Both retailer ICA and clothing giant H&M were founded in Västerås. We manage the archives for both companies – and in an upcoming lecture in Västerås, our consultant manager Per-Ola Karlsson will share the story of the two giants.
The story of ICA begins as early as 1917 when Hakon Swenson founded AB Hakon Swenson, more generally known as Hakonbolaget, in Västerås. The basic idea was that the small traders would continue to be self-employed but still be able to take part in the benefits that, for example, coordination of purchasing and marketing provided.
H & M was founded by Erling Persson in 1947 in Västerås. From the beginning, however, it was a women’s clothing store and the store was called Hennes. In 1968, the name was changed to Hennes & Mauritz when Erling Persson bought the company Mauritz Widforss Handels AB, which among other things sold men’s clothing.
- What: Lecture with Per-Ola Karlsson, consultant manager at the Centre for Business History.
- Where: Västerås city hall, municipal council hall.
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The presentation was filmed.
