Stories

Even as he started out with one small tractor in 1985, Jan Bakker had a dream of one day operating in the dairy industry. Fast forward nearly 40 years, and the company he founded is now one of the major operators in the agriculture sector in his native Netherlands. And, with the help of Volvo on and off the road, he’s also become a trailblazer in the electric vehicle transition.

Danny Matic knows more than many about turning dreams into reality. He arrived in Australia in 1993 and in 2002 he started Matic Transport together with his wife – with just one truck. Twenty - two years later they have grown the business to more than 200 trucks and some 800 pieces of equipment.

From humble beginnings in southern Peru more than 75 years ago, hauler Vivargo has grown into an international market leader with ambitions for an even bigger prize. Now under the management of the third generation of the family, it has been a loyal Volvo Trucks customer for over 13 years, with the prospect of many more to come.

Forty years ago, Ronald Garkisch, Managing Partner at Euba Logistic, fell in love with the sound of the Volvo engines he heard rolling through the streets of Berlin. That bond remains to this day, despite the fact that his newest Volvo trucks just make a quiet humming sound.

With 50-plus years of supporting the music business, Danish haulier Lars Stokholm has grown his company, Stokholm Transport, from a single truck to having an international presence, working with some of the world’s biggest artists in the process

Over the span of 25 years, Swedish hauler Christer Ohlsson has grown his small family business into a successful nationwide company. Operating within the field of waste management, construction and transport, Ohlsson’s passion for serving people is clear. And every day, he works towards being in a league of his own to exceed customer expectations.

Being financially literate is not as simple as it sounds, nor is it a basic understanding. Financial literacy is wrapped around everything you do with money: earning, spending and budgeting, saving and investing, credit and debt. This is one of the many reasons why I am passionate about our youth and their ability to have a good relationship with money. It’s exactly why, as the Vice President of People and Culture at Volvo Financial Services (VFS), I volunteer with Junior Achievement of the Triad.

Maintaining a harmonious work-life balance is a crucial aspect of overall well-being and sustained success. When individuals are passionate about their work and engage in fulfilling activities outside of work, it fosters a more innovative and creative work environment. One colleague demonstrating both is Kevin Zeigler, director of capital strategies syndication at VFS, who also happens to be a beekeeper. With World Bee Day coming up on May 20, we sat down with Kevin to hear how he appreciates the company's culture of valuing personal time and encouraging employees to pursue hobbies that help them relax and detach from work-related pressures.

​​​​​​​Leading strategy and innovation for Volvo Financial Services (VFS) requires the identification of emerging and disruptive trends. That means I invest a lot of time understanding what’s happening in fintech, and how it could be used to make our business and our customers’ businesses more competitive.

Juggling work with a private life and family isn’t always easy. At Volvo Group we believe that good communication and trust, together with supportive employee benefits, provide the basis for a healthy work-life balance. Sarah Townsend, Analyst, Parts & Services Financing, is very happy with the work culture at Volvo Group – a company she’s proud to describe as socially conscious.