Melbye steps down as Normet President and CEO 26 Jan 2016

After eight years Tom Melbye is standing down as President and CEO of Finnish underground equipment and construction chemicals manufacturer and supplier, Normet.

Tom Melbye (second from left) is inducted into the Hall of Fame in the category of Underground Support at an Awards ceremony in Feb 2015

During his time at the helm of the company, during which time Normet won the prestigious Finnish Internationalisation Award in 2012 in recognition of its global expansion drive, Melbye has overseen

• Investment in a new technology centre at the company’s Finnish production facility
• The opening of a global spare parts distribution centre in the Netherlands to support a business that currently operates globally in 43 locations worldwide in 27 countries
• An aggressive expansion plan, formally announced in 2010, that has included strategic partnership deals and the acquisition of companies like TAM – a move that has expanded Normet’s reach into the growing Indian market – and more recently acquisition of the dry concrete business of Meyco (from BASF)
• Rollout of a wide range of new underground construction heavy equipment, as well as acquisition of companies – like D-Bolt rock support system manufacturer Dynamic Rock Support AS – that enhance the Normet’s product offering across key sectors.

Robin Lindahl, 51, who will be based in Huenenberg, Switzerland, takes over a company for which 95% of sales are currently generated outside Finland. Under Melbye’s watch, in March 2014, Normet produced its 10,000th machine for the underground construction market, two years after celebrating the milestone achievement of the company’s 50th anniversary in 2012.

The new appointment will be effective no later than 1 May, after which time Melbye will step down from his operational role. In future he will act as a Senior Advisor to the CEO and Chairman of the Normet Group, as well as working on special strategic and business development assignments.

New Normet CEO Robin Lindahl

“The past eight years under Tom’s leadership have been exceptionally successful for Normet,” said Aaro Cantell, Normet Group Chairman. “We have grown fast and transformed from a purely Finnish equipment company into a global underground process know-how company. Tom’s positive entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his customer business knowledge and contact networks, have made this happen.”

Cantell added: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, management, and everybody at the Normet Group, we want to thank Tom for his excellent work and achievements in building Normet into one of the leading worldwide brands and players in Underground Mining and Tunneling.”

Robin Lindahl joins Normet from Outotec Oyj, where he currently holds the position of Executive Vice President and President of the Metals, Energy and Water business area. He has been member of the Executive Board and employed by the company since 2011. Prior to this he has held many global leadership roles in Business Operations, Sales and Marketing, as well as in Finance in the Telecommunications Industry, working for Nokia Group in Finland, Switzerland and Germany.

Lindahl, a Finnish citizen, started his career in investment banking, working in Finland and Luxembourg. He has held numerous board-level positions at several companies, as well as sitting on a variety of industry forums. He is married and has two grown up children and holds an MSc in Economics.

"I am excited to join Normet and lead the company towards the next growth phase,” said Lindahl. "Normet is well positioned for the future growth in tunneling, as well as in underground mining and I am impressed with the company's development and strong potential,” he added.

Cantell said: “Robin has the necessary skills to take Normet to the next level. He has a good track record of successfully managing and developing world-leading technology intensive businesses both at Outotec and at Nokia, where he has always been able to build strong performing teams around him.”