MEET METROPRINT
FROM ESTONIA TO SWEDEN: Metroprint and Fontakt
1728+
companies in target group
287+
Companies qualified
167+
Companies interested
Introduction
Metroprint Systems is an Estonian-owned large-format digital printing company that has been operating in the market since 2000. Over the past two decades, Metroprint has become a trusted production partner for clients across Europe, offering a wide range of digital printing products, including banners, flags, paper posters, stickers, signs, boards, roll-ups, various special-format solutions, and an extensive selection of promotional items. Today almost 60% of Metroprint’s output is exported primarily to Finland and the company has now begun an active market entry process in Sweden.
To accelerate this expansion and build a strong presence in the Nordic region, Metroprint partnered with Fontakt, a B2B sales agency specializing in partner acquisition, outbound sales development and international market entry. We are going to cover how we managed to got our first traction in Swedish market.
Fontakt’s involvement went far beyond traditional lead generation. In addition to creating a highly targeted outbound pipeline, Fontakt supported Metroprint across the entire early-stage process from joining client meetings, assisting with local communication and helping navigate cultural nuances and language barriers in the Swedish market.
By combining Metroprint’s production expertise with Fontakt’s local market insight and hands-on sales support, the partnership has enabled a smoother, more structured and more effective entry into Sweden. This collaborative approach ensures that potential partners move from first contact to real business discussions and early opportunities, establishing a strong foundation for long-term growth in the region.
The challenge
During Metroprint’s initial steps into the Swedish market, several practical challenges were identified that influenced the approach to outreach and partner acquisition:
1. Limited access to accurate decision‑maker data
The availability of high‑quality databases containing direct contacts of relevant decision makers was limited. This reduced the efficiency of early outreach efforts and made targeted communication more difficult.
2. Language-related constraints in sales communication
Not all members of the sales team speak Swedish. One customer manager is able to communicate in Swedish, but overall language capability remained limited, which affected the ability to build initial rapport with local prospects.
3. Low engagement from first-round outreach
Initial communication with approximately 70–80 companies generated very few responses. Only a few product sample requests were made, and overall reply rates remained low, indicating that traditional outbound methods did not immediately create traction.
4. Competitive market with similar quality offerings
Since Metroprint’s product quality is comparable to that of local Swedish competitors, differentiation cannot rely on quality alone. Competitive advantages would need to come from pricing, production speed, service personalization and flexibility.
1. Step: Defining ICP and messaging
Fontakt analysed the Swedish market, used insights from local partners, and mapped the potential target group for Metroprint — a total of 1,728 companies. Based on this, we defined a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) by revenue level, company size, industry and relevant needs.
Key sectors where Metroprint’s products and services create the strongest value:
- Printing and production companies
- Trade fair & event organizers
- Advertising and marketing agencies
- Companies using packaging solutions
- Product & brand design studios
This ensured strong alignment between Metroprint’s offering and the actual market demand and buying channels.
We reviewed which messages have worked for Metroprint before, combined them with local market insights, and aligned the communication approach together with our partner.
2. Step: Lead Generation, Presales & Relationships building
When the market has around 1500-2000 potential companies, results depend on using the right channels and speaking to the right people.
In Sweden, we have seen that outreach works best when it’s done by a native speaker who understands the local business culture.
Because of that, Fontakt focused on direct phone outreach as the main channel for Metroprint.
What we did:
- Built a clean, targeted list of relevant companies
- Found the right decision‑makers
- Connected Metroprint directly with interested prospects
Our goal wasn’t volume – it was strong conversations with companies that actually need printing, packaging or production support.
Fontakt handled the whole early sales process: first contact, qualification, follow‑up calls and guiding prospects toward real discussions with Metroprint.
Every call focused on simple, practical questions that helped both sides quickly see if there was a real match.
The outreach focused on creating interest in Metroprint’s services and bringing in real conversations that could lead to quotes, test jobs and new clients.
Fontakt sorted all contacted companies into clear groups:
- Cold – no interest or not relevant
- Neutral – possible fit, but timing not right
- Hot – strong interest and active discussions
After the first calls, Metroprint and Fontakt worked closely together to move the best leads forward — joining meetings, handling questions and pushing discussions toward real opportunities. All leads were shared with full context and Fontakt stayed involved throughout the process to make sure good opportunities did not fade after the first contact.
As a result, Metroprint was able to move forward with concrete discussions, meet the most promising companies and explore new cooperation options. We learned which types of companies already use similar printing and production services, what criteria they follow when selecting a new partner, and what the most common objections are — usually pricing, delivery speed, logistics or existing supplier relationships.
We also saw differences in how smaller companies and larger buyers make decisions, how their workflows are structured, and what kind of positioning and service offering resonates best in Sweden. Some segments reacted faster and showed stronger interest than others, giving us a clear picture of where the quickest traction is. Seasonal patterns, expectations around production capacity, preferred timelines, and sensitivity to pricing also became much clearer.
The results
Before Fontakt made the first calls to potential clients, we conducted thorough research and mapping to find the right contacts and carefully select exactly who we wanted to reach.
Fontakt identified and mapped 287 relevant targets across advertising agencies, printing & production companies and event/expo organizers. From these, 167 companies showed clear interest. Altogether this generated 27 offers and follow‑up requests, including test jobs and quotation discussions.
The project started in late summer 2025 with a clear goal: help Metroprint enter the Swedish market and connect with companies needing reliable and flexible production support. Today, Metroprint has multiple strong prospects in active discussions, with more opportunities moving through the pipeline after online and in‑person meetings.
Early test orders have already been placed, allowing Swedish companies to evaluate Metroprint’s quality first‑hand. Deliveries are now underway to prepare partners for the upcoming season, creating the first customer base in Southern Sweden and establishing a stable starting point for long‑term presence.
These results came not only from outreach, but also from hands‑on execution on the ground. With support from Fontakt’s local B2B sales representative, Metroprint was able to communicate in the local language, remove cultural barriers and move discussions forward much faster.
This gives Metroprint a practical and scalable entry into Sweden—reducing dependence on the local Estonian and Finnish market and opening access to a broader, long‑term customer network. Metroprint now has a meaningful foothold in Sweden and a clear path for growth.
Want to expand to the Baltics or Scandinavia? Write us at [email protected]