A voice for sustainable Norwegian suppliers: Jan-Erik Kleven, MD of Camfil Norway is elected to Eurovent board

Stockholm, Sweden, 20 June 2022- Eurovent is Europe’s Industry Association for Indoor Climate (HVAC), Process Cooling, and Food Cold Chain Technologies. Members are from across Europe and represent more than 1,000 companies. Jan-Erik Kleven, Managing Director of Camfil, Norway joins the Eurovent board, bringing a strong and committed voice from Norway and the Nordic region and aims to contribute on sustainable and supplier issues.

Communication, dialogue and co-operation

Eurovent focuses on several important areas related to European legislation, including cooperation, dialogue and sustainability.

“I am passionate about open communication and dialogue in the industry - also between competitors. Communication provides a fertile ground for collaboration. A collaborative approach is important, especially when it comes to sustainable solution development.” Kleven explains. “It is therefore with great humility that I join the Eurovent board. I hope that I can be a resource in promoting a continued good cooperation and dialogue with companies and authorities nationally and internationally.”

Jan-Erik Kleven was elected as new board member at the 66th Annual meeting of Eurovent. Eurovent, with this association being an active lobbyist in Brussels. At the same time, Francesco Scuderi was appointed new Secretary General with Felix Van Eyken, who is now retiring.

The Board of Directors at Eurovent (Source: Eurovent)

“It is of great importance for Norwegian suppliers to be be a part of Eurovent's work. We represent a sustainable focused supplier industry who is serious about competitiveness and innovation. I look forward to participate in the important work that Eurovent does internationally, focused on the issues that I am also passionate about in my daily work,” says Kleven.

A strong and committed voice for Norwegian suppliers

Norway is represented in Eurovent through the trade association ‘Ventilasjon Kulde Energi’, VKE, which in turn works closely with its Nordic sister organisations in Eurovent. The purpose of the co-operation is to put focus on the Nordic business and market environment conditions and challenges, as well as playing a role in lobbying what happens withing the EU framework.

With Kleven joining the Eurovent board, Norwegian suppliers of the VKE trade association will have a representative that is focused on competitiveness and innovation and bringing a voice to the discussion table. Kleven has been CEO of Camfil Norway since 2013, and in recent years has focused strongly on the importance of having serious players in the industry; especially proper and verifiable documentation and competition on equal terms between suppliers.

“I will do my best to focus on challenges and needs among VKE's members. In particular, I want to ensure that politicians - those who adopt regulations or laws that affect the choice of technical solutions in both Norway and Brussels, have enough information and options for their processes that can effectively direct policy decision making, says Kleven.

He further explains, ”To provide an example, one can focus on Environmental Product Declarations (EPD ). When EPDs were first introduced, they compared the product's environmental impact only in the production phase - and not throughout the product's total life cycle. A product that has a low environmental impact in the production phase can actually be the worst product when you look at the entire life cycle (LCA). Such knowledge is important for us as an industry organization to pass on to politicians, so they can make the right decisions that will affect and impact our industry.”

Eurovent is Europe’s Industry Association for Indoor Climate (HVAC), Process Cooling, and Food Cold Chain Technologies. Its members from throughout Europe represent more than 1.000 companies, the majority small and medium-sized manufacturers. These account for a combined annual turnover of more than 30bn EUR, employing around 150.000 people within the association’s geographic area. This makes Eurovent one of the largest cross-regional industry committees of its kind. The organisation's activities are based. The organisation's activities are based on highly valued democrative decision-making principles, ensuring a level playing field for the entire industry independnt from organisation sizes or membership fees.