In the first of our Investor chats, we discuss why Symetri have decided to go on the KOPE journey with their CEO, Jens Kollserud.
The convo
MT: Jens, welcome. Could you speak to who Symetri and Addnode Group are?
JK: “Addnode Group is a publicly traded company founded in 2003, that acquires, operates, and develops cutting edge enterprises, that digitalise society. The Addnode Group consists of over 20 companies, with 2,200 employees active in 20 countries across four continents. Our Group is one of Europe’s leading vendors of software and services for design, construction, product data information, project and facility management, and the owner of Symetri.”
MT: We know that Addnode service a large part of Europe and are working with companies at the cutting edge of offsite construction, but what in particular interests you in the space?
JK: “The offsite construction space offers a unique opportunity to change age old habits in the construction sector. We know there are huge challenges faced, especially with the rising price of materials, shortage of labour and the overall environmental impact the industry has. Offsite construction allows for a new approach, one where we can learn from other industries to pave a new, more effective process from design through construction. Put simply, we believe modularisation and offsite construction can help to reduce waste, lead to shorter lead-in times and with that, contribute to decarbonisation in the building industry.”
MT: Yes, we feel that new approach is long overdue. How do you feel offsite construction will change the landscape of the construction industry?
JK: “We believe it can bring design and production closer together and given that most of the cost of a construction project is fixed around decisions made early in the process, offsite construction will become an enabler to produce more sustainable buildings faster and with less resources.”
MT: We have discussed closing that gap between design and production over the time we have worked together. Which leads me to ask, why did Addnode invest in KOPE?
JK: “We have extensive experience and market presence in the building industry and we want to contribute to innovations that we believe can add value to digitise society. After meeting you and the team, we were inspired by the vision of KOPE and believe the initiative can have a positive effect for many of our existing customers and more broadly on workflows for the whole industry.”
MT: We appreciate that, and we all really look forward to going on this journey together. As we focus on the future, what is your outlook on the next few years for the construction industry?
JK: “We have a positive view on the construction industry. There are fundamental opportunities for companies within the industry, to drive the digitisation of processes and workflows that can create value for both businesses in the sector and the wider society.”
MT: Driving that value is key for us. We work in such a fragmented and legacy driven industry that it really will need partnerships like Addnode and KOPE to begin making dents in it. Thank you Jens, for taking some time out of your incredibly hectic schedule. We are excited about the future and share your positive view. Let’s make it happen.
