From castings of cannons and wood-burning stoves to electro-hydraulic control systems.
The foundry tradition in Olsbergs’ dates back to the 30 Years War in the 17th century and the arrival of valons to Sweden and has since been passed on in the Henriksson family until the take-over by Hiab in 2022. In year 1906 foundry man Emil Henriksson bought a plot of land that was parcelled off from the soldier’s kroft called Olsbergs in the industrial community Bruzaholm in the municipality of Eksjö. He built a foundry there named Olsbergs Gjuteri.
Olsbergs Gjuteri was a traditional foundry at that time and produced a variety of castings such as wood-burning stoves, cooking pots and watering troughs to meet the needs of the surrounding country side.
New era in Olsbergs history started in year 1960 – from traditional foundry to precision casting foundry
In year 1960 the grandson Göran Henriksson took over Olsbergs Gjuteri and back then there were more than 200 foundries in Sweden with similar products and he realised quickly the need of specialization and development of the business in order for the company to survive. The introduction of the so-called “shell moulding method” created the conditions for production of castings with complicated designs like valve housing to hydraulic valves and opened new business opportunity.
By the early 70s the little foundry’s speciality was widely known beyond the nation’s borders and the major part of customer-specific valve casting production was exported, some to Europe but most to the USA.
Olsbergs Hydraulics AB is started in 1976 in Eksjö
Through his contacts in hydraulic industry Göran Henriksson, with great passion for quality and problem solution and combined with enormous driving force, innovative thinking and vision realised that there was potential for product development in the business. The new ideas were put on paper and the prototype for the first of Olsbergs’ new valves was manufactured in the foundry’s existing premises in Bruzaholm.
In year 1976 the subsidiary Olsbergs Hydraulics AB with location in Eksjö. The company erected a new building that same year for the development and production of hydraulic valves primarily for mobile equipment applications.
The first remotely controlled electro-hydraulic control system
Further development continued in Eksjö for a full four years and the new valve proved to meet and exceed expectations.
Olsbergs valve was load-sensing and equipped electric actuators and thereby possible to control remotely from a separate operator position.
Since joysticks were not available in the market, it became necessary to develop and design own joysticks and thus the company also became manufacturer of electronics.
The year 1980 Olsbergs was trusted to deliver a first complete electro-hydraulic system to a manufacturer of forestry equipment.
Product development of electronics has mainly shifted to systems where the driver manoeuvres the truck-mounted crane from a distance by means of a radio remote controller.
Olsbergs introduces its own radio and radio remote control system
First the data was transfer via cable, but since 1992, when Olsbergs introduced its own developed radio, the driver has full freedom to move around while operating the crane.
The number of remote systems increased from year to year and the systems became more complex, with more and more electronics.
In 1996, Olsbergs Electronics was founded, and the its operations was established in Vallentuna outside Stockholm to get more access to electronics and software competence. Step by step the development and manufacturing of electronics were moved there from Olsbergs Hydraulics in Eksjö.
Year 2006 Olsbergs Electronics AB moves into own premises
With increasing volumes, the company outsized the existing premises and decision was made to build a new modern plant for production of electronics.
Olsbergs inaugurates a new foundry in Eksjö
In October 2012 Olsbergs new and state of the art foundry was inaugurated where the new generation Olsbergs valves the Q-series are produced. The foundry is located next to Olsbergs Hydraulics for efficient logistics.
On December 21, 2012, Göran Henriksson passed away 75 years old after a very successful carrier as entrepreneur, innovator and visionary.
The company group Olsbergs was managed between year 2012 and year 2022 by Göran Henriksson’s two daughters with families who have actively worked with him the latest twenty years. Annika Henriksson as chairman of Olsbergs and Christina Henriksson Managing Director of Olsbergs Hydraulics AB.
Hiab acquires Olsbergs Hydraulics and Olsbergs Electronics as of January 1, 2023
Hiab, Olsbergs biggest customer, acquired 100% of the shares of Olsbergs Hydraulics AB and Olsbergs Electronics AB as of January 1, 2023.
Business will continue in the same spirit as before and development and innovation remain Olsbergs key words.