Our history
HARALD PIHL is a family company with a long history. The company was founded in 1912 and is still today, over 100 years later, managed by the fourth generation of the Pihl family.
We have been in business for so long that we have established contacts all over the world.
Our longstanding experience also guarantees a vast knowledge of metallurgy. When HARALD PIHL was founded in the beginning of the 20th century, the company traded with a wide range of alloys and metals. Today we are more focused on alloys with unique characteristics - alloys that meet very specific demands and can handle extreme environments.
1912
The beginning
During the fall of 1912, "Firma Harald Pihl" ("Harald Pihl Company") was registered and the first company office was opened at Malmskillnadsgatan 15, in the home of Harald Pihl. The idea of the business was to import raw metals not being produced at scale within Sweden, including processed metals in the shape of bars and wires, as well as alloys. HARALD PIHL didn't wait for long before the first major order - 65,000 kg of zinc - was placed during the autumn of 1912 by Svenska Metallverken. The business had gotten off to a speedy start and Harald was on track to become a wholesaler in metals.
Development of the company
1919 was a truly important year for the development of the company, when Harald's hard work in finding suppliers around Europe, proved successful. This resulted in HARALD PIHL acquiring Swedish agency for International Nickel Co, which meant nickel became main focus for the company, in a time period when Swedish stainless steel was booming.
Meanwhile, several Swedish industries were making strides, one being Electrolux who saw large demand for vacuum cleaners. Harald had identified Tuboflex AG, German supplier of metal vacuum cleaner hoses that would suit Electrolux. This would prove to be a significant and long lasting partnership resulting in the delivery of over half a million vacuum cleaner hoses during the 1920's and 30's.
1920s
1930s
The second generation
The 1930's meant the introduction of the second HARALD PIHL generation, with Harald Jr and Gunnar Pihl entering the stage. Their passion was within business development, leading to the 30's being an era of strong development within the HARALD PIHL family.
The company added several machine manufacturing agencies, such as for threading machines. They also expanded the playing field they operated within, one major example being the delivery of furnaces for the gas plants being built in Stockholm - an infrastructure project of national importance.
Building relationships
Entering the 1950's, Harald Jr and Gunnar Pihl took over the reigns of the company, with the aim to steer the company towards further success. Through the company's high level of expertise, HARALD PIHL developed as an organization with a strong reputation and brand within the industry.
The focus was on developing client relations, traveling the country to sit down and meet with everyone, including a nice lunch at the end of the discussions.
One defining example was the collaboration with INCO leading to a nickel pellet deal of 500 tonnes, a milestone in the story of HARALD PIHL.
1950s
1970s
The Warehouse business
The 1970s marked a turning point for HARALD PIHL, as the company transitioned from a trader of metals and alloys to a warehouse business. This meant an expanded variety of metals and alloys of varying shapes and sizes, as well as welding materials for different metals and alloys.
In 1975, INCO started selling nickel pellets for alloy in Sweden directly. This was a key product for HARALD PIHL, who shifted their focus to bars, pipes, and sheets, with major deliveries going to the nuclear power plants that were being built.
The photo from 1976 where HARALD PIHL staff were part of a larger group at a distributor meetup at Henry Wiggin & Co
The third generation
In 1981, Johan and Klas Pihl took over the reins of the company and quickly recognized the need for high-heat resistant parts in the steel industry. HARALD PIHL had already established contacts in Europe for these parts, which contributed to the company's expansion. As the business grew, HARALD PIHL established a close collaboration with Skultuna plåtverkstad for the production of these high-heat resistant parts in Sweden. This collaboration allowed HARALD PIHL to offer a wide range of products to meet the needs of the steel industry, including items like oven rollers, oven baskets, mufflers, burner tubes, retorts and fixtures. In the 1990s, Johan Pihl and Bosse Andersson started a welding department, which developed into the largest supplier of aluminum welding wire in Sweden, including deliveries to the Vascator laundry machines and the Thor Maskiner exhaust systems.
1980s
2000s
Finland and Denmark
It is time for the seventh episode in the history of HARALD PIHL, this time covering the years 2000-2017, which was a period of expansion outside of Sweden. An early milestone was the establishment of the company's first foreign office in Finland, soon followed by HARALD PIHL's first acquisition of a foreign company - Q-metal A/S in Denmark. These moves helped establish a strong presence in the two neighboring markets. The next step was the acquisition of THG Titan Halbzeug in Germany. By 2017, HARALD PIHL had also established itself in England, Turkey, and Spain, meaning the company was now operating in seven markets.
Another significant event during this period was the move to new headquarters in Täby, Stockholm, where the company is still headquartered today
The new era
In March 2017, the company underwent a generational shift as Jonas and Carl Pihl assumed leadership, marking the beginning of a new era for HARALD PIHL.
Since then, the company has focused on handling larger volumes, and increasing quality throughout all processes – aiming for even higher customer satisfaction.
HARALD PIHL has expanded with a Chinese subsidiary, including a local warehouse. The company has also opened operations in India and diversified its business to include the aviation, oil and gas, medical technology, and motorsport industries.
As we enter the company's 112th year, we look back on our long and eventful history with joy and look forward to a future full of great possibilities alongside our customers and partners within the HARALD PIHL family.
