Swedish-Texan Founder Embraces New Company Leadership, Board Leadership Role and R&D

By Alyce Eyster

Champion Fiberglass^Ⓡ has enjoyed phenomenal growth recently. Sales continue to climb, new product lines have been established and the team and facility have both expanded. The company even celebrated its second ever CEO, with Founder Goran Haag stepping into a board role as Executive Chairman.

The company has also endured and overcome its share of challenges. Recently, Goran sat down to talk about the company’s founding, history, challenges and steady growth strategy.

How it All Began

Armed with advanced degrees in chemical engineering, Goran Haag got started building chemical plants in Sweden. Tired of cold, dark Swedish winters, jobs in plastics and polymers took him to the Netherlands and the Philippines and eventually the United States, where he led a company that manufactured advanced and large playground equipment. It was in Houston where the entrepreneurial journey commenced.

Goran discovered a bankrupt company that made fiberglass components and he was interested in buying. With a goal of purchasing the remnants and building a company, he worked on a business plan with the help of a program at accounting firm Grant Thornton, pitched the company to venture capitalists and serendipitously found partners and investors. Champion Fiberglass was born on June 10, 1988, and the first piece of conduit was manufactured on October 1 after some major re-building of equipment.

From his previous job, Goran was familiar with the manufacturer’s representative sales agency network. He saw promise in this business structure, so he set out across the country, traveling on a start-up budget, to promote and build Champion Fiberglass’s rep agency network.

With discipline, persistence, and determination, Goran would hit the road every Saturday in his old used Honda Accord, arriving at his destinations on Sundays and staying two weeks at a time. He’d return to Houston for a week, then head out again for another two weeks. He speaks fondly of graduating to Southwest Airlines and the Hampton Inn (and its complimentary breakfast), as sales grew. It took about a year, but the network began to gel.

Those initial years saw a ramp-up of slow, steady growth. Four years later, he was confident the company would survive when reps began calling Champion Fiberglass seeking representation, instead of the other way around.

Pivotal Moments

Looking back, there were many pivotal moments in the company’s 35 year history.

There were milestones such as authorship of the first official fiberglass conduit standard (UL 1684) by Underwriters Laboratory. There was development of the first epoxy fiberglass conduit for use above ground and later, phenolic conduit. There were additional UL listings for extended support spans. ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 standards were achieved. Automation made Champion Fiberglass the most advanced 100% digital fiberglass manufacturing facility.

Of course there were challenges, too. There was a glass shortage in which a well-connected investor leveraged contacts to ensure Champion Fiberglass procured glass from Owens Corning. There was a buyout of a partner just prior to the financial crisis of 2008. Then there was a devastating factory fire in 2016. But Goran says the biggest challenge was growing the company.

Goran takes satisfaction in the fact that there is not much he’d do differently if he could. He adds, “Running a business is not for the faint of heart, you are under the gun constantly.”

Building a Company Poised for the Future

While transitioning to a board leadership position to allow new CEO Christopher Kissel to shape the company, Goran remains active and bullish on the future of the electrical industry and Champion Fiberglass.

Over thirty-five years he’s watched the industry grow and evolve. “People are now talking about electrical energy more than they used to,” he says. “The total electrical conduit market is $7 or $8 billion strong. Champion Fiberglass has not even scratched the surface of the opportunity there.” He says it is realistic that the company could grow to be a half a billion dollar company in his lifetime. Yet while the company grows, it is most important to Goran that Champion Fiberglass remain nimble, continuing the same high level of service customers expect.

Goran speaks excitedly about the new generation of leaders coming up at the company. He remains focused on research and development including a fiberglass cable tray with additional products coming next year. He’s working with the dean at Rice University’s chemical engineering department on undisclosed projects. He is also excited about recycling fiberglass conduit and discovering creative uses for scrap conduit, such as using it as filler in cement.

Lessons from Leadership

As for leadership style, Goran is a big proponent of letting people do the work that they excel at, to not micromanage. Anyone who has spent time around Goran Haag knows that he is a fan of Jim Collins, citing the book Good to Great often. In fact, it is required reading for new employees.

To aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners, Goran offers, “Don’t think about the money. Instead, set your sights on building a solid foundation, growing a strong company of good people that provides excellent customer service.”

He also recommends Chapter 2 “Level 5 Leadership” of Good to Great. There Jim Collins profiles leaders imploring a philosophy of “humility and resolve,” where leaders are ambitious not for their own gain, but on behalf of the companies they represent. Another very important aspect of Chapter 2 is finding the right people and getting them on-board. Goran Haag is very proud of his entire team which has enabled the company to become the leading manufacturer of fiberglass conduit.

While over 35 years old, Champion Fiberglass has weathered its share of ups and downs. The company continues to evolve and retains its entrepreneurial, growth-oriented energy. Those in the industry are wise to keep an eye on Champion Fiberglass. There are exciting developments on the horizon for this great American company.