History
COMPANY BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
Erkki Hettula was born in the Kaukonen village of Kittilä. From Jauhojärvenkylä, Erkin managed to find Silja by his side. Erkki and Silja got married in 1949 and they had 4 children.
Erkki collected work history in a few different places until he started his own business with the help of Silja in 1959. He got a driving license to practice gravel driving with one truck in the Lapland region. Silja called job sites where she could get to work and messaged Erkki about the job sites. In the 1960s, livelihood came from the work of TVH’s Metsähallitus, power plants and Kittilä municipality. In 1965, together with another motorist from Kittilä, the operation expanded to bike machine services and bulldozer work.
Erkki and Silja’s children, the eldest sons Erkki Samuel and Sauli Hettula, were involved in the company’s operations since they were growing up. At the beginning of the 1970s, bike machine services were incorporated into their own open company Sauli and Samuel Hettula, and gravel racing continued under the name Erkki Hettula. Waste was first transported by truck, and in 1978 a traffic permit was obtained for a garbage truck, when a separate garbage truck was installed. For gravel delivery, S&S Hettula acquired their own leased areas, and in 1977 a gravel crushing station was acquired. In 1979, after Erkki Hettula’s death, Hettula Ky was founded, where Erkki’s wife Silja and the eldest sons Samuel and Sauli were involved as responsible partners. Kirsti’s sister acted as silent partner and the youngest of the siblings (Pertti) was a minor.
THE 1980s WAS A TIME OF CHANGES
In the 1980s, the industries were gravel and crushed stone deliveries and wheel machine services. The company supplied construction gravel for buildings, as the demand for ready-made concrete grew, the company’s operations were expanded in 1983 after Saul took a miller’s course. Aakenus Betoni Oy was founded to sell ready-mixed concrete. The Waste Act entered into force in 1983, and the transport of waste began to gradually increase as Levi grew. Waste management of properties in the municipal area and cleaning of side roads in winter were also part of the company’s work schedule.
The company arrangements continued in 1986, when Pertti bought his mother’s share in Hettula Ky. In the same year, Hettula Ky was awarded the Kittilä municipality’s Entrepreneur award. Aakenus Betoni was sold in 1988, and at the same time the crushing station was sold and the own gravel pits were given away. Hettula Oy was founded in 1989; by merging Hettula Ky and open limited company S & S Hettula. Brothers Samuel, Sauli and Pertti owned the company equally.
IN THE 1990S THE ACTIVITIES CHANGED FROM EARTH TRANSFER TO WASTE MANAGEMENT
In the 1990s, as tourism grew in the Levi area, Hettula Oy’s operations began to expand and change from the original earthmoving to waste transportation. Since 1993, Hettula Oy has been responsible for the waste management of the entire municipality of Kittilä, which includes waste collection and landfill management. Gravel operation was stopped in 1993, but wheel machine work was still done. Waste management expanded to pallet services and goods transport. In 1995, mud equipment was purchased, which started to handle the emptying of manholes and the opening of sewers in the area of Kittilä municipality.
IN THE 2000S, THE COMPANY'S INDUSTRY WAS DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEMAND.
As tourism continued to grow, in 2002 the company’s operations were further expanded by acquiring a tow truck. Company arrangements were also made in 2004, when Pertti bought Samuel’s share. However, Samuel continued to work for the company until his retirement. In 2005, Hettula Oy also expanded into passenger transport / taxi operations, when a charter taxi was acquired for the company. The taxi station is Kittilä, but it is also a familiar sight in Levi.
Familiarizing the entire staff with quality and environmental issues has always been important to the company. Therefore, in 2006, the PKY quality and environmental system was introduced. The system has been developed especially for the management of quality and environmental issues of machinery and transport companies. The entire staff was trained in economical and environmentally friendly driving. In 2007, the company was awarded as the Lapland transport company of the year and the following year received recognition as the 2008 Q-team transport company.
With the changes in the Waste Act, the management of the landfill in Kittilä Municipality for Hettula Oy ended in October 2007, in the same year, in January, a separate waste utilization and recycling station was completed near Rovaniementie, which is run by Pert’s eldest son Erkki.
IN THE 2010 AND ONWARD
In 2010, Hettula Oy was recognized with the regional entrepreneur award of Lapland entrepreneurs. In the same year, the company’s operations expanded to the municipality of Kolar, where the company manages the municipality’s waste management, which includes the collection of dry waste, in 2013 Hettula Oy signed an agreement with the municipality of Kolar for the transport of wet waste as well. The company was awarded as Lapland’s strongest company in 2013 by Suomen Asiakastieto Oy. In 2017, company arrangements were made again when Pertti bought his brother Saul out of the company.
The current owner of the family business, Pertti Hettula, works full-time in the company. Pert’s wife Vuokko and Katariina, wife of Pert’s eldest son, Erki, work in the office. Pert’s sons Erkki and Tuomas are also involved in the company. So we can talk about a strong family business. Today, the company has profiled itself as a multi-disciplinary transport company that offers comprehensive waste management, swap pallet services, piece goods transport, towing services, wheeled machine and excavator work and taxi transport. The company has invested in the high quality of its operations.
The company is considered a strong family business whose success is based on the flexibility and commitment of its services. Company’s turnover in 2015 was 2.98 million euros. The company’s growth is moderate, with turnover increasing by 1.8 percent compared to 2014.
Hettula Oy is a family business in Kittilä, whose owner is Pertti Hettula.