The Finnish Paper Engineers' Association (PI) was founded largely through the work of two men: Ilmari Stenbäck, an idealist, and Alex Lampén, a realist and a pragmatist. It was they who arranged a preliminary meeting in Helsinki on 24 March 1914. Also present at the meeting were several engineers: Ingwald Sourander from Simpele, Ilmari Tamminen from Enso, Alvar Brejlin from Kuusankoski, Georg Holm from Läskelä, Robert Rehbinder from Hämekoski, Georg Fraser from Kyröskoski, Bruno Ungern from Äänekoski and Axel Solitander from Tampere. The actual founding meeting was held on 12 April 1914 and was attended by 17 paper engineers. A year later, the number of members had risen to 51, which was a remarkable achievement considering that the first World War had erupted just six months after the Association was founded. 1918 was a year of disaster, and the Association lost Ilmari Stenbäck, who had made the speech at the founding meeting, as well as seven other members and one sponsor member.

By the end of the 1920s, the number of active members stood at about 200. There were around 40 sponsor members and over 30 businesses were members. The growth in membership slowed during the early 1930s, but began to rise again during the second half of the decade. By the time the Winter War broke out, there were some 300 active members and the total membership was 371. World War II caused numbers to fall slightly, but the membership started to rise again after peace was declared. The 400 milestone was passed in 1944, and 600 was reached in 1954. Ten years later the number of members was approaching 1,000, while in 1994, 80 years after its foundation, the Association had close on 2,000 members.

Over the years, ideological objectives were translated into real actions. Some of these are still part of the Association's daily work, others have changed with the times. However, the Association's activities have always been divided in two main directions: profession-related matters on the one hand and personal exchanges and contacts on the other. Meetings are naturally the oldest form of activity. Besides dealing with official matters, meetings have also featured in-depth discussions of a wide range of both technological and economic issues and other subjects of interest to members.

The first foreign visitor - from Sweden - attended an Association meeting in 1921. An exchange of publications was subsequently agreed with the corresponding association in Germany. A year later, the Association visited Norway as guests of Papierindustriens Tekniske Föreningen, and in 1924 an invitation to visit Sweden was received from Svenska Pappers- och Cellulosaingenjörs Föreningen. These visits were later extended to include presentations, and in 1929 the Association held a meeting outside Finland when it visited Estonia.

Closer ties with the other Nordic countries were sought in the 1930s with the aim of establishing a regular joint-Nordic conference. The initiative came from Sweden, and the first such conference was held in Stockholm in 1936. Finland provided about 60 of the 350 participants.

Collaboration between European paper engineers' associations began in 1956 under EUCEPA. The association is still active today.

Publishing work has always been central to the Association's activities. The idea of starting to publish a magazine was put forward when the Association was only two years old. The publication titled, Finsk Papperstidning - Suomen Paperilehti, first appeared early in 1917. Two years later saw the birth of Suomen Paperi ja Puutavaralehti - Pappers- och Trävarutidskrift för Finland, a new title published jointly by the Association and the industry.

The history of the textbooks and handbooks published by the Association is worth examining in detail. The idea initially came from outside from an engineer named Hjalmar Ström. He was writing a book about the manufacture of sulphite pulp and offered it to the Association for publication. The book appeared in 1934 and was an instant success. The edition was sold out, and in view of the advances made in technology it was decided to revise the work in the late 1930s. However, the war and the death of the editor in chief held back the editorial work, with the result that the new edition was not published until 1952. The second manuscript, "Production of paper and board" was delayed even longer, and the book did not come off the press until 1959.

The next edition appeared in 1969, and this was followed by Wood Chemistry (1977) and Pulping and Papermaking (1983). Work on planning a new generation series of textbooks and handbooks under the title, Papermaking Science and Technology began in 1994. The 19-part series is being published in English in 1998-2000.

Over the years, the Association's series of textbooks has been a wonderful example of the selfless work done by members to further the aims of the Association. The work has been done on a voluntary basis with little or no remuneration. Industry has also lent its support, as some of the authors have been permitted to make their contributions during working hours.

Other publications include the Association's yearbook, photo albums, a 50-year history and other works.

Other examples of achievements to which members have contributed include establishment of a museum of paper, a memorial marking the site of Thomasböle paper mill, raising funds to procure an experimental paper machine for The Finnish Pulp and Paper Research Institute, and sustained efforts to encourage students and in this way secure the industry's future.

The Association has also been the recipient of a number of funds, which it has used to make grants and other awards and also for charity - for example financing the schooling of two war orphans for 12 years. Circumstances have forced the Association to modify its fund over the years, though with due regard for the original wishes of donors, many of whom were members.

The provision of grants has made it possible for the Association to realize many of its main goals. Most notable today is the postgraduate grant, which has been awarded annually since 1963. Its purpose is to send one of the young members to further his or her studies in North America at The Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton. Even before this practice started, grants were available to send members to the United States, the first two engineers setting off in 1922.

Adapted from the article:
Antti Arjas, The Finnish Paper Engineers' Association as a link between engineers.
Paper and Timber, No. 6-7, 1984.
pp. 405-408.