We have travelled through the colourful history of Mannerin Konepaja, and our series has now reached the last chapter. The business that started off as a one-man sheet metal workshop is becoming an export company specialising in castor products.
The foundry, which had been at the heart of the business for three generations, was closed in 1966, but the change had begun earlier. In 1957, Mannerin Konepaja already manufactured more than four hundred different castor models, and a total of 215,000 castors were manufactured in 1960. In 1974, castors were the only product that Manner manufactured.
As it specialised in castors, the company also began to look for markets overseas. The first deals were made in Sweden in 1960, Denmark in 1964 and Norway in 1969. The pace then accelerated, and by 1972, about 30% of the production was exported.
Manufacturing processes were constantly developed, and the company acquired its first computers in the early 1970s. The production facilities also expanded, and Manner now has a 9,000 m2 factory on a 20,000 m2 site.