SparePartners Sweden helps companies save time and money

Entrepreneur and consultant Erik Arnesson joined Science Park Skövde’s startup programme in January this year. During spring, he launched a pilot project together with Jernbro Skövde and three of the region’s largest industrial companies.

“With my solution, companies can save both time and money through collaboration,” he says.

After 20 years in the industry, Erik identified a clear need: a way for industrial companies to share information and inventory data on so-called insurance spare parts. Today, companies maintain large inventories of spare parts worth significant sums to safeguard against unexpected machine downtime. These inventories act as insurance. A machine or robot breakdown can lead to enormous losses in production, staffing costs, and decreased sales.

In May this year, SparePartners Sweden was formally established. Together with developer Emil Kylander Edwartz, Erik has created a digital solution that allows companies with extensive spare part inventories to share stock information. The system enables users to search across all participating inventories at once and directly contact the right person to borrow a needed spare part.

One company borrows a spare part from another. A replacement part is then purchased and sent to the lender. This eliminates long waiting times for deliveries from suppliers.

“It’s a win–win for both sides — and for the entire industry. If you’re missing something, you get it quickly and reduce downtime. If you lend something out, you receive a brand-new replacement. Shared inventory management also allows companies to reduce their stock levels and save money,” says Erik.

The system also makes it possible to buy and sell used or unused spare parts. Ordering a new part can be both expensive and time-consuming — in some cases it may take months before a component is delivered, which is not sustainable in the long run.

“Being able to see what already exists nearby is a huge benefit for everyone involved. Considering the consequences of production stoppages, the potential savings are substantial. If more companies calculated what downtime actually costs them, they would see the value of helping each other. It also strengthens Sweden’s competitiveness — particularly in industries facing tough global competition, such as automotive,” Erik explains.

The journey with SparePartners Sweden began last year with Conny Johansson at Science Park Skövde’s node in Falköping. Through local contacts, Erik connected with Emil and applied to the startup programme. After pitching his idea, he was accepted.

“I’m extremely grateful for all the support I’ve received from Science Park Skövde and the startup programme. I’ve been an employee most of my working life, so the advice and guidance on entrepreneurship have been invaluable. They’ve been there since the start — enabling networking, providing contacts, and helping me build the skills I need to move SparePartners Sweden forward,” says Erik.

Thanks to the support from Science Park Skövde and strong collaboration with Jernbro in Skövde, the pilot project is now up and running with three major companies. The first milestone is to expand the network and get more companies involved to reduce losses.

“Right now, our main target group is the manufacturing industry in Sweden. But this solution is applicable to nearly any company managing spare-part inventories. Sustainability, competitiveness, and cost savings are relevant issues for most businesses — and SparePartners Sweden may be the solution many have been looking for,” concludes Erik Arnesson.