A year ago the conversation went roughly like this: “This year is probably going to be a year of more moderate growth.” Things might go badly elsewhere, but not here in Finland. At Dimex, business was relatively good. There was a fair bit of luck involved, because we anticipated what was coming and took strong action to change the situation. And it did change. That’s how we achieved results in 2008 and in doing so strengthened the foundation for 2009.
Last August and September were still really good sales months. Then from October onwards, sales have not been in the black. Early in the autumn I was still telling myself that since the factory is very close to Highway 5, the recession would just curve around us. It didn’t. It hit us square on.
In October it became clear that the situation really was getting worse day by day. The first thought was: “Oh hell, is this happening again, and why?” The next thought was that WE WILL NOT GIVE UP. Then I thought that fortunately the foundations of our company are strong. Over the years we’ve had the stamina to keep developing. We have the capacity to adapt.
I'm not the right person to analyze the reasons for the recession. I can still try. I'm a Finnish man. I guess the rules of the game weren't completely messed up in the world's financial markets? Or were they?
Once, someone close to me said, "Does it have to be such a hard struggle all the time?" Last fall, I thought, "Thank goodness it's been a hard struggle. Otherwise, I wouldn't have figured it out." Of course, you can also struggle by smiling. I got the Smile Statue in the second grade of middle school, but not by smiling. Probably with irony.
In my next article I will tell you how we have adapted to these times. Alas, these times. But, we will not give up!
Have a good March,
Jukka Krogerus
managing director
P.S.
The name of the game: please get in touch whenever you feel like it.
jukka.krogerus@dimex.fi