Challenge accepted

If you’ve once worked as a cycle messenger on the edge of the Arctic Circle, then there probably aren’t many things in life that you can’t handle. Meet Niklas Adamsson, Envirotainer COO, who doesn’t just take challenges in his stride — they’re the reason he gets up in the morning.

Niklas Adamsson is a driven person — he always has been. As a competitive swimmer in his youth and triathlete/cyclist after that. As a student who turned his interest in bike design into an engineering PhD. And as a leader in his career of international business before becoming Envirotainer COO. “That’s just who I am,” says Niklas with a smile. “I’m competitive, impatient, always on the move. And always looking for the next challenge.“

The customer is king

But it’s never been all about his own success — especially in his working life. “I was born into an entrepreneurial world. My family owned and ran several supermarkets, which is a lot of hard work. And around the dinner table, the conversation was ‘Who’s paying for this food? Our customers.’” That clearly made a big impression on Niklas: “Throughout my working life, the constant theme has been striving for the success of customers.”

The chance of a lifetime

When the opportunity came to join Envirotainer a few years ago, Niklas jumped at the chance. It ticked every box and, in many ways, becoming COO was a job he’d been preparing for all his life.

As an engineer, Envirotainer is home: “We are an engineering company at heart. Fully integrated with our own R&D, manufacturing and supply chain.” And it also appeals to the side of him that is always facing up to new challenges on behalf of customers and partners. Niklas explains, “We are only 350 people but we have to handle not just manufacturing but also leasing — like both Volvo and Hertz at the same time — within a single, smooth and reliable global operation. And this is all at the intersection of two of the most regulated industries on the planet — pharma and air transport!”

Finding your real purpose

But there was one thing about working at Envirotainer that took him by surprise. He’d never really experienced it before — being part of something much bigger than himself. If he was excited talking about the daily complexities of running the Envirotainer operation then he lights up when talking about the bigger purpose of working for the best interests of customers and patients around the world, “Knowing that what I do every day makes a real difference … I don’t know how I’d live without that now.”

They say that life is about the journey and not the destination — and it’s true! But it’s also about following your internal compass and keeping going. Because, as Niklas says of his journey, “You don’t know what you’re missing until you find it!”

Facts panel

Name: Niklas Adamsson
Job: Envirotainer COO
Family: Wife and 2 kids
Hobbies: Cycling, helping his kids enjoy sport and teamwork