Lina Jorheden, acting CEO SaltX Technology
Tell us more about yourself and your career up until now.
Before joining SaltX as the COO in 2023, I spent 17 years within Atlas Copco and Epiroc, whereof 11 years abroad, foremost focusing on the Mining and Construction part of the business. A common theme in all positions have been to establish new business units and different types of transformations.
You have been acting CEO at SaltX for almost a month; how has it been so far?
It has been a hectic time, to say the least. We are at a crucial point in the company’s history, and all energy and time goes into the last phase before full-scale industrialization. Having a fantastic team around me has made the transition from my previous role as COO to leading the entire company as seamless as possible. I am honored to take on the CEO role and am determined to do what it takes to set our innovation to work, eliminating millions of tons of CO2 from the industrial sector.
From a short-term perspective, let’s say six months ahead, what will be your main priority, and what can we expect from SaltX?
We are currently in an intense and important testing phase, with my primary focus being to ensure that progress. We have made organizational adjustments to maximize our efforts at our test and research center in Hofors. Getting through the last phase, mainly optimizing the plant and starting work on the first ZEQL plant with SMA Mineral, has been, and continues to be, our primary focus. SaltX has, in a short time, successfully created a strong position in the market, where we have had several in-depth dialogues with potential customers, and we will continue to nurture these dialogues until we have achieved our goals in Hofors. The interest in our technology keeps growing, and I see advantageous business potential ahead of us. However, my initial focus is on the technology and operational side of the company. As we progress, I will gradually include more work related to commercial, IR, etc.
Let’s discuss what’s going on in your test and research center in Hofors. What is the latest news you can share?
Currently, the focus is on increasing operating times while maintaining material quality, so controlling material flows and heat efficiency is the top priority. We work closely with leading companies like ABB and other renowned industry experts. We are moving in the right direction, and I feel confident that with the planned activities ahead of us, we will take significant steps toward reaching our goals. But as always, when it comes to new innovative technology that interacts with other technologies in an ecosystem, time and patience are crucial.
How do you view SaltX’s position in the market today, and what role do you think EAC technology will play in decarbonizing emission-intensive industries?
The EAC innovation has a massive potential to reduce emissions from emission-intensive industries such as the quicklime and cement industries. Our commercial team has made significant progress in the market, creating a variety of exciting business opportunities that we are confident will propel our business. In parallel with our intensive development and testing work in Hofors, we continue to work on our go-to-market strategy, different business cases, and the company’s roadmap. So, we are well prepared to accelerate our business in the upcoming years.
From your perspective, what will SaltX look like within five years? What’s the ambition?
To begin with, I think we will look back on this time as when the big breakthrough for us came. Furthermore, I also expect that our solutions will be implemented in several plants and that we have many ongoing projects. We have succeeded in ensuring an efficient production process for our reactor (EAC), which is also a key factor for our success. It is also my belief that we are well-established internationally. In addition, I see a prosperous company with significant revenue that continues to strengthen our position in the market, and we’ll be significantly larger than we are today.
Finally, what can stakeholders of SaltX expect from you in your role as acting CEO?
Over the years, SaltX has fostered a strong culture characterized by an inherent will to succeed, a strong personal drive, and a collaboration spirit that we must continue to nurture and develop. This culture and these values make us who we are, and it’s important to reaffirm them. The energy created from it, combined with our potential to make a real impact, was why I joined SaltX. I believe in creating an environment where everyone feels valued and engaged in the important journey ahead of us. I am highly motivated to step into this role and lead the team through the final testing phase and on to full-scale industrialization.
/Lina Jorheden, acting CEO of SaltX Technology