Business Relations Between Sweden and Colombia

Swedish trade with Colombia is still minimal. Swedish exports in 2006 to Colombia were 90 millions Euros; main Swedish exports to Colombia are telecommunication equipment, electronic equipment, manufacturing products, paper and chemicals. Swedish imports from Colombia in 2006 were only 47 million Euros, represented mainly in coffee, flowers and fruits

There are around 17 Swedish companies that have established daughter companies in Colombia. Some of these are: Oriflame, Swedtel, Ericsson, ABB, Alfa Laval, Atlas Copco, Astra Zeneca, Electrolux, Skandia and Tetra Pak, among others.

Moreover, there are more than 25 Swedish companies that have local agents in Colombia. Some of these companies are Thule, Tarkett, Scania and Volvo.

Other useful data:

- Sweden, along with Finland and Israel, are the countries with the highest levels of expenditure on R&D.

- Swedish companies in the business sector are 870.000. Out of these, 65% are in the service sector, 20% in agriculture, and only 15% in the manufacturing sector.

- ¾ of all Swedish companies have no employees, making the average size of a Swedish company: 17 employees.

- Main exports of Sweden are engineering industry products (machinery, transportation and telecommunication equipment), forestry products, iron, steel and nonferrous metals, and pharmaceuticals. Swedish exports go mainly to North America, Germany, Norway, UK and Denmark.

- Swedish imports are mainly electronic and communication equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, crude petroleum oils, iron, steel, food and beverages. These come from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands and UK.