A culture of safety along with the stability of a family business have been reflected in Insta Group’s operations for almost 65 years. The company is also characterized by constant motion. Monday, December 2 marked a historic change of generations when the principal ownership of the family enterprise was transferred from Insta’s Chairman of Board, Markus Mattsson, to his children.
The Mattsson family owns the steadily growing Insta, where the family’s voting rights will from now on be exercised by Niklas Mattsson, Vice Chairman of Board. Markus Mattsson will continue as Insta’s Chairman of Board. Insta’s CEO is Tapio Kolunsarka.
Insta was founded by Markus Mattsson’s father, Finn Mattsson, in 1960. The first business premises were located in a cellar at Sammonkatu in Tampere and the enterprise specializing in the fitting of industrial instruments was called Mattsson & K:nit Company. The name was later changed to Instrumentointi Oy and then to Insta Group Oy in 2006.
Protector of everyday life in Finland
Today, Insta is a multispecialist company in secure digitalization, electrical automation, and defence technologies. The family enterprise, which has grown its net sales for 13 consecutive years, is a long-term strategic partner of the Finnish Defence Forces and a protector of critical infrastructure, security of supply, and the everyday lives of Finns. The company has four business areas: industry, defence, cyber security, and software consulting.
– Now is a great time to move forward! Niklas is a strong team player who has been involved in all of the company’s twists and turns for over 15 years. Insta’s future looks excellent. We have had a 13-year growth streak and I believe it will continue this year. The work we do is crucial for critical infrastructure and national security. We help Finnish industry to modernize and develop. Finland’s NATO membership also provides us with new opportunities. This will go a long way in the future, Markus Mattsson says with confidence.
Markus Mattsson was the first Finnish goaltender in the NHL. After making a name for himself playing for Ilves, he left for North American ice rinks in 1977 and had a remarkable hockey career there. He continued to play in his native Finland and was involved in Tappara winning the Finnish Championship twice before quitting hockey in 1987.
Following his return to Finland from North America, he started working full-time as Marketing Director at Insta 37 years ago, on December 2, 1987. During Markus’ tenure, Insta’s net sales have increased tenfold to almost €180 million. At the same time, the number of staff members has more than tripled. The family-owned company, headquartered in Tampere, currently employs nearly 1,200 Insta team members.
Steadily growing and meaningful place to work
One of Niklas Mattsson’s first jobs in the family business was putting number stickers on the keypads of fuel dispensers. Niklas joined the company’s Board of Directors in 2010. He has been Vice Chairman of Board since 2015 and served as CEO from November 2022 until the end of August 2023. Niklas is also a member of the Board of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, among other things.
– Our most important assets are our top-notch personnel and diversified in-depth expertise, which enable us to provide our customers with creative, reliable, and sustainable solutions. We will continue to be a steadily growing, meaningful place to work and become an even more international company than we are now, says Niklas.
For Niklas, Insta’s culture boils down to openness, collaboration, and trust.
– As the pace of change mounts up in an increasingly connected world, we are strongly involved in creating future security for people’s daily lives. When society and everyday life are running well, we have succeeded in our work. This requires continuous learning and the courage to apply what is new so that the things that we all value would be preserved and grow.
Photo: It all began in a cellar. Insta’s birthplace is a cellar space at Sammonkatu in Tampere. Niklas Mattsson and Markus Mattsson.
