Our Story
Harjavalta Group – Since 1920
Our story began more than 100 years ago in the Finnish countryside in the exact same location in Harjavalta where today more than 10,000 kitchens are manufactured annually.
With deep roots in wood processing, wood is still strongly present in our current portfolio, a century later. Over these years, operational environment has transformed significantly and so we have renewed ourselves accordingly.
Today, we are a significant family business and one of the leading construction groups in Finland with a fresh approach to sustainable value creation and growth.
The company was established 1920 in municipality called Harjavalta, a town located in Southwest Finland.
1920-1940
Building foundations for Harjavalta Group’s wood know-how
Harjavalta Group, officially Harjavalta Oy, was founded 1920 in municipality called Harjavalta which is a town located in Southwest Finland. The company was established by five local farmers, and the first business activities included machinery to agriculture and forestry. The focus was soon changed to sawing and wood processing.
During the first decades, Harjavalta Group’s business activities were local.
1941-1970
From local to nationwide business and start of exports
In 1944, Harjavalta Group started to build a joinery factory in Harjavalta. The product portfolio included mainly doors and windows and the business expanded from local to nationwide.
In addition to door and window products, Harjavalta Group started to manufacture customised wood furniture. The sawmill was shut down in 1955.
In the 1960s, the business expanded from national to international as Harjavalta Group started exporting to Sweden.
In 1947, the company passed to new owners and in 1966, the majority of the company was moved to one family, Aine.
1971-1988
Puustelli-kitchens launched with fast growth
During the 1970s, the world faced a financial crisis and companies needed to renew themselves in order to survive. For Harjavalta Group, the period was seen as a new opportunity and this was the start of Puustelli-kitchens – the leading manufacturer and brand of kitchens in Finland today.
Sales grew at a fast pace, and already in the mid-1980s, Puustelli was the leading manufacturer and the best-recognised kitchen brand in Finland. The key factors to the fast growth and nationwide expansion were sales through our own kitchen stores, a strong business and marketing mindset as well as Puustelli’s all inclusive-service.
1989-2009
Kastelli-houses launched and Puustelli started exports
An economic recession hit Finland in the late 1980s and many companies faced severe difficulties. Harjavalta Group took advantage of the challenging environment as a new opportunity and a new strategic business area was found, wooden single-family houses.
Kastelli was established in 1989. The company provided a fresh approach to marketing, selling and manufacturing of wooden houses nationwide. Kastelli grew into the biggest and the most valued single-family house manufacturer and brand in Finland in five years.
Puustelli started exports to Sweden and the Baltics in 1991 and rapid expansion was driven by the new business concept in the markets.
2010-2014
Strong portfolio in construction value chain
Harjavalta Group made a new strategy to expand in the construction sector. New companies from the construction value chain were added to the group: partition wall company HSL Group Oy, HVAC company Terawatt Oy, industrial wood element company KW-Component Oy and hardware store Smartia Oy.
Rakennusliike Lapti Oy joined Harjavalta Group in 2013. This was one of the major steps in Harjavalta Group’s story as it meant access to real estate development and construction of residential, public and commercial projects. Lapti’s turnover has quintupled in a decade.
Puustelli’s ecological Miinus kitchen furniture was introduced to the market in 2013. Puustelli Miinus kitchen furniture is the most innovative invention in the global furniture industry for decades and the kitchen furniture system has been patented.
2015-2019
Strategic shift to focus on core businesses
After a strategy re-evaluation, Harjavalta Group decided to focus on its core businesses in construction and divest certain companies accordingly.
During these years Terawatt Oy, KW-Component Oy, HSL Group Oy and Smartia were sold to the management.
Harjavalta Group conducted a strategic shift from managing individual companies to a portfolio approach, which is still strongly present in our Group.
2020 onwards
Strong construction expertise while diversifying the Group into new business areas
Harjavalta Group developed a portfolio expansion strategy: to strengthen current portfolio companies and to diversify and expand into new sectors, take further international steps and to make strategic investments.
In 2021, Harjavalta Group made investments on the Nasdaq Helsinki: Kreate Group Oyj, in which Harjavalta Group is the main shareholder, and EcoUp Oyj. Additionally, Harjavalta Group participated in Merus Power Oyj’s IPO and divested it in late 2021.
In 2022, Harjavalta Group acquired Nordec Group Oy together with co-investors. Nordec is one of the leading steel frame structure providers operating in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania, and is a strong constructor of green transition and digitalisation projects in Europe.
Harjavalta Ventures was established 2023 for investments in early stage companies especially outside the construction industry. The first investment was made in 2023 in Vensum Power Oy, which is a power conversion startup.
Today Harjavalta Group is a group of companies and investments – Harjavalta Group. And our next chapter is about to begin.