30 years as a supplier of safe couplings to one of the world's leading manufacturers of respiratory protective equipment

Sundström Safety defined a need for a quick release system with a low pressure drop for high safety rated breathing masks. CEJN responded with a solution, and 30 years later the collaboration is still continuing. By putting safety and quality first, they are the market leaders for high-quality respiratory protective equipment.

Sundström manufactures and sells respiratory protective equipment to people working in demanding and difficult environments, so it is important that quality and safety are always centre stage. These watchwords also place high demands on suppliers, and it is important to choose the right supplier from the very beginning. "It's a long certification process, so we would rather not change existing products," Niclas Rydh, R&D manager at Sundström Safety, says. Sundström only focuses on the highest safety ratings when developing respiratory protective equipment.

Quality - a vital property

Safety and quality are vital, and each component must meet high quality standards. "Safety couplings are a requirement today," Pontus Ahllwy, technical expert at Sundström Safety, says. A safety coupling requires a two-handed grip to disconnect the air hose, and this reduces, or practically eliminates, the risk of unintentional disconnection.

Sundström tests all of the products itself. For whole hose kits, this include carrying out 1000N tensile tests. "We are not content just to meet the official requirements for respiratory air, instead our goal is to design and manufacture the best and most comfortable respiratory protective equipment on the market," Niclas says.

Cooperation and direct contact with CEJN’s technicians

CEJN was the obvious choice from the outset. On the local market, CEJN has well-known products with high quality and performance. "The coupling’s performance and high flow have been the key to our long collaboration," Niclas says.

They have, in particular, appreciated the technical expertise that CEJN has been able to offer. "The collaboration has been effective thanks to the direct communication with technicians without any middlemen," Niclas explains. In particular, they see a difference between CEJN and other commercially available products regarding the quality and the couplings’ materials. "CEJN's products are a good match with what we represent - quality and safety," Niclas says.

"CEJN's products are a good match with what we represent - quality and safety"

Aiming for continuing success

The fan-based respirators have been a huge success, which has paved the way for the strong growth in recent decades. An increased awareness of safety and an understanding for the vital need for clean air are, among other things, the reasons for the increased demand. When the collaboration started 30 years ago, the company had a turnover of approximately EUR 4 million. Today, they are planning to attain an annual turnover of EUR 47 million (SEK 500 million), a goal that is now within reach. "We are in an expansive phase with an increased demand for high-performance quality products", Pontus says.

Sundström Safety AB

Head office: Lagan, Sweden
Founded: 1926
Number of employees: 125
Annual turnover: EUR 30 million
Industry: Manufacturing company
Products: Respiratory masks, fans, filters and hoods
Markets: Global
Website: www.srsafety.se

Data according to the 2019 results.