Bengt Nilsson has  succeeded Anders Hallberg, who will leave all his assignments in the Group at the Annual General Meeting in 2008. Bengt Nilsson who has been Chief Operating Officer since the beginning of this year, with responsibility for all manufacturing units in the Åkers Group, has over 20 years’ experience of the steel industry. Bengt Nilsson has had top management positions in companies including Uddeholm and SSAB during the last 10 years. The succession took place on 1 October 2007.

“Åkers has built up a position as the world’s largest manufacturer of rolls for the steel and aluminium industries. Following extensive structural revision, the company’s profitability is now good and we are entering a very exciting period of expansion. There are excellent reasons for being optimistic about the next few years, and for me personally, being given the opportunity of leading Åkers is a fantastic challenge,” says Bengt Nilsson.

The world steel industry has been in the process of rapid consolidation for several years. Åkers will be a strategic supplier of rolls to these new global steel companies, thanks to its wide product range and global presence. Åkers is now the only participant in the roll industry with manufacturing on three continents and global marketing.

“Åkers’ growth in the last 20 years has largely been achieved by acquiring other roll manufacturers. The latest addition came this year, in the form of a 60% shareholding in a Chinese joint-venture company, Shanxi Åkers Tisco Roll Co Ltd. The Åkers Group anticipates continued growth. Bengt Nilsson is the right person to lead Åkers in this work”, says Åke Sander, Chairman of the Åkers Board.

Anders Hallberg will remain as a Board Member in Åkers AB and several subsidiaries, will focus on strategic matters and will be an adviser to the Board up to the Annual General Meeting in 2008.

“Anders Hallberg can look back on four years of growth, from deep crisis to an Åkers which is now an efficient, profitable and sustainable world leading roll manufacturer,” Åke Sander concludes.