This paper examines the role of wholesale firms as facilitators of exports for small
and medium-sized Swedish businesses. Our findings suggest that wholesale firms do
facilitate access to difficult markets located outside Europe.

Our findings suggest that wholesale firms do facilitate access to difficult markets located outside Europe. For exports of a particular good to a given market, we observe a positive correlation between the export volumes of wholesale and manufacturing firms. Finally, we present evidence that supports a prediction from recent trade models with differentiated firms, namely that wholesale firms can facilitate exports for firms that are not themselves capable of direct exports.