Hörby Bruk

What Hörby Bruk does

Hörby Bruk is a privately-held Swedish industrial manufacturer founded in 1920 and headquartered in Hörby, Skåne County, Sweden. The company produces physical handling equipment, garden tools, and playground equipment for both private and professional end users. Its core portfolio is organized into five categories: wheelbarrows (Skottkärror) anchored by the iconic Ekeby model invented in 1926, carts (Kärror), wagons (Vagnar), hand tools (Redskap, including the Structron premium line with fiberglass handles), and playground equipment (Lekredskap) covered by CE, EN-71, and TÜV safety certifications. The Gloria sub-brand, originating from Germany over 75 years ago and operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary line, adds garden sprayers and battery-powered tools to the portfolio.

Production takes place primarily at the Hörby facility using automated basket presses, powder coating lines, and welding robots, though many Gloria products and certain components are sourced from Poland, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and historically China as the company pursues an explicit "Exit China" supply chain diversification strategy. Technology differentiators include the Ekeby wheelbarrow's ergonomic design requiring only 15-20% of loaded weight to lift, the FineCut dual counter-rotating laser-cut blade system, and BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V battery interoperability for the MultiBrush, FineCut 18V, and Pro 1200 LI-ON products. The PEFC certification of wooden handles sourced from southern Poland and a 10-year warranty on the bamboo-handled Premium Line wheelbarrow reinforce durability positioning.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time product sales of physical goods with no subscription or licensing model. Pricing spans a wide range, from 20 kr spare-part nozzles up to 3,160 kr for professional backpack sprayers and 2,225 kr for MultiBrush/FineCut 18V battery tools, denominated in Swedish Krona. Distribution is multi-channel: a nationwide physical retailer network (återförsäljare) covers Sweden, third-party e-handlare extend reach, and the dedicated spare parts webshop (webshop.horbybruk.se) provides direct-to-consumer recurring revenue from the installed base. The Care, Repair, Share, Recycle program institutionalizes a circular-economy model supported by integration with sharing economy platforms Hygglo and Swinga. Customer segments span private gardeners (primary), professional/trade users, industrial and warehouse buyers, families with children, and local sports clubs through community sponsorship. Marketing relies on sustainability storytelling, Instagram and Facebook social presence, downloadable product catalogs, and the 100-year Swedish manufacturing heritage as primary brand equity.

Name

Hörby Bruk

Legal name

AB Hörby Bruk

Website

https://horbybruk.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hörby Bruk is a 100+ year old Swedish manufacturer of wheelbarrows, carts, wagons, hand tools, and playground equipment, with the Gloria sub-brand for garden sprayers and battery-powered tools. It serves private gardeners, professional trade users, industrial buyers, and families through a multi-channel retail network across Sweden and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden and Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Lawn and Garden Tractor and Home Lawn and Garden Equipment Manufacturing (333112)

SIC

Lawn & Garden Tractors & Home Lawn & Gardens Equip (3524), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Yard Pest Control (Lawn/Perimeter Treatments) (CRAJAHAE)

Keywords

• Wheelbarrow manufacturing
• Garden sprayers
• Playground equipment
• Material handling carts
• Garden hand tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Hörby

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product sales - wheelbarrows, carts, wagons: Core revenue from manufacturing and selling wheelbarrows (Ekeby, Premium Line with bamboo handles), carts (magasinkärror, bagagekärror, flaskkärror), and wagons (flakkärror, transportvagnar, verktygsvagnar). Products are priced as one-time purchases with a focus on durability and long service life.
2. Product sales - garden tools and Gloria sprayers: Gloria brand garden sprayers (handsprutor, trycksprutor, ryggsprutor) and MultiBrush battery-powered garden tools (MultiBrush LI-ON PLUS, FineCut, brush system accessories). Products sold as one-time purchases with optional battery add-ons.
3. Spare parts and accessories: Dedicated spare parts webshop (webshop.horbybruk.se) selling replacement parts for all product lines - wheels, handles, brush heads, spray nozzles, seals, and more. Provides recurring revenue from the existing installed base.
4. Playground and playground equipment: Sales of children's play equipment including wooden play structures (Lektorn), steel swings (CanCan), wooden swings, slides, sandbox equipment, climbing ropes, and swing seats.
5. Garden hand tools - Structron line: Premium hand tools including spades, shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes, and fiberglass-handled implements for professional and heavy-duty use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hörby Bruk manufactures and sells Swedish-made wheelbarrows, carts, wagons, hand tools, and children's playground equipment under its own brand, plus garden sprayers, pressure sprayers, backpack sprayers, and battery-powered garden tools (MultiBrush, FineCut) under the Gloria sub-brand. Core products include the iconic Ekeby wheelbarrow, Premium Line bamboo-handled wheelbarrows (10-year warranty), CanCan steel swings, Lektorn play towers, and a comprehensive spare parts webshop supporting a Care, Repair, Share, Recycle circular model.

