Nor:disk x Silanos - how it all began

The start – Mikael joins Nor:disk

Mikael joined Nor:disk – back then called Granuldisk - in late 2018, and accepted  the role as CEO with one, strongly expressed mission from the board: accelerate and change.

It didn’t take long to realise that for the company to grow, it needed to expand beyond Granule Technology™ and move towards a broader dishwashing portfolio. More importantly - rack conveyors. But developing that capability in-house would take time the company didn’t have.

The conclusion was clear – Nor:disk needed a partner.

At HOST Milan the following year, Mikael arrived with a mission: find the right one. Not just in terms of technology or product range, but in terms of people. The right partner had to feel like more than a business decision – it had to reflect the same family-driven culture, long-term mindset and sense of trust that defines both Nor:disk and its owner, the Sandberg Development Group.

For days, he walked aisles up and down, meeting potential candidates, but it wasn’t until the final day, and almost by chance, that he stepped into the booth of  Nor:disk’s exhibition neighbor : Silanos.
With a glass of prosecco in hand, he met Marco Silanos for the first time.

Mikael describes it as an instant connection:

He had that family spirit that is reflected in all the Sandberg companies. It was clear that Marco would fit very well into that environment.

As the conversation flowed, so did the ideas in Mikael’s head, and towards the end, he paused and said:

“Marco. I have a crazy idea.”
To which Marco replied, “I love crazy ideas!”

Silanos and Marco Silanos

Marco Silanos is the second-generation owner of the family-owned company Silanos. Based in Pioltello, a suburb within Greater Milano, the company produces around 150 dishwashing machines per day. They develop and build from the smallest washers for the bar to huge modular rack conveyors, all within the same site.

Marco describes how business, to him, is about opportunities.

“Always, in my business life, I am looking for opportunities.”

At the time when Mikael casually first approached Marco, Silanos was, coincidentally enough, in a position of looking for new opportunities and possibilities to expand their markets, which, according to Marco, was another reason why he was so intrigued by Mikael's crazy idea.

HOST 2019 was – as always – set in October, and even though business and life as we knew it took a stark turn when the coronavirus pandemic hit in the early months of 2020, Mikael still stood by his mission and called Marco up just before Easter:

“So, let me tell you about this crazy idea of mine”.

From crazy ideas to realizing opportunities

The ‘Crazy Idea’ - or as we know it today, the X2 Master - was the first machine Nor:disk and Silanos ever built together. In fact, it’s an excellent physical example of the two companies' expertise perfectly combined : Silanos and their competence in dishwashers, and Nor:disk’s know-how in pot washing, all built into the neat footprint of a standard hooded dishwasher, but with impressive pot washing capability.

“We developed the X2 together, but entirely remote. That Teams meeting we had every Friday, it gave us all some meaning during those difficult pandemic months.” says Mikael.

“Since business was slow, we didn’t have much else to do, so we all gave our everything to this project”.

As the ideas went from discussions, to sketches, and then took physical form, the teams started sending prototypes back and forth between Malmö and Milano. The Silanos R&D team would build the machine in the factory in Pioltello, and the Nor:disk developers in Malmö would put it to the test and suggest further enhancements.

In September of 2021, when Sirha Lyon was finally able to open after having been postponed from January due to lockdown, the Nor:disk team proudly presented our newcomer to the world, while at the same time representatives from Silanos made their first trip to Sweden to meet with the Sandberg Development board.

Sandberg and Silanos

Marco Silanos was introduced to Sandberg Development through the partnership with Nor:disk, and felt an immediate sense of familiarity. Both are second-generation family businesses built on relationships, trust, and long-term thinking - a shared mindset that formed the basis of their connection.

Sandberg Development has owned Nor:disk since its founding in 1987, guided by a commitment to entrepreneurship and strong family values. Per Sandberg - representing the second generation of the Sandberg family - served as CEO of Nor:disk in its early years before moving into the role of CEO of the Sandberg Group, a position he has since stepped back from to focus on his role as owner. This legacy of generational leadership mirrors Silanos's own, creating a natural foundation for collaboration.

In 2023, Sandberg Development made its initial investment in the Italian company, with Stefan Persson playing a key role in driving the investment forward in his capacity as CEO of Sandberg Group.

Later that same year, Silanos and Nor:disk shared a booth at HOST Milan, further demonstrating not only a growing business partnership but also the strong cultural alignment and camaraderie between the two companies.

“I am a lucky man, because I found this great group of people willing to do business with me.” says Marco.

Marco describes how Silanos was a completely different company before Covid and that the hill after lockdown was lifted was steep. He explains that the company benefited greatly from Sandberg Development investing and restructuring the company.

“Sandberg is the perfect partner for us, someone we can trust and that helps us to make the company grow”, Marco concludes.

Today, Sandberg Development owns 53 % of Silanos and has taken a more active role in management with a Swedish CEO, Pål Borge, and Marco as the Commercial Director with more focus on sales.

Marco welcomes their wish to adapt a Swedish way of thinking and structure, whilst still maintaining the Italian speed and action with open arms:

“We’re now accelerating in an Italian way, but with a Swedish democracy behind. It’s a change for us, and all a matter of approach – a will to make this work. And we’re trying to run fast - but sometimes when you run, you fall. But we’re on our way, and have gotten far in these three years.”

Where are we today

Today, the Nor:disk and Silanos alliance has deepened even further, and the companies now both market and sell selected models from each other’s portfolios, often affectionately stating that we are “Two Brands – One Team”.

During HOST 2025 we welcomed our guests to a shared space, proudly displaying our new shared portfolio side by side for the first time – with great reactions from all stakeholders.

Marco emphasises how sharing ideas has been fundamental to this alliance and to the growth journey:

“Exchanging opinions, learning from each other – that’s how we grow. And that’s why this alliance works so well - we are becoming one entity – one team.”