What SAWO does

SAWO A/S is a privately held Danish company founded in 1962, headquartered in Støvring, Denmark, specializing in hydraulic lifting and load-handling equipment for the transport and construction industries. The company operates as both a custom manufacturer — designing and building SAWO-branded wire hoists in-house for container transport, recycling, and construction site applications — and an authorized distributor for a portfolio of leading international OEMs including HIAB, EFFER, Loglift, Jonsered, Cela, BG Lift, Hoeflon, Moffett, NOPA, Humbaur, and MULTILIFT. Its product range spans truck-mounted hydraulic cranes (1-300 ton-meters), compact cranes, personnel lifts, Moffett truck-mounted forklifts, trailers and semi-trailers, hook lifts, custom body builds (tipper, knee-tip, fixed, and timber beds), and accessories such as grapples, pallet forks, and forestry equipment.

The company operates Denmark's largest specialist service network for hydraulic equipment, with 13+ branches covering all major regions, supplemented by authorized service partners in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, mobile service vehicles, and 24/7 emergency response. Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time equipment sales, custom upfitting and body build projects, recurring subscription service contracts with fixed monthly pricing, spare parts distribution, and used equipment sales via the Mascus online platform. The customer base is organized around four primary verticals: transportation and logistics, construction and contracting, forestry and wood industry, and waste management and recycling. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications and positions itself as "Danmarks førende leverandør" (Denmark's leading supplier) of hydraulic load-handling solutions, with 60+ years of operational continuity as a key credibility anchor.

Name

SAWO

Legal name

SAWO A/S

Website

https://sawo.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SAWO A/S is a privately held Danish specialist, founded in 1962, that distributes and custom-builds hydraulic cranes, hoists, body builds, and load-handling equipment for transport, construction, forestry, and waste management operators across Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydraulic Lifting and Load-Handling Equipment

NAICS

Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Truck Trailer Manufacturing (336212)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Material Handling Equipment MRO (Forklifts, Reach Trucks, Pallet Jacks) (TLAKAHAC), Aerial Access & Lift Equipment MRO (Boom/Scissor Lifts, Telehandlers) (TLAKAHAD)

Keywords

• Hydraulic crane equipment
• Truck-mounted cranes
• Load handling solutions
• Vehicle upfitting services
• Construction equipment supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Støvring

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of new hydraulic cranes, compact cranes, truck-mounted cranes, personnel lifts, Moffett trucks, trailers, hook lifts, wire hoists, and accessories from major manufacturers like HIAB, EFFER, Loglift, Jonsered, Cela, BG Lift, Hoeflon, Moffett, NOPA, Humbaur, and MULTILIFT.
2. Custom Equipment Build & Upfitting: Special custom truck and trailer builds and upfitting solutions tailored to specific customer requirements, including crane installation, hook lift systems, and specialized body work.
3. Service, Repair & Maintenance: Comprehensive service contracts, 24/7 emergency repair, preventive maintenance, and mobile service operations across Denmark. Customized service packages provide fixed monthly pricing for ongoing equipment support.
4. Spare Parts & Accessories: Original spare parts and accessories for all brands and equipment types sold, with large inventory for quick replacement.
5. Used Equipment Sales: Sale of pre-owned quality machinery including compact cranes, trucks, trailers and specialized equipment through Mascus platform and direct sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SAWO distributes, builds, and services hydraulic load-handling equipment for trucks and contractor vehicles used in transport, construction, forestry, and waste management. The company is an authorized distributor for leading OEM brands (HIAB, EFFER, Loglift, Jonsered, Cela, BG Lift, Hoeflon, Moffett, NOPA, Humbaur, MULTILIFT), designs and manufactures SAWO wire hoists in-house, performs custom upfitting of trucks and trailers, and provides nationwide service, repair, spare parts, and used equipment resale across Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.

