When he started the magazine, he had long felt that there was no Swedish, or Scandinavian, trade magazine covering hydraulics and pneumatics; the only ones available were either German or American. During his active years in the hydraulics industry, Bertil Andersson held leading positions in several well-known companies such as Vickers System and Mecman, and he was also CEO of Hydraulik Consult during the 1980s and 1990s.
Developing the magazine further
At ITH, which is now taking over Bertil Andersson’s share in the publishing company, Jon Sandström is CEO, and he has had many positive collaborations with Bertil Andersson over the years.
– Among other things, he served on ITH’s board and has been of great importance to ITH’s training activities over the years. One of Bertil’s great strengths was the broad network he built up at different companies over the years. He used that network when he started Fluid Scandinavia.
Through this network, he knew several potential partners for a new magazine. One of them was Stiftelsen ITH, with which he had been involved in various ways over the years and which he felt would be a suitable home for a magazine within its business area. When he contacted them, they agreed, and a partnership was formed in which they began sketching out a magazine concept.
He has seen the human side of technology
According to Jon Sandström, this is one of the qualities that distinguishes Bertil Andersson and has contributed to his success.
– He has always seen the human side of technology and of the industry, and among other things he used the magazine to highlight personal efforts that strongly contributed to the development of the industry. His strong commitment and broad technical knowledge have definitely helped move the industry forward. He has also contributed a great deal in hydraulics associations such as IFS, Intresseföreningen för Fluidtekniska System.
In 1995, they produced a sample issue of the new journal Fluid Scandinavia and got a very good opportunity to test it when a major trade fair was held in Gothenburg. There they distributed the magazine to everyone they met and tested the concept. However, they needed financing and obtained it through advertisements in the magazine. During the trade fair in Gothenburg, they secured around SEK 900,000 in advertising, which gave them a solid base for launching the magazine.
More than fifty years of friendship
The Chairman of ITH Förlag is Leif Bondesson, who has known Bertil Andersson for many years. He first met him when Bertil Andersson was Head of Design at Vickers in the 1970s. He underlines the strong commitment that has driven Bertil Andersson and that he also put into the development of the magazine.
– The fact that the magazine still exists and is appreciated in the industry is proof of the drive Bertil has and has had. He has always wanted the magazine’s technical dissemination to have a real effect out in companies and contribute to development, which we know it has done. By presenting new technical solutions and products, the magazine has inspired people working in companies to test new ideas, which in turn drives development forward.
Leif Bondesson also knows Bertil Andersson more personally and mentions a major interest he has had outside work.
– I do not think many people know that Bertil played in Järfälla Brass Band for many years, and we have listened to many fine concerts with them, he says.
Taking over the baton
The fact that ITH is now taking over Bertil Andersson’s share in ITH Förlag feels very positive for all parties.
– Bertil has meant so much to ITH and also to me personally. That is why it is especially gratifying that we now have the opportunity to acquire and manage his share in the publishing company and in Fluid Scandinavia and continue to develop it in his spirit, says Jon Sandström.
