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Kröger Works is a modern, reliable, and easily accessible metal workshop located in Laukaa. The company, established in 1973, has its headquarters and production facility in Leppävesi, Laukaa, and a surface treatment facility in Jyväskylä. Kröger Works employs 24 professionals in the metal industry. In 2022, the company’s turnover was 4.7 million euros.
”I wanted the relationships with the staff to be well managed.”
Entrepreneurship had been on the mind of Pekka Kröger, who had worked as a pipe fitter, for a long time. When his son Jorma Kröger came of age, Pekka founded Rautatyö P. Kröger in Kuopio in May 1973.
The father taught the trade to his son, and they started doing district heating pipe installation work for cities and municipalities. The company’s first customer was the city of Jyväskylä. Pekka and Jorma spent their weeks in Jyväskylä, working from morning to evening.
A few years later, Jorma’s brother Jari Kröger also joined the company. In 1978, it was decided to move the company to Jyväskylä, and the collaboration with the city continued into the 2000s.
“In the early 1990s recession, the metal workshop sector declined.”
In 1980, a hall was built in Keltinmäki, Jyväskylä, where components for various industries began to be manufactured. Soon, the metal workshop operations grew to become more significant than district heating installations, and the decision was made to focus on that. The company became a processor of bright steel. In 1999, the company expanded its business by constructing a surface treatment facility for bright steels in the Savela industrial area of Jyväskylä.
Rautatyö Kröger has primarily been commissioned for parts for paper machines. The paper and cardboard industry has been the company’s largest employer from the beginning. The sizes of the components vary from hand-held parts to several-ton assemblies.
“In the early 1990s, loans typically carried an interest rate of around 15 percent.”
The first generational transition in the company was carried out gradually during the 1980s when Jorma became the CEO after his father. Jorma’s goal was to grow the company steadily, with small continuous growth.
There have been difficult phases over the five decades. In the recession of the early 1990s, the machine shop sector declined, and the company had to consider how to overcome the situation. Layoffs were unavoidable. At that time, typical interest rates on loans were around 15 percent
”We are one team, and we’re in this together.”
As a leader, it was important for Jorma to seek knowledge from outside the company. He gained valuable insights for the company’s needs from a CEO course organized by the University of Jyväskylä. One of his core values was human-centricity. ‘I wanted the relationships with the staff to be well managed.’ Interacting with the staff was daily and immediate. He also maintained close communication with customers and authorities.
Part of Jorma’s approach also involved participating in work on the production floor.
”We aim to become a significant company in this industry in Finland in the coming year.”
Jorma’s son Harri Kröger joined the company in 2006 after completing his training as a sheet metal welder. Initially, he worked in the workshop and later took over production management in 2013. He has been the company’s CEO since 2021, when Jorma retired. The transition went smoothly.
– I gradually grew into the idea of continuing the business. We planned the transition for over a year. Now it feels completely natural, says Harri.
Jorma is still on the company’s board, and father and son discuss with each other almost daily.
Harri sees himself more as a responsible team member than a manager.
– I think we’re all part of one team and we do this together. I want to foster long-term employment relationships and invest in the well-being of our employees.
In 2021, the production facilities at Keltinmäki became too small, and the decision was made to build new premises for the company in Leppävesi, Laukaa. According to Harri, the move to Leppävesi in 2022 has been a turning point in the company’s history.
– In the modern 3500 m2 production facility, things can be done more cost-effectively and quickly. Also, the turnaround time for components has been significantly reduced.
“We are seeking new technology that assists our employees.”
Under Harri’s leadership, the company has grown rapidly. His goal is to further expand and develop the company.
– We aim to become a significant player in this industry in Finland in the coming years. Expanding into the Nordic countries also interests us. Additionally, I want to leverage new technology in manufacturing. The goal is not to replace humans with robots, but to find technology that assists our employees, he envisions.
Both father and son see a bright future ahead.
– Kröger Works Ltd is a modern, reliable, and easily approachable subcontracting partner. It would be great to see the company continue its operations for another 50 years, says Harri.