Skydda Group

What Skydda Group does

Skydda Group is a Nordic supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE), workwear, and HSE solutions serving professional B2B customers across Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The company was founded in 1975 (with roots to 1928 via Arthur Gjulholt AS in Norway) and is headquartered in Ulricehamn, Sweden; it was acquired by the Nordic trading group Ahlsell on July 1, 2025. Skydda's commercial offer spans 11 product categories — head, hearing, eye, and respiratory protection, gloves, safety footwear, workwear and clothing, fall protection, first aid, and hygiene — backed by a curated portfolio of 60+ brands and proprietary sub-brands including L.Brador (workwear, launched 2003), Eris (gloves, launched 2023), and the retained/acquired brands Guide, Cresto, and Zekler; Arbesko protective footwear is carried via Bergman & Beving.

Name

Skydda Group

Legal name

Skydda i Sverige AB

Website

https://skydda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Skydda Group is a Nordic supplier of personal protective equipment, workwear, and HSE solutions serving professional B2B customers across Sweden, Norway, and Finland, operating as a subsidiary of Ahlsell since July 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Protective Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (423460)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

Membership Wholesale Clubs (B2B & B2B2C) (CRAEAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD), Automotive, Tools & Industrial Supplies (B2B) (CRAEAEAH)

Keywords

• Personal protective equipment
• Workwear distribution
• Occupational safety solutions
• Workplace safety products
• Protective footwear supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulricehamn

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PPE and Workwear Product Sales: Core revenue from selling personal protective equipment (PPE) and workwear including head protection, hearing protection, eye protection, respiratory protection, gloves, safety shoes, and clothing. Products sold through owned e-commerce platform, direct sales team, and reseller network.
2. Digital Integration Services (API/EDI): Revenue from providing API access and EDI integration services to B2B customers for automated data exchange, procurement integration, and real-time product/inventory information.
3. Fitting and Certification Services: Services including fit-testing for respiratory protection (required by Swedish law from January 2025), providing compliance documentation and certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Skydda Group distributes personal protective equipment (PPE), workwear, and occupational health, safety, and environment (HSE) solutions to professional B2B customers across Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The offering spans 11 product categories (head, hearing, eye, respiratory, hand, foot, fall protection, workwear, first aid, hygiene) sourced from 60+ premium brands including its own brands L.Brador and Eris. The company operates a B2B e-commerce platform with API/EDI/punch-out integration, a direct enterprise sales force, and a reseller network, and provides regulatory compliance services such as individual fit-testing for respiratory protection.

Product overview

Skydda Group is a Nordic supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) and workwear, operating as part of the Ahlsell Group since July 2025. The offering is a broad portfolio organized around two proprietary brands — L.Brador (workwear launched 2003) and Eris (work gloves launched 2023) — alongside acquired/sister brands Guide (gloves), Cresto (fall protection), and Zekler (eye/head/hearing protection). The core portfolio spans 11 product categories: head protection, hearing protection, eye protection, respiratory protection, gloves, safety footwear, workwear/clothing, fall protection, first aid, and hygiene. Skydda's digital ecosystem includes a B2B e-commerce platform, a Product API (published in Azure) for programmatic data access, EDI in EDIFACT format for automated order processing, and a punch-out solution integrated into customer procurement systems. A Fit Testing Service for respiratory protection is also offered. The company serves professional B2B customers and distributes through resellers across the Nordic region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L.Brador: Workwear brand launched by Skydda in 2003. Develops functional, comfortable work clothing for professionals with high demands, designed for the harsh Nordic climate. Known for pioneering four-way stretch workwear and using premium materials from brands such as 3M, Cordura, Kevlar, and Dyneema. Slogan: 'Made to move. Designed to work.'
• Eris (Eris Safety)
• Zekler
• Guide
• Cresto

