Got Springs Sweden AB

Autumn 1958 Walter Hellqvist started the company Got Springs Sweden AB. The firm was located at Andra Långgatan 6. In the 50 m2 basement in Gothenburg, Walters dream became a reality.

In less the 1.5 years he had prepared himself by making simpler tools in his spare time. He did this under the guidance of his friend and toolmaker, Osborn Olssons. Walter Hellqvist was plantmanager at Herrjunga Springfactory in Hudene at the time. But as Walter was a real "Göteborgare" (someone from gothenburg), building his carreer in the countryside did not appeal to him.

The Hellqvist family returned to Mölndal in the spring of 1957. This forced Walter to long commutes and weeklong stays, whilst on the weekends he devoted his time to prepare his own enterprise.

Family meant everything to Walter, which in 1957 consisted of his wife Britt, three children and a fourth on the way. In the Autumn, the following year, Walter felt confident to take the leap. Most tools were finished and he had even purchased a used lathe and grinding machine. He also persuaded his eldest son Roger to join him to learn to become a fullfledged springmaker.

It was a prosperous time and the tiny company had much to do. Even with the 48 hour workweek, father and son working overtime the company could not cope with the influx of orders. So come new year 1961 Walter was already forced to hire more staff, Stig Bengtsson.

Gothenburg and its harbour were already very busy during these times. With the high port fees, ships were required to complete repairs before unloading and loading were completed.

This created pressure for the small Maskinfjäder, holding itself to a high service level. Other large customers att the time were Cederval&Söner, Daros and possibly the most important SKF. All these enterprises had ties to the large shipyard and industry in Gothenburg and the rest of the world.

Slowly but surely turnover and order influx rose. More machines were purchased and the location at 2 Långgatan became to tight and unpractical. In 1966 a lease was signed for a factory location in the old Renströmska Bathhouses (now the Hagabadet spa) on Södra Allégatan 3. The previous barbershop became office and with over a 100 m2 of factory floor Walter found the difference to be a huge improvement, or as he put it: We have come to the royal halls (Vi har kommit till kongasalar). His only daugther Kate, 18 years old, was hired to recieve orders, send deliveries and invoices. And yet more staff was hired to help with manufacture.

Maskinfjädrar which had now become a private limited company stayed true to Södra Allégatan 3 up to december 1984. During these 18 years a generational change had started to take shape. In 1979 youngest son Rolf, born in the same year as the company, was employed by the company with the second youngest son Sture right behind him. Walter started to withdraw more and more and in 1980 the new generation gradually took over the entire business.

2008 decided the company to change the company name to Got Springs Sweden AB to meet the international market.

Got Springs Sweden is, by todays standards, a small company with a huge knowledgebase. The second generation Hellqvists received their spring making skills from a young age and extended and improved and this knowledge well. This has led to the company to focus itself on providing its knowledgebase to special manufacture of springs. Other than many other companies Got Springs Sweden has remained true to Gothenburg and Sweden.

Export is a large part of the companies revenue. We can note that the brand name "Made in Sweden" is sparkling more and more, say Rolf who today head up the Springfactory.

These past few years investments in manufacturing machines of absolute top class has forced Got Springs Sweden to relocate to a new location, situated further from the centre. The current location in Kungsten could better cater to this expansion. Got Springs Sweden is today an up to date manufacturing enterprise with a large knowledgebase present in both management as staff. Rolf Hellqvist state: "We would like to provide somthing extra to our clients whilst at the same time help them develop their products.

The journey from the dark basement at 2 Långgatan in 1958 was a long one, sometimes over troubled waters but a journy constantly forward and in line with the times. What the future will hold nobody knows, but Walter Hellqist would surely have been proud would he be with us here today.