Are you looking for a supplier or a partner?

A supplier does what you tell them to do, but a partner is closer to you – and cares about your business.

Our solid local teams add value to you through speed and flexibility.

Why Bufab

To get the lowest possible total cost of ownership (TCO) of C-parts things must be effortless and simple.

Based on +40 years of experience and know-how you get excellence in products, solutions, way of working, and the lowest total cost of ownership.

What customers say

When I have an issue or an idea from my side, they are really involved and try to help. So, I always know I can count on Bufab. And every time they visit, we have new ideas for business development.

Agata Ziemiec, Strategic Buyer, Arjo

We are engaged in cleaning up our machining and fastener supply base. Bufab has aligned itself well to show its competitiveness on a wide range of components. We are committed to making Bufab a long term global partner to Resideo and making Bufab a leading fastener and machining supplier for our business.

Colin Carr, Global Category manager, Resideo

In recent years I have been gradually developing business with the Bufab team globally. This being one of Bufab's main strengths - to accommodate and communicate globally, with extensive logistics and locations to suit sourcing mechanical product most competitively, and more importantly understanding it to provide the correct level of quality.

Ross Armstrong, Commodity Manager, Resideo

Some customers

We work with customers from furniture to aerospace. Do you want references? Just get in touch.

Get in touch

Meet our customers

Learn from some of our customers' challenges and their journeys to better business outcomes.

Kinnarps

Kinnarps creates interior design solutions and furniture for offices, schools and care environments, focusing on high quality, ergonomics and innovative design. The production facility in Jönköping mainly manufactures components for tables, chairs and screens for Kinnarp's own brands. Kinnarps is proud to bring back production from abroad into its modernised factory.

"We didn't think it could get that much better!"

Anders Knutsson, Materials Procurement Officer, Kinnarps Jönköping

Jens Buchalle, Production Technician, Kinnarps Jönköping

About our cooperation

Bufab was already Kinnarps´s main supplier of fasteners and some other small technical items. Orders were made manually in Kinnaps´s ERP system.

Challenge

Placing manual orders was frustrating and time-consuming. That alone took about 30 minutes per day. The reception department received pallets of goods, which they registered, relabelled, and distributed to several points of consumption in production.

There was a mess on the material shelves in production, and it took a lot of time to put all the boxes in the right places. The staff did not always find what they were looking for and opened a lot of boxes. The mess created did not make it easy to place correct orders.

All in all, it was time-consuming, required heavy lifting, required individual knowledge and could still result in both stock shortages and overstocking.

Approach

A change was needed. Kinnarps and Bufab discussed and jointly decided that the flexible EasyScan solution with dual bins was the most suitable.

The operators just scan the empty bins, and an order is sent to Bufab. The same solution is applied to large-volume items in pallets.

The Bufab support worked exceptionally well during the implementation. Bufab made an initial labelling mistake but corrected it directly. Kinnarps had initial errors in inventory balances, resulting in shortages. Bufab made deliveries within hours.

Result

All manual ordering in the ERP system is gone. One on-time delivery every week. The work at the reception department has been significantly reduced and simplified. Everything is efficiently labelled, and refilling the stocking stations in production is quicker and easier.

We will soon replenish all Bufab items through the EasyScan solution. We are sure that it saves us even more than we initially expected. Quick and easy and no hassle.

Jutex

Jutex is a comprehensive sheet metal and wire product supplier with 14 employees in Hillerstorp, Sweden. Products like recycling solutions and specially adapted shop displays are manufactured in a modern, efficient machine park.

"I didn't think a large global company like Bufab could be such a good solution for us."

Emil Kronholm, CEO and co-owner of Jutex AB

About our cooperation

It started with a press screw. Jutex was growing and needed 20,000 per week of the special screw for a new product but could only get it with impossible delivery times. Bufab flew home an initial volume from the UK that solved the need before they found an excellent long-term solution. Production was up and running in a couple of days.

Challenge

Jutex's growth also created other problems. The operator who took the last box would say more would be ordered, but it didn't always work. Sometimes, the same fastener was stored and used in several places, and shortages could occur even when we had volumes on the premises.

It was no longer convenient to order from time to time. What had been quick and easy instead created problems several times a month. We had production line stops with high unnecessary costs.

Approach

After Bufab solved the need for the press screw, they showed interest in supplying us with more fasteners. We still thought they were too big for us, but they didn't give up. Our businesses are situated close to each other, and after a few conversations, we agreed to visit Bufab in Värnamo, Sweden.

We were pleasantly surprised by the efficiency they delivered to both smaller and larger customers. When they showed us the proposed logistics solution with an RFID mat, the eyes of our production manager sparkled. We shall have that one!

Result

Bufab installed three rack units with an RFID mat on top of one. When a box is empty, it is placed on the RFID mat. An order is placed automatically, and the operator takes the product from the second bin in the two-bin system.

The solution is both simple and reduces administration. In addition, the problem of recurring shortages has disappeared. Today, Bufab not only supplies all fasteners but also other drawing-related details. We are really pleased!

Plimob

“The mutual trust and respect, the stubborn strength to fulfill commitments and the open and flexible approach in creating new procedures that allows to think out of the box in the pursuit of optimal solution, these are the main elements in having a long and successful journey.”

Alin Pontos, Commercial Manager, Plimob SA

About our cooperation

Plimob is a major supplier of self-assembly furniture to a major Swedish home goods company and has been a close Bufab customer since 2009. When a new component was needed for an item in their product range, Bufab was able to provide a solution.

Challenge

Based on feedback from customers and internal product experts, Plimob realized they needed a new component for a product in their extensive range. The new component would make it significantly easier for end customers to assemble their furniture and improve their overall experience.

However, Plimob had no finished design of the required component – just a concept and a few basic sketches.

