Hydrema - Tibnor is more than just a steel supplier
Trust, honesty, and close dialogue are among the key ingredients in a unique partnership between Hydrema and Tibnor—one that spans more than 40 years. Today, Tibnor is a trusted partner who, through advisory services and extensive product knowledge, helps optimize operations at the world-leading manufacturer of construction equipment.
For over 40 years, the Nordic region’s leading steel distributor, Tibnor, has been a trusted partner to the renowned construction machinery manufacturer Hydrema. When Hydrema decided in 2019 to strengthen its supplier setup, it did not hesitate to appoint Tibnor as a total supplier across all steel product groups—a decision they have not regretted.
“When we took the first steps toward using Tibnor as our total supplier, the agreement was to put all cards on the table from day one, and that created a fantastic foundation for our future collaboration. Quite simply, no one can compete with the setup we have with Tibnor, which is driven by openness, trust, and dialogue—both when things are going well and when they are not,” says Marianne Frank Mogensen, Group Purchasing Manager at Hydrema.
Specifically, the close collaboration between Hydrema and Tibnor has resulted in professional sparring that helps ensure more efficient work processes and a stronger end result:
“With Tibnor, we have gained a highly competent partner with whom we regularly discuss optimization opportunities and materials. This means we can continuously fine-tune the details in our production, saving both time and resources. But most importantly, we have a trusted partner in Tibnor who, like us, values development over stagnation. And of course, it is also beneficial that our order portfolio is consolidated with one supplier rather than several,” adds Marianne Frank Mogensen.
Market-Leading Machinery Requires Market-Leading Steel
With more than 500 employees across domestic and international locations, Hydrema sells construction machinery worldwide. Since its founding in 1959, the Hydrema brand has been synonymous with machines of the highest quality. As a result, strict requirements are placed on the more than 200 suppliers delivering components to Hydrema’s production in Denmark and Germany.
“To ensure the best quality in our machines, it is crucial for us to work with the best suppliers in the market. Our order portfolio ranges from plates to tubes and bars, and in that context, it has been a great advantage to consolidate everything with Tibnor, where we never have to question quality. At the same time, we have greatly benefited from Tibnor’s advisory services, which have challenged us to optimize our business through the introduction of new and improved products,” explains Marianne Frank Mogensen.
As part of the SSAB Group, Tibnor can offer one of the broadest and deepest ranges of high-quality steel on the market—an advantage when customers demand top-tier product quality. This is highlighted by Key Account Manager at Tibnor, Ole Mårtensson, who has worked closely with Hydrema for several years:
“Our versatile range of specialty steels, such as SSAB’s multisteel or Ovako’s high-quality M-steel, helps optimize production and reduce complaints and production stoppages. These products are driven by customers who refuse to compromise on quality,” says Ole Mårtensson.
He continues:
“At Hydrema, we are met with extremely high quality requirements that truly put our products to the test—and we actually appreciate that. Their feedback and input help us improve our own products. So it is very positive that companies like Hydrema place high demands on steel—it keeps us on our toes.”
A Mutual Partnership with Benefits for Both Sides
Since the partnership began more than 40 years ago, it is not only Hydrema that has benefited from the close collaboration. At Tibnor, the ongoing dialogue has also contributed to professional insights that help improve work processes.
“The honest approach in our collaboration has provided us with valuable input on how we can improve our daily operations. In addition, we gain a deeper understanding of how our products are used in different contexts. This is highly valuable information for our specialists, who advise a large number of companies every day. So we truly listen when Hydrema or other customers provide feedback and ideas,” says Thomas Sørensen, Key Account Manager at Tibnor, who also works closely with Hydrema.
He emphasizes that dialogue is the shortest path to value creation in an industry often heavily focused on factors such as delivery time and price:
“We are always eager to engage in dialogue with customers about how we can jointly optimize production. Delivery and price are, of course, essential parameters, but many companies stick to routines and fixed material choices, without realizing that significant savings may be achieved by switching to other steel grades. That’s why we want to advise on which levers can be adjusted to improve business performance,” Thomas Sørensen concludes.