MVS AB, Sweden

Our ‘Meet the Distributor’ posts introduce our partners and showcases the vital work they do. This time, we’ve spoken to Oscar Arvidsson, co-owner of MVS AB, our Swedish distributor.

Tell us about yourselves and how long you have been working with Mastervolt?

We have been working with Mastervolt since 2000. Originally the company was owned by the Norwegian distributor but in 2003 the company was bought by Ulf Andersson. In 2011 myself (left) and Robert Andresen (right) had the opportunity to buy the company from Ulf. At that point we were mainly marine focused, but with the global economic downturn hitting the marine business at this time, we quickly expanded our focus to industrial and automotive. Today our company has two offices, one close to Gothenburg and the other in Norrköping in the east of Sweden.

What are the key Mastervolt products you sell, and to what type of customers?

Generally, we sell every part of the system, from the small busbars and connectors to CZone, MLI batteries and 3-phase systems. Our largest group of customers is OEM customers in both the automotive and marine markets. We also have a strong installer base for the aftermarket, which is an area we maintain by organising regular trainings for local installers.

Why does Mastervolt fit well with off-grid and mobile projects?

The high quality and advanced possibilities open up various applications. E-mark certification on the products is a must in many mobile applications. With Mastervolt products you can reach almost the same level of custom solution with a “standard” product, which other competitors would have to build a completely custom solution for. All products are reliable, which is a must for off-grid and mobile applications that have little to no downtime.

What is your favourite thing about selling Mastervolt products?

With Mastervolt we offer customers innovative products with unique features. For example, the MLI Ultra batteries have a Battery Management System with a Self-learning Balancing Algorithm that predicts the behavior of each individual battery cell and balances proactively. This is a real USP!

If I had to choose a favourite product, I would say the MLI Ultra Lithium Ion batteries and the Mac Plus DC-DC chargers for their performance and flexibility of use.

There have been huge advances in the technology used with power electronics in recent years. What has been the biggest change or development for MVS within the mobile market?

The biggest change for us has been the environmental regulations. Generally, manufacturers need to keep the pollution down, so you cannot take that much current from the alternator. This require us and our customers to find different solutions than powering extra equipment from the alternator. The MLI and Mac Plus - along with the CombiMaster inverter / charger - allow us to make many applications with auxiliary power without running the alternator, and charging quickly when you have the opportunity.

Has the market changed over the last few years towards new and emerging technologies?

We are receiving more and more requests for Lithium Ion batteries, plus demand for low weight products and high voltage solutions. We now really need to calculate each project and maximize the performance / weight / price ratio.

Have you set any sustainability goals for the future? What are the 'green' product trends?

MVS is certified according to ISO14001 and one of our goals is to have a 0 % carbon footprint on our organisation by 2025. This is very exciting for us.

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NOTE: Mastervolt’s global network of distribution partners plays a crucial part in providing customers with exceptional service and support wherever in the world: Mastervolt couldn’t do it without them!