Heikki Juho Helkama founded on 1905 a machinery store that Heikki J. Helkama (Hellman till 1928) opened for bicycles and sewing machines in Tampere. The store was moved to Vyborg in 1915. The main store was opened in Helsinki in 1934. Operations were heavily expanded after the war to include car imports and own industries, overseen by Heikki J. Helkama’s sons Matti, Paavo, Pekka and Eero Helkama. Presently, the Helkama Companies employ about a thousand staff in seven countries.
The Helkama Companies were restructured into four groups divided between the family branches led by Matti, Pekka and Eero Helkama In 1986. The changes were implemented with the view of creating a group of functional units capable of independent decision-making. The division proved successful, and Helkama today is a conglomerate comprising four independent groups of companies still owned by the immediate and extended family in the fourth generation now
Helkama Companies operate in the following areas:
• Imports of Skoda automobiles, Avis Car Rental, and Budget Car Rental
by Helkama-Auto Oy
• Manufacture of Helkama Forste Oy refrigeration machinery, owned by
Suomen Koneliike Oy
• Shipping and forwarding services, PDI for imported cars, and real
estate business by the Uuttera Group
• Cable manufacture by Helkama Bica Oy, and bicycle manufacture and
import of Helkama Velox Oy
and bicycle import and retailsale of Suomen Polkupyörätukku
Oy.
These companies are subsidiaries of Helkama Emotor Oy
Helkama-Auto imports Skoda automobiles, accessories and spare parts. Helkama is the longest standing Skoda automobile importer in existence, for it started importing Skoda vehicles as early as in 1947. The company has owned the Finnish license for AVIS Car Rental since 1986 and for Budget Car Rental since June 2009. Helkama-Auto employees about 80 staff and the company’s headquarters are in Espoo. Helkama Logistics Services offer warehouse hotel services and operate from the same building. The president of the company is Juha Mutanen. www.helkama-auto.fi | www.skoda.fi | www.avis.fi | www.budget.fi
Helkama Forste Oy in Forssa manufactures, imports and markets high quality professional refrigeration machinery. International breweries and beverage industries are the biggest customers. Refrigeration machinery manufacturers Hungarian-based Helkama Forste KFTand OOO Helkama Forste Vyborg in Russia are Helkama’s subsidiaries. The sales companies are based in Sweden and Poland. Helkama Forste was founded in 1961 and has been part of the Helkama Companies since 1975. The company’s president is Henry Paasikivi. Helkama Forste Oy’s parent company is Suomen Koneliike Oy. www.helfo.com
Helkama Emotor's subssidiary Helkama Bica Oy in Hanko is specialized
in ship and industrial cables and its expertise goes back four decades
to the Hanko-based Helkama Radio factory. Helkama Bica's subsidiary
Helkama Bica Shanghai operates in it's factory in Shanghai, China.
Nowadays, the share of exports to 43 countries amounts to 70% of
Helkama Bica’s turnover. The most notable end users are ships, large
industrial plants and real estate. Helkama Bica employs 125 staff and
its president is Timo Vesala.
www.helkamabica.fi www.helkamaemotor.fi
Helkama Emotor's subsidiary Helkama Velox Oy designs and
manufactures the popular Helkama bicycles. Helkama’s bicycles for
professional use and recreation are manufactured in Hanko. Helkama
manufactures special bicycles for handicapped and elderly people as
well as for industrial transportation needs. Apart from new bicycle
models the factory continues to make the bicycles so loved by Finnish
people, Aino, Oiva and Jopo. Unlike most of its European competitors
Helkama makes the steel frames and front forks. All steed frame
Helkama bicycles are given a 21 year warranty. Helkama bicycles are
exported to 9 countries, and Sweden is the largest market area. Helkama
Velox employs 70 staff and the president is Jari Elamo. www.helkamavelox.fi www.helkamaemotor.fi
Suomen Polkupyörätukku Oy is the largest bicycle retail sale chain in Finland. The president of the company is Jouni Hermansson. www.suomenpolkupyoratukku.fi www.helkamaemotor.fi
Uuttera comprises three companies. Helsingin Uuttera Oy and
Kiinteistö-Uuttera Oy are real estate and holding companies. The
companies own office and business space mostly in the Helsinki
metropolitan area. The companies have five employees and the president
is Marja Kaarina Bäcklund. Uuttera Oy in Hanko is a forwarding
company founded in 1945. The company arranges warehousing and
transportation services with international and domestic transportation
and forwarding companies. It handles tens of thousands of tons of
single consignments and PDI for several tens of thousands of cars. Many
car factories and trading houses have founded their Russian and EE
countries export warehouse and import PDI points in Hanko with Helkama.
The company is also the biggest shareholder in Freeport of Finland Ltd.
Uuttera Oy employs 125 staff and the president is Matti Niemi. www.uuttera.fi
