Site Spotlight: From Local Paper Supplier to Serving the Nordic Market – Over 50 Years of Schades Sweden

Schades Sweden has been part of the changing paper industry for more than five decades. From its beginnings supplying paper products locally, the business has evolved into an established part of the Schades Group’s presence in the Nordic region, supporting customers across multiple markets and product categories.

Originally established in 1971 as Artin Office Supplies, the business has been operating under the Schades name since 1984. Throughout its history, it has remained close to its original location in Helsingborg, building long-standing customer relationships and developing a strong understanding of the needs of the markets it serves.

In the latest instalment in our site spotlight series, we take a closer look at the history of Schades Sweden, from its early focus on paper rolls to its role today as a key part of the Group’s Nordic presence.

From office supplies to a key player in the paper market

In its earliest years as Artin Office Supplies, the business focused primarily on woodfree rolls and operated in the Helsingborg area, where it has remained based for more than five decades.

The company entered a new chapter in 1984 when it began operating under the Schades name. As technology and customer requirements evolved, so did Schades Sweden’s product offering. The arrival of the fax machine created significant new demand for thermal paper and helped shape the future direction of the business.

The company continued to evolve alongside the market and, until around 2000, operated its own production facility in Sweden.

The opening of the Öresund Bridge between Sweden and Denmark on 1 July 2000 created a much faster and easier connection between the two countries, and brought the Nordic operations closer together.

As a result, the decision was made to operate with one production facility for the Nordic region in Denmark, allowing Schades Sweden to focus increasingly on its role in serving customers and developing the market.

Serving customers across the Nordic region

Today, Schades Sweden operates as a sales office with a broad remit: promoting the full spectrum of products available across the Schades Group.

Its portfolio includes cash register rolls, labels, linerless products, moulding rolls, tickets and PPC rolls, enabling the team to support customers with a wide variety of paper and label requirements.

The site has also developed particular expertise in the ticket market. Some of the largest queuing system producers originated in Sweden, and Schades has supplied businesses in this sector for many years. Queuing tickets therefore remain an important part of the site’s product offering today.

Schades Sweden works directly with major supermarket chains and large retailers, while a significant proportion of its business is delivered through a well-established network of valued resellers.

Building on strong market relationships

One of the site’s greatest strengths is its understanding of its customers and the relationships it has developed over many years.

This local knowledge is supported by a team responsible for customers across the Nordic region. Carina Kirton, Customer Service Manager, primarily supports Sweden and Finland, while Carina Bergman works in customer service across Denmark and Norway. Sales activity in Denmark is led by Claus Hollmann, who is based in the country.

The Finnish market is also supported by Tuomo Parviainen, who has represented Schades locally since 2004 and has spent more than 20 years as the company’s sales representative and local point of contact in Finland.

Måns Palmqvist, Managing Director of Schades Sweden, said: “Schades Sweden has built its position over more than 50 years by adapting to changing markets while maintaining the strong customer relationships that have always been at the heart of the business. Today, that experience gives us a strong platform to continue developing our product offering and supporting customers across the Nordic region.”

Looking to the future

Having established a strong position in the cash register roll market, Schades Sweden is now focused on building further opportunities across its wider product portfolio, particularly in labels.

Many of the site’s end-user customers have a diverse range of requirements, creating an opportunity for Schades to simplify procurement by supplying more than one product category through a single trusted partner.

By combining its broad product range with detailed local market knowledge and a strong understanding of customer needs, Schades Sweden is well placed to continue developing its role across the Nordic region.

More than 50 years on from its establishment, the business remains focused on the principles that have helped shape its success: understanding the market, building strong customer relationships and continuing to evolve alongside changing customer demands.

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