Our story

The Teknoware Story

Teknoware has been supplying a range of interior lighting systems for commercial vehicles, and emergency lighting systems for public premises and ships, since 1972.

The company now operates in multiple locations across three continents.

1970s – From early innovations to export

The Teknoware story begins in 1972 when Teknoware Oy was founded in Lahti, Finland by engineer Kalervo Virtanen and his business partner, electronic engineer Matti Vataja. The family-run company’s product development began in Virtanen’s modest sauna cottage.

Teknoware’s first innovation was the lighting inverter TRM-30 developed by Virtanen on his desk in that sauna cottage. The inverter opened the door to the vehicle solutions business and formed the technical core for emergency and back-up lights, which were first produced in 1974.

1980s – Era of rapid growth

In the 1980s, Teknoware was on track for fast international growth driven by innovative products, big clients such as Mercedes-Benz, and new legislation requiring emergency lights.

Teknoware’s portfolio grew with, among others, route sign lights equipped with fluorescent tubes, electric safety edges, and emergency lights. In 1989, Teknoware developed and patented the automatic testing system for emergency lights called Exitest TW2000. It eased the checking process of backup lighting in large buildings such as hospitals, hotels, and offices.

By the 1980s, Teknoware had developed a working culture based on a positive work ethic, camaraderie, and a commitment to goals shared by both the management and the workers. This was further strengthened by various activities and events, such as voluntary yard work, and Christmas and spring parties, among others.

Having led Teknoware for 15 years, Kalervo Virtanen retired in 1987. Teknoware then came under the ownership of Rauno Mattila and Traforek Oy. Ever since then, and despite generational changes, Teknoware still remains under the ownership of Rauno Mattila’s descendants and their family company Teknopower Oy.

1990s – Breakthroughs in technology and markets

In the 1990s, Teknoware continued to grow despite the recession in Finland. It became the leading supplier of bus interior lighting in Europe.

As Teknoware began to dominate the bus lighting market in Europe, the company made the decision to invest in the production of emergency lights and the export of train lighting and inverters. In emergency lighting, the first LED exit luminaires were launched and the company’s innovation, the DC power light, helped customers save on costs, compared with traditional systems. The SMD technology was adopted in electronics production, and the production facilities and office space in Lahti were enlarged in the mid-1990s.

Teknoware was among the first Finnish companies to receive ISO 9001 (1992) and ISO 14001 (1999) certification. The new quality standards were considered important by both the company and its clients.

Having scaled the heights of the European market, Teknoware began to successfully reach the American and Australian markets. In 1996, the company was awarded the Export Prize by Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.

2000s – Rise to global leader

By the 2000s, Teknoware had grabbed a third of the global vehicle lighting market and began conquering more markets in the international emergency lighting field.

Growth was once again driven by new technology and innovations. Teknoware started producing LED lights and adopted microprocessor technology for the first time. New product innovations included the first addressable Central Battery Systems and the first central monitoring systems.

Having become the market leader in emergency lighting in Finland, Teknoware started the export of emergency lighting from scratch in 2002.

In 2008, the Teknoware Middle East joint venture was established to serve markets in the Middle East, Africa, and India.

2010s – Expansion around the world

In the 2010s, Teknoware expanded its operations in Europe, Northern America and the Asia-Pacific region through investments, acquisitions, and joint ventures, and grew its business to an all-time high in 2017.

In 2012, Teknoware acquired the US company Trans-Lite Inc.—later Teknoware Inc.—to serve the North American vehicle lighting market. The company moved to a its current location in South Carolina in 2018.

The Teknoware Sverige AB joint venture was established in 2015 with the aim of conquering the Swedish emergency lighting markets.

In 2017, Teknoware Poland was established in Wroclaw to serve the Central European bus and rail lighting markets.

In 2018, Teknoware became the majority shareholder of German emergency lighting manufacturer Dr. Ing. Willing GmbH.

In 2019, Teknoware acquired UK-based Invertec Holdings, which had operations in the UK and Malaysia, becoming Teknoware UK Limited in the UK and Teknoware Asia Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia.

In Finland, Teknoware expanded and modernized its production facilities in Lahti in 2016.

2020s – LET THERE BE CONFIDENCE.

The Teknoware story continues with the company beginning the new decade with the same confidence and commitment that have helped it grow from its humble beginnings into a leader in vehicle and emergency lighting markets around the world.

In 2020, a new modern factory was built in Malaysia to deliver interior panel solutions for buses and coaches to customers in the Asia-Pacific region.