November 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,

It feels like I wrote the last Newsletter yesterday. Apparently, I did not. November has passed by swiftly with several key events and been replaced by even colder temperatures but also with an approaching Christmas and the warmth of candles that accompanies that holiday.

SACC-Summit in San Diego on November 11th - 13th was a great success, and I was proud to see so many of our members as both main speakers and as members of different panel discussions. Thank you Axis Communications, HAYPP Group, Ovzon and SAAB for a tremendous performance!

The Fika event on November 23rd co-hosted by our partner Alexandria’s Sister Cities Committee and SACC-DC, was also a success. The tickets were sold out and the kanelbullar (cinnamon buns) were highly appreciated.

As mentioned in the last Newsletter, Sandberg Development Inc. is our most recent business member. Based in Malmö, but with a branch in Virginia, they have a broad range of different companies in their portfolio. As a former military, I am very familiar with one of these – Aimpoint. In this Newsletter, Matthew Casciano (President of Sandberg Development Inc) explains more about Sandberg Development and their activities.

In this issue, our member Foley & Lardner LLP. shares their best practices regarding customs disclosure in the new tariff environment. Considering the current trade landscape, this is surely a welcomed reading by many of our members.

I know that December is a month filled with events. Despite this I hope, if you are a young professional, you have the time to participate in a few more. Already tomorrow, Peter Borsos from Ericsson will share his views on the future of communication, cross-cultural understanding, and how geopolitics is reshaping global business.

Recently, I was able to reach out to all corporate and business members to better understand your priorities and expectations of SACC-DC. Some have already answered, but if you haven’t done that yet, please do so. Your answer will help make SACC-DC stronger and bring more value to our members.

We plan to send out another newsletter before Christmas, so I’ll save the holiday wishes for then. In the meantime, I hope your pre-Christmas deadlines aren’t weighing too heavily and that you still find moments to enjoy the season—well before Santa arrives.

Warm regards,

Robert Andersson

Executive Director

RECENT EVENTS

SACC SUMMIT 2025

A Fantastic Week for SACC in Sunny San Diego!

We are pleased to share highlights from the SACC Summit 2025, hosted by the SACC-San Diego and SACC-USA. The summit brought together leaders, innovators, and professionals from across the Swedish-American business community for two days of collaboration, dialogue, and forward-looking insights.

The program opened with a reception hosted by our member Saab at their Skapa by Saab office in San Diego. The following day featured expert perspectives across five dynamic panels:

Defense & Security – with participation from our member Saab
Life Science – where our member Haypp Group featured as special speakers
Cleantech & Sustainability
Telecommunications & Digital Infrastructure – featuring our members Ovzon and Axis Communications
Beyond Borders – a cross-sector conversation on global cooperation

The final day focused on internal collaboration within the SACC network. SACC-DC had the opportunity to present our ongoing activities, initiatives, and strategic priorities to colleagues from across the United States.

A warm thank-you to our hosts for an inspiring and well-organized summit. We look forward to strengthening partnerships and advancing Swedish-American business ties in the year ahead.

FIKA IN ALEXANDRIA

Fika at Buzz Bake Shop was a wonderful success!

Co-hosted by the City of Alexandria’s Alexandria Sister Cities Committee and SACC-DC. Guests enjoyed Tiffany Aurora’s captivating storytelling alongside Kristina’s delicious baked goods, bringing our community together!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Ericsson x Young Professionals: A Conversation with Peter Borsos

SACC-DC’s Young Professionals are welcome to an evening with Peter Borsos, Head of Communications at Ericsson.

Over food and drinks, our young professionals will have the chance to join an insightful discussion on the future of communication, cross-cultural understanding, and how geopolitics is reshaping global business. Borsos will share his insights on the future of communication and what it takes to succeed as the next generation of communicators.

Dec 2 | 5:30PM | Say Cheese, Georgetown 1132 29th ST NW

INSIGHTS FROM OUR MEMBERS

As our newest Business Member, Sandberg Development inc. brings a legacy of long-term ownership, innovation, and strategic growth to our network. We spoke with Matthew Casciano, President of Sandberg Development Inc., who has led the U.S. support entity since its establishment in October 2024. Matthew has had more than a decade in the group, starting in 2012 at Aimpoint, one of Sandberg Development’s portfolio companies. Matthew now shares insights on the company’s transatlantic expansion, its approach to building resilient Swedish businesses, and how Sandberg Development is positioning its portfolio for success in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

How would you describe what Sandberg Development does and the purpose behind its work?

Sandberg Development is unique in its approach as an investment company by truly taking a long-term approach. Sandberg Development invests in companies of a wide range of sizes and stage of business maturity within the Water Conservation, Safety, and Quality of Life sectors. While the industries and market position of the portfolio companies can be quite different, they are all connected by a focus on innovation and by providing a long-term benefit to society. Sandberg Development is based in Malmö, Sweden, and Sandberg Development Inc. was created as the U.S. support organization to facilitate growth and open the U.S. sales market for the group’s portfolio companies.

What drove the decision to expand into the U.S. market and how does Sandberg Development’s Swedish foundation guide your strategy here?

The expansion into the U.S. market occurred naturally as one of Sandberg Development’s portfolio companies, Aimpoint, has realized solid and steady growth in the U.S. over the past 30+ years. Aimpoint’s success in the U.S. provided the infrastructure and relationships to pave the way for Sandberg Development’s recent focus on the U.S. market expansion for the rest of the group. The Swedish approach to business, most notably a focus on employee well-being and building trusting relationships, is a strategic advantage for Sandberg Development and their operating companies in the United States.

