DECEMBER 2025

Since 1989 SACC-DC has offered a platform for developing U.S. – Swedish commercial ventures and professional opportunities through our network, business and social events. The SACC-DC Newsletter will help you stay on top of what’s happening in the Swedish-American business community and find the perfect opportunity to create new business connections in the greater Washington D.C. area and including Maryland and Virginia.

WORDS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear friends,

Due to the upcoming holidays, this month’s newsletter – like Santa sometimes – arrives earlier than usual.

In early December, SACC-DC, together with several corporate members, had the privilege of meeting with Member of the European Parliament Jörgen Warborn. Participating corporate members contributed to an engaging and insightful discussion – thank you to Axis Communications, BlueStar Strategies, Ericsson, Nederman, and SAAB for your active participation. We hope to offer similar opportunities more frequently in 2026.

Also in December, Ericsson generously sponsored an event for our Young Professionals. While I couldn’t attend, I’ve heard it was a fantastic gathering featuring an excellent presentation by Peter Borsos from Ericsson.

This issue highlights our corporate member Nederman, with Tomas Hagström sharing insights on the company’s business and his takeaways from the meeting with MEP Warborn.

At the end of November and early December, we reached out to all members for feedback on your expectations and requirements. Thank you to those who responded—your input helps us improve and better support your needs. If you haven’t yet replied, please do so.

Finally, as Christmas approaches, a Swedish tradition distinguishes between “hard” and “soft” gifts—soft gifts being preferred. As a young boy, I found this view slightly challenging—hard gifts were usually fun toys, while soft gifts were often boring items like clothes. I don’t know if Americans have this definition of soft and hard Christmas gifts, but I am quite sure that many Europeans may view the new U.S. Security Strategy, launched in early December, as a hard gift. Luckily, a bilateral relationship is more than just politics. At regional and local levels, trade and collaboration remain strong. Despite political challenges, I believe trade continues to reinforce this relationship—a partnership dating back to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1783, when Sweden became the fourth country to recognize the United States. For nearly 250 years, this bond has endured, and I am confident it will last much longer.

With that in mind, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – a year in which we celebrate 250 years of friendship between Sweden and the United States.

Warm regards,

Robert Andersson

Executive Director

RECENT EVENTS

DISCUSSION WITH MEP JÖRGEN WARBORN

A Great Meeting with MEP Warborn and Members of SACC-DC!

SACC-DC had the pleasure of welcoming Swedish Member of the European Parliament Jörgen Warborn for a productive and forward-looking discussion on transatlantic trade, innovation, and the future of Swedish-American economic cooperation.

We were joined by representatives from the Embassy of Sweden in the USA, along with several of our valued corporate members: Axis Communications, Blue Star Strategies, Ericsson, Nederman, and Saab.

The conversation highlighted shared priorities including competitiveness, resilient supply chains, sustainability, and the critical importance of strong EU–US collaboration in an increasingly complex global landscape.

A warm thank you to MEP Warborn, the Embassy of Sweden in the USA, and all participating companies for an engaging and insightful meeting. We are grateful for the perspectives shared by all participants.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS DINNER WITH ERICSSON

An Extremely Valuable Discussion with Ericsson!

This month, SACC-DC’s Young Professionals had the pleasure of welcoming Peter Borsos, Head of Communications at Ericsson, for an inspiring and thought-provoking session.

Peter shared valuable insights on the future of business, the evolving role of strategic communication, and key lessons from his global career. He also offered candid and practical advice for young professionals, encouraging curiosity, risk-taking, and continuous learning.

A warm thank you to Say Cheese for generously hosting us and helping make the evening a success.

We’re grateful to Peter and to everyone who joined us for an engaging and memorable event!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Us for an Informative Webinar on Swedish Companies Entering the U.S. Market!

SACC-DC, in collaboration with SACC-USA, SACC-New York, SACC-NE and SACC-Chicago, invites you to an insightful and practical webinar exploring the realities Swedish companies face when entering and expanding in the United States. This webinar will highlight market entry experiences, key success factors, legal considerations and immigration processes - all essential for Swedish businesses navigating the U.S. market today.

Featured Speakers:

Kaarina Kvaavik, COO @ Woolpower Inc.

Woolpower, an established Swedish brand, has recently begun its journey into the U.S. market. Kaarina will share firsthand experiences about the challenges, opportunities and lessons they are encountering right now as part of their market establishment process.

Alexander Högman, CEO & Founder @ Camphouse (formerly Mediatool)

Alexander will discuss Camphouse’s path from a Swedish startup to a growing player in the American market. He will share the company’s key milestones, obstacles faced along the way and valuable insights for other Swedish companies considering U.S. expansion.

Anette Gustafsson, Principal Attorney and Founder, & Marie Nordgren, Manager, Business Support Services @ Law Offices of A.E. Gustafsson

To conclude the session, our legal experts will provide important insights on immigration, visas, corporate legal considerations and compliance - critical knowledge for any company or individual looking to operate in the United States.

Learn from real experiences and ask your questions to experts about entering and operating in the U.S. market.

OPEN POSITIONS

SACC-DC is excited to open applications for a Business & Finance Internship starting in August 2026 in collaboration with the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg!

Spend 12 months in Washington, D.C. gaining hands-on experience in accounting, budgeting, financial analysis, and business development, all while building a transatlantic network at the House of Sweden. Selected candidates will receive a 12-month stipend from Göteborgs Handelshögskolefonds Stipendiestiftelse.

