# Masterclass in Business Growth and Profitability: Unpacking NOTE's Success Story

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2023-09-29
- Length: 21m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story

## Summary

Johannes Lind-Widestam, CEO of NOTE AB, explains how the electronics manufacturing services company doubled net sales per employee over six years through heavy investment in SMD equipment, automated logistics, and strategic regionalization. He discusses the impact of talent shortages, the company's acquisition of a factory in Bulgaria to replace low-cost China production, and the surprising growth opportunities in the UK post-Brexit. Lind-Widestam also outlines NOTE's strategy of treating all sites as Western European equivalents and his confidence in continued growth through 2024 and beyond.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=8) Introduction: NOTE's Growth and Market Context
- [3:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=237) Driving Efficiency: Equipment and Logistics Investment
- [6:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=417) Talent Strategy: Upskilling and Site-Specific Retention
- [11:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=698) Automation Challenges in High-Mix Manufacturing
- [13:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=837) Geopolitical Footprint: UK Post-Brexit and Bulgaria Acquisition
- [18:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story#t=1123) Future Outlook: 2024 Projections and M&A Strategy

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- NOTE AB (company)
- Koh Young (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)
- SMD lines (tool)
- Bulgaria (other)
- China (other)

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- [What the U.S. Can Learn From the German Manufacturing Model w/ Jon DeSouza](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-06-11-what-the-u-s-can-learn-from-the-german-manufacturing-model-w-jon-desouza) (The Manufacturing Executive)
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## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2023-09-29-masterclass-in-business-growth-and-profitability-unpacking-notes-success-story. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EMS@C-LEVEL.