Product overview

Hörby Bruk is a Swedish industrial manufacturing company founded in 1926, producing physical handling, garden, and playground equipment. Its core portfolio consists of Swedish-made wheelbarrows (Skottkärror), carts (Kärror), wagons (Vagnar), hand tools (Redskap), and playground equipment (Lekredskap). The Gloria sub-brand, acquired from Germany, extends the offering into battery-powered and manual garden sprayers and brush tools. Gloria products are primarily manufactured in Poland and Italy (sprayers) and China (battery-powered MultiBrush and FineCut tools). The Gloria line integrates with the BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V battery ecosystem. Hörby Bruk also operates a spare parts webshop (Reservdelar) and a sustainability program (Care, Repair, Share, Recycle) to extend product lifespan. Products are sold through a network of dealers and an e-commerce shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gloria: High-quality garden sprayers and innovative garden tools brand with over 75 years of history, originating from Germany. Product range includes hand sprayers, pressure sprayers, backpack sprayers, electric brush systems, and cutting tools.

Products and services

• Skottkärror (Wheelbarrows) Wheelbarrows in metal-bucket, masonry, plastic-bucket, and Premium Line (bamboo-handle, 10-year warranty) variants manufactured in Sweden since 1926, including the iconic Ekeby model designed so the user lifts only 15-20% of the loaded weight. Sold to private gardeners, construction, and professional users through Swedish retailers, online merchants, and the company's own webshop.
• Kärror (Carts) Sturdy, ergonomic heavy-duty carts for private and professional use, including magasinkärror (warehouse carts), bagagekärror (luggage carts), flaskkärror (bottle/drum carts), and specialkärror. Designed for warehouse, industrial, and agricultural material handling; many warehouse-carts now ship with puncture-proof FlexLite wheels.
• Vagnar (Wagons) Robust transport wagons for lighter and heavier loads including flakkärror (flatbed carts), transportvagnar (transport wagons), långgodsvagnar (long-goods wagons), verktygsvagnar (tool wagons), and bulk/feed wagons. Used by construction, agricultural, and industrial buyers for bulk and long-goods transport.
• Redskap (Hand Tools) Hand tools for private and professional use including spades and shovels, rakes and hoes, post-hole diggers, gravel bars, and fat-handling equipment. The Structron Premium Tools line features fiberglass-handled spades, shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes, and implements built for heavy-duty professional use with high-quality spring steel.
• Lekredskap (Playground Equipment) CE-marked and TÜV-tested private garden playground equipment including steel swings (CanCan), wooden swings, slides, sandboxes, Lektorn play towers, climbing ropes, swing seats, and ring trapezes, compliant with the EN-71 toy safety standard. Sold to families with children.
• Gloria Garden Sprayers and Tools The Gloria sub-brand (acquired, German origin, 75+ year history) supplies premium manual and battery-powered garden sprayers and tools for home and professional use, including hand sprayers, pressure sprayers (3-5L), backpack sprayers (12-18L), brush systems, and FineCut precision edge trimmers. Gloria battery tools including MultiBrush LI-ON PLUS, FineCut 18V, and Pro 1200 LI-ON are compatible with the BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V battery ecosystem.
• Reservdelar (Spare Parts) Comprehensive spare-parts range for Hörby Bruk products, including handles, wheels, wheelbarrow buckets, small-parts bags, and Gloria sprayer accessories (seals, hoses, pumps, nozzles, spray lances, telescopic lances). Sold via the dedicated webshop (webshop.horbybruk.se) to extend product life across the installed base.
• Lektorn Play Tower Sturdy wooden play tower for home gardens, available in several variants with or without swings, featuring sandbox, climbing walls, slide, and swing. Built from European pressure-impregnated timber (NTR AB, free of arsenic and chromium), CE- and TÜV-approved for private garden play.
• CanCan Gunga (Steel Swing) Classic Swedish-made steel swing available for over 50 years, manufactured in Hörby, with robust steel tube frame, full boom and legs, welded foot brackets, and powder-coating for rust resistance; CE- and TÜV-approved.
• Premium Line Wheelbarrows (Bamboo Handles) Premium wheelbarrow line with bamboo handles carrying a 10-year warranty. The bamboo handles are made from a unique material with exceptional hardness, making them extremely resistant to wear in challenging environments.
• Gloria MultiBrush LI-ON PLUS (Battery-Powered Brush System) Battery-powered, versatile garden tool compatible with BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V batteries, offering up to 10 different attachments for cleaning stone and wood surfaces, joint cleaning, edge trimming, lawn verticutting, and aeration. Priced at 2,225 kr for the base unit with stone brush and steel brush.
• Gloria FineCut (Precision Edge Trimmer) Gloria's precision lawn-edge trimmer available as a battery-powered standalone tool (FineCut 18V, BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V compatible) or as an attachment for the MultiBrush LI-ON PLUS. Features dual counter-rotating laser-cut blades with 3-step height adjustment for clean edges near borders and corners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ekeby wheelbarrow design requires lifting only 15-20% of the loaded weight
• +6 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TeknikcollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHörby Bruk has been a member company of Teknikcollege for more than 10 years. Teknikcollege is Sweden's largest collaboration platform for skills supply in the manufacturing industry. The company hosts APL (praktik) students from Carl Engström Gymnasiet in Eslöv (Technology program) and Jacobsskolan in Hässleholm (Industrial Technology program) each semester. In 2021, Hörby Bruk won Teknikcollege's award for Sweden's best collaboration company.
• NyföretagarCentrum ÖresundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHörby Bruk is a cooperation partner to NyföretagarCentrum Öresund, which provides free advisory services to people planning to start businesses. This partnership supports local entrepreneurship and business development in the Öresund region.
• Hörby KulturkalasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHörby Bruk is a proud cooperation partner to Hörby Kulturkalas, a cultural event that showcases the talents of children and youth in Hörby municipality. The event is made possible through close collaboration between local business, Hörby municipality, youth, and voluntary organizations.
• Local sports clubs (BS Olymp, IK Lågan, Askeröds IF, Frosta OK)minorOthersHörby Bruk sponsors several local sports clubs including BS Olymp, IK Lågan, Askeröds IF, and Frosta OK, covering football, handball, bowling, and orienteering. Sponsorship enables clubs to participate in events like Gothia Cup, start new teams, and conduct training camps.
• Beijer ByggmaterialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a close collaboration with neighboring Beijer Byggmaterial, Hörby Bruk established a method to reuse leftover wooden spacers from Beijer as protective spacers on pallets for warehouse carts. Approximately 3,750 wooden spacers are reused per year, reducing waste and benefiting both businesses.
• HygglominorOthersHygglo is a sharing/rental service that allows private individuals to share or rent equipment. Hörby Bruk references Hygglo on its Share page as a platform where customers can rent out or borrow Hörby Bruk products, supporting the circular economy model.
• SwingaminorOthersSwinga is a borrowing app where users can lend or borrow equipment. Hörby Bruk references Swinga on its Share page as a platform to extend the useful life of Hörby Bruk products through peer-to-peer sharing.
• BOSCH POWER FOR ALL AlliancecoreTechnology or IntegrationHörby Bruk's Gloria brand garden tools (MultiBrush LI-ON PLUS, FineCut 18V, Pro 1200 LI-ON) are compatible with the BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V battery system. This broad alliance of garden and home tools manufacturers enables shared battery use across multiple brands and products, increasing customer convenience and cross-brand compatibility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Husqvarna Group: Swedish outdoor power equipment giant (parent of Gardena) producing chainsaws, robotic mowers, and garden machinery. Comparable as a Swedish heritage outdoor equipment manufacturer serving overlapping professional and consumer channels.
• Stihl: German global leader in chainsaws and battery-powered outdoor equipment with proprietary AK and AP battery platforms. Competes with Gloria MultiBrush and FineCut in cordless garden tools via independent dealer networks.
• Bosch Home & Garden: Global power and garden tool brand, Hörby Bruk's alliance partner in BOSCH POWER FOR ALL 18V. Competes broadly with Gloria battery tools while also serving as the ecosystem backbone for Gloria interoperability.

