Navigating the Next Generation

Another challenge was guarding the new truck series from the prying eyes of journalists, photographers, other Scania staff and the public while it was still under development. It was not an easy task, keeping the new series literally under wraps for so many years, especially when the time came to test-drive the vehicles on public roads. Some media outlets went so far as to send out drones with cameras in their efforts to scoop the story.

“We had to mask the test trucks in different ways,” Bygdén says. “Sometimes we attached plastic parts on the outside of the trucks to make them look older, and whenever the trucks were stopped we drew the curtains to hide the cab interiors.”

It was equally important to keep the test trucks and development information a secret from the competition. This meant that design patents could only be filed at the last minute, so proprietary information wouldn’t be released too early and acted upon. Secrecy was so imperative that Scania had staff working full-time to continuously conceal the project details.

In 2014 yet another challenge came when Volkswagen and Scania merged, bringing new top management with a different culture and way of working. “This was a personal challenge for me, but eventually we got to know each other and adjust to each other and it turned out well,” says Bygdén, adding that in Scania’s corporate culture, transparency with executive management and the organization is import-ant, so that issues and problems can be discussed openly to help solve them.

Project leading required multiple skills. “One of my strengths is getting people to work together to achieve the same goal,” says Bygdén. “Communication is so important in a project as big as this one. People want to know about the big picture to feel more a part of the project. My role is to inspire, enthuse and provide clear requirements and deadlines. It’s important to focus on the main milestones rather than get involved in all of the details – and to rely on the competence and skills of the people within the project.”

Being a sporty person who is “somewhat competitive” doesn’t hurt either, Bygdén adds. He is passionate about orienteering and sees clear parallels between the sport and his job. “Orienteering requires navigation,” he says. “You have to see the big picture, focus on your targets, plan and make quick decisions. These are the skills I use daily at work.”

SKF technologies can be found throughout Scania’s new generation of trucks. These include gearbox bearings, propeller-shaft bearings, and engine bearings and seals. SKF also supplies linear actuation technology for the wind deflector and updated front- and rear-wheel truck hub bearing units.