Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences welcomes CEO Klas Forsström

Klas Forsström has become a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA). Together with 1,300 other leaders from academia, the private sector and public authorities in Sweden he will help promote technology for the greater good.

IVA’s vision is “Technology in the service of humanity”. The members work to promote society's knowledge of technology and economics in twelve areas.   

Forsström will be part of the mining and materials group of experts. The group keeps track of the latest developments in the area and shares developments and updates through seminars and other events.   

Forsström was chosen for IVA for his broad knowledge and experience of functional materials. At university, he studied materials physics and began working at the Swedish engineering company Sandvik directly after graduation. It was at Sandvik that he learned the importance of material development and the role it plays in a company’s success.   

When accepting his membership to IVA, Forsström credited his experience to his colleagues for where he is today and said that the achievement and recognition are “not only for me but for all the people I have worked with over the years.”   

"Munters is a materials company"  

Forsström says that much of Munters' success comes down to how materials are used.   

“Few people think of Munters as a materials company, but there is a lot of material technique behind our innovations," he says.   

One such example is the zeolite material the company has developed to capture harmful emissions. Munters has also developed a special coating for fans that makes them more durable.  

Innovation has always been at the core of Munters. Our founder, Carl Munters, applied for more than 1,000 patents during his lifetime. Today, we are focusing on making our products even more sustainable.     

"In the beginning, it was all about dehumidification,” Forsström says. “Today, the same basic technology with the right materials can remove pollutants from the air, capture CO2 emissions, and purify different types of organic compounds. It is fascinating how an invention that is more than 65 years old is still very relevant in today's society. With the right kind of materials and engineers, we can help solve the problems facing industries and humanity.”  

“If we continue to invest in materials technology development, old technology can be the solution to tomorrow's challenges,” he adds. 

Read IVA's press release about the appointment of Klas (in Swedish).