Grolls

What Grolls does

Swedol is a Swedish professional supplies retailer operating as a subsidiary of Alligo, a Swedish industrial and professional trading group. The company runs a multi-channel distribution model combining an e-commerce platform (swedol.se) with multiple physical retail stores across Sweden, targeting both B2B professional customers (trade professionals, contractors, industrial companies, workshops) and B2C individual tradespeople. The product assortment spans workwear, tools and machines, vehicle equipment, welding supplies, lifting equipment, oils and chemicals, hydraulics, fastening materials, industrial products, and lighting — a broad MRO/professional-supplies catalog sold through both online and in-store channels.

The company's core technology and service platform comprises three distinct layers: a standard e-commerce storefront with business account and purchase-order capability; Smart Service, a vendor-managed vending-machine solution deployed on customer premises for 24/7 on-site product access; and ReCare, a circular laundry service for workwear where customers purchase garments and pay per wash cycle. Proprietary house brands (Ampro, Award, Balance, Björnkläder, Gesto, Univern, 1832, 4use) sit alongside third-party brands across workwear, gloves, tools, and equipment. Value-added professional services include custom printing/embroidery, fitting tests, hose pressing, chain workshop, repairs, foot scanning, and calibration.

Swedol generates revenue from four streams: one-time product sales across B2C and B2B channels; recurring Smart Service vending contracts; usage-based ReCare laundry fees; and professional services revenue. The company has achieved EcoVadis Platinum certification, placing it in the top 1% of assessed firms globally for sustainability performance, a credential increasingly relevant for ESG-screened enterprise procurement.

Name

Grolls

Legal name

Swedol

Website

https://grolls.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Supplies Retail

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Shoe Retailers (45821)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Work, Safety & Occupational Footwear Retail (CRAAADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fasteners, Nails, Screws & Anchors Retail (CRAIADAC)

Keywords

• Professional supplies retail
• Workwear and tools
• Industrial equipment distribution
• Workwear laundry services
• Workplace vending solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Backa

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (B2C/B2B): E-commerce and retail sales of professional supplies including workwear, tools, machines, vehicle equipment, welding, hydraulics, oils, fasteners, and industrial products.
2. Smart Service (Vending Solutions): On-site vending machine solutions providing 24/7 access to tools and supplies near the workforce.
3. ReCare Laundry Service: Circular washing service for workwear - customers purchase garments and pay per wash cycle used.
4. Professional Services: Additional services including custom printing/broidery on workwear, fitting tests, hose pressing, chain workshop, repair services, foot scanning, calibration of torque wrenches and lasers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Grolls operates a professional supplies retail business in Sweden, selling workwear, tools, machines, vehicle equipment, welding supplies, hydraulics, oils, fastening materials, and industrial products through its e-commerce platform and physical retail stores. The company offers two proprietary services: Smart Service (on-site vending machine solutions for workplace supply access) and ReCare (circular laundry service for workwear). It also markets eight own brands (Ampro, Award, Balance, Björnkläder, Gesto, Univern, 1832, 4use) alongside recognized third-party brands.

Product overview

Swedol is a complete online professional store offering a comprehensive range of work clothing, tools, machines, vehicle equipment, welding supplies, lifting equipment, oils and chemicals, hydraulics, hunting and forestry products, garden equipment, fastening materials, heating/ventilation/sanitation, electrical products, fire protection, industrial products, and lighting. The company operates primarily as an e-commerce platform with physical store presence. Key proprietary services include Smart Service (vending machine solutions for on-site product access) and ReCare (circular laundry service for work clothing). The portfolio includes eight own brands: Ampro (tools), Award, Balance (gloves), Björnkläder (workwear), Gesto, Univern, 1832, and 4use. Additional services encompass clothing printing/broidering, fitting tests, hose pressing, chain workshop, re-sewing, service workshop, foot scanning, and calibration services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ampro: Own brand of tools and equipment
• Award
• Balance Gloves
• Björnkläder
• Gesto
• Univern
• 1832
• 4use

Products and services

• Smart Service A vending machine solution that provides products on-site near employees, enabling quick and easy access to needed tools and supplies 24/7 at customer facilities. Targeted at enterprise customers with on-site workforce needs.
• ReCare Complete and cost-effective circular laundry service for work clothing, offering full control over garment management with pay-per-wash pricing. Subsidiary: ReCare.
• Ampro Own brand of professional tools and equipment sold by Grolls.
• Award Own brand product line sold by Grolls covering workwear and safety products.
• Balance Gloves Own brand line of work gloves sold by Grolls.
• Björnkläder Own brand line of work clothing sold by Grolls.
• Gesto Own brand product line of tools and equipment sold by Grolls.
• Univern Own brand product line of tools and equipment sold by Grolls.
• 1832 Own brand product line sold by Grolls.
• 4use Own brand product line sold by Grolls.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AlligocoreOthersParent company. Swedol operates as a brand under Alligo. Corporate information links to www.alligo.com.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stark Group: Nordic building materials and trade supply distributor serving construction professionals across Denmark and the Nordics. Comparable on Nordic geography, B2B trade customer focus, and professional supply assortment.
• Screwfix (Kingfisher): UK trade professional retailer combining dense physical store network with e-commerce targeting tradespeople. Comparable to Swedol in serving trade professionals with workwear, tools, and fasteners via high-density omnichannel retail.
• Ahlsell: Sweden-headquartered MRO and industrial supply distributor serving Nordic professional customers with a multi-channel model. Directly comparable to Swedol on Nordic geography, professional customer base, and broad industrial/workwear assortment.
• Würth: Global market leader in professional fastening, tools, and MRO supplies with direct sales and on-site vending model. Würth's vendor-managed inventory and direct-trade approach is directly comparable to Swedol's Smart Service vending and B2B trade professional focus.
• Toolstation: UK trade retailer (Travis Perkins subsidiary) supplying tools, workwear, and trade supplies via physical stores and e-commerce. Comparable to Swedol on trade customer focus, broad assortment, and B2B/B2C dual channel model.

Broad incumbents

• Grainger: US-listed global MRO distributor with extensive catalog spanning industrial supplies, tools, and safety equipment. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the same professional supply category, with broader scale and assortment depth.
• MSC Industrial: Large North American metalworking and MRO industrial supply distributor with vending solutions and e-commerce. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping workwear, tools, and industrial supply categories with embedded vending capabilities.
• Bauhaus: European DIY and trade retail chain with broad assortment across tools, workwear, and building supplies. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same professional/DIY supply retail category, though more DIY-leaning than trade-focused.
• Rexel: Global electrical and energy management distribution group with Nordic operations (formerly owning Ahlsell MRO). Comparable as a broad industrial/MRO incumbent with overlapping professional supply categories and B2B distribution scale.

Regional players

• Solar A/S: Danish-headquartered B2B electrical and technical supply distributor serving installers and industrial customers. Comparable on Nordic regional focus, B2B professional customer base, and broad technical/industrial assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grolls-ab

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Grolls