16 Facts About Emil Aaltonen

Emil Aaltonen was a prominent Finnish industrialist and philanthropist, who went from humble beginnings to own and run the largest shoe manufacturing business of its time in the Nordic region.

Emil Aaltonen died relatively young, leaving his widow to care for the children.

Consequently the young Emil Aaltonen was expected to contribute to the household, and started as a shoemaker's apprentice at the age of 13.

In 1902, Emil Aaltonen purchased a used American shoe production line and set up his first industrial business, the Hattulan Jalintehdas factory.

In 1905 when the factory burned down and Olga died shortly afterwards, Emil Aaltonen is known to have considered giving up business altogether.

Emil Aaltonen was awarded Gold Medal at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, and by the end of the 1930s its product range covered 4,500 models and the operation employed over 1,300 staff.

Emil Aaltonen retired from the day-to-day running of his businesses in 1947, at the age of 78.

Emil Aaltonen is particularly remembered as a pioneer of shoe manufacturing in Finland.

In 1915, Emil Aaltonen had invested in a new steam locomotive manufacturer, Lokomo, and by the mid-1920s he owned it almost entirely.

In 1921, Emil Aaltonen had invested in another new business, Sarvis, the first manufacturer of plastic products in Finland, located in the Hatanpaa district.

Emil Aaltonen was not profitable and after some years the other shareholders exited the venture, leaving Aaltonen owning nearly all the shares.

Emil Aaltonen managed to turn the business around and grow it into a successful and profitable manufacturer, diversifying into new materials and product lines.

Emil Aaltonen was a shareholder in a textile business, set up in 1921 in Nokia under the name Nokian Kutomo ja Varjays.

Emil Aaltonen found synergies between his businesses, for example he used the milk produced at Ylikartano as the raw material for the galalith production of Sarvis.

Emil Aaltonen believed that economic success was only possible in a society with high standards of culture and welfare, and from the outset he was determined to donate some of the profits from his business ventures to fund the development of Finnish cultural initiatives.

Emil Aaltonen made major donations to the University of Turku, as well as funding the construction and renovation of several churches.