What Tilka Trading does

Tilka Trading AB is a Swedish industrial distributor of fasteners and mechanical components, headquartered in Mönsterås and serving the Swedish manufacturing sector. The company operates a catalog of 24,000 saleable articles, of which 6,000–8,000 are actively held in stock at its central warehouse, positioning it with the broadest product range in its niche within Sweden. It serves more than 500 customers across the Defence, Environment, and Energy verticals, reporting a 97% on-time-in-full rate and a 0.2% claim rate — service-level metrics that indicate a high-mix, high-availability distribution model rather than a commodity reseller.

The business model is a B2B technical distribution model: revenue is generated by selling fasteners and mechanical components (with Ful-Art and similar premium brands) to industrial customers, supported by vendor-managed inventory (VMI) and supplier-managed agreements that embed Tilka into customer production workflows. Order capture is structured around three channels — direct sales calls, a 24/7 webshop (launched in March 2025), and EDI/API integrated purchasing — with a 2024 record sales performance. Pricing is per-item and SKU-level, with customer-specific terms negotiated by the sales team.

Since October 2021, Tilka has operated as a subsidiary of Bufab Group, a publicly listed Swedish industrial distributor, providing group-level procurement, supplier access, and operational backing. The company has approximately 14 employees and an estimated revenue of around 80 million SEK in 2024 (roughly $7.5–8 million USD). Recent technology investments — a Kardex PPS pick-to-put-to-shelf system (March 2025) and a new eWMS (January 2026) — are aimed at scaling warehouse throughput and supporting further SKU and customer expansion.

Name

Tilka Trading

Legal name

Tilka Trading AB

Website

https://tilka.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tilka Trading is a Swedish industrial distributor of fasteners and mechanical components, serving 500+ manufacturing customers across Defence, Energy, and Environment with a 24,000-item catalog from its Mönsterås warehouse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mönsterås

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fastener and Component Sales: Sale of fasteners and mechanical components including hexagon screws, machine screws, nuts, washers, pins, clamps, blind rivets, and specialized parts. Both standard catalogue items and custom solutions are sold.
2. Procurement Services: Sourcing and procurement service finding right suppliers, handling negotiations to ensure high quality, competitive prices and sustainable deliveries. Revenue generated through markups on procured products.
3. Customized Packaging: Customised packaging services from individual parts to complete assembly kits. You decide specifications, Tilka delivers packaged products.
4. Automated Replenishment / VMI Services: Automated inventory management service (Easy Track) providing automatic ordering and replenishment. Customers pay for the service through reduced inventory costs and ongoing product purchases.
5. Logistics and Warehousing Solutions: Customised warehouse solutions and logistics services tailored to customer needs, optimising inventory management and reducing lead times.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tilka Trading AB is a Swedish distributor that sells fasteners and mechanical components to the manufacturing industry, offering approximately 24,000 saleable articles ranging from standard catalogue products (hexagon screws, nuts, washers, pins, clamps, blind rivets) to customer-specific custom solutions, alongside procurement, customized packaging, automated replenishment (Easy Track VMI), logistics, and warehousing services.

