Förch Sverige

What Förch Sverige does

FÖRCH Sverige AB is the Swedish operating subsidiary of FÖRCH Group, a 100% family-owned German direct-to-trade distributor of workshop, assembly, and fastening products headquartered in Neuenstadt am Kocher, Germany. Founded in Sweden in 2006 and based in Södertälje with 22 employees, the subsidiary serves Swedish trade and industry customers across three primary verticals: automotive/truck workshops, metal and building services (plumbing, HVAC, electrical), and wood and construction. The offering covers 100,000+ articles across 19 product categories, including workshop and construction chemistry, cutting/grinding/sawing tools, DIN/NORM parts, anchors and fixings, window installation, HVAC, electrical, automotive, hand and power tools, compressed air technology, and occupational safety.

The core technology platform is a nopCommerce-based e-commerce online shop supplemented by a mobile app with barcode scanning, multi-channel order integration, customer accounts, cost centre tracking, approval workflows, and EAN barcode catalogues. Digital services include hazardous substance management, tool and cost centre management, and E-Procurement integration supporting BMEcat, eCl@ss, and UNSPSC formats via OCI, cXML, Ariba Punchout, and IDS interfaces. The VARO sub-brand spans modular shelving (VARO Racking), stackable storage boxes (VAROBOXX/VAROiBOXX), vehicle equipment (VAROMOBIL), and mobile workstations (VAROMOVE), available through a rental model. The company also partners with AMPShare by Bosch for cross-compatible professional cordless power tools, and integrates with Loco-Soft and AM Solutions dealer management systems for electronic C-parts management.

FÖRCH Sverige earns revenue primarily through one-time product sales across the 100,000+ SKU catalog, supplemented by subscription-style rental of VARO systems and managed services for C-parts procurement and hazardous substance compliance. Distribution is multi-channel: online shop and mobile app (24/7 self-service), inside sales (telephone), and field sales representatives providing on-site consultation. The group operates 33 physical sales branches in Germany (some 24/7) and serves 23 European countries with 24-48 hour delivery and a 98.5% service level. Customers are predominantly SMBs in trade and industry, with 300,000+ customers served worldwide. The company is wholly owned by Theo Förch GmbH & Co. KG and has never received external venture or private equity funding.

Name

Förch Sverige

Legal name

Förch Sverige AB

Website

https://foerch.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FÖRCH Sverige AB is the Swedish subsidiary of the German family-owned FÖRCH Group, distributing 100,000+ workshop, assembly, and fastening articles to trade and industry SMBs across automotive, metal/building, and construction verticals via online, field, and telephone sales channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Södertälje

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of workshop, assembly, and fastening products across 100,000+ articles including workshop chemicals, building chemicals, drilling/cutting/grinding tools, DIN/NORM parts, anchors, window mounting, HVAC, electrical, automotive, workshop equipment, hand tools, power tools, compressed air technology, VARO systems, and safety equipment.
2. VARO System Rental: Rental model for VARO shelving systems, VAROBOXX storage boxes, and related organization equipment. Provides favorable rental rates with no financing costs for customers.
3. C-Parts Management Services: Flexible services ranging from consultation to complete takeover of procurement processes for C-parts (small parts, DIN parts, consumables). Includes electronic management with recalculation functions integrated with dealer management systems.
4. Hazardous Substance Management: Digital hazardous substance management service with automated article tracking, safety data sheets, and compliance documentation. Activated via customer account by sales consultant.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Förch Sverige AB distributes over 100,000 articles of workshop, assembly, and fastening products to trade and industry customers in Sweden through multiple sales channels (online shop, mobile app, telephone sales, and group field sales). The product range spans 19 categories including workshop chemistry, DIN/NORM parts, anchors, window installation, HVAC, electrical, automotive, hand tools, power tools, and occupational safety, complemented by the proprietary VARO modular storage/organization system and digital procurement services.

