Shaping the future with sustainability at our core

For decades, Kalmar has been an industry leader, setting benchmarks in sustainable material handling and services. As CEO, I am deeply committed to building on this legacy by embedding sustainability into everything we do and driving this agenda forward.

Sustainability is a personal passion of mine. It must be deeply integrated into all aspects of business operations, emphasising three core areas: people, planet, and profit. This includes prioritising safety, diversity and inclusion, reducing environmental impacts and CO2 emissions, and building a company that is both profitable and sustainable.

Sustainability is a personal passion of mine. It must be deeply integrated into all aspects of business operations, emphasising three core areas: people, planet, and profit.

When I began my journey at Kalmar at the beginning of 2024, we collaboratively shaped the vision, strategy, and purpose for the new independent standalone Kalmar. Together, we prioritised embedding sustainability at every level—from the fundamental question of why we exist to the strategy we define and the actions we take in our operations.

Kalmar’s vision is clear: to be the forerunner in sustainable material handling equipment and services. Sustainability is at the heart of this vision. It’s not just an aspiration—it’s embedded into every product, service, and initiative. Our decision to use the term “forerunner” reflects our commitment to innovation and sustainability. It’s about setting new standards and driving meaningful change in our industry—a purpose that defines who we are as a company.

As we defined our strategy for 2024–2028, we established three strategic pillars to guide us, one of which is ‘investing in sustainable innovations.’ This cornerstone of our strategy focuses on key areas such as electrification, digitalisation, and automation.
I often break sustainability into two approaches: the reactive side, which ensures compliance with regulations, and the proactive side, which integrates sustainability to gain a competitive edge. This dual approach underpins our ambition to extend our impact across the entire ESG spectrum—addressing environmental, social, and governance aspects. Whether through reducing CO2 emissions, launching sustainability initiatives, or evolving our operations, our goal is to ensure every part of our business contributes to a more sustainable world.

A recent milestone underscores this commitment: in early November, Kalmar officially signed the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Science-based targets provide companies with a clearly defined roadmap to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals. By committing to these targets, we’re taking a concrete step toward achieving our vision. This alignment with the latest climate science reinforces our drive to transform material handling and position Kalmar for sustainable, profitable growth.

At Kalmar, we see sustainability as a chance to innovate, lead, and create lasting value for our customers, our industry, and our planet.

At Kalmar, we see sustainability as a chance to innovate, lead, and create lasting value for our customers, our industry, and our planet. As we continue this journey, I invite you to join us in shaping a sustainable future. Together, we are making every move count.

Sami Niiranen
President and CEO Kalmar