Emerging industrial design talent inspiring innovation at Nederman: a conversation with Angelika Larsson

When technology and design truly work together, something shifts. Products become easier to live with. Quality feels tangible. Innovation becomes visible.

That idea sits at the heart of Nederman’s collaboration with Svensk Form and their first Industrial Design Scholarship. Through the initiative, a newly graduated industrial designer is invited into a real industrial environment to contribute fresh thinking to real challenges.

For a few months, scholarship recipient and industrial designer Angelika Larsson has worked alongside teams within Nederman’s Extraction and Filtration Technology Division and Monitoring and Control Technology Division. Her assignment has focused on early-stage visualisations and future design directions for two initiatives: a potential update of an existing dust collector and a design exploration of a brand-new air sensor which is under development and where not all features have yet been finalised.

We spoke to Angelika about stepping from university into a global environmental technology company, her thoughts on design in an industrial context, and why industrial design plays an increasingly important role in how Nederman continues to strengthen its innovation position.

Describe the project, what was involved in the brief?

The assignment was relatively open from Nederman’s side. We initially discussed developing a broader design identity across product ranges, but we quickly landed in two concrete product design projects. Since the collaboration was limited in time, the focus became early visualisations rather than fully developed products.

Did you get clear directions or were you given creative freedom?

It was quite free, but still within boundaries. That is what I really appreciate about industrial design. It is not only about aesthetics. There are always functional requirements and expectations around what the product needs to deliver. My ambition is always to do justice to ideas by using form and materials to spark interest, while ensuring that products genuinely fulfil their purpose and are easy to use.

The idea behind the scholarship is that both sides should benefit. How do you see that?

I think it is a fantastic initiative and a unique opportunity. I truly appreciate being part of it. Working alongside so many experienced and knowledgeable people has been incredibly rewarding. At university, you can sometimes be quite far from real industrial contexts. Here, you step directly into reality. At Nederman, there are highly skilled engineers to test ideas with and learn from, and I hope that I have been able to contribute fresh ideas and bring an outsidein perspective to the work in return.

How has it been to collaborate with Nederman as an organisation?

It has been fun, but above all very educational. The most rewarding thing was meeting people and seeing the depth of competence within the organisation. Everyone has been very welcoming and open. One valuable experience came early in the project through a customer visit to see the products in real use. That insight into the customer’s everyday reality directly influenced my design thinking.

Why do you think industrial design is important for a company like Nederman?

Industrial design is a very important way for a company to grow. Design is the meeting point between the person and the product. It is not just about aesthetics, but about making products easier to use and increasing their perceived value. Nederman is a premium brand, and that needs to be reflected in the products. That is how you differentiate yourself from competitors. It has to be more than basic functionality and more than state of the art technology. A premium brand is also about how a product feels, the sense of trust and professionalism it conveys, and how it supports user-friendliness and sustainability. Design helps communicate that a product is truly world leading.

What will you take with you from this project?

Experience. It’s a unique opportunity and I have learned a lot about communicating ideas and gained greater confidence. I have also realised how important it is for me to work in environments where there are strong competence and a willingness to share knowledge. I believe the best results are created when there is a bit of friction, when people challenge each other and bring different perspectives to the table. That is something we really experienced in this collaboration, and it made the project extremely rewarding.

Industrial design is an important part of elevating the Nederman Group and taking the next step in innovation and product development to keep our world-leading position within industrial air filtration. The collaboration with Svensk Form and emerging design talent like Angelika Larsson reflects how we continue to challenge our own thinking, combine deep engineering expertise with new perspectives, and shape the future of clean air through innovation together.

- Patrik Wiren