There is no official statistics about forwarder sales in Sweden but almost every single forwarder sold is registered in the public vehicle database. NordicWoodJournal.com looked at the figures and found two brands fighting for the top position of the Swedish forwarder market.
John Deere/Timberjack and Komatsu/Valmet has dominated the Swedish forwarder market the last two decades. The annual market for new forwarders in Sweden is today around 300 machines a year. Some years ago, it was around 350 but with increased forwarder size combined with a higher reliability and less downtime, the Swedish contractors today manage to produce the same, or even higher volumes with fewer machines.
John Deere and Komatsu dominate the Swedish forwarder market
Together, the two major CTL-machine manufacturers use to have two thirds of the forwarder market with some single exceptions. Even if their common share is stable, there is a slow shift between the brands. The last five years Komatsu forwarders have gained an increasing share of the market and today it’s very even between the two manufacturers who have appr. one third each.
Ponsse forwarders gain market shares
In the last slice of the market cake, Ponsse, Rottne and EcoLog is fighting for their market shares. Right now, its Ponsse who has the third position with 15,7% of the Swedish forwarder market. Domestic manufacturer Rottne is number four with 9,7% but another domestic brand, the EcoLog, is now coming closer.
No statistics for harvesters
Unfortunately, there are no market statistics for sold CTL-harvesters in Sweden but people with insight in the market estimate the annual number of harvesters sold to be some machines less than the forwarders. In total, this means an annual CTL-machine market of appr. 600 machines a year which makes Sweden to the largest CTL-machine market worldwide.
The world’s toughest forwarder market
It’s no overstatement to say that the Swedish forest machine market is rock hard. Four of the world’s leading CTL-machine brands are manufactured in Sweden (Komatsu, Rottne, EcoLog and Gremo) and John Deere has strong traditional roots in the country where ÖSA, Bruun and Kockum once were manufactured. All of them loved brands that ended up in the John Deere family via FMG and Timberjack. Even if both John Deere and Ponsse are manufacturing their machines in Finland, it’s close to Sweden and the domestic conditions are very similar between the countries.
Stable but mature market in Sweden
Almost all machines are owned by independent but small contractors. They use the machines extremely professional and many of them in two shift a day. After 4-6 years, it’s time to replace a machine to a new one which makes the Swedish forest machine market as a very stable one. But mature, as it’s more or less 100% mechanized since many years ago. When ten machines are replaced it’s only need for nine new because of the increased productivity.
You can also find features about Komatsu forwarders and John Deere harvesters here at nordicwoodjournal.com
This market statistic’s are compiled and published by NordicWoodJournal.com with official data from the Swedish Transport Agency.
