HISTORY OF TIKKAKOSKI FACTORY

1890

Engineer Stenij purchased an area of land in Jyväskylä rural cummune from Uno Mechelin, owner of Tikkamannila estate

1893

Cog-wheel turbine built on rapids licensed. Year of establishment of Tikkakoski factory

1907

The Turku firm K.E. Blomberg bought up the company and activities carried on under the name M. Stenij & Co.

1910

Jyväskylä businessmen took control of the company

1912

Factory became a joint stock company entitled Tikkakosken Rauta- ja Puuteollisuus Oy (Tikkakoski Metal and Wood Industry Ltd)

1918

Factory started to manufacture gun components

1920

Machines and equipment necessary for the manufacture of gun barrels acquired

1927

Manufacture of barrels for the m/27 military rifle began

1928

Barrel department built at the factory. Major overhaul of m/28 rifles started

1930

Name of the factory became Tikkakoski Oy

1933

Manufacture of machine gun cartridge belts commenced

1934

Manufacture of m/34 test rifles began

1937

First test examples of a hunting rifle produced

1934-44

Manufacture of ammunition for medium caliber as well as manufacture and service of war equipment

1945

Manufacture of the H45 single barrel shotgun started. Exchangeable bullet barrels also made to this weapon

1946

Majority shareholding in the company transferred to the Soviet state. First Tikka sewing machines produced

1949

Manufacture of the m/49 double barrel shotgun started

1953

Manufacture of guns came to an end and the factory concentrated on the production of sewing machines

1957

Soviet Union relinquished its shareholding in the company. Majority shareholding entered the position of Finnish businessmen

1963

Manufacture of studs for car tyres started

1964

Manufacture of pedal sewing machines came to its end

1965

Manufacture of the Tikka hammer shotgun rifle commenced

1966

Production of car accessories started

1967

Osuuspankkien Keskusosuuspankki (OKO) – the Central Bank of the Co-operative Banks of Finland – became the company’s largest shareholder. M76 Tikka rifle manufactured. Production of sewing machines stopped

1969

LSA 55 rifle. Production of car accessories stopped

1970

Manufacture of LSA 65 rifle and M07 rifle commenced

1971

Manufacture of the Tikka M17 shotgun started

1972

Manufacture of Tikka Sporter rifles started

1974

Shares in the company transferred from OKO to Oy Nokia Ab

1977

Manufacture of M77 shotgun and M77 shotgun rifle began

1981

Rifle designed in cooperation with Sako, of which a proto series was made

1983

Factory name became Oy Sako-Tikka Ab Tikkakoski Works

1986

Factory name became Nokia Machinery Tikkakoski Works

1987

Factory name became Sako-Valmet Oy Tikkakoski Works

1989

Factory name became Sako Oy Tikkakoski Works

1989

Production operations at Tikkakoski Factory ended on March 31st 1989. Production of Tikkakoski weapons was transferred to Sako Oy to Riihimäki