H. Yoo
Research expert covering South Korea
KONE - statistics & facts
Although not as well-known as Nokia, KONE is a company familiar to anyone who does not like to take the stairs. Originally founded in 1910 in Finland, KONE has been manufacturing and installing its own elevators since 1918. Kone, which means "machine" or "industrial device" in Finnish, has been maintained as the company's name even after its acquisition by the Herlin family, one of Finland's wealthiest families, in 1924. The Herlin family has been owning and controlling the company ever since; KONE's present-day chairman is Antti Herlin, the richest person in Finland.
