Arbesko
Arbesko is a Swedish manufacturer of safety and occupational footwear founded in 1839, producing six product series from its own factory in Kumla and selling exclusively through authorized retailers in Sweden, Norway, and English-speaking markets, serving construction, industrial, and service workers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1839
- HeadquartersKumla, Sweden
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Arbesko does
Arbesko AB is a Swedish manufacturer of safety and occupational footwear founded in 1839 and headquartered in Kumla, Sweden, where it owns and operates its own factory covering design, testing, and manufacturing. The company sells through an authorized retailer network in Sweden, Norway, and English-speaking markets, with a B2B Partner Portal for resellers and no direct-to-consumer online sales. Its product portfolio is organized into six series: Tech (sneaker-comfort safety shoes with ReBound cushioning and BOA Fit System), A-series (developed with orthopaedists for pain prevention, featuring Energy Sense and Ladder Grip), Umeå (co-developed with Volvo Trucks), Oxelösund (co-developed with SSAB for extreme heat up to 900°C using Super 8 leather and Kevlar seams), Kiruna (winter safety boots with PrimaLoft insulation), and Chelsea Pro (pull-on work boots). The company also sells accessories including insoles, Öko-Tex-certified socks, and laces. Customers span construction, heavy industry, light manufacturing, logistics, service, and cold-weather outdoor work, served primarily through SMB/individual channels via retailers, with selective enterprise co-development relationships.
Arbesko firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arbesko
- Legal name
- Arbesko AB
- Website
- https://arbesko.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1839
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Arbesko is a Swedish manufacturer of safety and occupational footwear founded in 1839, producing six product series from its own factory in Kumla and selling exclusively through authorized retailers in Sweden, Norway, and English-speaking markets, serving construction, industrial, and service workers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Arbesko industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Safety and Occupational Footwear Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (31621), Footwear Manufacturing (316210), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Work, Safety & Protective Footwear Manufacturing (Steel-Toe/ESD/Slip-Resistant) (IMAOAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Work, Safety & Occupational Footwear (CRAAACAE)
Keywords
Where Arbesko is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kumla
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Arbesko business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Safety and occupational footwear sales: Arbesko designs, develops, and manufactures safety shoes (skyddsskor) and occupational/professional shoes (yrkesskor) sold through authorized retailers. The company also sells accessories including insoles, socks, and shoelaces.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Arbesko product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arbesko designs, develops, tests, and manufactures safety shoes (skyddsskor) and occupational/professional shoes (yrkesskor) at its own factory in Kumla, Sweden. The portfolio spans six main series (Tech, A-series, Umeå, Oxelösund, Kiruna, Chelsea Pro) covering everything from sneaker-style safety shoes to extreme-heat boots and winter-lined footwear, complemented by ESD insoles, technical socks, and laces. Products carry ISO safety certifications and are sold exclusively through an authorized retailer network across Sweden, Norway, and other English-speaking markets.
Product overview
Arbesko is a Swedish manufacturer of safety and work shoes producing since 1839. The company operates its own factory in Kumla, Sweden, and develops products in close collaboration with end users. The product portfolio consists of six main series: Tech (sneaker-comfort safety shoes), A-series™ (orthopedic-designed for pain prevention), Umeå (versatile series developed with Volvo), Oxelösund (extreme heat protection developed with SSAB), Kiruna (winter conditions), and Chelsea Pro (pull-on boots). Each series includes multiple models ranging from work shoes/sandals to safety boots, with protection classes from O1 to S7S. The company also offers a complementary range of accessories including insoles (Comfortho, Ortholite, Support lines), socks (polyamide, wool, Coolmax®, flame-retardant options), and laces. Products feature various safety technologies including BOA® Fit System, ReBound™ cushioning, Energy Sense™ damping, ESD protection, and materials like Super 8™ leather, Kevlar® seams, and PrimaLoft® insulation. Arbesko provides up to 3-year warranty on certified leather shoes with PU material/nitrile rubber soles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tech: Safety shoes with sneaker comfort, featuring running shoe cushioning and lightweight protection.
- A-series
- Umea
- Oxelosund
- Kiruna
- Chelsea Pro
Products and services
- Tech Series Safety shoes with sneaker comfort, featuring running shoe cushioning, lightweight protection, and ergonomically shaped soles, available with BOA® Fit System options. Targeted at active workers who want athletic-style comfort in certified safety footwear.
- A-series™ Safety shoe series developed in collaboration with orthopaedists to prevent foot and knee pain, featuring Energy Sense™ cushioning, Ladder Grip for ladder safety (ISO 20345:2022), and ESD protection for electronics work.
