In the driver’s seat

The Head of MAN Cryo in Sweden admits she is most comfortable working at ‘300 km per hour’. But it’s all part of her drive to help ‘connect the dots’ in our portfolio and make us the leading solution provider for liquid energy forms.

Our interview with Louise Andersson gets off to a rough start when we ask what is so unique about MAN Cryo’s products. “You mean solutions,” she says with a friendly laugh. But it demonstrates that as Head of MAN Cryo, Louise is serious about transforming the world-renowned production facility of cryogenic tanks in Gothenburg, Sweden into a provider of all-around solutions.  

A company of world renown

She explains that after building thousands of tanks over the past five or so decades, MAN Cryo has a worldwide reputation as the go-to experts when advanced fuel systems involving cryogenics and liquefied natural gas (LNG) need to be developed. “When there’s a new LNG innovation on the market, then people tend to come to us and say, ‘Ok, we want to try this completely new, crazy solution.’ Because they know we can do it,” she says.  

At the office, a shrewd negotiator… and at the production facility,
able to dive into the details of cryogenic engineering

Establishing that reputation was of course not easy – and it can evaporate as quickly as LNG above minus 162 °C. To make sure MAN Cryo stays at the top of the field, she looks to her agile team of engineers, R&D staff, procurers working to develop the next generation of storage facilities for future fuels like hydrogen. “They have such deep technical knowledge. I’m really proud of them. They can do anything.” The admiration seems to go both ways. Her team members describe Louise as ‘tough, but caring’. Markku Eriksson, Head of QHSE in Gothenburg, has seen Louise in action in a variety of settings and suggests her straightforward communication style makes her a unique leader. “Whether she’s discussing minute technical details with a welder on the production line, or presenting a business case to board members, she’s the same person. That’s impressive,” says Markku. At the same time, she is a shrewd negotiator when discussing contract details with customers. “Some people might be more hesitant and accommodating. But she tells it like it is,” he adds. “She’s really in the driver’s seat.”

Our job is to connect the dots in different Parts of the MAN ES portfolio and add value for our customers. We can sell a comprehensive package that includes tanks, heat exchangers and everything in between.

Close cooperation with IGCs

To stay in the driver’s seat, Louise maintains a brisk work tempo of about ‘300 kilometres per hour’, according to her estimates. And while she values the input of her team, she does not hesitate to be demanding and even a bit ‘pushy’ if it means reaching a goal. That approach has paid dividends already. Since MAN ES acquired MAN Cryo in 2016, the team completed development on a unique liquid hydrogen fuel gas system for marine applications which is ready for commercial sales. And it conducted the first larger container vessel retrofit for Hapag-Lloyd. Louise and MAN Cryo seem to be just getting started. “Our job is to connect the dots in different parts of the MAN ES portfolio and add value for our customers,” she says. “We can sell a comprehensive package that includes tanks, heat exchangers and everything in between.” Much of her time is spent connecting with IGCs in China, Singapore or Malaysia to locate new potential leads. “This is part of the beauty with MAN which I really enjoy,” says Louise. “We’re a global company and can work across locations, cultures and departments. The challenge is to break the silos. And that’s something cryo can address, because we work with everyone. Were not picky.”