Product overview

FÖRCH is a multi-channel distributor of workshop, assembly, and fastening products serving trade and industry in Sweden. The company operates a unified platform combining an e-commerce online shop with over 100,000 articles, physical sales branches, field sales representatives, and telephone sales. The core offering includes 19 product categories spanning workshop chemistry, construction chemicals, drilling/milling/threading, cutting/grinding/sawing, soldering/welding, DIN/NORM parts, anchors/fixings, window installation, HVAC/fire protection, roofing/wall/facade, electrical/electronics, automotive/truck, workshop equipment, hand tools, power tools (AMPShare by Bosch battery alliance), compressed air technology, and VARO modular storage/organization systems. The VARO system is the flagship service brand encompassing the VAROBOXX stacking storage system, VARO Racking System (shelving), VAROMOBIL vehicle equipment, VAROMOVE mobile workstation, and comprehensive C-parts management services. Digital services include an online shop with e-procurement capabilities (supporting BMEcat, eCl@ss, UNSPSC standards and OCI/cXML/Ariba Punchout/IDS interfaces), dangerous goods management, tool and cost centre management, approval workflows, barcode catalogue, and integration with Loco-Soft and AM Solutions dealer management systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VARO: Workshop shelving and storage system - variable organization system for workshops, warehouses, and construction sites. Includes VAROBOXX, VAROiBOXX storage boxes, VAROMOBIL vehicle equipment, VAROMOVE mobile workstation system, and VAROscan barcode scanning for reordering.
• VAROMOBIL
• VAROBOXX
• VAROMOVE
• FÖRCH TO GO
• FÖRCH TO GET
• FORCH TO GO

Products and services

• FÖRCH Online Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.5% delivery rate / service level
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Loco-SoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership for electronic C-parts management. FÖRCH article master data can be imported directly into Loco-Soft dealer management system for automated recalculation, stock management, and analysis of C-parts. Enables convenient import without manual entry.
• AM SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership for electronic C-parts management with AM Solution dealer management system. Enables electronic parts catalog via OCI and seamless article data transfer for workshop invoicing and inventory management.
• DPDcoreOthersLogistics partnership for CO2-neutral parcel shipping through DPD's 'Total Zero' initiative. Parcels shipped by FÖRCH with DPD are transported in a climate-neutral manner with no surcharge for customers.
• AMPShare by BoschcoreTechnology or IntegrationFÖRCH is a partner in the AMPShare battery alliance by Bosch. A single battery system that fits all compatible tools from FÖRCH. All batteries can be exchanged between machines and use the same charger.
• TÜV NordcoreOthersThird-party certification body for DIN EN ISO 9001 (Quality), DIN EN ISO 14001 (Environmental), and ISO 50001 (Energy) management system certifications.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fastenal: North American leader in fasteners and industrial supplies with on-site vending and e-procurement. Compares to FÖRCH in fasteners and C-parts density, with a different but adjacent supply chain and digital service model.
• Grainger: US-headquartered industrial MRO distributor with extensive European operations (Cromwell, Zoro). Provides broad product range, e-procurement, and inventory management to industrial customers, an incumbent comparable to FÖRCH in product scope and digital tooling.
• MSC Industrial Direct: Large US-based MRO distributor with growing European presence. Operates catalog, e-commerce, and e-procurement channels for metalworking, fasteners, and workshop supplies, comparable to FÖRCH's industrial product breadth and digital procurement integrations.
• Rubix (formerly IPH-Brammer / Brammer): European industrial MRO distributor formed from the merger of IPH-Brammer and Bearings & Power Transmission specialists. Provides MRO supply, inventory management, and e-procurement similar to FÖRCH's C-parts services, with broader but less trade-focused coverage.

Direct peers

• Berner Group: European direct-sales distributor of chemicals, tools, and fasteners for trades and automotive workshops. Multi-channel model with field sales, online, and integrated C-parts management closely mirrors FÖRCH's approach, including own-brand product lines.
• Hoffmann Group: German quality tools and industrial supplies distributor serving metalworking, automotive, and manufacturing trades. Operates its own brand (Garant) plus multi-channel distribution across Europe, competing directly with FÖRCH's hand tools, workshop equipment, and e-procurement offerings.
• E/D/E (Einkaufsbüro Deutscher Eisenhändler): German purchasing cooperative and distributor for hardware/steel trade members, offering branded products, logistics, and e-procurement services. Functions as a parallel wholesale platform to FÖRCH for German and European trade customers.
• BTI Befestigungstechnik: German specialist distributor of fasteners, anchors, and fixing systems for construction and trade, selling through direct sales and branches. Competitor in the same builder's hardware and C-parts categories that FÖRCH serves in its Wood & Construction segment.
• Würth Group: The world's largest direct-sales distributor of fasteners, tools, and workshop supplies, headquartered in Germany. Operates the same multi-channel model (field sales, online, branch network) targeting trade and industry customers across Europe, making it the closest structural analog to FÖRCH.

Others

• Toolport: European online retailer of tools, workshop equipment, and industrial supplies. Adjacent competitor to FÖRCH's online shop in the SMB trader segment, though operating purely through e-commerce rather than FÖRCH's multi-channel field sales model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f%C3%B6rch-sverige

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Förch Sverige