The title Lentokonetehdas (aircraft factory) has not been translated, because in reference to this factory it's more a calling name than a description of manufacturing. It's true that they've built aeroplanes, even fighters here, but those days are long gone now. However, many local people still recognise the factory best with this name that has once made the place famous.

The aircraft factory was built in 1936 to Härmälä district of Tampere to arm the Finnish Air Forces. Its earlier equivalent had been located near the capitol, which was considered strategically bad. Thanks to Finland's weak position in the ranking list of WWII the factory, together with all other Finnish factories, got a whole lot of work to do in a form of war reparations. Product line expanded greatly from aircraft to locomotives, motor coaches, lifts, forklifts, straddle carriers, logging machines, tractors and finer mechanic items.

Decades later, the large industrial area that has seen a lot to be that young is still used. Valmet is not the name today, but the factory operates and produces machines for container handling at ports and terminals. However, manufacturing is highly specialized and not as large-scale as it used to be. 2000 employees is only a pale memory from times of Valmet and it's predecessor Valtion Lentokonetehdas. Some of the old buildings don't have much use. As we speak the area is going through conversion to become a part of Pikku-Venetsia, a high-class residential area. Some industry will remain here, but a lot of buildings have already vanished.