VBG Group
VBG Group is a Swedish-listed industrial group operating three divisions — Truck & Trailer Equipment, Mobile Thermal Solutions and Ringfeder Power Transmission — that design and sell specialized safety-critical mechanical and HVAC components to heavy-vehicle OEMs and industrial customers across 14 countries.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersVänersborg, Sweden
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What VBG Group does
VBG Group AB (publ) is a Swedish publicly-listed international industrial group (Nasdaq Stockholm Mid Cap, ticker VBG B; founded 1951 by Herman Krefting; headquartered in Trollhättan with registered seat in Vänersborg) operating three wholly-owned divisions: Truck & Trailer Equipment (coupling equipment for heavy trucks and trailers, automatic snow chains under Onspot, vehicle lighting under Ledson, sliding roofs under Edscha Trailer Systems and Sesam); Mobile Thermal Solutions (HVAC/climate-control systems for buses and off-road vehicles under Mobile Climate Control and Bus Climate Control, plus Italytec added via the January 2025 Brazilian acquisition); and Ringfeder Power Transmission (shrink discs, shaft and hub couplings, friction-spring couplings under Ringfeder, Henfel, Carlyle Johnson, Rathi and Malmedie brands). For the rolling 12-month period, the group reported net sales of 5,419 MSEK and EBITA of 697 MSEK (~12.9% margin), with EPS of 16.8 SEK.
The group's products are specialized, engineered mechanical and thermal components serving OEMs and industrial operators across heavy trucking, bus, off-road, mining, transport and seismic-protection applications. Underlying technology relies on domain specialization in mechanical force transmission and mobile climate-control engineering rather than software or electronics; no public-facing API, SDK or developer platform is offered, and there are no disclosed AI/ML capabilities in the source data.
VBG Group generates revenue almost entirely through direct B2B hardware sales via wholly-owned local sales and operating subsidiaries in 14 countries on five continents (Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; commercial engagement is enterprise-direct with OEMs and industrial accounts (including dedicated Key Account Managers within divisions such as Mobile Climate Control). Ownership is anchored by foundations established by the founder, with institutional participation from Nordea Funds and Lannebo on the nomination committee, supporting long-cycle capital allocation including the ~260 MSEK Italytec acquisition completed January 31, 2025.
VBG Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VBG Group
- Legal name
- VBG Group AB (publ)
- Website
- https://vbggroup.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- VBG Group is a Swedish-listed industrial group operating three divisions — Truck & Trailer Equipment, Mobile Thermal Solutions and Ringfeder Power Transmission — that design and sell specialized safety-critical mechanical and HVAC components to heavy-vehicle OEMs and industrial customers across 14 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where VBG Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vänersborg
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices31 records
Markets served
VBG Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Industrial product sales (hardware): VBG Group generates revenue primarily through sale of industrial engineered products — coupling equipment for trucks/trailers, automatic snow chains, vehicle lighting and sliding roofs (Truck & Trailer Equipment); HVAC/climate-control systems for buses and off-road vehicles (Mobile Thermal Solutions); and power transmission components such as shrink discs and couplings (Ringfeder Power Transmission). Net sales of 5,419 MSEK (R12) and EBITA of 697 MSEK (R12). Sales occur through wholly-owned local sales subsidiaries across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
VBG Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VBG Group is an international industrial group that manufactures and sells engineered mechanical and thermal-engineering components through three wholly-owned divisions: Truck & Trailer Equipment (coupling equipment for heavy trucks and trailers, automatic snow chains, vehicle lighting, sliding roof systems under VBG, Ringfeder, Onspot, Edscha Trailer Systems, Sesam and Ledson brands); Mobile Thermal Solutions (HVAC and climate-control systems for buses and off-road vehicles under Bus Climate Control, Mobile Climate Control and Italytec brands); and Ringfeder Power Transmission (shrink discs, shaft and hub couplings, friction-spring coupling equipment under Ringfeder, Henfel, Carlyle Johnson, Rathi and Malmedie brands). Products are sold directly to OEMs, fleet operators and industrial customers across mining, transport, construction and seismic-protection applications through wholly-owned sales and operating subsidiaries in 14 countries.
Product overview
VBG Group is an international industrial conglomerate offering a portfolio of products organized into three fully-owned divisions, each operating multiple sub-brands. The Truck & Trailer Equipment division provides coupling equipment for heavy trucks and trailers, automatic snow chains, vehicle lighting, and sliding roofs under the VBG, Onspot, Edscha Trailer Systems, Sesam, and Ledson brands. The Mobile Thermal Solutions division delivers climate/HVAC systems for buses and off-road vehicles under the Mobile Climate Control and Bus Climate Control brands, with Italytec added through the January 2025 Brazil acquisition. The Ringfeder Power Transmission division sells shrink discs, shaft-hub couplings, and friction spring coupling equipment under the Ringfeder, Henfel, Carlyle Johnson, Rathi, and Malmedie brands. Together, these three divisions (with their named sub-brands) form VBG Group's modular industrial portfolio serving transport, off-road, and power transmission markets across roughly 14 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VBG: Coupling equipment and related products under the Truck & Trailer Equipment division.
