Chalmers professor: "An industrial intelligence service is needed"

In an era defined by unprecedented geopolitical shifts, Chalmers University Professor Arni Halldorsson is sounding the alarm, arguing that the global business world can no longer operate under the assumptions of the past. The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and current Middle East tensions have collectively dismantled the 'Netflix world' of readily available, just-in-time global supply chains. Halldorsson contends that the time has come for a dedicated 'industrial intelligence service' to help businesses navigate this complex new reality.

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– Det behövs en ”näringslivets underrättelsetjänst” för att navigera i det nya geopolitiska landskapet

Halldorsson points to a fundamental shift from a globalized, trust-based market to a multipolar world where political demands for local content increasingly restrict market access. This uncertainty is not merely theoretical; a recent analysis indicates that Swedish industrial companies are planning to reshore or nearshore a significant portion of their supply chains. However, Halldorsson cautions that this transition is far from simple. The globalization wave led not only to the outsourcing of production but also to the erosion of crucial competencies, meaning that bringing manufacturing back home requires not just relocating machinery but also reclaiming lost knowledge.

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– Vi har byggt hela vårt system på förtroende, att marknaden alltid korrigerar sig själv. Men nu ritas kartan om. Vi ser en multipolarisering med USA, Kina, Europa och det globala syd som drar åt olika håll. Det är inte bara tullar som sätter stopp, utan politiska krav på lokalt innehåll som gör att vi helt enkelt inte kommer in på vissa marknader längre.

Furthermore, Halldorsson emphasizes that a return to domestic production would necessitate Sweden taking greater responsibility for its own environmental challenges. He proposes a more organized collaboration between the state and the business sector, envisioning an 'industrial intelligence service' that provides crucial geopolitical analysis to key decision-makers. This, he believes, is essential for Sweden to react more swiftly to emerging threats and to secure its future, particularly in areas like energy technology and independence.

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– Onshoring handlar inte bara om att flytta maskiner. Det handlar om att återerövra kunskap vi har förlorat. Det är inget som säger att vi i dag har kompetensen och kunskapen till att ha en inhemsk produktion. Vi måste också acceptera att vi då får ta hand om mer av våra egna miljöproblem igen när produktionen sker här.