JAKO AS
JAKO AS is Norway's oldest and largest supplier of professional and industrial laundry equipment, distributing exclusive brands such as Kannegiesser, Girbau, and Wientjens to industrial laundries, residential cooperatives, fire stations, and cleaning companies across Norway.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1845
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What JAKO AS does
JAKO AS is a privately held Norwegian distributor and service provider of professional and industrial laundry equipment, founded in 1845 in Oslo and operating as Norway's oldest and largest supplier to commercial and industrial laundries. The company sells, leases, services, and supplies spare parts for washing machines, tumble dryers, drying cabinets, barrier machines, water and energy recovery systems, and sorting/finishing equipment — sourced through exclusive Norwegian distribution partnerships with European OEMs including Kannegiesser (60+ years exclusivity), Girbau (30+ years exclusivity), Wientjens, Schulthess, and Podab. Its product range spans from compact 6 kg professional units to 50 kg barrier machines, with specialized solutions for hospitals, fire and rescue services, restaurants, and residential cooperatives (borettslag).
JAKO serves four primary vertical segments: large-scale industrial laundries processing textiles for healthcare, hospitality, and institutional clients; borettslag (Norwegian residential cooperatives) operating shared laundry facilities; fire and rescue services requiring barrier machines and PPE drying cabinets for decontamination; and cleaning/hospitality companies. The company differentiates primarily through integrated sustainability offerings — notably Wientjens water/energy recovery systems delivering 30-80% reductions in water, energy, and microplastic emissions — and through a nationwide service network with 48-hour response SLAs and replacement-machine guarantees.
The business model combines one-time equipment sales, recurring 60-month rental/lease agreements with bundled full-service contracts, spare parts distribution from a centralized Oslo warehouse, and subscription-based payment and booking systems (Airwallet, Beas). Go-to-market is a mix of direct enterprise field sales from Oslo, regional dealers across Trøndelag, Rogaland, Viken, and Oslo, a nationwide service partner network, and event-driven engagement at trade shows such as Brann og Redning. Distribution is exclusively domestic (Norway), and the company is founder/management-owned with no disclosed external institutional investors.
JAKO AS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- JAKO AS
- Legal name
- Jako AS
- Website
- https://jako.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1845
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- JAKO AS is Norway's oldest and largest supplier of professional and industrial laundry equipment, distributing exclusive brands such as Kannegiesser, Girbau, and Wientjens to industrial laundries, residential cooperatives, fire stations, and cleaning companies across Norway.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
JAKO AS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Laundry Equipment
- NAICS
- Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42385)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Laundry & Textile Care Chemicals & Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAI)
Keywords
Where JAKO AS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
JAKO AS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: Sale of industrial washing machines, tumble dryers, drying cabinets, and related laundry equipment. Products range from compact 6kg machines to large 50kg barrier machines.
- Equipment Rental/Leasing: Rental agreements for industrial washing machines including 60-month (5-year) contracts. Includes full service and maintenance, free service contract, and replacement machines if needed.
- Service and Maintenance: Service contracts and technical support for industrial washing machines and laundries. Includes annual service, spare parts, and 48-hour response time guarantee.
- Spare Parts: Full spare parts inventory for all brands including Girbau, Schulthess, Kannegiesser, Podab and Lamac. Central warehouse in Oslo for quick delivery, same-day shipping typically.
- Payment and Booking Systems: Airwallet payment and booking systems for laundry facilities, including integration with industrial washing machines and tumble dryers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Equipment rental with full service included |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
JAKO AS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
JAKO AS supplies industrial and commercial laundry equipment to the Norwegian market, including washing machines, tumble dryers, drying cabinets, barrier washing machines, and water/energy recovery systems. The company distributes equipment from brands such as Girbau, Kannegiesser, Schulthess, Podab, Lamac, Ghidini, Alvi, Beas, and Thermotex, and complements it with installation, service contracts, spare parts, rental/leasing programs, and payment/booking systems.
