Sivu - Abloy Oy

ColumnThe most important often goes unnoticedFor the modern Finn, a key is the symbol of security and continuity.There is hardly any other object that has such strong presence in people’slives, and yet is so little in sight. All the same, the ABLOY key is anational icon. Its form has already become a concept. And, for Finns,the trademark ABLOY is synonymous with lock.The transformation of the Abloy Oy Joensuu factory from a local manufacturingplant into an international public company is a success storylike no other. Today Abloy is a successful part of a global public company;yet it has a national identity. Abloy is North Karelia’s key to theworld, part of the Joensuu region’s flourishing international industry.But Abloy, too, could have died. The locking industry is not amongsuch national core property that it could have survived the internationalisationof the ’70s, ‘80s and ‘90s as national activity. Neither is lockproduction necessarily one of the strengths of a high production costcountry like Finland in the globalising world of the 21st century.But Abloy has made the right choices. The company has grown in theright direction. It has found the right international partners. The birth ofthe ASSA ABLOY Group was a Scandinavian solution, but it became aninternational success story. Abloy was in on this development as the otherprincipal owner. Wärtsilä had the wisdom to look forward. When solutionshave been found in time, there have been successes, too.Abloy has also been blessed with strong personalities. GeorgEhrnrooth was the company’s godfather when Abloy was independent,and he has had a say in the development of the ASSA ABLOYGroup, too. Matias Virtaala has led Abloy, based in Joensuu, Finland,to international success. He was also involved in creating the internationalgroup of companies. However, Virtaala has remained in his nativeNorth Karelia. There are only a few key managers of internationalcompanies like him in Finland.The life span of business activity is often surprisingly short. Althougheconomic history knows many long-lived companies, very few companiesare successful longer than one human generation. Many companiesare on top for only two or three decades. Abloy has enjoyed greatsuccess over the past few decades, but will the success continue in theyears to come? There is no answer to that question now. The abilityand skills of Abloy’s personnel will determine that. If the people inthe offices and factory buildings act skilfully, the success may continue.Abloy is an important part of the identity and life of the people ofJoensuu. The company is like a key. You do not always notice it, but itis hard to live without.Pekka MervolaThe writer is the chief editor of the newspaper Karjalainen published in Joensuu.Abloy Oy:n 100-vuotisjuhlalehtiJulkaisijaAbloy Oy, Wahlforssinkatu 20, 80100 Joensuu,puh. 020 599 2501, fax 020 599 2209, www.abloy.comAbloyn toimituskuntaEeva Hirvola-Kostamo, Antti Piitulainen,Jouni Pitko, Pasi SaarinenLehden tuotantoPromadeToimitusPäätoimittaja Sirkka-Liisa Salmela/PromadeKati Norppa/Viestintäpalvelut Kati NorppaKeimo Lehtiniemi/Viestintätoimisto Lehtiniemi OyJohanna Kokkola/Johanna Kokkola OyJaakko Kilpiäinen/Valokuvaaja Jaakko KilpiäinenTiina Karppinen/Mainostoimisto HermoPainoPunaMusta OyPainosmäärä 15 000 kplKansikuvaTaitelija Ismo Kajander ja pienoismalli teoksestaI love Paris/ Charlie Parker Quintet; 30.12.1954Mercury, 2007.Kuvaaja: Johanna KokkolaPromade on Viestintätoimisto Lehtiniemi Oy:n toiminimi.Promade on erikoistunut viestintäkokonaisuuksien suunnitteluunja toteutukseen. Promadessa on mukana 13 alan yritystä.www.promade.fiSivuillaTässä lehdessä:3814242834424950565864Abloy’s sustainable developmentJotakin erityistäBerliinin muurilta suunta TukholmaanThe collapse of the Berlin Wall contributed to the creationof the ASSA ABLOY GroupSuomen johtava brändi ei ikäännyAbloy - A rare bird among TOP 10 brandsVarma, tiirikoimaton, lujaHistoriankirjoittaja Jaana Juvosen poimintoja 100 vuoden varreltaEi mikään kuumakalleJouko Kontuvirta – 30 vuotta lukkotehtaan pääluottamusmiehenäIän myötä mestariksiABLOY-valtuutettu on ammattilainenHerra Kodak itse, oletan!Readymade - tekeekö Abloy lukkoja vai taidettaConsiderations of Object ArtArtists Kari Cavén, Ismo Kajander and Juhani Harri“Patenttiasiakirja – mikä mainio tapa saada unenpäästä kiinni”“It is a great challenge to keep a magnificent company active”Matti Virtaala, President of AbloyRobin Rice on johtanut Abloyn Iso-Britanniantoimintoja 38 menestyksellistä vuottaE-mail! Mitä sinulle tuleemieleen sanasta ABLOY?Tunnetut suomalaiset vastasivat64 It`s great being part of the Abloy family50 Readymade56 ”Välillä tapellaankuin villit!”Ismo Kajander: I love Paris,Charlie Parker Quintet;30.12.1954 Mercury, 2007.Kuva/Photo: Ismo Kajander“Bonjour from Brussels!The very moment that I read your request to reveal mythoughts about the word Abloy, my phone rang. Myassistant Klaus phoned and told me that he had beenleft outside his apartment, because there was a key inthe lock inside preventing him from unlocking the doorfrom the outside. My thought was that North KarelianAbloy workers, with a sense of pride in their employer,would never make such a lock!”- Ari VatanenMember of the European Parliament, RallyRacingStar -7Sivu