THE KOJA GROUP STORY – FROM A SMALL METAL WORKSHOP TO AN INTERNATIONAL OPERATOR
It is 1935. Cheerful laughter fills the workshop. There is metal dust in the air.
Construction superintendent Väinö Aalto and engineer Oskari J. Koivunen have combined their ideas, which has led to the establishment of Koja Ltd in Tampere. The small metal workshop first manufactured products needed in the construction industry, such as fittings, ventilation valves, metal parts for windows and other metal components.
After the first few years, Koja specialized in ventilation and industrial fans. Alongside engineering and equipment manufacturing, contract work became an important part of the operations. Koja stabilized its position as a metal industry enterprise in the 1970s, and the internationalization of the operations began. Next, the field of operations expanded to the sea with the Marine business – many of the air conditioning systems of the world’s largest cruise ships are made by Koja.
The growth rate accelerated, and one factory was no longer enough
In the 1990s, in addition to the Tampere site, production was expanded to Jalasjärvi. Customers were offered increasingly extensive packages for the entire life cycle of products.
In 2015, Koja launched the largest investments in its history. Production lines at the Jalasjärvi factory were modernized. A new state-of-the-art fan factory and R&D Center were built in Tampere, along with a new heat exchanger factory in Jalasjärvi. For Chiller, which joined the Group in 2019, new premises were completed in Tuusula in 2026. In Tampere, a world-class technology and logistics centre for industrial business operations is currently being commissioned.
What began as a small metal workshop has evolved from an equipment supplier into a fully-fledged business partner.
Today, we are Koja Group, operating across three business areas. We develop and deliver ventilation, cooling and heating solutions for buildings, HVAC systems for ships, and process fans for demanding industrial applications.
Operations all over the world
Koja Group’s quality is ensured by own product development, engineering, production and expert services throughout the life cycle of the product. The operations have expanded from Tampere to all over the world. The best solutions are created locally in Finland, Sweden, Germany and the U.S. – along with the customers.
The strength of the Koja Group lies in the confidence of the family business in achieving its shared goal. Confidence has carried the enterprise a long way, and the Aalto family has owned the group for over 90 years – and will for the next 100. Koja Group’s operations are being developed on a long-term basis with future generations in mind. We want to work for a cleaner and healthier living environment.
Today. Quality, customers and cooperation. Cheerful laughter still fills the premises – along with a can-do attitude. We make things happen.
