Rickard Gustafson

President & CEO, Ab Skf

Search every verified Rickard Gustafson interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of AB SKF, reported the company’s Q2 2025 results on July 18, 2025, describing the quarter as demonstrating “modern resilience” amid market headwinds and currency volatility. He noted that net sales were SEK 23,166 million, down from SEK 25,606 million a year earlier, with organic growth at -0.2%. Gustafson attributed the revenue decline to softer demand in the automotive sector, while stating that the industrial segment performed robustly and helped offset the automotive weakness. He highlighted an adjusted operating margin that remained strong despite “rather tough market conditions” and a significant foreign exchange headwind. During the earnings call, Gustafson addressed questions about pre-buying activity in the U.S. and China, stating that the company did not see anything tangible or standing out in that regard, and that trading conditions in July were a continuation of the prior quarter. He also discussed the ongoing separation of SKF’s automotive business, describing it as building momentum and aiming to create two global leading pure-play companies. Gustafson acknowledged that achieving efficiencies and competitiveness on the industrial side would involve staff reductions, which he called “regretful but necessary” for building a strong foundation for long-term profitable growth.