The long-standing Rintaluoma furniture factory in Teuva, Finland, faces closure due to the bankruptcy of its primary client, Indoor Group, affecting its operations after 54 years.
The Rintaluoma furniture factory, a staple in Teuva, South Ostrobothnia, is at risk of shutting down following the bankruptcy of Indoor Group, which owns its major retail clients, Askon and Sotka. The factory has been in operation for 54 years, and its owner, Rami Rintaluoma, expressed deep concern over the situation, which may force him to consider the painful decision of closing the factory's doors permanently. Over the years, the factory has been a significant supplier of various furniture items, mainly targeting Indoor Group's stores.
Rintaluoma shared that the factory was designed to produce items specifically for Askon and Sotka, with its storage built to accommodate the retailer's demands. The factory has invested about three million euros in facilities and equipment over the past decade, demonstrating its commitment to sustaining operations. However, layoffs have already occurred, with two out of seven employees currently on furlough, raising alarm about the factory's future.
The owner has expressed a somber acceptance of the decline of Finnish furniture manufacturing as he navigates this crisis. The emotional toll of potentially closing a local, family-run business brings into focus the broader implications of market forces affecting skilled trades and manufacturing sectors in Finland, hinting at a changing landscape in the furniture industry.
