Access to OEM Data is the Key to the Competitiveness of Sweden’s IAM
Access to OEM data is essential to Sweden’s IAM competitiveness, says Lars Bergmark, CEO of Svenska Fordonsbranschen. Sweden’s independent aftermarket generates an estimated SEK 30 billion in annual revenue, excluding labour, and employs approximately 25,000 people. Bergmark also identifies access to digital service records and continuous technical training as crucial to fair competition.
Lars Bergmark presented an overview of Sweden’s independent aftermarket at The Focus on Nordic IAM event, organized by Automediat.com, at Automechanika Frankfurt on September 9, 2026. His presentation linked the market’s size to the practical competition issues that regulation and the digitization of cars present to workshops and parts suppliers.
Svenska Fordonsbranschen: Over 2,200 Member Companies
Svenska Fordonsbranschen represents over 2,200 companies operating in Sweden’s independent aftermarket, including workshops for passenger and commercial vehicles, spare parts wholesalers and distributors, as well as operators in the motorcycle, motorhome, and recreational vehicle sectors.
According to 2025 statistics, there were approximately 430 independent auto parts distributors and wholesalers in Sweden, as well as approximately 5,050 independent workshops. The number of employees at these workshops was estimated at approximately 14,320. The Swedish aftermarket has a turnover of approximately 30 billion kronor. The industry employs a total of approximately 25,000 professionals.
Vehicle Data is Key to Competition
Bergmark identified access to vehicle data as one of the key competitive issues in Sweden’s independent aftermarket. According to his presentation, Annex X of the delegated act on type-approval regulations has been approved, but it does not cover all spare parts specific to a particular vehicle variant. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the next phase of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MVBER) in anticipation of its implementation in 2028.
Electronic service manuals also pose practical problems. According to Bergmark, independent operators may be denied access to these systems or charged a high fee for access. This undermines their ability to compete with brand networks for the same maintenance and repair work.
Reporter: Valentina Ahlavuo, Automediat.com
Automediat.com Brings “The Focus on Scandinavian IAM” Event to the Automechanika Frankfurt Stage
“The Focus on Scandinavian IAM,” Wednesday, September 9, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Organizers: Automediat.com and Messe Frankfurt.
Location: Automechanika Academy, Hall 8.0. The event is part of Automechanika Frankfurt’s international expert program.
The event will examine the structure, market volumes, and future prospects of the automotive aftermarket in all the Nordic countries. Held on the Academy Stage, the event will feature speakers from spare parts and repair shop industry associations in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as a leading expert specializing in international market data.
Key themes of the event include market structure, electrification, trends in the vehicle fleet, skill requirements for repair shops, the spare parts market, the importance of data, sustainable development, and industry regulation.
Antti Wolk will discuss the structure and potential of the Nordic aftermarket
A broader market overview will be presented by Antti Wolk, CEO and partner at Wolk & Nikolic Aftersales Intelligence GmbH.
Wolk’s presentation, “The Nordic Automotive Aftermarket – Deep Dive into Market Structures, Sales Potentials, and Regional Dynamics,” focuses on the structures of the Nordic aftermarket, sales potential, and regional differences.
Wolk & Nikolic specializes in research, market data, and business intelligence solutions for the international automotive aftermarket. Wolk’s perspective provides comparable market data and a broader European perspective to complement the country-specific presentations.
The slow renewal of Finland’s vehicle fleet is affecting the aftermarket
Finland will be represented at the event by Harri Heilimä, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Automotive Service Providers (AAPT). His presentation, “How Has Electrification Affected Finland’s Automotive Aftermarket?”, examines the impacts of electrification, particularly from the perspective of the structure of Finland’s vehicle fleet.
Finland’s vehicle fleet is being renewed slowly. According to Heilimä, this is reflected in the aftermarket as two parallel trends: electrification is advancing, but at the same time, a large number of older internal combustion engine vehicles will remain on the road for a long time. The need for maintenance and repairs of the older vehicle fleet sustains the workload of independent repair shops, while the technology of the newer fleet places new demands on repair shops in terms of expertise and equipment.
The presentation also addresses the impact on the repair shop sector of regulations concerning batteries, their repair, and the use of used replacement parts.
In Sweden, the focus is on expertise, sustainability, and a level playing field
Lars Bergmark, CEO of Svenska Fordonsbranschen, will present the Swedish aftermarket. The organization brings together approximately 2,000 independent aftermarket repair shops and wholesale operators.
In his presentation, Bergmark will examine the structure of the Swedish IAM market, the organization of the industry, and key current issues affecting the operating environment.
Svenska Fordonsbranschen’s work emphasizes, among other things, the availability of a skilled workforce, sustainable development, and a level playing field for the independent aftermarket. Bergmark also has extensive experience in the tire industry; prior to his current role, he held management positions at international tire manufacturers.
International Discussion on the Nordic IAM Market
The event will be moderated by Tommaso Caravani, a leading Italian journalist and publisher in the aftermarket sector. Following the country-specific presentations, the program will feature a panel discussion on the development of the Nordic aftermarket and future challenges.
“The Focus on Scandinavian IAM,” curated by AUTOMEDIAT.COM, brings the perspective of the independent aftermarket in Finland and the other Nordic countries to the international Academy program at Automechanika Frankfurt.
Automechanika Frankfurt will take place September 8–12, 2026. Automediat.com will report on the events at the trade show and will pay particular attention to developments in the aftermarket and repair shop sectors.