Products and services

• L.Brador Workwear Own-brand professional workwear line launched in 2003, based in Ulricehamn, Sweden. Offers functional, design-focused work clothing tailored for the Nordic climate, including work pants, shorts, and shirts using premium materials from 3M, Cordura, Kevlar, and Dyneema. Known for pioneering four-way stretch work pants in 2012.
• Eris Work Gloves Own-brand work glove line launched in 2023, focused on simple, high-quality safety gloves and uncomplicated protective equipment for active, professional workers. Designed to make workplace safety more accessible and easy to choose.
• Guide Work Gloves Work glove brand launched by Skydda in 1997, focused on Swedish design, comfort, and safety. Became synonymous with quality and reliability in demanding work environments and operates as an independent sister company within the group since 2016.
• Cresto Fall Protection Fall protection brand launched in 1999 using Swedish engineering. Develops advanced fall protection systems including harnesses, lanyards, and anchor points for workers at height. Operates as an independent sister company within the group since 2016.
• Zekler Eye, Head, and Hearing Protection Premium protective eyewear brand launched in 2003, evolved into a 'Tech above the neck' range covering ear, eye, and head protection. Offers 139 products including safety glasses, visors, helmets, and hearing protectors. Operates as an independent sister company within the group since 2016.
• Arbesko Protective Footwear Historic protective footwear brand (founded 1839) acquired by Bergman & Beving in 2017 and carried in Skydda's assortment. Features include the Tech series with running shoe cushioning technology.
• Skydda B2B E-commerce Platform B2B e-commerce platform offering a curated selection of high-quality PPE from leading suppliers. Features include product filtering, order management, order history, approval workflows, user management, and access to customer-specific campaigns and outlet pricing. Login-based pricing for professional customers.
• Skydda Product API REST API hosted on Azure that enables B2B customers to retrieve product info, descriptions, attributes, images, documents, stock levels, base price, market price, net price, discounts, article status, and delivery information programmatically. Replaces manual Excel-based data exchange. Endpoints include FetchItemInfo (single query), FetchItemInfoMulti (multi-query), and FetchItemATP (stock availability).
• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Electronic Data Interchange service in EDIFACT format for automated exchange of orders, order confirmations, dispatch advisories, and invoices between Skydda and its B2B customers and suppliers.
• Punch-out Solution Integration that allows B2B customers to access Skydda's e-commerce platform directly from their own procurement system. Orders placed are automatically transferred back to the customer's purchasing system and typically completed via EDI.
• Respiratory Protection Fit Testing Service Individual fit-testing service for tight-fitting respiratory protection, required by Swedish law since January 2025. Skydda offers this testing service to help employers ensure proper protection for each worker and provide compliance documentation.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bergman & BevingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBergman & Beving acquired the heritage brand Arbesko (founded 1839) in 2017, adding it to the group's premium portfolio of protective shoes. Arbesko is carried in Skydda's product assortment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ahlsell: Parent company of Skydda since July 2025 and one of the largest Nordic trading groups in installation products, tools, and supplies. Directly comparable as a broad industrial B2B distributor serving the same Nordic professional customer base, with overlapping categories including PPE and safety equipment.
• Würth: Global market leader in B2B industrial supplies and fasteners, with extensive PPE/workwear adjacencies and a strong Nordic presence. Comparable to Skydda as a multi-channel B2B industrial distributor combining catalogs, field sales, e-commerce, and digital integration for professional customers.
• Honeywell Safety Products: Global industrial conglomerate with a substantial PPE/safety products portfolio (respiratory, fall protection, head/eye protection). Comparable as a large incumbent PPE manufacturer whose products are sold by Skydda and whose brands compete within Skydda's assortment.
• 3M Personal Safety Division: Global manufacturer with a major Personal Safety Division covering respiratory, hearing, and eye protection products — many of which Skydda distributes under the 3M brand. Comparable as a key PPE supplier competing for the same Nordic B2B procurement budgets.

Direct peers

• Mascot Workwear: Danish workwear brand and B2B supplier specializing in functional, certified workwear sold across the Nordics and Europe. Comparable to Skydda's L.Brador in product positioning and customer base, and a direct competitor for the same professional buyer budgets.
• Snickers Workwear: Swedish-origin workwear brand focused on tradespeople, sold through B2B distributor networks. Directly comparable to Skydda's L.Brador brand — competing in the same Nordic workwear category with overlapping end customers in construction and industry.
• Berner: European B2B distributor of tools, chemicals, and PPE/workwear serving trades and industry, with strong Nordic (especially Scandinavian) presence via direct sales and digital channels. Closely comparable to Skydda in product mix, customer base, and multi-channel GTM including EDI/punch-out integrations.
• Uvex: German manufacturer of eye, head, and hearing protection (PPE) sold into B2B channels across Europe. Directly comparable to Skydda's Zekler brand positioning ("Tech above the neck") and competes for the same Nordic professional eyewear/head-protection buyers.
• Ansell: Global manufacturer specializing in hand and body protection (gloves, protective apparel) sold through B2B distribution. Comparable to Skydda in the hand-protection category where Skydda distributes multiple brands and competes with Ansell as a manufacturer-to-channel partner.
• Blåkläder: Swedish workwear manufacturer and brand focused on professional trades, distributed through Skydda's own assortment. Comparable as a Nordic workwear peer competing for the same end-customer share and shelf space within professional B2B channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/skyddaisverige
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skydda-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Skydda Group