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1834 "Wartsila" is established when the governor of the county of Karelia approves the construction of a sawmill by a rapids in the municipality of Tohmajarvi on 12th April. Some years later the sawmill becomes the property of N. L. Arppe. 1851 The Wärtsilä iron mill is built in place of the sawmill. 1898 The sawmill changes hands and consequently the sawmill and iron works company is renamed Wartsila Ab, which becomes a new company called Ab Wartsila Oy in 1907. 1908 The power station by Saario rapids starts operating. Wartsila has become a modern smelting plant and steel mill running on electricity generated by the rapids it owns. 1926 Wilhelm Wahlforss becomes President of Wartsila. 1930 Wartsila's galvanization factory manufacturing magnetically galvanized wire is completed.
1931 Wartsila is on the brink of bankruptcy. Workers agree to a 25% cut in wages. But already in next year Wartsila pays a dividend to its shareholders for the first time in a decade. 1935 Wartsila acquires a majority holding in Kone- ja Siltarakennus Oy (Machine and Bridge Construction Ltd), gaining also control of the Hietalahti shipyard (est'd 1865) in Helsinki and the Crichton-Vulcan shipyard (est'd 1741) in Turku. Kone- ja Siltarakennus Oy manufactures for example paper machines and Abloy locks. Soon Wartsila's headquarters move from Karelia to Helsinki.
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