History

The story of Tammet began in 1948 when Pehr Sommar, who studied metallurgy in Germany, founded the company in Tammisaari. Over the decades, Tammet has grown from a local wire manufacturer to an international player whose product solutions are used worldwide. 

The roots of Tammet trace back to the legacy of Alexander Georg Sommar (1887–1966), a Helsinki-based graduate engineer. His son, Pehr Sommar (1915–2008), trained as a metallurgist, established Tammet Oy in the post-war period in Tammisaari. 

Sommar saw an opportunity for a new industrial business. The factory began producing metal mesh and metal conveyors needed for war reparations – products that were not yet manufactured in Finland at that time. Many of Sommar’s insights were influenced by international markets. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, the company grew rapidly. The factory acquired its own wire drawing machine and hot-dip galvanizing line. Tammet was a domestic pioneer in the production of reinforcement meshes used in concrete construction. Tammet’s subsidiary Polarkudos Oy was established in Tornio in the late 1960s. 

In the early 1970s, Tammet expanded its operations to Pälkäne in Pirkanmaa due to a labour shortage, and at its peak, the company employed several hundred local workers. 

By the 2000s, Tammet included the factories in Tammisaari and Pälkäne as well as the headquarters in Tammisaari. More than half of the production was exported, particularly to the Nordic countries. Pehr Sommar’s youngest daughter, Gretel Ramsay (née Sommar, 1955–2022), led the company until 2014, representing its third generation.  

During Gretel Ramsay’s tenure, operations also expanded to Russia, but changes in the operating environment and unsuccessful investments led to financial challenges. 

In 2014, a successful corporate restructuring was initiated at Tammet, which restored the company’s growth trajectory. The restructuring programme was led by the current management team and ownership: CEO Jan Silén, Technical Director Stefan Källberg, Key Account Manager Jan Kaunisranta, who was later appointed as Chairman of the Board; locally successful entrepreneur Ulf Sjöblom; and board members Niclas Fagerström, Timo Parmasuo, and Henry Engblom. 

Today, Tammet is a leading player in the fields of construction, mining industry, and security solutions. Products are developed, tested and manufactured at the facilities in Tammisaari, with over 70% of production aimed at export – the main markets being Europe and North and South America. 

Tammet employs 60 professionals and invests heavily in growth, product group management, customer-oriented development of the organization, as well as marketing, communication, and responsibility in international markets. 

The story of Tammet has continued since 1948 as a Finnish industrial company that evolves and boldly heads towards the future.