The History

Kekkilä's Roots

Mikko Jortikka, a Master of Science in Agriculture moved to Sakkola in Carelia in 1916. There he settled at the Kekkilä Manor where he began to grow all sorts of edible plants on a large scale. To ensure that he would get an excellent harvest he grew his plants in 1 800 squares, in which he experimented on and documented the different needs for nutrients that the plants had. As a result the first multi nutrient fertilisers in Finland were developed.

The harvest was so large that the products were exported as far as Stockholm and Tallinn. An interest in fertilisers was born.

  • The first fertilisers were exported in 1924
  • The first Flower Soils were launched in 1952
  • Superex-speciality fertilisers were developed for greenhouses in 1966
  • The Parkano Soil Factory was bought from SOK in 1986
  • Satoturve Oy was bought from Hankkija in 1988
  • Oy Lohja Ab's Landscaping Business was acquired in 1989
  • Kekkilä Oy's stock was listed in 1990
  • Vapo Oy's Peat Business was merged with Kekkilä's in 1994
  • Vapo Oy became Kekkilä's largest shareholder in 1994
  • Stenrøgel Mosebrug A/S and VapoGro Ltd became a part of Kekkilä in 1994
  • The Estonian market is entered on 1st November 1999
  • Hasselfors Garden AB is acquired 1st January 2000
  • GardenPeat Oy is acquired 2nd September 2002
  • Kekkilä Iberia S/L begins its operations 1st January 2003