How Steelwrist established a global learning platform in just a few months

Starting point: rapid growth and increasing complexity

Steelwrist develops and sells equipment that makes excavators more efficient, including tiltrotators and quick couplers. The products are technically complex and require both deep understanding and clear communication – internally as well as externally.

At the same time, the organization was growing rapidly, both in Sweden and internationally. New employees, new markets, and new product generations made it increasingly difficult to ensure that the right knowledge reached the right person at the right time.

“Many people who join us have no prior experience with our products. At the same time, they need to quickly understand how they work and the value they create for the customer,” says Karl-Henrik Krantz, Head of Steelwrist Online Academy. The need for more structured, scalable, and consistent learning became clear.

Challenge: reaching people quickly – globally and consistently

The most evident challenge arose in connection with the launch of a new generation of tiltrotators. Product knowledge needed to be quickly communicated to salespeople, technicians, and other key roles – in multiple languages and across different parts of the organization. Previous ways of working risked being too slow, too local, and too dependent on individuals.

Steelwrist needed a way to:

• ensure accurate product knowledge
• create a shared global knowledge base
• build over time, rather than starting from scratch with every launch
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Solution: a pilot project with a clear business focus

Instead of building a full-scale learning platform right away, Steelwrist chose to start with a limited pilot project. The focus was on a concrete, business-critical training initiative: product training for the sales organization.

The training was made mandatory and served both as knowledge validation and as a test of the platform, pedagogy, and structure.

“The pilot project initially targeted the sales organization and management. When the learning platform was later rolled out broadly, the entire organization could access the content, creating a shared understanding and stronger engagement,” says Anne-Charlotte Barclay, HR Manager at Steelwrist. The pilot provided fast feedback and clear direction for the next steps.
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Implementation: structure, ownership, and collaboration

After a successful pilot, Steelwrist decided to scale the initiative. Several key decisions were made early on:

1. Clear ownership of learning‍

Rather than assigning responsibility as a side task within HR, a dedicated owner for Learnifier was appointed. This created focus, continuity, and momentum.

“Learning requires focus. When someone owns the whole picture, quality improves and development moves faster,” says Karl-Henrik Krantz.

2. Collaboration between HR and Marketing‍

To ensure both quality and engagement, HR and Marketing worked closely together. HR provided structure and processes, while Marketing contributed pedagogy, storytelling, and audience understanding.

“The common denominator among organizations that succeed is close collaboration between HR and Marketing. This also applies when building learning,” says Karl-Henrik Krantz.

3. Technology that enables scaling‍

AI and digital tools were used to produce training faster, reuse materials, and make content multilingual – without compromising quality or brand recognition.

“When people understand how their work connects to the bigger picture and the business, both motivation and the desire to develop increase. That’s where learning really
makes a difference”

Expansion: from product training to a knowledge hub

Once the foundation was in place, the use of Learnifier expanded. Today it includes, among other things:

• preboarding and onboarding
• health, safety, and work environment training
• internal presentation and communication courses
• advanced product knowledge
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Onboarding is a clear example of how Steelwrist combines digital and practical learning.

“We want new employees to feel confident and productive quickly. That’s why learning starts even before the first working day and continues both digitally and on site,” says Anne-Charlotte Barclay. The ambition has always been to create a living hub for knowledge – not a system used only when something is mandatory.

Results: higher engagement and stronger internal mobility

The investment in a global learning platform has delivered clear results:

• higher engagement in training
• greater understanding of products and the business
• more internal applicants for open roles
• increased willingness to grow within the organization

The learning platform has become a tool for both competence development and culture building. “When people understand how their work connects to the bigger picture and the business, both motivation and the desire to develop increase. That’s where learning really makes a difference,” says Anne-Charlotte Barclay.

Steelwrist’s key learnings

• Start with a clear, business-driven pilot project
• Build structure before volume
• Ensure clear ownership of learning
• Give cross-department collaboration more space
• Use technology and AI for scaling – not as a replacement for people
• View the learning platform as a knowledge hub, not a course archive