MTA - a success story
One of Sweden's fastest-growing construction and engineering companies is called MTA and is based in Halmstad. MTA stands for Mats (Johansson), Tommy (Zryd), and Andreas (Granberg), three gentlemen who set out on a construction journey together. When it started in the spring of 2010, they were colleagues at a nationwide construction company, had good jobs, and were appreciated by both customers and employees, but…
"There were many things we wanted to change, not least in the culture, but it was not possible in such a large and traditional organisation. In the end, it became natural for us to start our own company. We felt we could do it better ourselves" says Mats, who is responsible for property development, among other things.
"We simply started the company where we ourselves would like to work. Having a nice work environment ensures that the staff enjoy their work, has fun, and feels at home. This allows them to develop and do a good job – and it also attracts more talented people who want to work with us"
The company's internal slogan "Finally, Monday" describes the plan in theory. The fact that it also works in practice is evidenced by the accolade "Sweden's Best Workplaces," which MTA has been awarded for five consecutive years, from 2014 to 2018, based on employee interviews conducted by Great Place to Work®.
The newcomers got off to a good start
Despite their relative small size, they were trusted to build a large rental property in central Halmstad. A significant commitment, entirely in line with their ambitions. The project created a ripple effect, and MTA quickly became an attractive alternative, both for construction workers and clients. Soon, the company's name was seen all over Halmstad. They strategically promoted themselves by putting up flags and signs around construction sites to indicate that "MTA is building here.""It was a lot about creating pride among employees and their families. It's fun when employees' children point to our flag and say, "My mom/dad works there.""
The rest is history. After the first year, they had 22 employees, and four years later, 133. Today, they have over 300 employees and ongoing construction projects from Kungsbacka in the north to Trelleborg in the south. That's quite an achievement in just eight and a half years.
How did AJ Products come into the picture?
After having used second-hand furniture in a rented premises for a few years, MTA decided to invest in a new head office. Before moving in during the summer of 2015, AJ Products happened to get the opportunity to suggest their line of office interior design products.
"I had already spoken with another office supplier, one of the big ones in the industry. But then I got in touch with AJ Products and promised that they would get a chance. What did I have to lose?"
The project salesperson at AJ Products had just over a week to come up with an interior design proposal.
"I received both proposals on the same day – and was extremely impressed with the work that AJ Product's salesperson had put in. Based on our drawings, she had created a complete interior design solution with everything from the right colors and floors to tasteful and functional furniture. She had exceeded our goal by a long shot."
- Since we were so incredibly satisfied the first time, we never brought in other proposals. We just ordered the same furniture from AJ Products again.
This meant a new delivery of a complete office interior, including height-adjustable desks, office chairs, ergonomic stools, workplace lighting, conference tables and chairs, lunchroom tables, green bar stools and kitchen chairs.
A year later, the procedure was repeated when MTA's expansion went south, and office number three opened in Helsingborg.
- As for the work environment on construction sites, we chose early on to invest in our own accommodations. At present, we have about a hundred, all to be able to fully drive concern for our staff.
In the accommodations where site managers and supervisors have their offices, AJ Product's height-adjustable desks, active chairs and other modern workplace accessories can be found. In addition, there is the social centerpiece, the large dining hall, where everyone has their breaks and eats together, and where a well-equipped kitchen is available.
"Since we have wall-to-wall carpets, shoes are left in the hallway. This increases comfort, and those who are comfortable do a better job. Everything is connected, and it's that simple, Mats concludes."
And when the result is that MTA continues to grow and needs more furniture, they call us at AJ Products. All because our salesperson did a great job when the opportunity arose.
Contact our project sales team for more information.