The internship is only available for students or recent graduates from Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law.

Applications open now, don’t miss this unique opportunity!

APPLY HERE

INSIGHTS FROM OUR MEMBERS

After the meeting with MEP Jörgen Warborn, we were interested in hearing more about how Nederman is navigating the U.S. business environment. We spoke with Tomas Hagström, Group Senior Vice President and Head of Region Americas, who generously shared his insights with us.

Could you tell us about Nederman and your mission in the U.S. market?

Nederman is known as “The Clean Air Company”, founded in Sweden in 1944. Our mission in the U.S. is to protect people, planet, and production from harmful industrial processes by delivering advanced air filtration, dust collection, and fume extraction solutions. We established a strong presence in the U.S. through our Americas headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and additional facilities in North and South Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas and Michigan. Over time, we’ve expanded from traditional dust collection systems to digitalized, smart solutions that integrate monitoring, compliance, and energy efficiency.

Is there anything unique about the U.S. market that shapes how Nederman operates there?

The U.S. is our largest and most strategically important market, and therefore a key focus area for Nederman. We have built strong local teams and manufacturing capabilities, complemented by support from our global headquarters and innovation centers around the world. The American economy is both vast and dynamic, offering significant opportunities for partnership and growth. In recent years, we have made substantial investments in our U.S. operations and we plan to continue doing so. Our clear objective is to strengthen our position as the market leader in the most attractive and high-value segments, ensuring we deliver sustainable solutions that meet the evolving needs of American industry.

What opportunities do you see for Swedish–American trade within your industry at the moment?

There is growing demand for sustainable manufacturing solutions in the U.S., which creates opportunities for Swedish companies with strong environmental technology expertise. The push toward Industry 4.0 and smart factories also aligns well with Sweden’s strengths in automation and clean-tech. However, one common challenge for international companies is navigating the varied federal, state, and local requirements in the U.S., which reflect regional needs and priorities but can require thoughtful adaptation —and the scale and competition of the U.S. market, which requires Swedish firms to adapt quickly.

Nederman succeeds by combining local manufacturing, innovation, and service presence with Swedish and international innovation. Our U.S. teams ensure compliance with local standards while leveraging global R&D to stay ahead of environmental and efficiency demands.

You recently participated in a meeting with MEP Warborn— what were your key takeaways from that conversation?

The meeting highlighted several important themes. First, the importance of international trade frameworks that ensure clarity, predictability, and a level playing field for all participants. Second, the value of taking a long-term perspective in policymaking, ensuring that regulations support sustainable growth rather than short-term fixes. And third, streamlining administrative processes where possible, enabling companies to focus on innovation and customer value. These takeaways reinforce how vital constructive dialogue between policymakers and industry is for creating a business environment that fosters growth and resilience.

This kind of dialogue between European policymakers and the business community is essential to ensure that regulations facilitate trade effectively. For companies like Nederman, this includes supporting transparent and efficient trade processes across regions and ensuring that administrative requirements are clear and manageable. When these conditions are in place, we are better positioned to deliver the most effective and sustainable solutions to customers in every market worldwide, strengthening both our competitiveness and our contribution to cleaner, more efficient industry.

What advice would you like to share with young professionals interested in international careers?

Be curious, adaptable, and culturally aware. Working across borders requires not only technical expertise but also the ability to understand different business cultures and regulatory environments. Skills such as digital fluency, having a sustainability mindset and the ability to work across diverse teams and geographies is essential in today’s interconnected business landscape.

SWEDEN AND THE U.S. EXTEND SPACE COOPERATION

Sweden and the United States have extended their framework agreement on cooperation in outer space for peaceful purposes, reinforcing a long-standing partnership in space research and technology. Signed by Minister for Defence Pål Jonson in Washington, DC, the agreement aims to drive scientific innovation, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and enhance security.

The continued cooperation supports the development of new space technologies that benefit both civilian society and total defence, including crisis preparedness, secure communications, and disaster monitoring. It also promotes growth in the Swedish space sector, with recent government investments in national space programmes and a space research school to strengthen Sweden’s role as a global partner.

A concrete example of this collaboration is the development of an environmentally friendly rocket engine system, intended to replace toxic hydrazine-based fuels. Overall, the agreement underscores the growing importance of space for innovation, international security, and Sweden’s long-term resilience and competitiveness.

_{NATO CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS SPEED AND ADAPTATION IN MODERN WARFARE}

Senior NATO defence leaders gathered in Norfolk, Virginia, for the 2025 Alliance Warfare Development Conference to address how the Alliance can keep pace with rapid technological change and an increasingly volatile security environment. A central message was clear: speed is now a strategic necessity, not a procedural luxury.

Hosted by NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, the conference emphasized the need to compress decision-making, procurement, and innovation cycles so capabilities reach the warfighter faster. Participants stressed that success depends not only on moving quickly, but on making continuous adaptation a core behaviour, drawing lessons from ongoing conflicts such as Ukraine.

Discussions also focused on practical agility, including closer cooperation with civilian technology sectors, faster and more flexible procurement, and iterative capability development through experimentation and rapid testing. The overall takeaway was that NATO’s long-term advantage rests on its ability to think, decide, and deliver at operational speed, while continuously adapting to a fast-changing world.