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
• Real estate business by Helkama-Kiinteistöt Oy
• Suomen Koneliike Oy is a holding company and also operates
in real estate business.
• 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 Maija Koskela. www.helkama-auto.fi | www.skoda.fi | www.avis.fi | www.budget.fi
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 60 countries amounts to 80% 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 60 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 Jari Elamo. 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
