Generational shift closing in on Nordisk Solar

The founder of Nordisk Solar, Jacob Jørgensen, who turned 70 years old at the beginning of the year, is appointing several directors and lines up the next generation. 

The entrepreneurial managing director, Jacob Jørgensen, is known and respected by the Danish business community for being a merchant, manufacturer, shipping company owner, developer and property owner. 

In a timely matter, Jacob Jørgensen positions his son, Harald Jørgensen, who runs Solar’s Copenhagen branches, by his side in the executive management. Furthermore, he is flanked by his son in law, Jørgen Borum, who is Chief Financial Officer, as well as C P Ørssleff, who is the commercial director of the company.

We still have the same Captain at the helm, but now he is supported by skilled chief officers on the bridge. The course is set, the wind has hit the sails and the next generation is prepared to step in.

Proximity and presence
Jacob Jørgensen soon sets off the overall goal and direction of Solar and its future development. The slogan for the new members of the executive management is clear and unambiguous: Solar should fasten and expand its position as being:
- Denmark’s leading electrical wholesaler
- Nationwide with a net of branch offices close to the customer
- Manufacturer of lighting and electricity materials

In all regards, Solar should be close to the customers. In part this meant having a nationwide range of branch offices, but is also meant having a cooperative intimacy and the ability to listen to the customer and understand their daily business, their needs and opportunities.

With proximity and presence, Solar should keep its finger on the pulse of the market and thereby be able to adjust quickly and be the first to transform the changing needs of the market into a sound business and increased customer value. 

Market growth and expansion of branch offices 
Already by the end of the 1950s, the economic recovery starts in Denmark. We experience an economic boom. The average growth rate is situated at approx. 5% and the consequent wealth quickly gets a hold on us in the beginning of the 1960s. This is where we see the biggest boom in construction of single family homes in Danish history.

In 1958, approx. 20,000 new homes were built, but that number quickly increased to 50,000 units only a few years later. The gigantic boom entails increased wealth and a considerable raise in consumption.

The growth manifests immediately as record like top and bottom line numbers in Solar’s annual reports.  Solar doesn’t only provide the many new homes with electricity materials. The company also ensures the industry a considerable sale when it comes to domestic appliances and smaller appliances via I/S El-Salg, which is headed by C P Ørssleff. (Today, El-Salg has more than 160 shops and is one of Denmark’s biggest chain stores within domestic appliances, smaller electric appliances and lighting).

In the years 1962 to 1966, Solar reaches the goal of a nationwide range of branch offices as offices are set up in Sønderborg, Silkeborg and Frederikshavn. Some of the existing offices move to bigger and more modern buildings. The rest are rebuilt and modernised with open display rooms with lighting.

Jacob Jørgensen dies at age 75 in 1967. Director Jørgen Borum takes over Jacob Jørgensen’s position in Solar’s board of directors.

An industry technical department makes Solar less vulnerable to the turns and twists of the construction sector 
Director C. P. Ørssleff quickly decides to look towards the more technical sales. In 1975, he encourages a long term, employee named Poul Erik Nielsen, establish an industry department in Kolding. The first assignment for this department is to put together an industry technical assortment. C.P. Ørssleff has kept his eye on how the industry has rationalised, optimised and now also started to automate processes during the past years. He is convinced that industrial automation will develop into a flourishing market, as it is the answer to the high salary demands and lack of workers at the time.

In 1976, C. P. Ørssleff and Poul Erik Nielsen hire Sales Engineers in several of Solar’s branch offices. Their primary assignment is to boost the sales to industrial companies and institutions.

Establishing the industry department and hiring the sales engineers turn out to be of great importance. It becomes the off set for Solar to change its profile and become a leading technical wholesaler, over a few years.

Only two years later, Solar participates in Scandinavian’s biggest industry technical fair, called ”HI-77”, in Herning, Denmark. With them, they have a significant assortment within industry automation.

The same year, Solar acquires 50% of the share capital of the electronics company Silcon in Kolding. Over the past years, the company has developed and produced a range of advanced electronic products. The acquisition is made with the thought of creating a production and sales wise cooperation with Audiola and Solar’s wholesaler business.

Farewell to a great man:   
In 1980, Solar’s respected Director Claes p. Ørssleff dies after spending 35 years in Solar. As the one in charge of the commercial department (Procurement and Sales), in many ways, he had been the lead engine and the driving force, that lead Solar to the position, which it took now. In his obituary, it said: “Claes Ørssleff will be remembered as one of the biggest personalities in the electrical industry. His knowledge of products and all the conditions that characterized the industry was legendary and he was highly appreciated by both suppliers and customers. The industry has lead a tremendous loss with the passing of Claes P. Ørssleff”.

As a consequence of C. P. Ørssleff’s death, the grandson of Jacob Jørgensen, Thorkild Thage-Jørgensen, is named Deputy Director and enters the executive management on August 1st. The authorized signatories Bent Jensen and Carsten H. Ørssleff are named Sales Directors while Kurt Thisted is made Financial Director.

Next chapter in the history of Solar is published on August 17 2019.