1910
LK was founded
Lagerstedt & Krantz was founded the 6th of July 1910, by Nils Ludvig Lagerstedt and Anton Leonard Krantz. Lagerstedt & Krantz begins as an agency and iron manufacturing company with sales to Swedish ironmongers and country shops of articles such as lanterns and mosquito nets. The offices were located in Stockholm. The staff consisted of a clerk and a secretary in addition to the two partners who looked after sales.
1933
New owners
Operations were taken over by Lars Schuberth and Albrecht Behm. This allows the registration of the limited liability company Lagerstedt & Krantz AB.
Eventually the range of products graduated to water and waste-water products as well as HVAC products. Contacts were established with leading European manufacturers of such items as lock gates and steel tubes in large dimensions on the water and waste-water side and for tanks, taps, sanitation products and bathtubs on the HVAC side.
1950 – 1980
General Agency
As general agents the company now had great success with several well-known brand names; KWC’s “spakblandar” programme for public spaces; sewerage systems and cisterns in plastic from Geberit; sanitation products from the Dutch company Sphinx and bathtubs from the Italian manufacturer Zoppas.
1970
Conex Fittings
One of the most important events in the company's history took place in 1970 when the company was made general agent for Conex fittings for HVAC installations. The agency for these fittings that save on installation time came about because of the demand by HVAC wholesalers and sales took off.
Conex become the cornerstone of LK’s continued growth and profitability that was used to create a nationwide distribution network of installers and HVAC wholesalers.
1980
From the 1980s onwards the company gradually transformed from trading in other companies’ products to the development and production of its own technically more advanced products and services.
1983 – 1995
Change in ownership
The partnership between Schuberth and Behm that had lasted for 50 years finally comes to an end when Schuberth sell his share in the company to the Behm family and Stikkan Andersson's company Music Sweden AB.
The latter's shares are transferred in 1987 to Skrinet AB and then on to G&L Beijer AB, and finally taken over in 1995 by the Behm family who then basically become the sole owner of the whole group of companies.
1984
Business Sector Technical Fittings
The subsidiary LK Armatur AB was now established in Helsingborg and took over the parent company’s rights to sell Thermotron’s valve products intended for hot water heaters and boilers.
Today, LK Armatur AB is a successful company that produces its own valves, components and system solutions for the OEM market for heating products and hospital equipment.
1990
Business sector HVAC
After selling a German under floor heating system for five years, Lagerstedt & Krantz now introduced their own proprietary under floor heating system tailored to Swedish building standards.
Today, LK is a strong brand in both the floor, radiator heating and ground heating as well as tap water systems.
The business sector has operations not only in Sweden, but also in Norway, Finland and Britain as well as in Lithuania, Ireland and Romania through independent distributors.
1998
Business Sector PE-X Pipes
For the further development of LK’s heat and tap water systems polyethylene pipes took on a central and strategically important role.
With the task of developing and manufacturing this kind of pipe the company LK Pex AB was set up in Ulricehamn.
Today, from its own factory, the company supplies not only its sister companies LK Systems and LK Prefab, but also retailers in Europe, the USA and the Middle East with its proprietary quality pipes.
2002
Business Sector Industrial & Marine Valves and Strainers
When LK bought A-H Andersson AS’ HVAC operations in 1990, this was also the beginning of the Marine Valve Business Sector. The range also includes brass valves for installation in ships, and counts the Norwegian Navy among its customers. Sales of these valves grew and soon the product range was given its own company, LK Valves AS.
Today the business sector consists of two companies, LK Valves AB in Helsingborg, with operations in Sweden and Norway, and also Changzhou LK Valves Co. Ltd.. (2006) with production in China.
2007
LK Prefab AB
Since the early 1990s prefabrication of HVAC installations was part of the activities of the HVAC Business Sector. Now prefabrication has its own company, LK Prefab AB, with manufacturing facilities in Gävle.
In 2008 the company is moving to new, larger premises to meet the ever increasing demand for this type of service.