We recently shared the news that Implema is establishing itself in the U.S. In this interview, Tobias Simolin, CEO of Implema U.S., explains more about why we chose the city of Raleigh, what opportunities we see in the region, and how we are bringing the Swedish corporate culture and The Implema Way into our new venture.
Hello there, Tobias Simolin, CEO of Implema’s American subsidiary, what is the reason for the establishment?
– Several of our largest customers, with whom we have collaborated for a long time in the Nordics, have production and logistics centers in the region. By establishing ourselves in the U.S., we can work more closely with their operations, in their time zone. This is a natural step in our international growth journey to meet our customers’ needs.
Why Raleigh and the Research Triangle in Particular, What Makes the Region Particularly Attractive to Implema?
– Many of our global customers have operations here, and we are responsible for business-critical projects and the operation of their SAP environments. Then it is logical to also be located nearby geographically.
– In addition, the Research Triangle is one of the U.S.’s most exciting growth regions. It has a strong technology and biotech cluster and three leading universities, including prestigious Duke University, which contribute cutting-edge expertise to the labor market.
What Opportunities Do You See for Implema in the U.S. In the Coming Years?
– We are starting on a smaller scale by building a local team within SAP delivery. But this is just the beginning. We see a great demand in the area, both from existing customers and from new companies seeking SAP and Microsoft Dynamics expertise.
Our goal is simple: to become known as the partner that delivers the highest quality – in projects, in operations and in relationships, in an American market with fierce competition.
What Will be the First Concrete Steps this Fall?
– We are opening our office in central Raleigh, next door to other exciting companies such as Salesforce. The focus going forward is on recruitment, finding the right people who want to join us in building something new and come along on the journey for Implema U.S. The plan is to have the first employee in place during the fourth quarter of 2025.
Are You Bringing the Swedish Culture and the Implema Way to the U.S.?
– Absolutely. We believe that a sound and inclusive Swedish corporate culture is a strong USP for attracting the best talent. Swedish companies are known for combining world-leading innovation with a good corporate climate, and that is appreciated by many. Our core values “Together” and “Joy” will also be important in the U.S.
What do you see as the biggest challenge? And how do you plan to tackle it?
– The fact that our first foreign establishment is taking place so far away geographically is a challenge in itself. Above all, it is about getting our culture to take root here as well. The key will be to build a strong team from the start. We will also work actively with exchanges between the countries, so that both competence and culture are spread through joint customer deliveries.
Finally, if We Look Five Years ahead, What Do You Hope People Will Say about Implema U.S.?
– That we have become an established specialist partner for many of the larger customers in the region. That we have built trust through high quality in both projects and operations. And that we have managed to create a strong position in a market with fierce competition.
Related article: PRESSRELEASE: Implema Expands to the U.S. with New Office in North Carolina – Aktuellt – Implema
