarder like LEMAN is built for large corporates. How do you make the case that LEMAN is just as relevant (and arguably a better fit) for a mid-sized industrial company in Värnamo?
- E: Schenker and DHL have always been the favorites here and had the largest market shares, so I don’t see that as a problem. Rather it is an advantage that LEMAN is a little smaller then them. Bigger isn’t always the best!
- L: Can you give an example of a customer need you’ve encountered locally that you were able to address in a way that felt genuinely tailored, something that wouldn’t have come from a standard sales script?
- E: No, I can`t. It`s very important to get to know the customer and understand their needs and since I´m from here, I might think like them.
Looking Ahead
- L: If you fast-forward 12 months, what does success look like for the Värnamo office, and for the customers you’re building relationships with right now?
- E: That LEMAN is well known here and a natural part of customers transport solutions and that I have a colleague how sits here with me and we open a terminal for reloading 💪