Direct peers

• Trigano Jardín: French subsidiary of Trigano Group manufacturing wooden playground equipment, playhouses, and outdoor garden structures for the private garden market. Directly comparable to Hörby Bruk's Lektorn playground line.
• Solo Kleinmotoren: German manufacturer of hand and backpack sprayers for garden, agriculture, and professional pest control. Directly competes with Gloria sprayer line in European retail and professional segments.
• Wolf-Garten: German premium garden hand tool specialist (part of MTD Products) with strong European retail presence. Comparable as a quality-positioned European garden hand tool brand competing for similar DIY gardener customers.
• Fiskars: Finnish heritage brand manufacturing premium garden tools, wheelbarrows (Sorbus), and axes. Closely comparable as a Nordic premium garden/yard equipment maker with similar 'Made in Finland' craftsmanship positioning and century-old brand equity.
• Haemmerlin: French manufacturer of wheelbarrows, hand trucks, and material handling equipment under the Haemmerlin and Altrad brands. Directly competes with Hörby Bruk in wheelbarrows and carts across European markets.
• Gardena: German-owned (Husqvarna Group) European leader in garden watering systems, hand tools, and battery-powered garden equipment. Directly competes with Gloria sprayers and Hörby Bruk hand tools across similar European retail channels.

Regional players

• Matador: Danish wheelbarrow and material handling equipment manufacturer with strong Nordic presence. Comparable as a Nordic regional competitor in wheelbarrows with similar craftsmanship positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/horbybruk
• Instagraminstagram.com/horbybruk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ab-h-rby-bruk

Compliance4 records

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 Hörby Bruk