- Umeå Series
Quantifiable outcome
- RE:FOAM heel cushion absorbs energy up to 43 joule
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Arbesko
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Arbesko technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Arbesko partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Volvo Lastvagnar (Volvo Trucks)coreThe Umeå series was developed in close collaboration with Volvo Lastvagnar, created specifically to meet Swedish industrial reality — from lighter indoor work to demanding environments. This co-development partnership ensured the series addresses real-world needs of industrial workers.
- SSABcoreThe Oxelösund series was developed together with steel workers at SSAB — Arbesko's most durable safety shoes, built for heat, chemicals, and tough industrial environments. The partnership involved co-development with end users in extreme working conditions.
- Orthopaedists (medical specialists)coreThe A-series was developed together with orthopaedists to reduce strain and prevent pain. The series targets the 80% of craftsmen who experience foot or knee problems, with design focused on proper support, stability, and comfort to protect not just feet but the entire body.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Arbesko competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Honeywell PPE: Broad incumbent PPE conglomerate including safety footwear (e.g., North, King) with global distribution. Not a niche specialist like Arbesko but operates in the same safety footwear procurement channels and competes for enterprise PPE contracts.
Direct peers
- Puma Safety: Safety footwear line of Puma, leveraging athletic-shoe technology and design language for the work footwear market. Directly comparable to Arbesko's Tech series strategy of marrying sport-shoe comfort with safety certification.
- Bata Industrials: Global safety footwear manufacturer (part of Bata) producing work and protective shoes for industrial users worldwide. Closely comparable in product offering and customer segments, with larger scale and broader geographic reach than Arbesko.
- Elten Safety: German safety footwear manufacturer with a wide range of S1-S5 certified work shoes. Comparable product category (EN ISO 20345 certified safety footwear), comparable customer base (industrial, construction, trades), and similar mid-sized European competitor profile.
- Diadora Utility: Italian safety and work footwear brand under Diadora, applying athletic-shoe heritage to the safety category — directly comparable to Arbesko's Tech series positioning of running-shoe cushioning in safety footwear.
- Atlas Shoes: Swiss-based manufacturer of safety and occupational footwear with comparable certifications and similar positioning around quality and innovation. Competes in the same DACH/Northern European industrial markets with overlapping product lines.
- Skechers Work: Skechers' work and safety footwear division, applying the parent brand's comfort technology to certified safety shoes. Closely comparable to Arbesko's Tech series approach of transferring athletic-shoe DNA into the safety category.
- Redbrick Safety Footwear: Dutch safety footwear manufacturer offering EN ISO 20345 certified work shoes for construction, industry, and logistics. Comparable product mix and target segments, competing in the same Northern European safety footwear channel.
- Uvex Safety Group: German manufacturer of safety footwear and PPE with strong European distribution and certified safety products. Comparable product portfolio (safety shoes, occupational footwear, ESD protection) and comparable certifications (EN ISO 20345) targeting industrial buyers across Europe.
- Sievi: Finnish manufacturer of safety and occupational footwear with its own factory, serving Nordic industrial markets. Direct competitor to Arbesko with similar in-house production model, target customer segments (construction, industry), and co-development partnerships with Nordic enterprises.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Arbesko social profiles
Digital presenceArbesko compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Arbesko financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arbesko leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Arbesko funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arbesko M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Arbesko
What does Arbesko do?
Arbesko designs, develops, tests, and manufactures safety shoes (skyddsskor) and occupational/professional shoes (yrkesskor) at its own factory in Kumla, Sweden. The portfolio spans six main series (Tech, A-series, Umeå, Oxelösund, Kiruna, Chelsea Pro) covering everything from sneaker-style safety shoes to extreme-heat boots and winter-lined footwear, complemented by ESD insoles, technical socks, and laces. Products carry ISO safety certifications and are sold exclusively through an authorized retailer network across Sweden, Norway, and other English-speaking markets.
Is Arbesko a public or private company?
Arbesko is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Arbesko founded?
Arbesko was founded in 1839. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Arbesko based?
Arbesko is headquartered in Kumla, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Arbesko make money?
One revenue line is on record: safety and occupational footwear sales.
Who are Arbesko's main competitors?
Honeywell PPE is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Puma Safety, Bata Industrials, Elten Safety, Diadora Utility, Atlas Shoes, Skechers Work, Redbrick Safety Footwear, Uvex Safety Group and Sievi.
Does Arbesko have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arbesko.
What industry is Arbesko in?
Arbesko's product category is Safety and Occupational Footwear Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAIAD, Work, Safety & Protective Footwear Manufacturing (Steel-Toe/ESD/Slip-Resistant), with a secondary code of CRAAACAE, Work, Safety & Occupational Footwear. Its NAICS code is 31621 and its SIC code is 3140.