The timeless secrets behind a century-and-a-half-old business
Founded in 1874, Kolster Oy Ab not only witnessed the smoke of World War I and World War II, but also experienced the economic winter during the Great Depression. The huge waves of these hard times are synonymous with destruction and despair for most companies. However, difficult times, in Kolster's view, "generate ideas." Despite nearly no new business during these times, Kolster conquered these challenges through its steadfast commitment to the long-term goal of protecting innovation and its resilient adaptability, and ultimately survived to the present day.
"Every time I come to China, I feel like I'm in the future. It can't be ignored that Chinese enterprises have done much work with great market value, which can be effectively brought to other regional markets to achieve wider application and greater commercial value."
——Timo Helosuo
The story of Kolster Oy Ab should start from 1874 in the last century. Mr. Rudolf Kolster, the founder from Germany, was originally engaged in mechanical engineering and education in Finland. By chance, he helped two British inventors to submit a patent application for processing wood fiber in the pulp and paper industry in Finland, which became his first patent application. This incidental sideline of Rudolf Kolster, unexpectedly, laid the cornerstone for Kolster's 150-year evolution, shaping its business domain and international network.
Today, the business field of Kolster is not limited to patent application, but also includes utility model, trademark, copyright, design, intellectual property audit, intellectual property strategy and intellectual property retrieval, among which international business accounts for more than 60%. As the oldest intellectual property law firm in Finland, Kolster operates on a family business model, which has been passed down to the fifth generation. In order to adapt to the changing times, Kolster has introduced a new management approach by integrating professional managers. Timo Helosuo (hereinafter referred to as Timo), the Chief Executive Officer, joined Kolster under such an opportunity. Before joining Kolster, Timo had more than 25 years of professional experience in technology and multinational companies, and worked as an executive at Nokia. Since joining the firm, Timo has not only deepened its operational philosophy but also steered Kolster towards its next ambitious milestones in line with the demands of the modern era.
In 2023, in the survey of international IP agencies initiated by China IP magazine, Kolster stood out with outstanding business performance and won the "Recommended International IP Agencies" award for the third time. Timo and his team presented at the awarding ceremony, and had an in-depth exchange with China IP about the management secrets of this 150-year-old firm.
Big stories hinge on small things
"Sometimes big stories hinge on small things". This statement in the official website of Kolster caught the attention of China IP reporter. Timo has a more vivid interpretation of this.
"I want to take intellectual property as an example. The first trademark registered by Kolster can be traced back to 1898. It has been weathered for more than a hundred years and is still valid until now. This shows that even seemingly insignificant trademarks can unveil immeasurable value under the baptism of time. When you embark on your business journey, it’s crucial to have grand, ambitious, firm beliefs, and the courage to reach the peak. We can't predict what value today's patents or trademarks will hold, but they may be hidden in those small companies, quietly waiting for the moment when they shine. "
Founded in 1874, Kolster not only witnessed the smoke of World War I and World War II, but also experienced the economic winter during the Great Depression. The huge waves of these hard times are synonymous with destruction and despair for most companies. However, difficult times, in Kolster's view, "generate ideas." Despite nearly no new business during these times, Kolster conquered these challenges through its steadfast commitment to the long-term goal of protecting innovation and its resilient adaptability, and ultimately survived to the present day.
"In addition to adhering to the strategic thinking of not giving up the goal, the tactical thinking of perfectly handling every service to customers is also the key to the success for Kolster. We always enthusiastically explore customer needs and actively discuss with them the future trends, opportunities and potential risks. Whether in the market downturns in 1890 or 1990, or in the face of new challenges in 2024, customers are always our core concern. Customer First is the principle we adhere to. It guides us to always focus on the right things and helps us keep moving forward. " Timo said.
Always be customer-oriented and service-centered
Kolster's customer base brings together innovation leaders in various industries, including inventors in various fields, dynamic start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises, world-renowned large companies, and universities and research institutions dedicated to cutting-edge research. According to the latest data, among the current customer groups, multinational companies account for 65%, and Fortune Global 100 companies take up 26%. In the top 50 list of "the Most Valuable Brands in the World" published by Forbes, 28% of enterprises are customers of Kolster. In addition, Kolster also provides professional intellectual property services to more than 1,400 customers every year. With its professional service and excellent quality, Kolster has won extensive praise and trust from customers.
