Sculpture of Levón at University of Vaasa, parts of which are housed in his 1856 cotton mill

August Alexander Levón (1820-1875) started Finland's first steam-powered mill which first focused on milling rye for bread producers, in 1849. This mill was the beginning of Vaasan & Vaasan, the biggest bakery business in Finland and the Baltic region, one of the largest crisp bread producers in the world and a significant Nordic producer of bake-off products.

Levón was born in Raahe. The original name of his family was Leinonen. He came to Vaasa at the age of 19 and started to work at a pharmacy. He wanted to start his own pharmacy in the town but did not get the permission to do so. Instead of continuing with the pharmacy he became an industrialist.[1]

Levón went on to found a cotton factory and a shipping company. His contribution to the industrial progress of Vaasa and Finland is very significant.

References

  1. ↑ Piispala, Eija; Heinonen, Vesa; Tunkkari, Tapio (1985). Vaasan seudun kotiseutukirja. Helsinki: Otava. pp. 64–65. ISBN 951-1-07771-6.



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