# EMS@C-LEVEL Season #1 Episode #6 with NOTE SE CEO Johannes Lind-Widestam

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2020-09-14
- Length: 29m
- Episode: 6
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam

## Summary

Johannes Lind-Widestam, CEO of NOTE SE, a Swedish electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company, explains how operational excellence and strategic investments allowed the company to grow sales by 16% and operating profits by 31% in the first half of 2020 despite the pandemic. He details how NOTE managed its global footprint across Sweden, the UK, Finland, Estonia, and China, maintaining production while implementing strict safety protocols and travel bans. Lind-Widestam argues that the crisis will accelerate digital transformation and consolidation in the EMS industry, favoring companies with strong balance sheets that invest in efficiency rather than those that retreat to cost-cutting.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=7) Introduction: NOTE SE Overview and Leadership
- [2:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=148) Pandemic Response: Factory Operations and Safety Protocols
- [4:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=291) Customer Demand: Resilience and Growth in Key Accounts
- [9:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=575) Operational Excellence: Freeing Capacity and Improving Efficiency
- [16:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=969) Digital Transformation and Industry Consolidation
- [20:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=1204) Government Policy: Free Trade vs. Protectionism
- [24:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-09-14-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-6-with-note-se-ceo-johannes-lind-widestam#t=1468) Remote Work, Leadership, and Advice for Peers

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- NOTE SE (company)
- ABB (company)
- Koh Young (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [On-Demand Labor, Operations, and Finding a Co-Founder with Veryable CEO Mike Kinder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-09-21-on-demand-labor-operations-and-finding-a-co-founder-with-veryable-ceo-mike-kinde) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Managing in a Pandemic | Intel: Meet The New Boss | Arm @ 30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-01-22-managing-in-a-pandemic-intel-meet-the-new-boss-arm-30) (EE Times Current)
- [149 - A packaging CEO Discusses Leading During a Pandemic - Eldon Schaffer from Tekni-Plex](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-09-08-149-a-packaging-ceo-discusses-leading-during-a-pandemic-eldon-schaffer-from-tekn) (People of Packaging)
- [25 - Michael Hughes CEO of Elevation Labs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-13-25-michael-hughes-ceo-of-elevation-labs) (People of Packaging)
- [Managing the Challenges of Leadership Transitions w/ Jon Summers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-10-01-managing-the-challenges-of-leadership-transitions-w-jon-summers) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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