Our history
It all began in 1948...
That was the year when an old farm with a hen house was leased for the purposes of paint making in Tuomarila, Espoo (Finland). The hen house was renovated and came to house a laboratory. Production started after this, with the strength of one man and a pan mill.
Teknos's first product was the caseine paint Tuomo, named after the locality of Tuomarila.
Our company's beginnings have been noted in the design of our logo, which sports both a cockerel and a paintbrush.
Ferrex was the start of our success
Ferrex anticorrosive paint was created in 1949 as the sum of many different things. Suffice it to say that curiosity, solution-based thinking and innovative approach played a big role, reflecting the fact that product development has been an important part of Teknos's operations from the very beginning.
The paint slowing down the process of corrosion on surfaces was a hit both in Finland and many other countries, as it met the needs of industries in many ways.
It's all about innovations
Alongside Ferrex success, conquests were made in other areas as well. Over the decades, a wealth of new and innovative products were developed, and some of them even as first in the world.
Sometimes, our solutions may sound quite paradoxical, like in the case of our water borne Ferrex Aqua, which slows down the corrosion process, but these cases only serve to highlight the creativity of our product development process.
Still as family business
The company that began its operations in a small hen house grew into an international concern, nonetheless staying as a family business. Our growth story continues conducted by the third generation of Kiikka family.
Our story started from a hen house in Tuomarila, in 1948
Just like nature protects and preserves all its precious resources, our aim is to offer smart, sustainable coating solutions to protect and prolong the lifespan of all the things that you care for.
Ever since we started off 1948 in a small hen house, our relentless strive has been to offer the best solutions and services in close partnership with our customers.
With our unique history, experience, family company roots and culture, we have engaged with enthusiastic professionals, partners and customers and together we can make the world last longer.
Teknos' historical highlights 1948-2022
1948
Teknos-Tehtaat Oy is founded.
1949
FERREX, Finland's first activated multipigmented red lead. Specialisation into anti-corrosive paints begins.
1955
EPIREX, Finland's first double component paint and first epoxy resin solution for concrete surfaces in the world.
1960
PANU, Finland's first water-borne wood surface paint for outdoors.
1964
KIRJO, Finland's first colored corrosion prevention paint for tin roofs and heavy industrial objects.
1971
Manufacturing of powder coatings begins, Finland's only manufacturer – as Teknos is still today. Development of work safe wet paints begins.
1973
INERTA 160, Special coating that can endure extremely strenuous exertion and ice abrasion.
1977
NATURA, Finland's first water borne lacquer for wood surfaces.
1978
Manufacturing of Coil coatings begins – Teknos again first in Finland.
1985
TEKNOMIX, computer guided tinting machine for both industrial and commercial wet paints.
1986
Teknos buys Winter's (founded in 1892) Epilä's factories paint business from Oy Lohja Ab.
1987
BIORA, Finland's first totally solvent free indoor paint.
1989
Teknos buys Swedish Tranemo Färg – paint factory (founded in 1920).
1990
Teknos buys Danish Schou Farve- og Lakfabrik (founded in 1912). Teknos Schou gets DS-ISO 9001 – standard based quality system certificate.
Rajamäki central warehouse is completed and taken into use.
1991
TEKNOCOLOR 2001 –tinting system hits the market. It represents a totally new thinking in color world and makes it possible to make almost 2000 different shades in indoor paints.
1992
Teknos's new warehouse and factory site in Sweden taken into use. Teknos founds a new daughter company in Norway.
1993
Teknos gets a certificate based on SFS-ISO 9001 –standard quality system.
1996
Teknos buys share majority in English European Coatings Ltd. Teknos gets ISO 9001 –standard quality system based certificate.
Teknos brings a novelty product STEELCOAT 3000 into market. Compared to the previous products it has better weather durability.
More and more new environmental friendly by-products are brought to industrial markets.
1997
A daughter company is founded in Warsaw Poland.
1998
Water borne AQUA-series meant for industrial wood gets its commercial break through in Finland.
Paren product of the series - Aquatop – in developed in Teknos Denmark. Teknos gets a certificate after ISO 14001 – standard accordance environmental system in Denmark.
Teknos buys the German paint factory Rhodius Lacke und Farben GmbH (founded in 1892).
1999
Teknos gets both in Finland and Sweden certificates ISO 14001 –system based environmental management system.
R & D for water borne and solvent free paint systems continues intense. Many new products for end-users are brought to markets including NORDICA- outdoor paint series.
2001
Teknos buys Danish Hygæa Farve og Lakker A/S (founded in 1882). Teknos Denmark begins integration of its systems.
Teknos is rewarded with a yearly EIA-award for making a report assessing environmental effects.
Teknos Proline – service concept is launched for professional end-users.
2002
New office and warehouse facilities are completed in Norway.
2003
New raw material warehouse of 6.000 m2 and top-modern conference centre are completed in Rajamäki, Finland.
WOODEX – a totally new wood protection product family is launched.
Teknos takes NCS colour system in use.
2004
In Denmark a new production hall is completed in Vamdrup. Aalborg continues as Teknos other production plant in Denmark.
2005
Teknos buys coil coating activities from Tikkurila. A new daughter company Teknos Nova Coil TNC Oy is established.
Teknos buys the majority shareholding in L A Cook Ltd in Northern Ireland. The company sells industrial wood paints in whole Ireland.
Teknos establishes a subsidiary in Moscow, Russia.
2006
Teknos' ultra high-solids polyurethane paints show strong growth. The products are based on brand new technology and bring revolutionary benefits to customers.
