Back To Factories
 
Valid XHTML 1.0!
Kiitola woolen mill, Nykarleby (Uusikaarlepyy)
colourline

power house


Kiitola is a 19th century manor house estate in Jeppo (Jepua) village of Nykarleby. The manor house used to have own industrial scale wool production in the beginning of 20th century. Their woolen mill, which the national board of antiquities considers a highly valuable building, was built around 1920.

After building, wool production continued for some 40 years. In 1962, a sandpaper producer from Helsinki moved to the emptied factory, making this small village known throughout the world for anybody who would ever look behind a finnish sandpaper and read the text Mirka Oy Jepua. At first the building was Mirka's main factory, but when it was bought by a bigger company Keppo Oy (originating from another manor house) a whole new production plant was built. It was, however in the same village. Most production moved there, but still in 1980's there has been some in the old woolen mill as well.

After active production of abrasives, the woolen mill seems to have served the industry as being a storage for machines, products etc. So it's not abandoned nor forgotten today, only there is no full use for the preserved estate.

REFERENCES:

  1. Rakennettu kulttuuriympäristö, Museovirasto/Ympäristöministeriö, Museoviraston rakennushistorian osasto, 1993
  2. Turistbroschyr från Nykarleby 1979, Nykarlebyvyer, Fredrik Liljeström's local history pages