From Drums to deal
When Johan joined Metop almost two years ago, he had already built a career combining technical knowledge with a passion for problem-solving. Today, he’s one of the driving forces behind Metop’s sales, bridging customers and technology with ease, and bringing a personal touch to every interaction.
Johan’s journey started in a different kind of technical world, music. After having studied music in high school, he entered the working world as a sound and lighting technician but then soon found that he wanted to persue a different kind of passion of his. “Sales has always felt natural to me,” he says. “I’m social, I like talking to people, and I enjoy solving problems.” Much of his early sales career involved technical sales and support, a combination that now defines his work at Metop.
But his love for music didn’t stop just because his sales career took off. He’s been playing drums for 27 years now. He used to have his own business repairing and refurbishing drums and he and played in a band. He chuckles ”I was active in several bands and used to play gigs locally” in his hometown of Kristianstad.
Before his journey took him to Metop a chance adventure took him further afield:
Johan spent six months living in Beijing as an English teacher. While the experience had its challenges, including a
58-hour nightmare of a train journey across China,
it gave him a taste of international life. “I tried learning Mandarin, but let’s just say it didn’t stick,” he laughs. “Still, it was an unforgettable experience.”
When Johan found Metop he was drawn to the company’s smaller, family-like atmosphere and the potential for growth. He turned down two other offers to join.“I liked that it was a close-knit team where I could really make an impact,” he says.
Johan has always been drawn to smaller companies rather than big coorporations. He likes the flexibility it brings, how he is working so close to other departments of the company, and the possibility to growth within a company. In the past two years, he’s progressed from Technical Sales to Regional Sales Manager, enjoying every step of the journey.
His interview pocess at Metop was a memorable one, much like Alba’s experience when she was hired. “It was clear they cared about hiring the right people, not just skill-wise but personality-wise too,” Johan recalls. As part of the process, he was given a MFM-kit and its manual and then had to figure out how to do a manual tear down of a can, measure all parameters and log them. . “There was even an English language test, and some interviews included nearly the entire team. It was thorough and a bit intimidating but fun.”
At Metop, Johan thrives on customer interaction. “The best part of my job is talking to customers and finding solutions for them,” he explains. “It’s incredibly rewarding to present a solution that meets their needs and provide support throughout the entire process.”
One recent project stands out: a customer needed to replace all their old microscopes, each needing to examine several different lid sizes. Working closely with Metop’s development team and the customers wishes, Johan helped create a custom adaptor set and a matching stand with clear markings, so the customer could easily identify each part in the right place. “Seeing their excitement when we presented this for them and they realised the lenghts we’d gone to to make them happy was amazing,” he says. “We always try to go that extra step for our customers.”
Johan now oversees regions including North America, Africa, and Northern Europe. “It’s exciting to follow the development of these markets from day one,” he says. “We’re all about building relationships here, whether it’s with customers, regional sales partners, or companies we collaborate with. That is one of the things I enjoy the most about my job”
Being part of Metop also comes with pride in the products themselves. “You can genuinely stand behind Metop’s quality,” Johan says. “Everything is made on-site, and we know everyone involved in creating the parts. As a salesperson, we can influence development directly by bringing customer feedback to the team. The short feedback loops here are incredible and makes our company such a fun place to work in.”
To the left you can see Johan and the team with our sales partner Peter Berger at Drinktec
Outside work, Johan’s passions are as varied as they are intense. “I’ve been into hunting and shooting since I was a child, from air rifles to IPSC and pistol competitions,” he says. Family life is another central part of his life, and he dreams of one day having more time for his many hobbies. Music still plays a role too, he used to restore and sell drums in his free time, combining his love for sales and music. “I’ve always had a wide range of interests,” he laughs.
“Some say I’m ‘too knowledgeable for my age. I just like knowing a bit about everything.”
Even with his technical knowledge and broad skill set, Johan is constantly learning. “It’s fascinating to work in an industry like canning quality control,” he says. “Before Metop, it had never crossed my mind that one would have to control the integrity of a can seam.
“It’s eye-opening how much precision is involved and how important it really is for the quality of the product. I’m always impressed by how long Metop’s products last. Some systems are still in use after 30 years and it is facinating visiting customers in these places and seing these fully working products that somone here at Metop made when i was still a kid.”
He also enjoys the chance to work with cutting-edge technology, such as Metop’s new X-ray system. “Being part of this industry’s development is really exciting,” he adds.
“We’re a small, dedicated team, and everyone is committed to delivering the best while having fun together,” he says. “Personality and team fit are incredibly important here, and there are always opportunities to grow and take on new responsibilities. I’ve been able to move around and take on new challenges within the company, which makes every day exciting.”
As a technical sales person, Johan bridges the gap between product knowledge and customer support. “Sometimes I’m involved from start to finish, selling, installing, and supporting. We’re not just sales people; we’re technical sales people,” he explains and although the service team handles most service related tasks Johan sometimes have a small role to play in this area as well and he loves being part of the whole journey with a customer.
It’s clear that Johan brings both heart and expertise to Metop, combining his love for people, problem-solving, and technology to drive the company’s sales and customer success.
Johan is the ”jack of all trades” here at Metop and music is still a big passion of his but if you really want to get to know him, invite him to go hunting with you.
