The story behind Mecmill and Kurvinen Companies

It All Started with Biathlon

Biathlon is a traditional winter sport that has been practiced competitively for over a hundred years. Originally known solely as a military sport, its popularity began to spread to the civilian sector in the 1970s. Amid these changes, Avoin Yhtiö E. A. Utriainen was founded in Salokylä in 1979.

Ilmo Kurvinen and Aatos Utriainen established the company in the Utriainen family’s garage, where they started building biathlon targets with five flaps used in the sport. Later, operations partially moved to Mattisenlahti, and the business began to grow. In their own workshop, Ilmo Kurvinen, who was part of the army’s permanent staff, worked with his business partner and family in the evenings and on weekends. In 1984, Kurvinen left his secure job with the defense forces to become a full-time entrepreneur.

Growth and Expansion

In 1980, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) approved and adopted the target system developed by Ilmo Kurvinen, establishing it as the standard for mechanical shooting targets used even at the Olympic Games. Kurvinen’s targets were first used in the Biathlon World Cup in Hedenäs, Sweden, in 1981, and a couple of years later at the World Championships in Antholz, Italy. By the 1990s, Kurvinen’s target systems were being sold in 17 different countries. In 1990, the company moved to Ylämylly after Ilmo Kurvinen purchased former army barracks on Laavupolku for company use. Kurvinen’s track system made its Olympic debut at the Lillehammer Games in 1994. Following this success, the machine shop began expanding its operations to include work outside its own product lines.

Mecmill has been built up systematically over the years. One of the key enablers of this growth has been the strong financial and economic position of the parent company. The company has boldly invested in the future and worked tirelessly to achieve its goals. Today, the machine shop employs more than a dozen top professionals in the field, and new hires are being made continuously. These efforts enable modern machining operations and long-term subcontracting services for corporate clients.

Our references include world-class companies such as Abloy, John Deere, and Neles. The business is growing both domestically and in international markets.