Nokian Footwear
Encyclopedia
Nokian Footwear is a Finnish
manufacturer of boots, today part of the Finnish company Berner. Nokian Footwear was founded in 1990, but its history extends back to 1898, when Eduard Polón and a group of other Finnish businessmen decided to establish the company Suomen Gummitehdas Oy (Finnish Rubber Works Ltd) in Helsinki
. After operating for a few years, the factory began to produce rubber galoshes
, which competed successfully against Russian imports. After several years of production in Helsinki, the factory was moved to the town of Nokia
. Soon after, the company began to use the brand Nokia, communicating Finnishness, and to distinguish itself from the cheaper Russian products.
Suomen Gummitehdas was soon manufacturing rubber goods ranging from machine belts to hoses and vehicle tyres. Later Suomen Gummitehdas Oy changed its name to a more modern Suomen Kumitehdas Oy. In 1967, Suomen Kumitehdas and Suomen Kaapelitehdas (Finnish Cable Works) merged with the forest and power industry company Nokia Aktiebolag (Nokia Company) to form Nokia Corporation
, the current telecommunications corporation. The Group’s fields of business were the rubber
, cable
and forest
industries as well as electricity generation
and electronics
.
At the end of the 1980s, the different industrial sectors of Nokia Corporation decided to focus on their own areas of expertise. Nokian Tyres left in 1988 to form its own, independent company and two years later, in 1990, Nokian Footwear was founded. The parent company Nokia Corporation focused on telecommunications and divested itself of all of its non-telecommunications divisions.
In 2005, the Finnish family business Berner bought Nokian Footwear and assumed ownership of the Nokian Footwear brands and closely guarded rubber recipes.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
manufacturer of boots, today part of the Finnish company Berner. Nokian Footwear was founded in 1990, but its history extends back to 1898, when Eduard Polón and a group of other Finnish businessmen decided to establish the company Suomen Gummitehdas Oy (Finnish Rubber Works Ltd) in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. After operating for a few years, the factory began to produce rubber galoshes
Galoshes
Galoshes , also known as boat shoes, dickersons, or overshoes, are a type of rubber boot that is slipped over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet. The word galoshes might be used interchangeably with boot, especially a rubberized boot...
, which competed successfully against Russian imports. After several years of production in Helsinki, the factory was moved to the town of Nokia
Nokia, Finland
Nokia, Finland is a town and a municipality on the banks of the Nokianvirta River in the region of Pirkanmaa, some west of Tampere. As of it has a population of .-History:...
. Soon after, the company began to use the brand Nokia, communicating Finnishness, and to distinguish itself from the cheaper Russian products.
Suomen Gummitehdas was soon manufacturing rubber goods ranging from machine belts to hoses and vehicle tyres. Later Suomen Gummitehdas Oy changed its name to a more modern Suomen Kumitehdas Oy. In 1967, Suomen Kumitehdas and Suomen Kaapelitehdas (Finnish Cable Works) merged with the forest and power industry company Nokia Aktiebolag (Nokia Company) to form Nokia Corporation
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, the current telecommunications corporation. The Group’s fields of business were the rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
and forest
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
industries as well as electricity generation
Electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
and electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
.
At the end of the 1980s, the different industrial sectors of Nokia Corporation decided to focus on their own areas of expertise. Nokian Tyres left in 1988 to form its own, independent company and two years later, in 1990, Nokian Footwear was founded. The parent company Nokia Corporation focused on telecommunications and divested itself of all of its non-telecommunications divisions.
In 2005, the Finnish family business Berner bought Nokian Footwear and assumed ownership of the Nokian Footwear brands and closely guarded rubber recipes.
Milestones
- 1898 – Finnish Rubber Works Ltd (Suomen Gummitehdas Oy) founded in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. - 1904 – Factory moves to the town of NokiaNokia, FinlandNokia, Finland is a town and a municipality on the banks of the Nokianvirta River in the region of Pirkanmaa, some west of Tampere. As of it has a population of .-History:...
. - 1967 – Finnish Rubber Works, Finnish Cable Works and Nokia Company merged, thereby forming Nokia CorporationNokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
. - 1973 – KontioKontioKontio is a Finnish circumlocutory epithet for bear, similar to Otso.*It is the name of a Finnish icebreaker Kontio*It is the name of the most famous rubber boot model by Nokian Footwear*It is the name of a truck model KONTIO-SISU...
, a classic full-length rubber boot for men, introduced. - 1990 – Split from Nokia Corporation. Nokian Footwear Ltd. founded.
- 2005 – Berner Ltd. acquires Nokian Footwear.