Our Way 1
INNOVATION TEXT SOFIA LUNDGREN Forging ahead with
Wallenius In its long history dating back to the 1930s, Wallenius has always been driven by a strong commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. The company’s founder, Olof Wallenius, was one of the great pioneers of his time, and his innovative spirit lives on to this day at Wallenius. W 2 OUR WAY allenius Marine has many firsts to its name. In 1955, its sister company Wallenius Lines received delivery of the world’s first purpose-built car carriers and later went on to launch the RoRo (roll-on-roll-off) cargo system, which changed the nature of the car carrying business forever. More recently, the company has established itself as an environmental front-runner, leading the way in everything from ballast water treatment and sustainable antifouling paint, to the present launch of wind-powered ships. This is the story of the small Swedish shipping company that went on to become one of the most cutting-edge logistics providers in the world. IN 1934, OLOF Wallenius formed Rederi AB Soya, acquiring the company’s first vessel, m/t SOYA, which had a capacity of 125 tonnes. By the time he passed away in 1970, the company was shipping more than 500,000 vehicles a year across the seas. Those who knew Wallenius called him a true entrepreneur, someone who approached a new idea by first swiftly considering the opportunity and the risk, then gathering the resources needed to realise it. He was impatient, and wanted quick ideas and results. And even though rumour has it he was satisfied if one in ten ventures turned out well, he did not like to be reminded of the failures. Olof Wallenius soon made a name as a forward-looking businessman, and in 1963, he placed Wallenius Lines firmly on the map with the development of the roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) cargo system, which replaced lift-on-lift-off (LoLo) as the car carrying system of choice. The idea for cars to use their own power to roll on and off ships was the brainchild of Captain Bengt Törnqvist, and Olof Wallenius immediately saw an opportunity to establish Wallenius Lines at the cutting edge of the burgeoning automotive industry. RoRo allowed cars to be frontloaded onto the ship, first using a bow visor, and later via the stern or bow ramps, instead of using cranes, making the loading process both quicker and safer. Olof Wallenius, Founder of Wallenius Marine The ROLLEFF hydraulic engine was one of the inventions from AB Soya´s experimental department.