No one really knew what was going on in Vintrosa. Until the van doors opened.

The dragon chose Swedish cable. It took off.

On a rainy, grey day, Nexans’ Product Manager for installation cable, Jonas Brännström, headed toward Örebro. Complaints were expected — but none came. Quite the opposite.

In Vintrosa — a place name that sounds like a romance novel but is spelled cable devotion — Jonas meets a man who calls himself DrakEL. An electrician who hasn’t just switched entirely to Swedish-produced Nexans cable, but has also rebuilt his van. Not for speed. Not for sound. But so Nexans Cable Guy boxes can stand like tin soldiers in the back. This is the story of a man, a van, and a cable love affair that can no longer be kept secret.

You’ve officially come out as a Cable Guy guy.

Haha, yes absolutely. It’s the optimal packaging. I mostly do smaller service jobs, and it’s perfect for that. Just carry it in, pull out what I need, cut it off, and back with the rest. Always ready for the next job. The cable stays protected and looks just as good whether it’s the first or last meter. Good length, manageable weight, smooth all the way. Damn good, simply put.

Any favorite cable?

In Cable Guy, definitely EQLQ Easy. It’s always clean and neat, straightens out immediately when you roll it out, and it’s incredibly easy to strip. Exactly what you want from that type of cable when you work efficiently.

You’re starting to sound like a Nexans ambassador.

I’m always satisfied with your cables. The quality, the flexibility, and how easy they are to strip. I also really appreciate your packaging. All in all, it saves a lot of time during installation. I’ve completely switched to Nexans now.

Completely?

Yes. At the turn of the year, I decided Ahlsell would be my main wholesaler and asked them for a good deal on Nexans. They were very responsive here in Örebro and have expanded the range on their shelves as well.

So you walked in and slammed your fist on the table?

Haha, not quite like that. But I want to use Swedish products as far as possible. And when the quality also saves time, there really are no excuses — not even financial ones — to choose anything else.

Sounds like this is about more than just cable.

Yes. My partner and I also run a farm, and we think the same way there. She’s a fourth-generation farmer, and we try to stay as local as possible in everything we do.

A farm? Tell us more.

We have around 300 ewes and raise about 500 lambs per year. So there’s quite a bit of work there as well.

Wow! How do you make it all work?

Good question. Spread over the year, I work about 50 percent as an electrician. That’s actually why I started my own business. It wasn’t possible to make life work as an employee when the farm demands so much time during certain periods.

And two years ago you started DrakEL. How do you build something from scratch?

It’s a lot of work. I had no customers at first, so I used Servicefinder. I quickly received good reviews on Reco, then word of mouth started spreading and recommendations rolled in. Today I have many returning customers, and things are flowing nicely.

You seem to live up to your website — fast service, accuracy, communication.

Those are values I bring from farming. I’m meticulous, keep an open dialogue with customers, and always specify invoices clearly. It should be done right — that’s best for everyone. Speaking of quality, I have to admit I’ve redone some of the electrical jobs I did at home before I was certified. They weren’t exactly by the book.

Haha. What type of jobs really get you going?

Troubleshooting. I’ve always had a big interest in engines and enjoy working on them. You learn how important that is after riding enduro for 21 years. Finding the fault and solving the problem is truly satisfying.

Car electronics are something many people shy away from.

Yes, but not me. I think it’s really fun, which is why I also enjoy electrical jobs involving control and regulation systems.

And then there’s your van. It looks suspiciously well thought-out.

It’s my third company vehicle in two years, but now I’m really satisfied. Four-wheel drive so I can always get around in rural areas, and a bit larger than before so everything fits. I’ve spent a lot of time on the interior to make everything easily accessible and save time at customer sites. I’m especially happy with the double floor where Nexans Cable Guy and FQ boxes fit perfectly. Sometimes I even change clothes in the van.

Clark Kent in. Electrician out?

Haha, maybe not quite Superman — but the van is my office and my entire company, so it feels good that it’s tailored to my needs.

Speaking of your company. We have to ask about the elephant — or rather the dragon — in the room. The company name?

I know what you’re thinking, but it actually comes from my partner’s last name, Drakenberg. Nothing else. Then the kids thought the dragon should have a power plug on its tail and shoot lightning instead of fire. So that’s how it became.

Nexans is proud to give wings to the dragon of Närke by supplying cable to a business where quality, structure, and thoughtful choices are as natural as four-wheel drive in the countryside.

Thanks for having us, Erik — and keep all those irons in the fire.