Product overview

Tilka Trading is a distributor offering fasteners and mechanical components to the Swedish manufacturing industry. The product portfolio spans over 24,000 saleable articles across 13 main product groups (hexagon screws, machine/sheet metal screws, nuts, flat/lock washers, spring washers, fastener assortments, shaft locks, pins/cotter pins, clamps/holders, blind rivets/rivet nuts, assembly tools, and thread inserts), with 6,000-8,000 items kept in stock at their Mönsterås warehouse. Their offering combines standard articles with customized articles and compound/specialized articles. Services include procurement service, automatic ordering via Easy Track VMI solution, customized packaging, automated refill, logistics solutions, and warehousing. The company also provides quality-focused services including material selection, quality control, and delivery reliability support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hexagon Screws Standard hexagonal screws sold to Swedish manufacturers for industrial fastening applications, available through Tilka's webshop and direct sales.
• Machine and Sheet Metal Screws Screws designed for machine assembly and sheet metal fastening applications, sold to manufacturing customers via Tilka's catalogue and webshop.
• Nuts Various types of nuts for fastening applications, supplied as standard catalogue items to manufacturing customers.
• Flat and Lock Washers Washers designed to distribute load and prevent loosening in assemblies, sold as catalogue items to manufacturers.
• Spring Washers Elastic washers that provide spring tension to maintain bolt tension and prevent loosening, available as catalogue items.
• Fastener Assortments Pre-packed collections of various fasteners for different applications, supplied as catalogue assortments.
• Shaft Locks Locking devices designed to secure shafts in position, distributed as catalogue items.
• Pins and Cotter Pins Fastening pins used to secure components and prevent unintended movement, available as catalogue items.
• Clamps and Holders Clamping devices for securing components in various applications, supplied as catalogue items to manufacturers.
• Blind Rivets and Blind Rivet Nuts Riveting fasteners designed for installation where only one side is accessible, sold as catalogue items.
• Assembly Tools

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% OTIF (On Time In Full) on confirmed orders in Q1
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bufab GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Tilka has been part of the Bufab Group since October 2021. This acquisition provided a stronger foundation and has enabled economies of scale, improved logistics solutions, and enhanced purchasing power. Tilka has been able to maintain its identity within the Bufab group while developing its offering on a larger scale regarding warehouse management and logistics. The partnership has contributed to new sales records and improved profitability.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trident Fasteners: UK-based specialist fastener distributor offering standard and customized fastener solutions to industrial customers. Closely comparable to Tilka in product mix, custom solutions focus, and industrial customer base, though serving the UK market rather than Sweden.
• Fastenal Company: North American leader in fastener and industrial supply distribution with strong VMI/onsite vending offering. Closely comparable to Tilka in business model (broad SKU range, VMI automation, manufacturing customer base), with Fastenal's FAST Solutions representing the global benchmark for the kind of automated inventory service Tilka offers via Easy Track.
• Bossard Group: Swiss-listed global specialist in fastening solutions with focus on engineering, logistics, and supply chain optimization for industrial customers. Highly comparable to Tilka in offering (fasteners + kitting + VMI), customer profile (industrial manufacturers), and service orientation, including the SmartBin logistics concept which parallels Tilka's Easy Track VMI.
• Würth Group: Global market leader in fastener and assembly technology distribution with broad catalogues and value-added services for industrial customers. Directly comparable to Tilka in product category, customer base (manufacturing/industrial), and service-led distribution model, but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• William Hackett (IPD Group): Industrial product distributor with a focus on lifting, rigging, and material handling components including fasteners, serving mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing customers. Comparable to Tilka in industrial customer focus and component distribution model, though operating in different geographies and verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Bufab Group: Parent company of Tilka and a major European industrial distributor of fasteners and components operating across multiple geographies. Directly comparable to Tilka's offering but as the broader group; other Bufab subsidiaries operate in adjacent markets and offer cross-leverage potential for Tilka.
• MSC Industrial Direct: Large US-based broad-line industrial distributor with significant metalworking and fastener exposure serving MRO and production customers. Comparable to Tilka in B2B distribution model and customer base, though operates at much larger scale and primarily in North America.
• Anixter (now Wesco): Global broad-line industrial distributor (network/security/electrical/communications) with overlapping B2B supply chain services. Relevant as a comparison point for industrial supply consolidation dynamics, though less directly comparable in the fastener-specific niche.
• McMaster-Carr: US industrial supply retailer/distributor known for unmatched SKU breadth and rapid fulfillment. Comparable to Tilka's "broadest assortment" positioning in Sweden, though with a primarily self-service e-commerce model rather than field sales-led distribution.

Regional players

• ERIKS NV: Dutch-headquartered European industrial distributor specializing in technical components including sealing and fastener-related products for industrial customers. Comparable to Tilka in vertical specialization, European industrial customer base, and value-added services (customization, VMI), though serves different national markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tilka-trading-ab
• Instagraminstagram.com/tilkatrading/?hl=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Tilka Trading