1929
Asunto-osakeyhtiöitten Polttoaine Osuuskunta is founded
1949
The first vessel, m/s Arkadia, is acquired to mainly transport coal and coke.
1950
Etelä-Suomen Laiva Oy is founded.
1955
GHH is acquired and trade in the east is started. The company starts to trade in oil.
1964
A lubricant unit is founded.
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.
1968
GHH starts to represent steel sheets made by Rautaruukki.
1969
The establishment of the chemicals unit starts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1985
Oil operations are sold to Neste.
1989
The transition business and chemical terminal are established in Kotka.
1990
Functions of the component unit are merged into Aspocomp Oy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2003
Aspo's office building in Herttoniemi is sold.
2004
Aspokem establishes a subsidiary in Ukraine.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2017
Aspo’s net sales reached EUR 500 million
2018
The acquisition of Swedish shipping company AtoB@C Shipping
2018
New energy-efficient, LNG powered general cargo vessels enter the fleet
2020
Operations in 18 countries
2021
ESL Shipping’s new electrid hybrid vessels were ordered.
2022
Decision to exit Russia and other selected eastern markets.
2022
Leipurin acquired Swedish Kobia.
2022
Kauko and Vulganus were divested.
2023
Withdrawal from Russia and selected eastern markets.
2023
Telko acquired the Polish company Eltrex, expanding its business in Poland beyond plastics to also include the distribution of chemicals.
2023
Aspo's headquarters moved to Keilaniemi in Espoo.
2023
OP Suomi Infra became a minority shareholder in ESL Shipping with a €30 million investment.
2024
Varma Mutual Insurance Company became a minority shareholder in ESL Shipping with a €15 million investment.
2024
Telko expanded its chemical business in Sweden by acquiring the chemical distributor Swed Handling AB.
2024
Leipurin expanded its food industry business in Sweden, via the technical food ingredient distributor Kebelco AB, which is a subsidiary of Swed Handling.
2024
ESL Shipping's first Green Coaster vessel started commercial operation.
2024
Telko expanded its operations in Germany by acquiring the technical plastics distributor Polyma Kunststoffe GmbH & Co KG.