Sandberg Development fosters trust through meaningful human interaction. We believe that when people come together, powerful connections form and great things happen. To strengthen our corporate culture across borders, we prioritize in-person engagement and invest in significant transatlantic travel to build relationships and break down cultural barriers.

Are there particular advantages—economic, strategic, or cultural—that make Virginia a strong location for your U.S. activities?

Absolutely. Virginia’s talent pool and business-friendly environment have been keys to our growth. Manassas, Virginia’s proximity to key customers, the Swedish Embassy, and Dulles International Airport make it an ideal location for our U.S. headquarters. We have a great working relationship with Prince William County’s Economic Development Agency and look forward to contributing to the local community for years to come.

Given today’s geopolitical and economic uncertainties, what opportunities and challenges do you see for Swedish companies operating in the U.S.?

It is always fun when my Swedish colleagues ask me to explain the current political situation in the U.S.! All uncertainties in business come with corresponding opportunities and Swedish companies are well-positioned to find value generation opportunities through their focus on teamwork and collaboration. The cultural focus on developing and valuing trusted relationships allows for the agility and creativity needed to succeed during uncertain times.

Finally, what advice would you give to young professionals who want to build a career in international business, trade, or the Swedish–U.S. commercial landscape?

Working for an international company provides unique career development opportunities for younger professionals. Our young professionals get the opportunity to learn to work across cultures, hone their communication skills, and develop relationships in a way that local businesses cannot match. We all have our functional responsibilities, but learning to succeed within an international team is a skill that benefits an employee’s overall professional development regardless of their role. It is very rewarding to see the energy that our team members bring back with them after visiting our Swedish Headquarters. The experience has a profound impact on their development, outlook and maturity.

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

What Every Multinational Should Know About …

Best Practices for a Customs Disclosure in the New Tariff Environment

In today’s high-tariff, high-enforcement trade environment, U.S. importers are facing mounting pressure from rising duties, sophisticated data analytics by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and a more aggressive federal enforcement posture. Even small customs errors can now lead to significant financial liability.

As a result, voluntary self-disclosures have become one of the most effective tools for reducing risk. When importers identify potential mistakes, a timely voluntary disclosure can greatly limit penalties, demonstrate good faith to regulators, and strengthen internal compliance systems.

Key factors driving the growing importance of voluntary disclosures include escalating Section 232 and 301 tariffs, enhanced CBP data-mining through the ACE system, increased DOJ enforcement (including rising whistleblower activity under the False Claims Act), and heightened expectations for accuracy and transparency.

Voluntary disclosures offer several major benefits:

Significant penalty mitigation when submitted before a formal CBP investigation
Greater control over how potential violations are presented and corrected
Improved credibility during future audits or trusted trader applications
Stronger internal compliance through root-cause analysis and system improvements

Best practices emphasize acting quickly, conducting thorough internal reviews, documenting issues clearly, coordinating across departments, and implementing corrective action plans to prevent recurrence.

As enforcement intensifies, voluntary disclosures are becoming an essential part of a proactive, resilient trade-compliance strategy, helping companies resolve past errors while strengthening their long-term import processes.

SWEDEN CONTRIBUTES SEK 600 MILLION TO US MILITARY EQUIPMENT SUPPORT PACKAGE TO UKRAINE

Sweden is allocating SEK 600 million to the U.S.-initiated Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), joining other Nordic and Baltic countries in funding a USD 500 million military support package for Ukraine. The contribution aims to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and bolster its resilience against Russia.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson emphasized that Russia remains a threat to Europe and that Sweden will continue providing financial, military, and humanitarian assistance.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sweden has delivered approximately SEK 90 billion in military support to Ukraine. This latest decision mandates the Swedish Armed Forces to contribute USD 60 million specifically to the PURL initiative, marking Sweden’s second contribution following a USD 275 million package earlier in the year.

PURL enables the United States to provide high-priority defense equipment, such as air defense systems and ammunition, funded by allied nations. The initiative is administered by NATO.

_{SWEDEN ANNOUNCES SEK 3.5 BILLION INVESTMENT TO STRENGTHEN AIR DEFENSE}

Sweden’s Minister for Defence, Pål Jonson, has announced a major SEK 3.5 billion investment to boost the nation’s air defence capabilities amid increasing threats from missiles, drones, helicopters, and combat aircraft. The new measures follow priorities outlined in the 2024 Defence Resolution.

The Defence Materiel Administration has signed a SEK 2 billion contract to procure additional short-range air defence systems, including the IRIS-T SLS, along with SEK 1.5 billion in vehicles and integration systems to support Sweden’s expanding air defence brigade. The investments include new launchers, advanced Giraffe 1X radar systems, command-and-control centres, spare parts, and upgrades to existing systems. These enhancements will support up to four platoons and be deployed across Norrbotten Regiment I19 and Skaraborg Regiment P4.

This initiative builds on more than SEK 20 billion already invested in Swedish air defence in the past six months, including anti-drone systems, the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile, upgrades to Gripen capabilities, and procurement of the IRIS-T SLM medium-range system.

SWEA CHRISTMAS MARKET

Welcome to SWEA DC’s annual Christmas Market, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden – House of Sweden, on Saturday, December 6 from 10 AM to 5 PM. The day concludes with a Lucia celebration on the lawn outside. All proceeds support scholarships and donations that promote Swedish culture and language.

The Christmas Market is one of DC’s most beloved events, drawing large crowds every year. Volunteers receive free admission and can enjoy everything the market has to offer!