Product overview

SAWO is Denmark's leading specialist in truck and construction vehicle modifications and equipment, operating since 1962. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of hydraulic cranes (HIAB, EFFER, BG Lift, Hoeflon, Loglift, Jonsered), personnel lifts (Cela, HIAB), Moffett truck-mounted forklifts, trailers and semi-trailers (NOPA, Humbaur), hoist and body builds (SAWO wirehoists, MULTILIFT hook hoists, NOPA/SAWO tipper beds), and accessories (HEMA/Kinshofer grapples and pallet forks, SAWO tree felling equipment). SAWO also provides nationwide service, repair, custom modifications, and sells used equipment and warehouse stock items. The product ecosystem is unified through SAWO's expertise in hydraulic load-handling solutions for the transport and construction industries, supported by a service network spanning 13+ locations across Denmark.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Truck-mounted hydraulic cranes (HIAB, EFFER) Lastbilmonterede hydrauliske kraner: truck-mounted hydraulic cranes from HIAB and EFFER in standard (1-40 ton-meters) and heavy (40-300 ton-meters) classes for transport, logistics, and demanding lifting applications.
• Compact cranes (BG Lift, Hoeflon) Kompaktkraner: compact cranes from BG Lift and Hoeflon with low weight and precise manoeuvring for tight, hard-to-access indoor and outdoor job sites.
• Forestry cranes (Loglift) Skovkraner: Loglift forestry cranes built for professional timber loading with high lifting capacity, precise control, and wear resistance for long workdays in uneven terrain.
• Recycling cranes (Jonsered) Recyclingkraner: Jonsered recycling cranes for intensive scrap handling with intelligent control, high performance, and robust construction in demanding operating environments.
• Personnel lifts and crane-mounted work baskets (Cela, HIAB) Mandskabslifte: Cela personnel lifts and HIAB crane-mounted work baskets (mandskabskurve) for safe and flexible work at height in installation, service, maintenance, and construction projects.
• Truck-mounted forklifts (Moffett) Medbringertrucks: Moffett truck-mounted forklifts mounted on the back of the truck for independent unloading directly at the delivery point, ready to use within minutes, for distribution, construction, and civil engineering.
• Trailers, semi-trailers, and container bodies (NOPA, Humbaur) Kærre og påhængsvogne: NOPA trailers and container bodies plus Humbaur semi-trailers in high-strength steel with low weight and high payload for professional transport.
• SAWO wire hoists (SAWO Wirehejs) Wirehejs: SAWO wire hoists designed and manufactured in-house for container transport, recycling, and construction site transport, with focus on performance and operational reliability.
• Hook lifts (MULTILIFT) Kroghejs: MULTILIFT hook lifts for flexible and efficient handling of containers and bodies with high lifting capacity and stable construction.
• Custom truck body builds (SAWO, NOPA) Ladopbygninger: custom tipper bodies, kneeload bodies, flatbeds, and timber bodies from SAWO and NOPA, constructed in wear-resistant materials for modern transport.
• Accessories - grapples, pallet forks, and forestry tools (HEMA, Kinshofer, SAWO) Tilbehør: HEMA and Kinshofer grapples and pallet forks for material handling, plus SAWO felling grapples, felling bunk systems, and splitters for professional forestry.
• Used equipment and stock items Brugt udstyr og lagervarer: pre-owned quality machines and equipment plus stock items for fast and economical solutions, including compact cranes, trucks, trailers, and specialized equipment, sold through Mascus and direct sales.
• Service, repair, and maintenance contracts Service og reparation: nationwide service and repair of hydraulic equipment with 60+ years of experience, including service contracts and 24/7 emergency assistance for maximum uptime.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced equipment downtime through preventive maintenance and rapid emergency response
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• MAN Nordjylland A/SminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Thisted providing service and repair operations for SAWO equipment in North Jutland region.
• Jysk Lad & Hydraulic ApSminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Hedensted providing hydraulic service and repair operations.
• H.T. Hydraulik A/SminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Esbjerg providing hydraulic equipment service and repairs.
• Atlas Hydraulik Service ApSminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Gråsten providing hydraulic service operations.
• B.H.S Service Center A/SminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Rønne (Bornholm) providing equipment service and support.
• Nordsjælland Diesel A/SminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Allerød providing diesel equipment service.
• Saffiorfik A/SminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Nuuk, Greenland providing equipment service coverage for the Greenlandic market.
• Áway ServiceminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Norðragøta, Faroe Islands providing service operations for the Faroese market.
• StórbilarminorOthersAuthorized service partner in Rituvík, Faroe Islands providing equipment service support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hiab (Cargotec): Hiab is the OEM manufacturer whose cranes (HIAB, EFFER, Loglift, Jonsered, Moffett) SAWO distributes and services. As a vertically related BROAD_INCUMBENT, Hiab shapes SAWO's product roadmap and dealer economics, and could be considered both a key partner and an indirect competitive threat if Hiab pushes direct sales.
• Manitou Group: Manitou is a global manufacturer of material handling, aerial work platforms, and truck-mounted equipment — directly comparable product families to SAWO's cranes, Moffett truck-mounted forklifts and personnel lifts. A BROAD_INCUMBENT with overlapping product categories competing for similar fleet operators across Europe.
• Liebherr-Werk Ehingen: Liebherr manufactures crawler cranes, mobile cranes and material handlers — heavy lifting products in adjacent categories to SAWO's heavy HIAB/EFFER cranes (40-300 ton-meter class). A BROAD_INCUMBENT serving overlapping construction and infrastructure end-markets in Northern Europe.
• Terex Corporation: Terex manufactures aerial work platforms, telehandlers and materials processing equipment — comparable product categories to SAWO's Cela personnel lifts, Hoeflon compact cranes, and forestry/recycling equipment. A BROAD_INCUMBENT competing in the same construction and material handling end-markets.
• Haulotte Group: Haulotte is a European manufacturer of aerial work platforms and telehandlers — directly overlapping with SAWO's Cela personnel lifts and Hoeflon compact cranes. A BROAD_INCUMBENT competing for the same construction, industrial maintenance, and infrastructure customer base across Northern Europe.
• Palfinger AG: Palfinger is the global market leader in truck-mounted loader cranes, tail lifts and material handling equipment — directly comparable products to SAWO's HIAB/EFFER cranes and hook lifts. As a BROAD_INCUMBENT they operate manufacturer-side rather than dealer-side but compete for the same end-customer spend in Denmark's transport and construction sectors.

Emerging players

• Steelwrist AB: Steelwrist is a Swedish manufacturer of tiltrotators and quick couplers for excavators — adjacent attachment product category to SAWO's HEMA/Kinshofer grapples and SAWO forestry felling equipment. An EMERGING_PLAYER expanding across Nordic dealer networks, illustrating the broader Nordic construction attachment ecosystem in which SAWO competes.
• Engcon Group: Engcon is a Swedish tiltrotator and attachment manufacturer for excavators — adjacent product category in material handling attachments comparable to SAWO's HEMA/Kinshofer grapples and SAWO forestry equipment. An EMERGING_PLAYER building scale through Nordic dealer networks similarly structured to SAWO's distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sawodanmark

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAWO