Sydsvenskan: They turn scrap into money
Why throw something away when it can be reused? It was this basic idea that prompted Christian Jansson and Patrik Zalewski to start the Godsinlösen company three years ago. On Friday, they will receive Staffanstorp’s Entrepreneurs of the Year award for 2015.
“Insurance companies must have stores full of items that their customers send in and for which they receive compensation. It should be possible to resell these things.” This initial thought led Christian Jansson and Patrik Zalewski to form their company, Godsinlösen. They were soon proved to have been completely wrong. The insurance companies didn’t have any mobile phones, shipping-damaged products or broken bicycles at all. It transpired that most insurers didn’t demand the objects for which they were paying compensation to be sent in.
“We decided that we would try to change the way in which the insurance companies work. Had we known then what we were getting ourselves in to, we probably wouldn’t have dared continue. But if it is possible to reuse something, this is not only good for the environment – there is also money to be made”, explains Christian Jansson.
When the insurance companies – working together with Godsinlösen – began to demand that the products be sent in in order to verify the damage, almost one quarter of claimants chose to not send in their items and, therefore, they received no compensation. According to Christian Jansson, this can easily be seen as money saved for the insurance companies – and will, ultimately, result in lower premiums for customers. By requiring the claimants to send in their products, it became possible to extend the service life of a faulty mobile phone by repairing it and returning it to the customer.
“Simply by reusing a telephone instead of buying a new one, we reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 64 kg. The production of one new telephone results in an additional 86 kg of waste. These figures make it interesting to calculate the positive environmental impact we’re making, as we are currently enabling the reuse of 20,000 mobile telephones per year”, says Christian Jansson.
It was mostly by chance that the company ended up being based in Staffanstorp, even though Christian Jansson grew up just outside this village. As the company’s operations began to grow and they needed more space, the founders were informed about the premises available in the Rondellen business park. The 2,000 m2 premises currently accommodates 35 employees. Several of these work with advanced data-deletion techniques, and five of the workers were employed following a work-experience placement at the company.
“Part of the work does involve getting your hands dirty – repairing a bike, for example, so that is serviced to a high standard and can be sold at a higher price. We work together with the local authorities in Lund and in Staffanstorp to arrange work placements for young people and newly-arrived immigrants. It is a good first job to have”, says Christian Jansson.
Some of the products that are received end up for sale in the company’s Returhuset store. Such products might include goods from a smoke-damaged warehouse or items that have been dented. “These are the sort of products that it would be very difficult to sell in a regular store”, says Christian Jansson as he gestures towards the shelves inside the store.
“Previously, such items had always been regarded as a cost – things that needed to be disposed of. But now we can see them as a potential source of income. And people are really happy when they find bargains”, he continues.
Christian Jansson and Patrik Zalewski consider themselves to be businessmen rather than environmental activists. “A low-hanging fruit” is how they describe their business concept, which has proved able to generate both financial and environmental gains.
Another knock-on effect for Patrik Zalewski is that he has now become a diligent recycler of waste even in his private life. “It’s clear that it’s had an effect on us. We now spend all day at work talking about the environment”, laughs Patrik Zalewski.
“It was actually pretty amazing once the penny dropped for me – that such a concrete environmental measure as recycling could also generate business”, says Christian Jansson.
Godsinlösen
Started in 2013 by Christian Jansson and Patrik Zalewski, who have been awarded Staffanstorp’s Entrepreneurs of the Year for 2015. The prize will be awarded on Friday evening at the Guldkvällen gala in Kyrkheddinge.
Last year’s turnover was SEK 32 million. This year’s turnover is estimated to be SEK 55 million.
35 employees.
Head office and the Returhuset store in Staffanstorp. Smaller facilities also in Stockholm and Växjö.
Source: Sydsvenskan