NORDICA AQUA - a new product to NORDICA outdoor paint serie for DIY painters is launched.
Teknos opens its own paint shop in Bromma/Stockholm.
2007
The Rajamäki powder coating plant's extension is completed. The 10.000 m2 new plant is the largest of its kind in the Nordic countries.
In Denmark all operations are concentrated in Vamdrup factory. Operations from Aalborg is transferred to Vamdrup. In Vamdrup new production facilities and Industrial Wood test centre are completed.
Two corporate restructurings are made. Teknos sells its coil coating operations to the American Valspar Corporation and its Danish Archictural Coatings to a Danish entrepreneur Nordisk Aktiv Virke A/S.
Teknos acquires Ljungdahls Färg AB in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ljungdahls Färg is one of the oldes paint shops in Sweden. It serves both professionals and DIY painters.
2008
Teknos has its 60th anniversary.
Teknos opens a daughter company in Slovenia.
Teknos opens own representative offices in Belarus and Ukraine.
Teknos opens a new paint shop in Stockholm area. The shop serves professional painters.
2009
Teknos buys GORI's wood industry business from Dyrup A/S.
Teknos establishes a joint-venture company to Russia together with local Russian paint manufacturer. The company name is Teknos Deko and the premises are in St. Petersburg. Teknos Deko manufacturers architectural coatings.
2010
Teknos opens a daughter company to Ukraine.
Teknos opens a daughter company in Shanghai, China. The company name is Teknos Coatings Trading (Shanghai) Co and it serves international industrial customers.
Teknos acquires Polish metal paint manufacturer Oliva located in Gdynia. Afther the acquisition Teknos becomes the leading metal coatings supplier in Poland.
Teknos buys Tikkurila's powder coatings business in Russia. The factory is in St. Petersburg and products are marketed under OHTEK name.
2011
Teknos opens a new sales office in Vietnam to serve local manufacturers of wood products for industry, such as joinery companies and furniture manufacturers.
New ERP system IFS is successfully introduced in Finland. It will be rolled out to subsidiaries group wide.
Teknos launches new TEKNOSAFE system for fire protection treatment of industrial wood.
2012
Teknos buys Wedevåg Färg AB in Sweden. The acquisition strengthens significantly Teknos skills in the industrial wood business.
Teknos buys Kemiflora Oü in Tallinn. The company has been for several years an importer and a wholesaler of Teknos paints in Estonia.
Teknos buys a land plot in St. Petersburg for a new modern paint plant.
Teknos launched several new environmentally friendly products, such as: waterbased TEKNOFLOOR AQUA floor paint, HELO AQUA special varnish, FUTURA AQUA furniture paint, KIRJO AQUA metal roof paint and TIMANTTI CLEAN antimicrobial paint.
Teknos was awarded family business of the year in Finland. The award is recognition for continuous efforts in research and development.
2013
Teknos acquires Burcharths Farve & Lakfabrik's paint business in Denmark. Teknos buys 40 % share of Chinese paint manufacturer, Manfield Chemical, located in Changzhou. Company subsequently named Manfield Teknos (Changzhou) Chemical Co. Ltd.
Construction work on St.Petersburg site begins. Production expected to start by the end of 2014.
2014
Teknos establishes subsidiaries in Latvia and Lithuania.
Oliva factory in Gdynia, Poland, renovated and warehouse moved to new premises in Warsaw.
2015
Teknos acquires Trading Company Massco in Russia.
The newly renovated Gdynia factory including a painting school for professionals in Poland opened in January 2015.
St.Petersburg factory opened in June 2015.
Planning work for a new painting school in Rajamäki has been started.
2016
Teknos acquires industrial coatings business from Feidal Coatings in Germany.
Paula Salastie, CEO of Teknos Group, is chosen as the Businessman of the Year 2016.
Teknos acquires Dutch Drywood Coatings which develops, produces and sells water-based coatings for wooden substrates.
2017
Teknos acquires powder coatings business from Śnieżka in Poland.
Teknos acquires Feyco Treffert, a company specializing in wood coatings, and Schekolin AG. The acquisition provides access to new markets in Switzerland, Malaysia, and the USA.
New Technology and training center Gallus is opened in the company’s Rajamäki facilities in Finland.
2018
Teknos celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Teknos acquires parquet product business from Kiilto in Finland.
Teknos is updating company strategy for 2019-2025 with the ambition to grow the company to EUR 1 billion net sales by the end of the strategy period. As the main themes for the next 6 years Teknos has balance, sustainability, customer experience and continuous improvement culture. At the same time, Teknos changes its organizational model to become more customer focused and appoints new management team to drive the change and to boost the growth.
2019
Teknos closes representative office in Belarus.
Teknos acquires the business of Drywood Norge AS, a company operating in architectural coatings business in Norwegian market. The acquisition allows Teknos to enter a new business area and further strengthen Teknos’ position in the architectural coatings market.
Teknos acquires Czech paint distributor Finnproduct s.r.o. to strengthen its position in the market. Teknos and Finnproduct has long cooperation. Finnproduct has been Teknos dealer already since 1992.
2020
Teknos closes its depot in Crissier, Switzerland.
Teknos opens new factory in Charlotte, USA.
2021
Teknos launches corporate donation program Paying It Forward - in the first edition of the program - contributed to 18 beneficiaries worldwide.
2022
Teknos exits from Russian market.
Teknos receives EcoVadis gold medal for sustainability performance, ranking top 5% among companies globally.
Teknos opens a new Commercial and Competence Center in Vietnam.