History of Kraftvélar ehf
In the year 1989, P. Samúelsson hf took
over the dealership of Komatsu in Iceland, and began selling and
marketing the product in collaboration with V.Æ.S. hf, machine repair
shop.
V.Æ.S. hf was a company established
after bankruptcy of the previous dealership of Komatsu, but as said
before, there was a collaboration between P. Samúelsson and V.Æ.S.
which lasted to the year 1992, then P. Samúelsson hf decided to take
over the repair- and spare parts service for Komatsu.
On June 1st 1992, Kraftvélar ehf was founded, and had then only two trademarks, Komatsu work machines and Toyota forklifts.
Kraftvélar was founded and owned by P. Samúelsson hf.
The company started operating in a
tenement at Funahöfði 6, Reykjavik, with 7 employees. Three working in
the machine repair shop, one salesman, one in the spare part division,
one accountant and one managing director.
Three of those seven employees are
still working with the company, Olga Kristjánsdóttir accountant, Þórður
Kristinsson in spare parts and Ævar Þorsteinsson, managing director.
The company moved to Dalvegur 6-8,
Kópavogur, in the midyear 1998. The moving was a great alternation in
the operation of the company, an enlargement of the lodging of scant
1.500 square meters along with a big outdoor area and increase of
employees of 20 new jobs.
Two years later, year 2000, Kraftvélar
established a new service, that being machine rental. The machine
rental has since then been a big part of the operation and has been
growing between years.
In the year 2004 the company went on an
outlet. That midyear the company bought the Danish company KFD A/S,
which is the dealership for Komatsu in Denmark, Faeroe Islands and
Greenland.
KFD A/S is today the sistercompany of Kraftvélar ehf.
The operation in KFD A/S has exceeded
all hopes and today KFD is now larger in revenue, has more employees
and sells more machines than Kraftvélar ehf. When KFD was bought,
Komatsu has 4,8% market share, but in the end of 2008, the market share
has grown to more than 10%, and keeps rising.
Midyear 2005, Kraftvélar moved a part
of their activity onto Kjalarnes, the moving included Kraftvélaleigan
(machine rental) and Kraftvélasalan (used machines). Now there are 6
employees working on Kjalarnes.
Later that year Páll Samúelsson (owned
of P. Samúelsson hf) decided to sell Kraftvélar, and Ævar Þorsteinsson
bought the company.
Shortly after buying the company, Ævar
sold a part of the company to Matthías Matthíasson, which is now the
managing director of KFD A/S.
Ævar and Matthías still own the company today.
Ever since the foundation of the
company, there has been an emphasis on excellent service to the client,
which has ensured the future growth and stability of the company.