Sören_2Dfab_employee_ — Foto: Frida Forsberg

"I REMEMBER WONDERING IF WE WOULD MAKE IT"

Knowledge
Tuesday 25 May 2021

Hello Sören, and happy retirement! You were 2D fab’s first employee, how has the company changed since you began working here?

– When I first started working at 2D fab, it was just Sven and me. We had our desks opposite each other, and I remember it being a bit inconvenient when Sven had meetings. But we made it work and I sought refuge in the lab room. We had very few resources back then, so we had to do everything ourselves. I remember wondering if we would make it. Now we are here and 2D fab has grown in so many ways. We have better resources, more employees, an industrial-size production plant and returning customers. The company has come so far since those early days!

What do you think are the most fascinating features of graphene?

– I reckon it is the combination of properties that makes graphene so interesting. I have been working with polymers and plastics my whole life, including my years at 2D fab, so from my point of view I find graphene’s ability to make polymers stronger and electrically conductive the most fascinating.

The use of graphene within the composite industry will grow steadily, but it takes time for new materials to get established on the market

What do you believe the future holds for graphene-enhanced polymers?

– I think graphene will be common in polymers in the future, especially in applications where you need combined properties g. strength and electrical conductivity. The use of graphene within the composite industry will grow steadily, but it takes time for new materials to get established on the market. Take carbon fiber for example, a couple of decades ago, no one knew about it, and now it is commonly used to manufacture light and strong constructions for cars and boats etcetera.

Finally, what will you do now that you are retiring?

– I will be a happy retiree enjoying the feeling of freedom. I would love to travel with my wife, but it will have to wait until the pandemic is over. I also look forward to the little things, like having time to watch morning shows on TV instead of going to work on a cold November day. But I will miss work to, especially my coworkers, but I will see them every now and then and I have some thoughts about maybe becoming a consultant for 2D fab in the future. But first I will enjoy my retirement for a while!

Thank you for your years of hard work and dedication Sören, and congratulations on your retirement!

"I REMEMBER WONDERING IF WE WOULD MAKE IT"

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