Product overview
JAKO AS is Norway's leading supplier of professional and industrial laundry solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio of washing machines, tumble dryers, and drying cabinets from brands including Girbau, Schulthess, and PODAB. The company provides complete laundry solutions including barrier machines for hygiene-critical environments like hospitals and fire stations, water and energy recovery systems from Wientjens, and sorting/processing equipment from Kannegiesser. JAKO also offers payment and booking systems like Airwallet, as well as rental options for residential cooperatives and businesses. Their product range spans from compact machines for smaller laundries (6-8 kg) to large industrial systems (up to 50 kg capacity), with specialized solutions for fire stations, healthcare facilities, hotels, restaurants, and residential cooperatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Industrial Washing Machines A range of industrial washing machines from 6 kg to 50 kg capacity, including Girbau Genius, Girbau ProWash, Girbau HS, and Schulthess TopLine models, designed for professional and industrial laundry operations across Norway.
- Barrier Washing Machines Girbau BW barrier washing machines in 16, 26, 38, and 50 kg capacities, built into walls between clean and unclean zones for hospitals, fire stations, and hygiene-critical environments requiring full separation between contaminated and clean textiles.
- Industrial Tumble Dryers Professional and industrial tumble dryers from 6 kg to 17 kg capacity, including Girbau ProDry, Girbau ED-series, Schulthess TopLine, and JAKO T-201 models with heat pump and exhaust air technologies.
- Drying Cabinets PODAB drying cabinets in capacities from 4 kg to 20 kg, including specialized FC 20 Firedryer for turnout uniforms, fire gear, and heavy protective clothing, used by fire stations and residential cooperatives.
- Water and Energy Recovery Systems Wientjens water and energy recovery solutions including Blue Ocean Filter, AquaDrain, AquaBatch, and Heat Recovery System for industrial laundries, enabling water reuse, microplastic filtration, and energy savings.
- Industrial Laundry Processing Equipment Kannegiesser industrial laundry processing systems including PowerSwing 180 washing machines, Transline sorting system, FAX 1200 Servo folding machine, and HighPower roller gate for medium and large laundries.
- Airwallet Payment and Booking System Modern payment and booking system for industrial washing machines that allows reservation via mobile, tablet or PC and payment via bank card or credit card without coins or laundry cards, integrated with industrial laundry equipment.
- Equipment Rental and Leasing 60-month (5-year) rental and lease agreements for industrial washing machines with full service and maintenance included, free service contract, and replacement machines if repairs take longer than 72 hours, targeted at borettslag and smaller customers.
- Service and Maintenance Contracts Service contracts and technical support for industrial washing machines and laundries, including annual service visits, spare parts, and 48-hour response time guarantee, delivered by JAKO's nationwide service partner network.
- Spare Parts Full spare parts inventory for all distributed brands (Girbau, Schulthess, Kannegiesser, Podab, Lamac) from a central warehouse in Oslo with same-day shipping typically.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% reduction in microplastic emissions
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use JAKO AS
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
JAKO AS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature7 records
JAKO AS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GirbaucoreSpanish manufacturer of high-quality industrial washing machines, tumble dryers, rollers, and other equipment for small and medium-sized laundries. JAKO has been exclusive distributor for Norwegian market for over 30 years.
- KannegiessercoreGerman manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment for medium and large laundries with highest demands for automation, efficiency, and environment. JAKO has been exclusive distributor for Norwegian market for over 60 years.
- WientjenscoreProduces high-quality products for circular water and energy savings solutions for laundries, including water recovery systems, microplastic filtration, and heat exchangers.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
JAKO AS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jensen-Group: Danish-Belgian manufacturer of industrial laundry processing equipment including tunnel washers, drying systems, and material handling for large laundries. Comparable as a European incumbent serving enterprise customers similar to Nor Tekstil and Vest Industrivask, the type of accounts JAKO supports with Kannegiesser equipment.
