News Release

The Swedish machinery dealer’s move into selling used Yanmar Compact Equipment has transformed it from a local representative to a nationwide supplier of new machines.

It’s far from unusual for companies to fail to meet their long-term objectives – but few of them manage to do so in such spectacular fashion as Yanmar CE EMEA’s Swedish dealer, Wiklund Trading AB.

“When we started out in 2004, exporting used pavers and rollers, we agreed on two things – we’d have a maximum of eight people and would never sell new machines,” smiles Niklas Wiklund, owner and managing director. “Today, there are 24 of us, and new machinery sales and support is our main source of revenue!”

Entrepreneurial from the start

So, where did it all go right for the company Niklas set up with his brother Henrik and Per Liljeblad in Billeberga, near Malmö. Well…it could be the moment in 2006 when they began importing used Yanmar Compact Equipment, capitalizing on the brand’s strong local reputation to quickly become its only dealer in the Stockholm area. All-in-all, that has worked out to be a good idea – today Wiklund works through six sub-dealers and 20 service partners to deliver excellent customer service along the entire near 1,000 mile length of Sweden. And in 2017 Henrik Wiklund moved to Enköping and began offering sales, service and spare parts, a facility that now employs six people.

Or perhaps it was the smart decision to refrain from offering rental services, thereby avoiding alienating potential major clients in the rental market. “Many dealers here are trying to do their own rental, so existing rental companies see them as competitors,” Henrik explains. “Being focused on compact machinery, it would be difficult for us to offer a comprehensive rental service anyway, so they do business with us in several ways.”

New becomes used – the circular society in action

The fleet market has therefore become a major proportion of Wiklund’s new Yanmar machinery sales, with many rental outfits part-exchanging their used equipment, including large loaders, compactors or compressors. Much of this is exported across Europe and Southeast Asia – the export roster now includes more than 100 countries in all. Used equipment – especially those with the assurance of Yanmar CE’s Certified Used program – also exposes Wiklund to new domestic customers without the funds to buy new equipment, impressing them with the Yanmar CE brand and its strong service. It also encourages repeat business – often for new Yanmar machines – in the future.

This trade-in arrangement is key to helping Wiklund weather the recent global supply-chain shortages, ensuring its customers enjoyed access to a steady stream of quality used machines. Yanmar CE EMEA is in the top three compact equipment brands in Sweden, and its models enjoy high residual values on the secondhand market, making up around 50% of Wiklund’s annual turnover.

Boots on the ground support

Operating a comprehensive spare parts warehouse, Wiklund Trading also has a strong – and award-winning – aftermarket presence, while both depots are equipped with large, high-spec workshops and service vehicles offering onsite service and repair. “We are also responsible for the maintenance and servicing of many machines in the rental market, which is a major challenge in this huge country,” Niklas adds. “Sometimes we drive for hours only to arrive and find they’ve been hired out for the next three days, which is why we’re keen to help their own technicians become more proficient.”

Red means Go not Stop

As for what else the future holds, Niklas and Henrik Wiklund see the continuation of a trend towards smaller (2-2.5-tonne) machines – boosted by their easier transportability and growth of the fiber broadband installation market. And with both volumes and brand awareness already positively impacted by Yanmar’s new ‘Premium Red’ color scheme, Wiklund Trading is not ready to stop growing yet.

“We definitely want to continue growing with Yanmar CE!” Niklas laughs. “I really hope they will keep producing these superb compact machines and even grow the range further, maybe with some even-smaller wheel loaders. And we’re really looking forward to getting our hands on some of the alternative energy machines as soon as they become available too – once the infrastructure is finally available to support them, the sky will be the limit!”