Approach

Bufab worked in close collaboration with Plimob to turn their component concept into a reality.

Technical drawings based on Plimob’s early sketches were produced by Bufab’s Quality department, purchasers organized the production of samples, and the logistics team ensured delivery to the customer.

Result

After a collaborative review process between Plimob and Bufab, the new component was approved and put into production, and eventually delivered on time and exactly to specification.

Plimob’s products became more usable for their customers, and they’d turned a simple design idea into a success story.

Outdoor and transportation equipment manufacturer

Bufab is the global C-parts provider to this major manufacturer. We supply over 500 different components to the company’s major production facility in eastern Europe. In the disruption of the pandemic, Bufab had to act fast to secure the company’s manufacturing operation and provide peace of mind in the tough business environment.

About our cooperation

Challenge

With the arrival of the global COVID crisis in early 2020, customer orders suddenly dropped, and the company was forced to temporarily stop production at the Polish factory, right at the start of the high season. But with orders for C-parts already placed, they needed a solution to avoid ending up with huge amount of unnecessary stock.

Later in the year, sales started picking up rapidly, and the company had to instantly return to full production. A secure supply of the necessary C-parts was needed at very short notice to meet the new demand.

Approach

When the crisis came, we acted quickly and cancelled all incoming orders – even compensating suppliers for the lost business. This protected the customer from taking liability for unneeded stock.

As the situation improved for the customer, we adapted along with them, and went back to the same suppliers to acquire the needed C-parts in time - in higher quantities and with even faster shipping. A team of experts from both of our companies collaborated to coordinate the work and secure the essential parts at extremely short notice.

Result

Thanks to the actions taken, the company was able to keep up with the renewed customer demand. By the end of 2020, sales were doubled compared to the previous year, and any C-parts related disruptions to production were completely avoided. 100 percent of parts deliveries were on time, and accurate forecasting continued to ensure the consistent supply of parts despite supply chain issues.

Nilfisk

Nilfisk is a developer and manufacturer of professional cleaning equipment – from vacuum cleaners and pressure washers to ride-on floor cleaners and street sweepers. Nilfisk has a global presence, and Bufab has been the C-parts supplier to the company’s two production sites in Hungary since 2004. We’ve been supporting Nilfisk’s manufacturing operation for a long time, and when a discontinued component threatened to cause significant production issues, we were able to find a winning solution.

About our cooperation

Challenge

At the end of 2021, a vital electrical microswitch used in Nilfisk’s cleaning machines was discontinued by their supplier due to low demand. Nilfisk still had a stock of the components available, but it was running out quickly and a solution was needed. After a lengthy dialogue, the supplier was unable to find a suitable replacement switch, and redesigning the product to fit an alternative component was not an option due to the difficult testing and recertification process that would be required. With no other options available, Nilfisk reached out to Bufab for a solution that would keep their production going.

Approach

Even though Bufab’s core business is non-electrical components, colleagues in Hungary rose to the challenge. In close collaboration with Nilfisk’s R&D department who could advise us on the key specifications of the needed part, we began searching through our extensive supplier base to find a partner who could provide a replacement. Soon, a Taiwanese manufacturer was identified, and thanks to help from the team at Bufab’s Taiwan sorting office, replacement parts that met Nilfisk’s needs were on their way to Europe.

Result

Thanks to Bufab’s extensive pool of suppliers and global presence, a replacement for the discontinued part was sourced and delivered to Nilfisk within six months of the initial contact. The supply was secured, and Nilfisk could seamlessly continue their production without any stockouts or difficult redesign work. Bufab was also to adapt quickly to demands for a new class of product, and since this project, we’ve been able to assist Nilfisk in sourcing other electrical components for their wide range of products.

Orima

“As a company, we are really satisfied with Bufab's operational capabilities and its ability to develop and innovate business together with us."

Mikko Ahonen, CEO, Orima-Tuote Oy

About our cooperation

The explosion in the domestic solar energy industry over the last few years has led to massive growth for Orima, a Finnish manufacturer of solar panel installation racks and roof drainage products which are perfectly adapted to Nordic weather conditions. In order to meet rising customer demand effectively, they rely on a close relationship with Bufab Finland that keeps their operation running smoothly.

Challenge

Before becoming a Bufab customer in 2019, Orima worked with another major C-parts supplier. The cooperation had worked well over the years, but it was mostly transactional. With their business starting to grow, Orima felt that they needed more than just a supplier that delivered components on time. They wanted a partner who could advise them, boost efficiency and actively drive their business forward together, and they found this partner in Bufab.

Approach

Bufab’s cooperation with Orima rests on a solid relationship, built on mutual trust and expertise. Our two companies work closely together, and with Orima set to double its 2022 revenue in 2025, new approaches to the C-parts supply chain are needed. VMI solutions are in place at Orima’s facilities in Orimattila, but kitting solutions have also been used to great effect. Previously, Orima’s staff sorted parts into kits on-site. Bufab has now taken over, delivering ready-made parts kits straight to the factory.

Result

As a result of the Bufab kitting solution, the five to 10 colleagues that used to do this work are now free to contribute in the actual production instead, boosting Orima’s capacity to keep up with rising demand without increasing total headcount. For Orima, Bufab is both a supplier and a technical adviser, and will continue to provide efficient C-parts solutions as the business grows.

Valve block assembly

The “Valve Block assembly” is the core of a milking robot developed by an innovative leader in designing and manufacturing automated systems for dairy farmers around the world, with the goal of excelling in sustainable milk production to feed the world.

The Shower device

When we met our customer, a large producer of taps, over 10 years ago they felt a lot of frustrations. They spent too much time and energy on one product. The product, a shower device, consisted of many different items that they sourced from different suppliers and then assembled internally at the customer's production.