By knowing about the upcoming challenges in the transport industry, you as a bodybuilder can get advice and support to be able to make smart choices for both your business and your customer's. The Swedish Body Builder Association (LFG) is a good example of an organisation that can help achieve this so that you can be confident and spend your time creating more business instead.
Information sources
Keeping track of regulations, statistics and new rules of conduct in the transport industry for heavy traffic is time-consuming if you want to ensure that you are on the right track in your business. As a bodybuilder, it is of course important to keep up to date in order to be able to help hauliers find the best build solution just for them. Good sources of information to keep track of are the Swedish Transport Agency and the Association of Swedish Body Builder Association (LFG)
“The Swedish Body Builder Association is involved in laying the playing field for the industry. An example is LFG's delivery terms that were negotiated together with MRF and are today accepted and used by the entire bodybuilder industry regardless of whether they are members of LFG or not.”
What is the Swedish Body Builder Association?
The Swedish Body Builder Association, LFG, is an organisation founded in 1962 and consists of 54 member companies with about 4,500 employees. The industry association LFG is for trailer manufacturers and bodybuilders. The forum exists so that companies can support each other and exchange experiences. We talked to Carina Jakobsson, chair of the Swedish Body Builder Association, who believes that the organisation plays an important role in the industry. "There are many companies that are quite small in relation to the suppliers and retailers you do business with in this industry and then it is valuable to be able to discuss, get advice and support from others who work in the same area," says Jakobsson. She is often told by members that it is positive that LFG is a good forum for exchanging information and experiences. And also that the members act as industry colleagues rather than competitors, so as to be able to influence the industry in a sustainable and profitable direction.
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Carina JakobssonPresident/CEO Translink Group and Chair of LFG18 years in the transport industry |
What are the biggest challenges in the transportation industry, as you see it right now?
"That the underlying transport demand is increasing all the time, while the availability of skilled labour is decreasing at both the manufacturer and customer levels. There is currently a shortage of welders, fitters, service technicians and drivers. In addition to the staffing issue, the regulatory issue is a major inhibiting factor for Swedish hauliers’ development. Eight out of ten decisions come from the EU in the form of directives that are then adapted to Swedish conditions and become regulations and laws. Uncertainty and long decision-making paths for regulations mean that hauliers find it difficult to get information about which investment will be the most profitable in the long term."
How can LFG help to find solutions for this?
"In 2023, LFG will launch major advocacy work aimed at making the industry visible in order to attract more young people to apply for the right education and training, as far as we are concerned. In matters concerning the regulations on vehicle configurations, LFG cooperates with the hauliers' trade association SÅ at national level and is part of the European International Association of the Body and Trailer Building Industry (CLCCR) to monitor and influence the regulations, in collaboration with LFG's counterparts in other EU countries."
What do you think is the most important thing about LFG's work?
"That LFG contributes to Sweden continuing to have viable and successful transport and manufacturing companies."
What does LFG do that is of the greatest benefit to the customer?
“LFG is involved in laying the playing field for the industry. An example is LFG's delivery terms that were negotiated together with MRF and are today accepted and used by the entire bodybuilder industry regardless of whether they are members of LFG or not. It can also be said that LFG constitutes a kind of stamp of quality in the industry."
“Regulatory monitoring and lobbying at Swedish and EU levels are two compelling reasons to be part of LFG. The association also offers important, industry-adapted training free of charge and can be a support not only in technical issues but also on how to build an employer brand or how to become active on social media.”
What do you think LFG will be able to contribute in the future?
"I believe and hope that LFG will be able to contribute to making the bodybuilder industry better known and attractive to new workers"
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