- Electrolux Professional: Global Swedish-Italian manufacturer of professional laundry and food service equipment with broad lines of industrial washing machines, dryers, and finishing equipment. Comparable as a major incumbent in the same commercial/industrial laundry category where JAKO operates, though significantly larger and serving global markets directly.
- Alliance Laundry Systems: US-based manufacturer of commercial and industrial laundry equipment owning brands including Speed Queen, Huebsch, IPSO, and Unimac. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same industrial laundry category with global reach, though primarily serving North American and European direct channels.
- Miele Professional: German premium manufacturer of commercial and industrial laundry equipment including washing machines, dryers, and ironing systems. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving overlapping customer segments in hotels, hospitals, and industrial laundries, though Miele sells globally direct rather than via distribution.
Others
- Kannegiesser: German manufacturer of high-end industrial laundry equipment including washing systems, sorting, and folding equipment. Comparable as JAKO's premium equipment supplier for 60+ years addressing the automated large-scale end of the Norwegian market with brands like PowerSwing and PowerTrans.
- Wientjens: Dutch manufacturer of water and energy recovery solutions for industrial laundries and JAKO's exclusive technology partner in Norway. Comparable as the supplier of the differentiated sustainability technology that underpins JAKO's strongest customer ROI narrative and competitive differentiation in retrofit deals.
- Girbau: Spanish manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment and JAKO's exclusive supplier for the SMB/medium-end of its portfolio for over 30 years. Comparable as the upstream equipment partner whose products anchor JAKO's commercial offering, and a potential competitor if Girbau chose to sell direct in Norway.
Direct peers
- Lapauw: Belgian manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment including washing machines, dryers, and finishing systems. Comparable to JAKO as a similarly-positioned European industrial laundry equipment specialist serving overlapping customer types, though operating as manufacturer-direct rather than distributor.
- BÖHM (Bohem Industries): German manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment including washing machines, dryers, and finishing systems. Comparable to JAKO as a similarly-positioned European industrial laundry equipment specialist serving mid-to-large laundries with a manufacturer-direct model in overlapping European markets.
Emerging players
- TOLON: Turkish manufacturer of industrial laundry equipment including washing machines, dryers, and finishing equipment with a value-positioned offering. Comparable to JAKO as a competitive equipment manufacturer serving the same industrial laundry customer base, particularly relevant as an alternative source JAKO's competitors could supply.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
JAKO AS social profiles
Digital presenceJAKO AS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
JAKO AS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
JAKO AS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
JAKO AS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
JAKO AS 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 JAKO AS
What does JAKO AS do?
JAKO AS supplies industrial and commercial laundry equipment to the Norwegian market, including washing machines, tumble dryers, drying cabinets, barrier washing machines, and water/energy recovery systems. The company distributes equipment from brands such as Girbau, Kannegiesser, Schulthess, Podab, Lamac, Ghidini, Alvi, Beas, and Thermotex, and complements it with installation, service contracts, spare parts, rental/leasing programs, and payment/booking systems.
Is JAKO AS a public or private company?
JAKO AS is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was JAKO AS founded?
JAKO AS was founded in 1845. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is JAKO AS based?
JAKO AS is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does JAKO AS make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rental/Leasing, service and Maintenance, spare Parts and payment and Booking Systems.
Who are JAKO AS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Jensen-Group, Electrolux Professional, Alliance Laundry Systems and Miele Professional. Others are Kannegiesser, Wientjens and Girbau. Direct peers are Lapauw and BÖHM (Bohem Industries). TOLON is listed as an emerging player.
Does JAKO AS have an API?
No public API is recorded for JAKO AS.
What industry is JAKO AS in?
JAKO AS's product category is Industrial Laundry Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAGAI, Laundry & Textile Care Chemicals & Supplies Distribution. Its NAICS code is 42385 and its SIC code is 5040.