2019 was a very special one for us, as Kiilto turned 100. This three-digit number has given us reason to think and take stock many times throughout the year. Many of the stories from Kiilto’s past are fun, and many are moving. However, the things that are foremost in mind at the end of this jubilee year are renewal and looking ahead, challenging our own ways of doing things.
Throughout the year, we vigorously raised the issues that are fundamental to Kiilto. We packaged the message, and it formed into the Strongest Bond. Our love of our work down to the smallest detail and our dedication to nature and the home have come across clearly in 2019 – including on radio, television and the internet, which is somewhat new for us.
Above all, however, it has been wonderful to see how our passion for continuous improvement, combined with successful solutions for a sustainable future, are plain for all to see at every level of our everyday work.
Love for the environment
One of the themes that received the strongest emphasis both internally and externally was the environment. We made a Promise to the Environment at the end of last year, and announced our bold ambition to become the environmental leader in our sector.
Our efforts to promote environmentally sustainable solutions were also recognised by our stakeholder groups during the year. Our waste heat recycling hybrid system was recognised with the European Responsible Care Award, as well as the Finnish Environment Institute’s Hinku award. Our biodegradable hot melt adhesive created a flurry of interest as far afield as New Zealand. Not only that, but our plant-based, environmentally friendly cutting fluids and the first Nordic Swan Ecolabel products developed for the food industry were also eagerly welcomed. We also received good results from the reuse of plastic packaging.
However, we did not make Our Promise to the Environment only in honour of our centenary – we did it because our goal of becoming the environmental leader in our sector is part and parcel of our business culture. It is the cornerstone we build on. We have set ambitious targets to keep our promises, and we take decisive steps every day.
Read more about Our Promise to the Environment
200 new colleagues
In March 2019, we welcomed around 200 new employees to Kiilto, when we became the leading supplier of hygiene solutions in the Nordic countries with the acquisition of the entire share capital of the Swedish company CCS Healthcare Holding AB. The acquisition supports our ambitious growth target and strengthens our position as an international supplier of cleanliness and hygiene solutions in Sweden, Norway and Denmark in addition to our current operating areas.
The internationalisation of Kiilto began in Sweden in 1987, when the first subsidiary outside Finland was established. Today we operate in 12 countries and are building an international Kiilto culture with almost a thousand employees.
Growth is not a value in itself, however. It is the means by which we can serve our customers more fully, invest more intensively in product development and invest in and influence environmentally important projects.
The Strongest Bond
History binds us to the present, which is highlighted as our centenary year draws to a close. The end of the year is a time for reflection, calm and gratitude. And there is much to be grateful for. We are thankful to all our customers and partners, and of course to all our staff.
We started the year with a manifesto in which we declared our discovery of the strongest bond of all, love. It is fitting to end the year with the same strong message:
We at Kiilto have been engaged in research since 1919. That means a hundred years of elements, compounds and chemical bonds. And love for the future which lives in us all and makes us stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to face the challenges of the next hundred years.
Eeva Solja
Brand and Communications Director
Read more:
• Kiilto celebrates anniversary: a century of R&D and innovations
• Kiilto’s centenary year begins