Karhula Industrial Park is built on solid industrial foundations. At the heart of the Park is the Karhulanniemi area, where industry first bloomed in the late 19th century.

The story of Karhula Industrial Park began with the foundation of the first sawmill in Karhulanniemi nearly 140 years ago, and it was industrialist William Ruth who, in 1887, started the first larger-scale industrial activities in the area. In only four years, Karhulanniemi gained a modern, steam-powered sawmill, a small brickyard, a wood processing plant, a workshop, and the largest Finnish glassworks of the day.

A. Ahlström Osakeyhtiö bought Karhula Osakeyhtiö in 1915. For much of the 20th century, all major factories in the area were owned by just one company. Finally, in the early 1980s, international winds began to blow in Karhula Industrial Park.

Today, many of the Park’s businesses are owned by multinational corporations. However, many local companies still operate in the Park, and a change in the ownership structure has paved the way for small companies and new lines of business. The spirit of enterprise and solidarity prospers in Karhula Industrial Park – just as it did in the days of William Ruth.