Kanthal employee benefits: Meet Lars-Åke

Lars-Åke started at Kanthal in his 20s and has remained with the company ever since, always within the R&D organization.

“It has always been exciting. A contributing factor for me staying is because the materials we produce are so unique, and different from a lot of the others on the market. We need to stay ahead of competition, and we are constantly working on keeping our head start intact.”

Another reason why Lars-Åke has been at Kanthal for over 25 years (and recently joined the veterans’ society) is because of the great opportunities to balance private and work life.  The company also offers several employee benefits.

“My wife and I, who also is a Kanthal employee, have two daughters. When they needed glasses, I learned from our HR manager that there was a possibility to apply for financial support from a fund. I assume it’s an old fund since Kanthal was founded in 1931, and at the time having glasses was quite an economic burden.”

He explains that you can apply for compensation for the actual glasses, the frames and for contact lenses.

“The actual eye examination you have to pay for yourself but considering how much a pair of glasses actually cost, it’s not a big sum. It’s a much-appreciated contribution and I see it more or less as a salary benefit.”  

As they grow up, the couple have had to purchase new glasses for their daughters a few times over the years and have applied for compensation from the fund on each occasion.

“That the fund and possibility still exist, shows how highly the company considers its employees. All workplaces should have this benefit,” Lars-Åke concludes.