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2024-08-26

Meet Niklas Johansson: Mixer at Paragon Nordic

 

What do you do at Paragon Nordic?

I am a mixer. I mainly handle bulk products like shampoo, conditioner, and sunscreen, but occasionally I also work with aerosols. Sometimes, I deal with creams and hair masks as well. Often, I'm involved with many new concentrates, such as newly launched products or reformulations.

 

What is your background?

I have a technical education, but I've also worked in the restaurant industry, where I had a broad range of responsibilities, including extensive communication with both suppliers and customers.

 

What does your current role involve?

It varies a bit. As a mixer at Paragon Nordic, we share the responsibility for who is on-site and opens the mixing facility, so every third week, it's my turn to be there first to unlock and open. After changing into work clothes, the day starts with daily checks of the various measuring instruments we use during mixing. After that, I look at the orders that have come in and review the order of tasks. Then, we start mixing.

My role involves a lot of problem-solving, and I often have discussions with product developers and lab personnel to ensure we achieve good quality in the concentrates. Sometimes, formulations behave a bit strangely or react differently than expected when mixing in the large quantities we do, so we need to troubleshoot and find solutions to achieve the right results.

Often, we help each other out and pitch in where an extra hand is needed. So, a workday can look very different from one day to the next.

 

How long can a mixing process take?

It varies greatly. It can take anywhere from 7-8 hours up to a week. But typically, a long mixing process takes around 2 days if adjustments are needed.

 

What is the best part of your job?

The problem-solving. It's fun when you think something has gone wrong, but you still manage to solve it. You get to challenge yourself, both physically and, above all, by troubleshooting and problem-solving. It's also very satisfying to see when a concentrate is finished and achieves the right result, especially if you've had to solve some problems along the way. In the mixing facility, you're involved from start to finish, and there's something special about seeing a simple liquid turn into a complete product.

 

Have you developed any particular skills or traits during your time at the company?

The ability to think outside the box and try to find those solutions that might not be the first ones you think of. In my role, you build up a portfolio of solutions that you can draw from when a new problem arises. Often, the same solution can be applied to multiple issues.

I had no prior knowledge or interest in chemistry before I started at Paragon Nordic. But being part of and seeing the process has sparked an interest. From knowing nothing to wanting to learn a lot. Here, you get to learn practically, a bit like machine learning. Each production gets better and better because you always learn something new.

 

What is the best part of working at Paragon Nordic?

The colleagues in my department. In the mixing facility, communication is so close-knit that you're almost more than just colleagues. People can have fun; it's not always stress and panic. You can take a minute to laugh. It's relaxed, and sometimes we go out and have a good time together after work as well.

 

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