The history of Mannerin Konepaja is also the history of industrialization in Finland
In this series, we describe Manner’s journey from a small one-man tinsmith operation to the modern industrial company it is today. As the turn of the century approached, Juho Manner’s business was going well, and one workshop after another became too small for the growing business. As the Ratakatu workshop became more crowded, additional space was acquired by purchasing prosecutor Gilberg’s house and plot along the same street. The company activities diversified even further when a forge was added to the new building.
Manner also strengthened as a family business when Juho’s younger brothers Elis and Edvard came to Hanko to work for their brother. Juho Manner eagerly embraced new working methods, but more traditional jobs were also carried out, including shoeing horses. Manner acquired Öhbom’s sporting goods shop in 1899 and began renting bicycles to spa guests, and soon the operations expanded to bicycle repairs and assembly.