
- Network partners
- Sector group
-
Creative Industries
- Countries
-
SWEDEN
What if your company was in the business of creating children’s memories? For the Swedish company SBI, that’s not a hypothetical question, it’s something they do every day.
They have been building and selling children’s amusement park rides for decades now. Their rides can be found in theme parks across the globe.
To create these memories, however, internationalisation is crucial. Because SBI works in a niche market, Sweden, and even Europe, alone aren’t large enough to sustain the business.
The company needs to look outside of its own borders. Only 2-3 % of SBI’s revenue today comes from the Swedish market. The entire business rests on export. "Each individual country’s market is relatively small," said Petter Lindh, export manager of SBI Sweden. “But the global market is vast. Which is why it’s in our DNA to seek out new markets and international partners.”
That’s how SBI ended up working together with the Enterprise Europe Network. The Swedish company already had a deep experience exporting their rides, but in certain areas the Network and its advice allowed them to push forward even further.
"We have been working together since 2018," Therése Carlbrant of the Enterprise Europe Network outlined. "Since then the partnership has flourished, and SBI has doubled in size."
Family photo albums
Founded in the early 1980s, SBI builds small vehicles such as cars, tractors or boats that kids can ride around in and operate. They are aimed at children between 3 and 11 years old.
"Many of us likely have memories of sitting in, for example, a mini-excavator, car or tractor," explained Markus Jonsson, CEO of SBI. "The child drives the car entirely on their own, or operates the excavator for real, with hydraulics. They don’t experience the product as a toy, for them the experience is very real."
In its factory in Jönköping, southern Sweden, the company builds these small vehicles designed to bring joy to children. Their customers range from small farm parks to the largest amusement parks in the world such as Legoland and Universal Studios.
"It feels great to know that we create memories for life,” stated Lindh. “Our rides have ended up in innumerable family photo albums."
The comfort of a support system
One area where SBI and the Enterprise Europe Network cooperated intensely is in the company’s expansion to the United States. SBI is starting up a subsidiary in the country, and the Network supported them in the effort. For example, it gave them access to valuable contacts and legal advice. "The Network is a very good partner," explained Lindh. "We are experienced exporters, but there are always new challenges that arise and require assistance. It’s comforting to have a support system that can help."
Another area where the two cooperated was in new product development. The Network helped SBI apply for and receive funding so they could design an amusement park car that is accessible for children with a disability.
"When our cooperation started in 2018, the company sought assistance with its export strategy and expanding its international sales," said Carlbrant. "They also had new products under development for which they were seeking funding."
From the United States to the Gulf states
SBI’s internationalisation during the last few years, partly powered by the Enterprise Europe Network, has proven quite successful. It has caused strong growth for the Swedish company. Since 2018 the number of employees of SBI has gone from 6 to 11. In the same period the company has more than doubled its turnover. The number of countries in which its products are sold has gone from 35 to 55.
"The Enterprise Europe Network has a very broad expertise," emphasised Lindh. "What’s also an enormous help is the network. It’s so extensive, and exists in so many markets, that it really helps us grow."
With its sights set on the United States, which offers a very large market with significant potential for SBI, the future now seems bright for the Swedish company. Yet that’s not the only focus of their internationalisation. They also see untapped potential in the Middle East.
"There’s considerable opportunities in the Gulf states," concluded Lindh. "We also want to strengthen our digital presence and become even better at attracting new customer segments."