How does Kolster win the long-term trust of customers? Timo said: "I think it mainly depends on three core elements. First, content quality is the cornerstone, and we must ensure that we prepare high-quality application documents for our customers. Second, the quality of communication is equally important. We need to fully and deeply understand the needs of customers, so as to provide them with accurate suggestions and wise decision-making basis. Thirdly, an efficient internal workflow is also indispensable, which not only enables us to better predict potential risks, but also provides customers with a clear and transparent work schedule to ensure the smooth flow of information. I think it is because of our unremitting efforts in the above three aspects that we can establish long-term cooperative relations with Chinese companies in many industries and successfully help them to develop their business in the European market. Similarly, when our European customers are interested in entering the Chinese market, they will choose to work together with us to explore new business opportunities because we know more about China. "
When talking about the development of international business, Timo said: "It all begins with customer's needs. For example, three years ago, we started our business in Britain. At that time, we noticed that many of our customers in Europe and China faced a common challenge: after the Brexit, their EU trademarks are no longer protected in UK and needed to be re-registered. In order to solve this urgent need, we quickly launched the legal service business of intellectual property rights in this new jurisdiction. In addition, we have established close cooperative relations with Sweden, Denmark and other Nordic countries, and maintained good business relations with Germany. Wherever there is customer demand, we will actively provide all-round intellectual property services to ensure that they can get proper intellectual property protection and support in all markets. "
A strategic move to expand into China
In 2014, Kolster set up the China Desk, which was a "strategic" move for the firm. "The purpose of establishing China Desk is to get deeper insights into customer needs, avoid unnecessary communication costs, and deliver enhanced services to customers in China. In the past ten years, our China Desk has performed admirably over the past decade. " Timo remarked.
With the soaring number of IP applications in China, in order to meet the needs of business development, in 2018, Kolster set up an office in Shenzhen, an innovative city in China, to fully assist Chinese enterprises in understanding European local cultures, laws and resources and help them manage European intellectual property assets. "I want to emphasize that we have the ability to win the European market on behalf of China customers of different industries and sizes. This is not only our expected goal, but also our achievement. " Timo stated, "We realize the competition in the Chinese market is extremely fierce at present, which urges Chinese enterprises to seek to expand into new markets like Europe. Chinese enterprises believe that through the IP moves in the European market, they can get more profit returns. In view of this, Kolster has also made new plans and targets in the Chinese market. We focus on intellectual property services and help Chinese enterprises to operate in Europe, such as providing "soft landing" service in Finland. Among them, a Chinese airline company registered a branch in Finland with the assistance of Kolster, marking the only Chinese airline company that has successfully operated in Finland at present. In the future, we will continue to deepen our cooperation with Chinese enterprises, providing them with professional intellectual property services and market strategy suggestions, and helping them to gain a stronger foothold in the European market. At the same time, we also look forward to promoting economic exchanges and cooperation between China and Europe through our efforts to achieve a mutually beneficial and win-win situation. "
Timo travels back and forth between Finland and China many times a year. Unlike other travelers, he likes to visit exhibitions. He will also share with his colleagues the achievements of China's rapid development that he saw at the exhibition every time, combined with his own business thinking. "Every time I come to China, I feel like I'm in the future. China has made new achievements and introduced new innovations in the integration and application of new energy vehicles, payment systems and digital systems. It cannot be ignored that Chinese enterprises have done much work with great market value, which can be effectively brought to other regional markets to achieve wider application and greater commercial value. "
150 years of glory, forging a new chapter
What does it feel like being the CEO of an intellectual property firm with a history of 150 years? Timo's answer to this question is very down-to-earth: "With a long history, Kolster also shoulders important responsibilities. Every member of our team has the responsibility to build a greater Kolster and leave a precious legacy for the next generation. Our job is not only to pay attention to the performance in a year, but also to improve the overall operation level of the company and continuously optimize the customer portfolio. "
"Consistently adhering to the customer-centered approach, valuing true expertise, and emphasizing the accumulation and application of professional knowledge have been the core values of Kolster. Those who truly excel in their own fields are constantly innovative and eager to make progress, which is the pursuit of every Kolster employee. This commitment ensures that all work can run efficiently and smoothly, so that it can stand the test of time. " Timo said, "We are both a company with a long history and a fresh, dynamic one. Kolster holds one principle: always hire people who are better than you to rejuvenate the organization. In this way, we can move towards a more brilliant future together. "
