The Billnäs Ironworks was founded in 1641 by Carl Billsten. Located near Svartå rapid. The rapid was used to power the two trip hammers while the blast furnaces were fuelled with local charcoal. At the time Finnland was still under Swedish rule with Sweden being one of Europe’s largest iron producers during the 17th Century.
In 1659 the ironworks were destroyed by peasants in order to protest heavy taxation. Then again at the start of the 18th Century during den stora ofreden (“the great discord”) in Swedish or isoviha (“the great hatred”) in Finnishwhen when the Russian military occupied Finland.
By 1723 the Hisinger family had bought the ironworks with Johan Hisinger playing the lead role in developing the operations. Bar hammer workshops with forges were built on both sides of the rapids. Then in 1883 Fridolf Leopold Hisinger took over as head of operations. The family worked hard to improve working conditions at the ironworks and even started a primary school in Billnäs. One of the first primary schools in Finland at the time. They also founded a brewery at the ironworks as well as greenhouses for oranges and grapes.
The Hisinger Family also diversified the ironworks by starting a new factory that produced a variety of tools. Including shovels, hammers and axes. With a new workshop being built almost every year. These included a cutlery mill, sawmill and carpentry shop. Billnäs would later become famous for their office furniture.
Suggested Product: Fiskars X27 Super Splitting Axe
In 1835 the Russian import tax on Finnish products ended creating growth in production of 500% by 1880 at the ironworks. However, competition from American and British forges meant Billnäs had to rapidly modernize in order to increase production and lower manufacturing costs. It was at this time that patterns were standardized and numbered. Becoming what most people recognize today as the iconic Finnish axe. Producing as many as 2,000 axes per day.
By 1915 the Ironworks had expanded so much that they employed 1072 people. Producing everything from doorknobs and office furniture to tools and axes.
Then in 1970 the subsidiary was dissolved into the parent company Fiskars. At that time their furniture factory was also closed.
In 1983 the Billnas Ironworks was finally closed.
Leave a Reply