Friday, September 20, Company visits

In the morning we had a breakfast meeting that revolved around renewable energy and it was hosted by Mayor Hedvall. After this seminar the delegation went for a company visit at Eurofins which is an international laboratory company that makes all sorts of different test in various different fields. Then the delegation had a seminar with ITM, Hasse Karlsson and Sophia Strandberg. ITM is an abbreviation of International Trade Management and is a program that educates export trainees and managers. ITM Worldwide leads to a Diploma in International Trade Management accreditated by a global organisation. We then continued with a visit to LPI Mastec. LPI Mastec has a wide manufacturing capacity within the areas of billet machining and advanced assembly and their main areas are, product development, fabrication of components and assembly.

Thursday, September 18 Lidköping and Alternative Energy

On Thursday morning we left the Hotel in Skövde and headed for Lidköping. Alternative Energy solutions were on the program and our first stop was at the Passive House, Villa Malmborg. We also made a stop by a recycle station, where Mikael Sundving showed the delegation how the Swedish people separate and recycle their garbage.

As a connection to the garbage we visited the Central Heat Plant in Lidköpingafter this. Actually about 90% of the households are heating by the Central Heat Plant, which is quite amazing.

After that visit we went to a Senior Citizen Home which uses Pellets and Solar Panels in order to heat their facility. It was a very nice and friendly environment. After the lunch the delegation visited with EcoEx have the expertise in environmental technology and also the Bioenergy Consulting Company ÄFAB.

In the evening we had a dinner with the representatives of the City of Lidköping.

Attending the dinner was (in addition to the delegation):

• Kjell Hedvall - Mayor of Lidköping
  
• Carin Lexmon - Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee
  
• Kenth Lindström - Chairman of the Executive Committee
  
• Johan Lindén - Senior Adviser at the Swedish National Police Academy
  
• Leif Eriksson – Business Development Manager
  
• Mikael Sundving – Business Development Director
  
• Gunnar Nilsson – IDC Westsweden AB
  
• Marcus Johansson – Marketing Coordinator
  
• Lisbeth Nyström – International Coordinator
  
• Torbjörn Nilsson - Promens
  
• Björn Lindvall - CN Worldwide Logistic från Stockholm
  
• Sophia Strandberg - ITM
  
• Hasse Karlsson - ITM

Wednesday, September 17 and we are off to West Sweden, Skövde and Lidköping.

As it has been all of the other days we had a early wake-up call and the bus for Skövde in West Sweden left around 7 am. After about 4 hours on the Swedish roads we arrived in Skövde in time for lunch and we enjoyed a nice lunch just across the street from our hotel. After the lunch the delegation went to an interesting company visit at Volvo Power Train.

One of our delegates David Preece from the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau continued his journey to Lidköping where he had a meeting with Gunilla Davidsson, Manager for the tourism in the Lidköping region. After this meeting he continued to travel to the southern parts of Sweden and to our sister city Borgholm.

Another of our delegates, Norman Walzer from the Northern Illinois University had a meeting with the Vice Principal and responsible for the external relations at Skövde Högskola, University of Skövde, Mats Jägstam.

Later in the evening we had dinner with the representatives of the City of Skövde and the Mayor of Skövde also made a presentation of the City of Skövde.

In the evening we had a dinner with the respresentatives from the City of Skövde.

Attending the dinner (in addition to the delegation):

• Björn Lindvall - CN Shipping
  
• Gunnar Nilsson - IDC Westsweden AB
  
• Tomas Wenell - Towe Elektronik AB
  
• Tord Gustavsson - Mayor of the City of Skövde
  
• Håkan Ahlström - Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City of Skövde

Tuesday September 16th and the second day of the E-days in Stockholm.

The discussion panels on this day reflected the business opportunities with Swedish-American co-productions, Venture Capital and also how the modern technology will be used in the future.

Around 1 o’clock Swedish time Russell Dennis from Leading Edge Hydraulics and Jan Blom from Jimec AB signed their Joint Venture at the Clarion Sign Hotel in Stockholm. It was exciting to be part of such an important step in the partnership of an American and a Swedish company.

In the evening the delegation enjoyed a dinner and a great view over the City of Stockholm from restaurant Gondolen located on the south side of the city.

September 15th, the first day of the E-days and Anniversary Banquette Dinner at the Nordiska Museet (Nordic Museum)

Monday September 15th was the first day of the E-days and at 9.00 Ambassador Wood opened the E-days.

The RAEDC had their own display at the E-days and you can see the picture to the left.

In the evening SACC (Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce) held their 20th Anniversary Banquette at the Nordiska Museet (Nordic Museum) at Djurgarden. It was entertainment from the Choir from the Adolf Fredrik Music School and also the soprano Hannah Holgersson who all made a fantastic job entertaining us. The architecture of the Nordic Museum encapsulated their voices beautifully.

The Dinner was introduced by Svante Forsberg, Chairman of Deloitte AB and Jacob Wallenberg, Chairman of Investor AB, held a speech during the Dinner.

Sunday September 14, Visit to Ambassador Wood

On Sunday evening we went to the residence of the US Ambassador to Sweden Michael M. Wood.

Agenda for the Trip to Sweden 2008

AGENDA FOR THE SEPT 2008 TRIP TO SWEDEN

Saturday 13th 7.45 AM Arrival Stockholm (for those who left Friday)
11 PM Arrival Stockholm (for those who left Friday)

Sunday 14th ~ 7.15AM-10 AM Arrival in Stockholm.
6 PM VIP Reception - hosted by Ambassador Michael M. Wood
(by invitations only)

Monday 15th 7 AM Departure Hotel Haga to the E-days
7.30 AM-5PM E-days conference
7 PM Anniversary Banquet
SACC-USA Anniversary Gala Banquet Dinner,
Nordiska Muséet, Djurgården

Tuesday 16th 7 AM Departure Hotel Haga to the E-days
7.30 AM-5PM E-days conference
7 PM Dinner with the delegation

Wednesday 17th 6.45 AM Bus leaving from Stockholm to Skövde.
10 AM Arrival in Skövde
10.15 AM-5.30PM Company visits
6.30 PM Dinner with representatives from the City of Skövde.

Thursday 18th 7:15 AM Travel from Skövde to Lidköping (Bus)
8.30 AM - 6.PM Company visits
6.30 PM Dinner in Lidköping at Edwards hosted .

Friday 19th 7:10 AM Pick up at the hotel (Edwards)
7:15 AM Breakfast meeting / Renewable Energy semiar
(hosted by Mayor Kjell Hedvall and Yvonne Träff.
9.30 AM- 4.PM Company visits
4.30 PM Taxi to Skövde for them who travel to Stockholm/Arlanda
6.00 PM Dinner

Saturday 20th 7.47 AM Travel back to Arlanda from Skövde.

Flying to Sweden

Today the first delegates are on the plane to the Swedish-American Chamber of Commers Days in Stockholm and also to program in Skovde and Lidkoping.

Tomorrow the rest of the delegation will fly over the Atlantic Ocean and will be landing on Sunday morning.

On Sunday evening there will be a VIP reception with US Ambassador to Sweden Michael Woods.