KAMIC, Karlstad Automatic AB (KAMIC Karlstad) starts its business with Hans Bergkvist, Ingvar Blomqvist, Kaiy Sjöqvist, Staffan Skoglund and Jan Olofsson (now Merelid) as the founding quintet. All driving and active with their own areas of responsibility in the company. At this time the business idea and operations include the design, construction and sale of automation equipment. Agency and trading activities with the sale of emergency lighting and industrial electrical components in the role of authorized distributor for Honeywell AB are also ongoing. The company starts with 17 employees through a takeover of an already existing business.
At the turn of the year 1984/85, the company moves to new premises in a newly built property in Karlstad. In consultation with the builder, the property is adapted for the business with an enlarged workshop, warehouse and office premises. Opportunities to grow are created.
During the years 1987-/89, the company has a very positive development of their business operations. Broader product programs in emergency lighting and electrical engineering are obtained through new agency agreements for the Swedish market. New distribution channels via several electricity wholesalers are established.
There are however growth problems within the core business of design and construction of automation equipment. Uneven occupancy and a heavily exposed competitive situation cause it. A strategic decision is finally made to concentrate the business on the sale of emergency lighting and industrial electrical components. The automation business is sold to ABIA Industriautomatik AB. All construction and workshop personnel are leaving to the new owner.
The company establishes in 1990 the subsidiary KAMIC Skärningsteknik to be able to offer the market EMC/EMI/RÖS and EMP products and system solutions within the growth area of electrical environment.
Between the years 1991-98, full focus is placed on expanding the business activities. The cornerstones have always been to work with quality products, technical competence, delivery reliability and a high level of service in order to develop the business, which is now fully taking place. Through new agencies, the product programs are broadened in the areas of emergency lighting, uninterruptible power, electrical technology and electrical environment. These years are a positive period for KAMIC Karlstad with constant growth and very good profitability. The number of employees increases from 9 to 33 and the turnover from 9 to 127 million.
In 1997, KAMIC's quality system was certified according to SS-EN ISO 9002. It is considered a great competitive advantage in the market to have a quality system, and furthermore - much earlier than many competitors.
In 1999, a very big change takes place; KAMIC Karlstad is acquired by Amplexgruppen. However, KAMIC Karlstad continues its operations without changing direction and initially with the same company management and personnel.
In order to further expand the business, the 21st century contains many mergers and acquisitions and it starts already in the first year when the subsidiary KAMIC Skärningsteknik was merged into KAMIC Karlstad. The reason to the decision is to get a more rational and efficient organization with concentration of resources into one company.
In 2001, KAMIC Group AB is formed by a number of companies from the Amplex group, including KAMIC Karlstad and Microsec AB. In consultation with the Amplex group, KAMIC Group's head office is located in Karlstad. In connection with the formation, a new sales office is also set up in Spånga, Stockholm. Before the end of the year, the Finnish electronics company Fin-Alert Electronics Oy is acquired by KAMIC Group. In order to find additional sales channels, in 2002 KAMIC Karlstad also started up the lighting product area with the agency for the German manufacturer RZB.
The next step in the development comes in 2003 when Bromanco Björkgren AB is acquired by KAMIC Group. Together with KAMIC electrical environmental products and systems, an exciting complementary product program in electrical insulation, heat management, etc. was now obtained. In order to also strengthen the electrical environment and UPS product programs within the group, the companies TIBE Interconnect AB, Dalma Electronics AB and Juha-Electro OY were bought in 2004. LTG-Keifor AB's business operations were also acquired at this time. In order to keep up with the development, they are forced to expand warehouses and offices at the head office in Karlstad.
In 2005 a decision is made that a permanent exhibition is needed in central Stockholm. A facility on Ynglingagatan becomes the solution. In 2006, Marelco-Vinga AB is acquired by KAMIC Group. This acquisition significantly strengthens the Group's lighting program and expertise in the area. In connection with the acquisition, a sales office is established in Gothenburg.
In 2010, Vinga Ljus AB's operations are legally transferred to KAMIC Karlstad, and as a consequence of the change, a new central warehouse is established in Karlstad.
After a takeover offer on the stock exchange, ElektronikGruppen BK AB is acquired by KAMIC Group in 2011, which triples the Group's size in terms of turnover. The geographical presence expands in Europe and Asia. In conjunction with the change, the business area KAMIC Installation is established with subordinate divisions: Light & Safety, Networks, Security and Components.
In order to manage continued expansion, in 2012 KAMIC Karlstad transfers its operations to larger premises in Karlstad. With the move a common central warehouse for the Nordic market is established. In January 2013, Microsec's operations are transferred to the new company KAMIC Security AB. This period is otherwise characterized by integration work and structural efficiencies in the new, larger group.
At the same time, there is a weakening of the Nordic industrial economy, which has a negative impact on sales and forces rationalizations. For KAMIC Karlstad which mainly operates in the Swedish construction and installation market, the business situation in the following years is somewhat worse and further measures are taken to stop the trend.
In 2014, KAMIC Karlstad changes its name to KAMIC Installation AB, and the year after a comprehensive strategy work is carried out with the aim of reversing a longer period of weaker development within the Light & Safety division. With the support of a new product and sales organization, positive effects are increasingly noticeable. Also in the same year, the Networks division is divested.
The market stabilizes overall and sales increase in 2016/17. New sales offices are established in Jönköping and Malmö - Sweden, to increase the local presence. Product areas showing particularly good growth are shell protection solutions and electrical insulation. In 2018, the electromechanics units within KAMIC Installation and its sister company EG Electronics are merged, which includes the TIBE brand and fiber and cable manufacturing in Poland. The new unit is placed in EG Electronics. At the same time as the merger, the Components division is shut down.
After a long and comprehensive brand work, KAMIC launches a new brand platform in the autumn of 2022 containing a new graphic identity with associated logo and website. A partially new organization is launched and the remaining divisions Light & Safety, Security and the Vinga brand are phased out.
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