About Gunnar Kleveland
Gunnar Kleveland, President and CEO of Albany International, appeared on NYSE TV Live on December 17, 2024, to discuss the company's 50th anniversary of listing on the New York Stock Exchange and its 130th anniversary the following year. He noted that the company's entire board was present for a December board meeting and rang the closing bell. Kleveland described his background as a former fighter pilot inspired by the film "Top Gun," and said he moved from Norway to the United States to pursue career opportunities, eventually holding CEO roles at business units of Textron and Bell Helicopter before joining Albany International.
Looking ahead to 2025, Kleveland identified growth opportunities in Albany International's two main businesses. He described the machine clothing segment, which produces belts for paper and industrial machines, as a profitable cash generator. On the aerospace side, he said the company uses 3D woven preform technology to manufacture composite blades for the LEAP engine used on the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 Max, and stated the goal is to proliferate that technology throughout aerospace and potentially other industries. Separately, in September 2024, the Times Union reported that Kleveland had requested a contract extension from the Albany International Airport Authority board, which the board declined, stating its decision was final.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Gunnar Kleveland's recent appearances.
Browse all interviews →
Transcript (10 segments)
I
Interviewer0:00
Gunnar is joining me now to talk more about this. You're fresh off the bell podium. How are you feeling in this moment as you opened up the US equity markets and people from around the world, including your colleagues and family members, were tuning in to this moment?
G
Gunnar Kleveland0:13
Yeah, very special moment. We're so proud to be here and thankful to the New York Stock Exchange and Eric and Terara for letting us do this honor. We're actually here today with our entire board for our December board meeting, and it's just such an honor. It was great. Everybody's just so excited to be here, and you can see Albany International all over the floor. That is very, very special. And yes, I have family back in Europe that watched this live this morning or afternoon for them, as well as our companies around the world.
I
Interviewer0:55
You're celebrating 50 years, over 100 years since its founding, 50 years being listed here at the New York Stock Exchange. Talk to me about the significance in that.
G
Gunnar Kleveland1:02
Yeah, the company has long traditions. Next year we'll celebrate 130 years, and this year we're celebrating 50 years with the New York Stock Exchange listing. It just was so fitting that we could come here and do our board meeting and then ring the bell. It's just perfect.
I
Interviewer1:26
I want to talk to you about your past, your history, your experiences, and your time in the Air Force and that transition from your time in the Air Force to becoming CEO of Albany. Of course, there were things that happened in between, but talk to me a little bit more about your background and everything that you've learned from your past experiences and how you apply it today.
G
Gunnar Kleveland1:48
No, when I was ready to leave school and start a career, I watched this movie called Top Gun. Yeah, and I am part of the Top Gun generation. I went off and became a fighter pilot, and that's what I wanted to do. But deep down inside, I knew that I had something else in mind for what I was going to do with my career. We took our family and saw the biggest opportunities here in the US, and we left Norway and showed up here. I was fortunate enough to get a role with Textron and Bell Helicopter, where my career started, and had a great career with Textron, including a couple of CEO roles at their business units. But it really culminated in this role, and leading a company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange is very special. I couldn't tell anyone to duplicate how I got here, but it is all about setting goals and doing your best wherever you're at.
I
Interviewer3:10
Speaking of goals, could you briefly tell us what your top priority goals are for your business as you move into 2025?
G
Gunnar Kleveland3:18
As we go into 2025, our biggest opportunity is on the two businesses that we have. I'll start with machine clothing, which is we make the clothing or the belts that go on paper machines and other industrial machines. We have a great position in the market. It's a very profitable part of our business, great cash generator. How can we grow that business and continue to be a leader in that segment on the market? On the aerospace side, we took this material science and technology that we have from these belts into aerospace, which is part of the reason why I came to Albany was seeing how they took this technology and were able to apply it from scratch into aerospace, which is a hard place to go in. We make the blades on the LEAP engine that goes on the A320 as well as the 737 Max, using a 3D woven preform that is injected with resin and just a phenomenal composite part. So the goal there is to proliferate that technology throughout aerospace, and there are probably other places that we can go as well.
I
Interviewer4:42
A lot to look out for come 2025. Thank you so much, Gunnar Kleveland, CEO of Albany International. Thank you for joining us.
G
Gunnar Kleveland4:49
Thank you.
