To raise profitability, he must boost Electrolux sales because, he says, cost-cutting can only go so far. Although he says Electrolux can t afford to be a niche player, he is looking at the high end. He has some nifty new products such as a robotic lawn mower and a prototype robotic vacuum cleaner. Then there s the Smart Fridge, with a built-in computer screen and Internet access. Treschow is betting that the Smart Fridge will become the new millennium s answer to Post-It notes on the refrigerator door.
Family members can leave each other messages as well as check their e-mail.
The system can also record what s in the freezer, keep track of what needs to be replaced, and send an alarm signal to a mobile phone if the door is left open. A golfing and hunting enthusiast, Treschow has been a salesman all his life. He earned his first kronor selling flower pins on May Day. Treschow admits that he relishes taking over troubled companies and revamping them. But for now, he thinks Electrolux should stick to the businesses it s got.