Terje Haltbakk, 47, is new to the wood industry, but absolutely no newcomer when it comes to
leadership in engineering companies. When he was asked to take on the position as Managing
Director for Argos Solutions, he did not need much time to consider his answer.
-There were so many aspects of this company and position that appealed to me, says Terje.
Argos is a well-run company, with state-of-the art technology and dedicated, highly skilled employees. The challenge to take on the total responsibilities, that a position as Managing Director offers, was too interesting to turn down, he says.
Prior to joining Argos, Terje held the position as Vice President for Sales & Tendering in Agility Subsea Fabrication. He has also spent more than 20 years in Kongsberg Automotive, holding a variety of management positions. To enter a niche company as Argos, which is a renowned market leader in its field is an opportunity he was eager to take on.
-Argos is not in a situation that requires immediate changes or massive alterations. One of my main tasks will be to maintain and add momentum to the business. With a well-established market position, it has been an exciting time to start in Argos, and there are many prospects among new and existing customers that I am eager to explore. It has been a great experience to meet some of our partners and customers, whether it is smaller family run businesses or larger, international corporations.
Regardless of size and location, Argos has solutions that will benefit the production. As we are experiencing the re-opening after the pandemic, with easier access to our markets and stronger opportunities to meet in person I look forward to getting to know our partners and customers even better, Terje says.
A warm welcome
Being met as a partner, more than a supplier is one of the things Terje has appreciated after starting in Argos.
-I feel that our people and products are appreciated on-site, whether it is for commissioning or business meetings. It is a mutual respect, and we and our customers are dependent of each other.
Our products contribute to increased quality, as well as a more efficient use of resources in the factory. This is something that our market has learned to value, and we strive to always improve both our solutions and the customer experience.
The new managing director gets passionate when he talks about how the Argos solutions makes a significant impact to the product.
-We are offering something that cannot be solved well with manual labor. It realizes an endless array of opportunities for our customers!
We know that our technology enhances both production and product quality, and if we can support our customers to perform even better, either by maintaining existing systems or help with the transition to automatic grading, we have a solid foundation for success for all parties.
An open dialogue and mutual trust
Knowledge is key to Terje. Over the past months, he has spent a substantial amount of time getting to
know Argos in specific and the wood industry in general.
He is humble when he acknowledges the high level of experience, skills and competence that is represented in the company. As a leader, he values an open dialogue and mutual trust.
– I am an analytical person, and that is reflected in my way of leading. However, to see people deliver and enjoying their work is something that motivates me.
The Argos team has a strong connection to the company, its history, and the products we deliver, and
it is great to see how people are not only enjoying working here, but truly contributing to create a
positive work environment, always enhance and develop our solutions and providing great customer
experiences.
When being asked about what the future focus will be for him as a leader and Argos as a company,
Terje has a clear opinion on how to prioritize.
– We experience a strong demand for our solutions and expertise. We will continue to deliver high quality; continue to develop our solutions and technology and we aim for further growth. It is important for me to maintain and develop good relations and offer solutions that adds value to our customers. Their quality will truly be my focus, he concludes.