- Onspot
- Ringfeder
- Edscha Trailer Systems
- Sesam
- Ledson
- Ringfeder Power Transmission
- Henfel
- Carlyle Johnson
- Rathi
- Malmedie
- Mobile Climate Control
- Bus Climate Control
- Italytec
Products and services
- VBG truck and trailer couplings
- Onspot automatic snow chains
- Edscha Trailer Systems sliding roofs
- Sesam sliding roof systems
- Ledson vehicle lighting
- Mobile Climate Control HVAC systems
- Bus Climate Control systems
- Italytec HVAC systems for off-road vehicles
Quantifiable outcome
- Net sales of 5,419 MSEK (R12)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use VBG Group
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
VBG Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
VBG Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Italytec Imex Indústria e Comércio Ltda.coreVBG Group's Mobile Thermal Solutions division agreed to acquire all shares of Brazil-based Italytec, a manufacturer of HVAC systems for offroad vehicles. Completion expected by January 31, 2025. Valued at approximately 260 MSEK, the deal is intended to expand VBG Group's market presence in Brazil and South America and enhance its product range. Italytec's Brazilian office (Nova Odessa, SP) is now part of Mobile Thermal Solutions' operations.
- KTH Executive School and Chalmers Professional EducationminorSince 2010, VBG Group has engaged KTH Executive School and Chalmers Professional Education as providers of management education for the VBG Group Academy, covering Industrial Management, R&D Management, Production Management and Lean for group/division leadership and senior managers. The group also collaborates with universities and colleges in Germany and Sweden for student thesis supervision.
- Ernst & Young ABminorErnst & Young AB is VBG Group's registered auditing firm. The lead auditor is Andreas Mast (authorised public accountant), who has served as auditor of VBG Group since 2021. EY reports annually to the board on its audit observations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
VBG Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ABB: Global industrial conglomerate with motion and power-transmission businesses — broad incumbent comparable to the Ringfeder Power Transmission division across industrial drive applications.
- Siemens (Industrial Drive Technology): Diversified industrial technology group whose drive-technology portfolio overlaps with Ringfeder's couplings, shrink discs and friction-spring coupling solutions for industrial drivetrains.
- Trane Technologies (Thermo King): Global HVAC and transport-temperature-control major whose Thermo King brand competes in mobile climate for buses, trucks and off-road — overlapping with Mobile Climate Control and Bus Climate Control but as part of a much broader portfolio.
- SKF: Swedish industrial bearings and power-transmission major — adjacent peer to Ringfeder Power Transmission in industrial drivetrain components for heavy industries and OEM applications.
Direct peers
- Modine Manufacturing: US-listed thermal-management specialist serving commercial vehicles, off-highway and industrial markets — directly comparable to VBG Group's Mobile Thermal Solutions division (Mobile Climate Control, Bus Climate Control).
- SAF-Holland: European-based supplier of truck and trailer coupling systems, axles and related safety components — the most direct competitor to VBG Group's Truck & Trailer Equipment division in heavy-vehicle coupling and towing equipment.
- Webasto Group: Privately held German supplier of vehicle HVAC, roof systems and thermal management — directly overlaps with VBG's Mobile Thermal Solutions HVAC range and the Sesam sliding-roof product line.
- Haldex (SAF-Holland division): Originally an independent Swedish supplier of brake and air-suspension systems for heavy trucks; now part of SAF-Holland, making it a direct historical and strategic peer to VBG's truck and trailer components business.
- JOST Werke: German-listed manufacturer of fifth-wheel couplings, landing gears and kingpins for trucks and trailers — a focused direct peer to VBG's truck and trailer coupling product lines.
Others
- Roper Technologies (industrial niche holdings): US-listed diversified industrial technology investor with niche industrial-product holdings — a thematic peer illustrating how diversified industrial niche platforms are valued in public markets, rather than a direct product overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VBG Group social profiles
Digital presenceVBG Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VBG Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
VBG Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries31 records
VBG Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VBG Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VBG Group
What does VBG Group do?
VBG Group is an international industrial group that manufactures and sells engineered mechanical and thermal-engineering components through three wholly-owned divisions: Truck & Trailer Equipment (coupling equipment for heavy trucks and trailers, automatic snow chains, vehicle lighting, sliding roof systems under VBG, Ringfeder, Onspot, Edscha Trailer Systems, Sesam and Ledson brands); Mobile Thermal Solutions (HVAC and climate-control systems for buses and off-road vehicles under Bus Climate Control, Mobile Climate Control and Italytec brands); and Ringfeder Power Transmission (shrink discs, shaft and hub couplings, friction-spring coupling equipment under Ringfeder, Henfel, Carlyle Johnson, Rathi and Malmedie brands). Products are sold directly to OEMs, fleet operators and industrial customers across mining, transport, construction and seismic-protection applications through wholly-owned sales and operating subsidiaries in 14 countries.
Is VBG Group a public or private company?
VBG Group is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was VBG Group founded?
VBG Group was founded in 1951. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is VBG Group based?
VBG Group is headquartered in Vänersborg, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does VBG Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: industrial product sales (hardware).
Who are VBG Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ABB, Siemens (Industrial Drive Technology), Trane Technologies (Thermo King) and SKF. Direct peers are Modine Manufacturing, SAF-Holland, Webasto Group, Haldex (SAF-Holland division) and JOST Werke. Roper Technologies (industrial niche holdings) is listed as an others.
Does VBG Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for VBG Group.