Yrjö founded Kero

One day in 1929, when Yrjö was working on his small farm, he was unexpectedly visited by a Finnish man. The man had traveled from across the river to offer his services in tanning and leather preparation. Yrjö and his father put their heads together and then decided to accept the offer. They had no idea at the time how the decision would affect our entire family and village.

IN A TIME LONG PAST, today quite difficult to imagine, Yrjö started the tannery in Sattajärvi. In the winters he traveled by spark (kicksled) or horse and in the summers by bicycle, to be able to get to his customers and dealers. As the number of costumers increased, Yrjö realized that he needed a better means of transport. He therefore decided to buy a “öva-hjul”; a small simmering motor that was attached to drive the front wheel of the bicycle. It was a big investment and in order to afford it, he and a couple of other villagers formed a company. With time, however, Yrjö realized that the driving style was not sustainable, the engine was too weak on the uphills. When the A-Ford came out on the market, he was sure, he needed it. It was a big but necessary investment. Now he could travel better and further, regardless of the season. A world full of new opportunities opened up and he made his way to the winter markets around the county.

LIKE THE BUSINESSMAN he was, he had a stated philosophy that turnover of goods was the most important thing. Unsold inventory was the same as dead capital. During his market trips, he therefore made sure to come home with as little as possible, what was not sold he bartered. He then sold the exchanged goods in the shop in Sattajärvi.

In 1929, Yrjö laid the foundation for the business culture that still lives on in the small community of Sattajärvi 20 kilometers south of Pajala.