Aspo's history

Over the decades, Aspo’s business has grown and developed. Explore our history in more detail through the timeline and videos below.

Historia

ESL Shipping's last carbon cargo to Helsinki (2025)

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This is how Aspo's history was summarized in 2009

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Key events

1929

Asunto-osakeyhtiöitten Polttoaine Osuuskunta is founded

1949

The first vessel, m/s Arkadia, is acquired to mainly transport coal and coke.

1949

1950

Etelä-Suomen Laiva Oy is founded.

1964

A lubricant unit is founded.

1964

1966

The first motorized vessel, m/s Malmi, is acquired.

1967

A single brand is set for products of GHH and Asunto-osakeyhtiöitten Polttoaine Osuuskunta: ASPO.

1967

1968

GHH starts to represent steel sheets made by Rautaruukki.

1969

The establishment of the chemicals unit starts.

1969

1970

The office building for all business units is built in Herttoniemi.

1971

The shipping company takes delivery of its first newbuilding: m/s Eira.

1971

1972

The company expands into electronics. Aspoyhtymä Oy is founded.

1975

The company structure is clarified by centralizing commercial activities in Aspo. The name of GHH is changed to Aspo Oy.

1975

1976

The first steel service center is set up in Järvenpää. Henrik Nyberg is appointed CEO of Aspo and Aatos Vehmas is appointed chairman of the Board of Directors.

1977

A chemical terminal is acquired in Rauma.

1977

1980

The shipping company takes delivery of the largest vessel in its history, m/s Kontula. The shipping company's tonnage increases to 100,000 dwt.

1981

Aspo Oy's shares are quoted on the brokerage list.

1981

1983

Expanded into plastic raw materials. Received the new ms Arkadia from Japan.

1985

Oil operations are sold to Neste.

1985

1989

The transition business and chemical terminal are established in Kotka.

1990

Functions of the component unit are merged into Aspocomp Oy.

1990

1993

Steel trade is relocated under the joint venture Asva.

1994

Aspoyhtymä Oy becomes the Group's parent company. Operations are transferred to subsidiaries. The incorporation of the chemical group gives birth to Aspokem Oy and Sonmarin Oy. The name of the shipping company is changed to ESL Shipping Oy.

1994

1995

Service station and marine systems are merged under Aspo Systems Oy Aspoyhtymä Oy's shares are quoted on the official list. Aspokem establishes a subsidiary in Tallinn and sets up a representative office in St. Petersburg.

1998

Asva is sold to Rautaruukki and steel trade is discontinued. Aspokem founds subsidiaries in Latvia and Lithuania. Sales offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia.

1998

1999

Demerger into two separate listed companies: Aspocomp Group Plc and Aspo Plc. Gustav Nyberg is appointed CEO of Aspo Plc. Aspo has three businesses: Chemicals, Shipping and Systems.

2000

Aspokem establishes a subsidiary in St. Petersburg. Marine navigation business is incorporated into Navintra Oy.

2000

2001

The shipping company takes delivery of a new m/s Eira from Japan.

2002

The shipping company acquires Travans, a pusher transportation company. Navintra is sold to Furuno. Autotank from Sweden is acquired.

2002

2003

Aspo's office building in Herttoniemi is sold.

2004

Aspokem establishes a subsidiary in Ukraine.

2004

2005

Aspokem establishes a subsidiary in Sweden.

2007

Aspokem acquires Wilfert Chemical Nordic, a Danish supplier of plastic raw materials. M/s Arkadia is sold.

2007

2008

Autotank is sold and Kauko-Telko Oy is acquired. Now, Aspo has four businesses: ESL Shipping, Leipurin, Telko and Kauko.

2009

Aki Ojanen is appointed CEO of Aspo Plc and Gustav Nyberg is appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. M/s Kontula is sold. Leipurin expands to Siberia, Tatarstan and Ukraine.

2009

2010

ESL Shipping places the largest vessel order in its history by ordering two Supramax vessels. Leipurin grows through an acquisition in Latvia and expands its operations to Kazakhstan. Telko expands to Kazakhstan and Belarus.

2011

ESL Shipping takes delivery of m/s Alppila. Leipurin acquires Vulganus Oy.

2011

2012

ESL Shipping takes delivery of Supramax vessels. M/s Hesperia is sold.

2015

ESL Shipping signs a long-term transportation agreement with SSAB and orders two LNG-fueled bulk carriers.

2015

2017

Aspo’s net sales reached EUR 500 million.

2018

The acquisition of Swedish shipping company AtoB@C Shipping.
New energy-efficient, LNG powered general cargo vessels enter the fleet.

2018

2020

Operations in 18 countries.

2021

ESL Shipping’s new electrid hybrid vessels were ordered.

2021

2022

Decision to exit Russia and other selected eastern markets.
Leipurin acquired Swedish Kobia.
Kauko and Vulganus were divested.

2023

Withdrawal from Russia and selected eastern markets.
Telko acquired the Polish company Eltrex, expanding its business in Poland beyond plastics to also include the distribution of chemicals.
Aspo's headquarters moved to Keilaniemi in Espoo.
OP Suomi Infra became a minority shareholder in ESL Shipping with a €30 million investment.

2023

2024

Varma Mutual Insurance Company became a minority shareholder in ESL Shipping with a €15 million investment.
Telko expanded its chemical business in Sweden by acquiring the chemical distributor Swed Handling AB.
Leipurin expanded its food industry business in Sweden, via the technical food ingredient distributor Kebelco AB, which is a subsidiary of Swed Handling.
ESL Shipping's first Green Coaster vessel started commercial operation.
Telko expanded its operations in Germany by acquiring the technical plastics distributor Polyma Kunststoffe GmbH & Co KG.

2025

SSAB and ESL Shipping continued their long-term cooperation in raw material transports.
Aspo announced the sale of Leipurin.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved Aspo’s emission reduction targets.

2025

Aspo today

Turnover 600 million euros