{"id":230502,"date":"2026-04-28T11:32:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T09:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trux.se\/?p=230502"},"modified":"2026-04-28T11:32:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T09:32:47","slug":"axel-sandstedt-the-entrepreneur-who-set-trux-in-motion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trux.se\/en\/2026\/04\/28\/axel-sandstedt-the-entrepreneur-who-set-trux-in-motion\/","title":{"rendered":"Axel Sandstedt \u2013 The Entrepreneur Who Set Trux in Motion"},"content":{"rendered":"

At just 21 years old, Axel Sandstedt took over the family business. Over the course of his career, he built both Exte and Trux into world-leading companies. With his drive and determination, he paved the way for many entrepreneurs in H\u00e4lsingland.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It all began back in 1898, when his grandfather\u2014who had moved from Sm\u00e5land\u2014founded A.E. Sandstedt and S\u00f6ner Smidesverkstad in Ygskorset, H\u00e4lsingland. Axel showed initiative early on, and in the early 1960s he took over the business, which had become focused on timber transport. When he sold the company in 1986, then known as ExTe, it was already a well-established name worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cDad had tremendous drive. He had barely finished school when he took over his grandfather\u2019s company,\u201d says his son, Peder Sandstedt.<\/em><\/p>\n

With Trux, Axel took on his next challenge: manufacturing bull bars for trucks. The idea came from a haulier who had grown tired of costly wildlife collisions. Despite initial resistance from the Swedish National Road Safety Office, Axel succeeded in pushing through his vision, and Trux became the first in Europe in its field.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe first built Exte and then Trux into internationally active companies. His success was entirely down to his deep commitment to everything he did. Later in life, that same passion was reflected in his great interest in golf,\u201d Peder explains.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hasse Olsson, Site Manager at Trux from 2009 to 2021, worked as a financial officer in the company during Axel\u2019s ownership, and previously at Exte alongside him. From close range, he observed that Axel was both an entrepreneur and a businessman.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis philosophy was that everything should revolve around the customer. He brought that mindset from ExTe to Trux, and it remains part of the company\u2019s DNA\u2014always putting the customer first. You could say that is Axel\u2019s legacy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Axel Sandstedt passed away in 2013 at the age of 72. As one of the region\u2019s foremost entrepreneurs, he became a major role model and influenced many business owners in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith his roots in Sm\u00e5land, he likely brought some of the Gnosj\u00f6 spirit with him here. In the early days of his business, many machined components were sourced from Gnosj\u00f6. But over time, people realised that it could just as well be done here,\u201d says Peder Sandstedt.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t