Reflecting on a year of momentum, market shifts and strategic progress
Rutger Bruijnen, Chief Operating Officer
Rutger Bruijnen, Chief Operating Officer at Kramp, looks back on 2025 from the perspective of each of Kramp’s industries, how they influenced our growth, and the role of category development for further progress.
Looking back on 2025
Last year unfolded as a year of two distinct halves for Kramp. The first half of 2025 showed strong momentum, driven by recovery from a slower final quarter of 2024. Low stock levels across the market, renewed optimism among dealers and farmers, and favourable weather conditions across most of Europe supported demand for agricultural machinery, as well as spare parts for forest & grasscare. Combined with Kramp’s strong sales fundamentals of continuous product development, high product availability and optimised pricing and promotions, this created a solid start to the year.
However, the second half of 2025 presented a different dynamic. In the early summer, growth slowed abruptly in several parts of Europe. Demand for parts and services fell, partly due to less favourable weather conditions and increased caution among farmers when it came to spending. As the months progressed, this slowdown spread to more markets.
The market conditions also reflected broader structural developments within the agricultural sector. Cashflow pressures, insolvencies among smaller operators and consolidation among dealers became more visible throughout the year. At the same time, dealer internationalisation accelerated, with several dealers expanding their footprint by acquiring dealerships across borders. Changes in dealership structures, including shifts in franchising arrangements within agriculture, further reshaped the market landscape.
Similar market patterns were visible within the forest & landscaping sector. Moreover, long-term trends such as electrification are beginning to reshape equipment portfolios and the kinds of services dealers can provide in this sector. This evolution is contributing to what can best be described as a reinvention of the dealer role: from a traditional parts distributor to a broader solution provider supporting new technologies and evolving customer needs.
In contrast, the construction sector demonstrated more stability throughout the year. Increased government investments in infrastructure across Europe supported demand, providing a steadier market environment compared with agriculture and forest & landscaping.
From a traditional parts distributor to a broader solution provider supporting new technologies and evolving customer needs.“
EVOLVING INTO A STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR AGRICULTURE, FOREST & LANDSCAPING AND CONSTRUCTION
Despite the significant slowdown in pace in the second six months, Kramp once again reported overall growth for the year across the three industries.
Continued improvements in our service levels and operational performance helped us to make further progress in our strategic evolution into an essential partner for agricultural, forest & landscaping and construction spare parts and accessories.
“Our approach combines a clear strategic view of which machines and components we support, with deep customer insight gathered from the different industries we serve. Through a mix of data-driven analysis, close customer and supplier relationships, listening to the market and entrepreneurial mindset, we aim to move faster than the industry. This allows us to bring new solutions to the market quickly and help our customers grow through first-mover advantage,” explains Rutger.
One major milestone in 2025 was the integration of Vapormatic into the Kramp assortment following the acquisition. This process involved building strong relationships with suppliers and carefully integrating the brand’s heritage and product catalogue into our broader offering.
Encouragingly, we continue to attract new customers across industries. In particular, forest & landscaping dealers and professional landscapers have responded very positively to our improved product and service offering across Europe. The decision to integrate forest & landscaping more deeply into the core of Kramp is increasingly recognised and supported by customers and suppliers alike, reinforcing confidence in our path towards market leadership in Europe.
At the same time, we are selectively expanding our presence in construction. Market feedback on our range and service levels has been overwhelmingly positive, confirming that our value proposition resonates beyond our traditional agricultural base.
Strengthening categories
Category development remains central to this progress. Throughout 2025, we continued to expand the breadth of our assortment and the solutions we offer, while carefully optimizing the depth of the range. “Our portfolio gives customers the flexibility to choose the solution that best fits their specific job-to-be-done,” he adds.
On the supplier side, 2025 marked an important year of progress in strengthening our category management by deepening partnerships with key suppliers. “We continued to focus on optimizing our assortment, onboarding new partners, and expanding our OEM collaborations. A key priority was further improving our service levels and total cost of ownership across the supply chain by optimizing stock levels, distribution flows, and purchasing terms,” he says.
This strategy is reflected in the strengthening of our OE product portfolio, helping Original Equipment Manufacturers maximize their aftermarket potential. We have selectively added OEs and A-brands to provide high-quality aftermarket alternatives, while further strengthening our quality value-for-money alternatives through Kramp and Vapormatic ranges.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to increasing our speed and agility by leveraging new tools, technologies, and organizational capabilities. By continuously evolving our assortment, strengthening partnerships, and staying close to our customers, we aim to continue shaping the future of the industries we serve.