With Tive, Fårbo gained real-time, end-to-end visibility across global shipments, replacing guesswork with actionable insight.
- Max Strandberg, Technical Solution Manager, Fårbo Manufacturing
Fårbo Manufacturing was founded in Fagersta, Sweden in 1988, in the heart of the Bergslagen steelmaking region two hours northwest of Stockholm. One specific division of Fårbo manufactures and ships high-value vending machines around the world—machines that cost as much as the sticker price on an expensive car. These shipments must be protected throughout the shipping process, which sometimes involves all four modes of transport. Before Tive, Fårbo relied on standard carrier tracking, which often left critical gaps—and this lack of visibility created significant uncertainty. The company relied on whatever tracking functionality was provided by their shipping companies, which was not enough in most of the cases. With Tive, Fårbo gained real-time, end-to-end visibility across global shipments, replacing guesswork with actionable insight.
“We knew we needed to increase our shipping visibility, and the value from Tive was clear from the very first shipment.”
Because Fårbo’s vending machines are extremely valuable, shipment risks are especially costly. Previously, issues including humidity exposure or damage during long ocean journeys would go undetected until it was too late. Using Tive’s sensor-based monitoring, Fårbo can track environmental conditions in real time. “We rely heavily on the tilt, light, and humidity alerts to keep our shipments safe,” Strandberg says. These alerts give his team the confidence they need to know that every shipment is protected—from origin to destination.
“Tive helps us prevent extra-long delivery times.”
One of Fårbo’s biggest challenges was resolving disputes when damage occurred during transit—especially when responsibility was unclear. Strandberg shares a defining example. “We had a 40-day gap between shipping and delivery, and we had no idea what had happened—or where the shipment was.” With Tive, those gaps are eliminated. Instead of relying on assumptions, Strandberg’s team has the concrete data needed to verify shipment conditions at every stage of the journey. As Strandberg explains, “This is one important reason why I wanted complete visibility: to eliminate future discussions of who is at fault.”
Real-time visibility doesn’t just provide insight: it enables speedy action. In one case, Fårbo identified a shipment that had deviated from its intended route. “We could see that something was not correct, because it should have been on an airplane at that point,” Strandberg recalls. By alerting the freight forwarder immediately, the team corrected the issue before it caused major delays. “We prevented an extra-long delivery time,” he said, demonstrating how proactive intervention can significantly improve delivery performance.
Fårbo’s global installations require careful coordination; travel, staffing, and customer scheduling all depend on accurate delivery timing. Before Tive, uncertainty often led to wasted trips. “Someone from our team would travel to the delivery location, but the shipment wouldn’t be there,” Strandberg explains. “Now, teams can plan with confidence. To have this full transparency is invaluable.” Improved reliability and communication not only reduces overall logistics costs, it also improves the customer experience.
