Rauanheimo, part of KWH Logistics, has been in the stevedoring and forwarding business for 140 years
Rauanheimo started in Kokkola on 7 April 1884 as a one-man business under the name of Otto Rodén. The journey from humble beginnings to the 270 employees of today has been an eventful one. This year, the stevedoring and forwarding company has reached a significant milestone – 140 years in business.
In 1945, Oy M. Rauanheimo Oy started operations in the port of Kokkola after withdrawing from Petsamo. Over time, Rauanheimo and the company founded by Otto Rodén merged. In the 1980s, ownership changed, the port of Kokkola was developed and the fairway was deepened. In 2001, Rauanheimo was acquired by the KWH group, which ushered in a new era of strong growth.
The 2000s were a period of record growth. The start of transit traffic in 2004 was an important step in this process. The increase in Rauanheimo’s turnover enabled the company to expand to several new locations. In 2012, the company expanded to Hamina, in 2016 to Vuosaari in Helsinki and in 2018 to Pori, Oulu and Mussalo in Kotka. In 2020, the company also expanded to Tornio.
The world around Rauanheimo is constantly setting new requirements for its operations. Technological developments, changing markets and international trends affect logistics operators.
– We see both opportunities and challenges in the future. Technological progress and globalisation offer new avenues for growth and development. At the same time, the turbulent situation in world politics forces us to react to a rapidly changing environment, says Tero Kosonen, CEO of Rauanheimo.
The company celebrated its 140th anniversary by, among other things, organising a celebratory seminar for its customers and stakeholders at Keppo Mansion in Jepua in September. The seminar’s theme, “Forces of Change as Enablers”, focused on how logistics sector operators can succeed amidst global transformative forces.
