History

The story of Jaakko-Tuote Oy began in Panelia in 1971 when Veli Harjunpää started his business in the rented premises of the local Jaakko-Tehtaat Oy. In its initial years, Harjunpää collaborated with Asser Uusi-Jaakkola, the owner of Jaakko-Tehtaat Oy at the time, which was a company that manufactured Jaakko grain dryers. The company wanted to use the same prefix as Jaakko-Tehtaat Oy because Jaakko grain dryers were well-known in the province. Later, however, the production of Jaakko grain dryers ceased. Jaakko-Tuote Oy still operates today in the same premises where Veli Harjunpää founded it, which has been owned by the company since 1996. Although the company remains in the small town Panelia, Finland, the factory has seen significant changes over the decades, with numerous expansions to accommodate the machines and equipment needed for production efficiency.

Decades of Jaakko-Tuote Oy

In the 1970s, operations began with the manufacturing of laminated glass and windshields using self-designed windshield furnaces. During this time, the company had to build its production equipment and machines from scratch, often staying ahead of others with these self-made devices. Jaakko-Tuote Oy produced laminating machines, bending ovens, and glass washing machines. Glass cutting tables made in the company’s workshop were also innovative and were sold to other companies in the field.

Initially, the company focused on its core competence, glass manufacturing. However, in early 1976, the company also started manufacturing steel profiles. Only two sheet metal profile models were produced with self-made machines, and although turnover was low margin, the production of steel profiles complemented glass production well.

In 1977, a new glass production hall designed for demanding industrial use was completed, providing enough space to acquire a new large autoclave. At the time, this autoclave was considered the largest in Finland and enabled the production of large, laminated glass for the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

In the 1970s, agents from the US Secret Service visited Jaakko-Tuote’s test shooting range to ensure that the bulletproof glass manufactured by the company met the security requirements for the US president. This ensured that they didn’t need to bring their own safety glass for the European Security and Cooperation Conference, which was organized in Helsinki and attended by heads of state from 35 countries, including Finnish President Urho Kekkonen and US President Gerald Ford.

In the 1980s, inquiries about tempered glass began to arrive, leading Jaakko-Tuote Oy to acquire its first production line for tempered glass in 1986. The tempering machine had state-of-the-art features and enabled the company to temper three-millimeter glass and selective glasses, a new development in the industry in 1986. This machine was the largest of its kind in Finland at the time, and the glass produced was suitable for laminated assemblies. The decision to purchase a tempering machine was significant for maintaining and increasing future market positions and promoting exports. Later, more tempering lines were acquired for producing different product groups and shapes, and the production sizes of laminated glass were increased.

In 1983, the machinery for steel profile production was completely renewed when operations were moved to new premises after a hall extension was completed. With the new machines, it was possible to roll new models, and by the end of the decade, the TiiliJaakko profile with brick patterns was being manufactured.

In the 1990s, glass production for large vehicles began with the production of windshields for buses, later expanding to the production of side windows for buses. Larger furnaces were needed to manufacture bus windshields compared to traditional vehicle windshields, so the company built these furnaces itself. Production of bus side windows began in 1998 when a new tempering machine was acquired for producing bendable tempered glass.

The product range was further expanded by acquiring manufacturing equipment for insulating glass and screen printing. These investments were substantial, and a new hall space of about 2000m² was built. Such expansions would not have been possible without the purchase of the real estate of the former dryer factory in 1996. In 1998, the rolling mill moved to this newly acquired premises.

In the 21st century, the company’s growth was facilitated by increased production capacity on both the glass and sheet metal sides. On the glass side, significant changes included the start of production of insulating glass and electrically heated glass, and the purchase of new production machines for existing processing departments. At the end of 2000, a new line of insulating glass featuring safety glass (hardened, laminated, or a combination thereof) was introduced. In 2003, Jaakko-Tuote Oy produced insulating glass for the Parliament annex.

A new tempering machine was acquired in 2005, and a new hall space of about 2900m² was built for it. The following year, another similar hardening machine was ordered to prepare for increasing capacity and growing competition in the industry. New space was required for the company’s fourth tempering machine, leading to an extension of about 950m².

In mid-2008, the fifth tempering machine and its premises were completed. This flat tempering machine improved delivery times, the tempering of larger glass, and the production of heat-strengthened glass. In 2009, a new brick-patterned profile manufacturing machine was acquired for steel profiles, and the rolling mill was expanded by approximately 630m² as a result.

In the early 2010s, the pace of investment slowed due to the global economic situation. The recession following the 2008 financial crisis forced many companies to downsize, while increased competition within the EU drove down price levels. The Baltic countries and Poland, in particular, posed significant competitive challenges for safety glass processors in Finland. This led to a general deterioration in price levels, making business operations in Finland unprofitable in many cases. Jaakko-Tuote Oy also faced profitability problems, but the company’s strong financial position prevented more consequential issues. This unhealthy competitive situation persisted until the end of the decade, when signs of improvement appeared due to rising general cost levels in the aforementioned areas.

In 2013, LukkoJaakko was added to the range of steel profile products. Over the decade, the lock seam profile became the most popular profile option. The growth of profiled sheet production has been significant in recent years, with considerable investments made in regularly renewing and increasing the machine base. The most significant recent acquisitions in steel profile production include a 2-way bending large edging machine (2020) and a fully automatic lock seam profile machine (2022).

In 2018, one of the decade’s biggest investments was made with the acquisition of a massive tempering machine. The Glaston FC3360 was the largest tempering machine in Scandinavia at the time, capable of handling glass sizes up to 6000 x 3300 mm. This machine is likely still the only one of its kind in Scandinavia. Currently, Jaakko-Tuote Oy’s machine base includes a total of six tempering machines. Since 2019, the machinery for safety glass production has been renewed, including the acquisition of new vertical and horizontal grinding machines in 2021 and the latest technology Glaston ProL lamination furnace in 2022. The company has always looked to the future with confidence.

Jaakko-Tuote Oy has been entirely owned by the Harjunpää family since 2011. Aki Harjunpää, the current CEO, has continued the work of his father, leading the family business since June 2014. Veli Harjunpää, the company’s founder and a true pioneer of the glass industry in Finland, served as the board chairman until the end of 2021. He passed away on March 23, 2022, due to illness, at the age of 86.

Family entrepreneurship is important to Aki Harjunpää, who has worked in the company since he was a boy. Despite the challenges and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, under Aki’s leadership, Jaakko-Tuote Oy has continued to develop its operations with courage and determination.

“An interesting, educational, and confidence-inspiring year is behind us. Despite the challenging operating environment, production has continued without interruption and the changes made have been successful. The measures will be continued and further developed in 2022. Our goal is that Jaakko-Tuote Oy will operate in Panelia for the next 50 years as well.” CEO Aki Harjunpää