The year 2019 is a very special year for Kiilto, as our family-owned company will celebrate its centenary in October – Kiilto is 100 years old this year. The same family has owned the company from the beginning, and the fourth generation is now also involved closely in its operations.
Kiilto’s story began in a small factory producing hair tonic and shoe polish in the Pispala district of Tampere, Finland. The company’s 100-year journey has seen it transform into an international conglomerate. Naturally, we are proud of our respectable age. At the same time, this milestone gives us the opportunity to assess the ingredients of our success story. In addition to our personnel, our gratitude must extend to our customers and partners, too.
“The input of people who have contributed to Kiilto’s story is humbling. History binds us to the present and helps us prepare for the challenges of the next century”, says Eeva Solja, Kiilto’s Brand and Communications Manager.
Kiilto is a family company with a vision that extends to 2080. This is a veteran company, but it is one that is looking far into the future and has a constant drive to reinvent itself, to become more international, and to develop in general. Its four business areas – construction, adhesive and hygiene solutions for the industrial sector, professional cleanliness and hygiene, and consumer products – make Kiilto a familiar, trusted, long-term partner for many companies and consumers.
To mark our anniversary, we wanted to highlight the fundamental reason for the emergence of this Finnish success story: Kiilto is a company that stresses its local approach and commitment to a specific operating culture.
“We crystallised our brand thinking last autumn and trimmed all the unnecessary elements. We were left with the essence: a single, unified Kiilto. During our centenary year, we want to make visible the many ways in which we are part of people’s everyday lives – and above all else, what it is that makes us who we are”, explains Solja.
This major milestone will be celebrated throughout the year, and our company’s 100thbirthday will be visible in all Kiilto’s channels and materials. In honour of this special year, Kiilto will also invest in increasing its media exposure more than ever.
It’s possible to follow Kiilto’s centenary year e.g. on social media (LinkedIn, Twitter).