(VAT) was a producer of heavy vehicles based in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The company was founded as Yhteissisu Oy in 1943 by the Finnish government and a number of major Finnish companies with the aim of producing lorries and buses for the Finnish Defence Forces. World War II was over before the company could start series production; it was renamed Vanajan Autotehdas and the marque became Vanaja. Subsequently, the production consisted of outdated lorry models, partly built from military surplus materials. After overcoming initial difficulties, the company modernised its products, became profitable and grew until the mid-1950s. Many major components, including engines, were imported. Diesel engines became widely available in 1955, and in 1959 VAT introduced its most significant innovation, the full load lifting tandem axle mechanism, which improved off-road capability significantly; the system is now used in Sisu vehicles.
The company started producing bus chassis in 1950, and the superstructures were built by a number of Finnish coach builders. The last models were appreciated by a number of bus operators, and missed after production was stopped. All Vanaja bus chassis were fitted with air brakes by 1958, after the failure of hydraulic brakes on a Vanaja bus had led to one of the worst traffic accidents ever to have happened in Finland.
VAT fell into financial difficulties by end of the 1960s; this led to a merger with the other Finnish heavy vehicle producer Oy Suomen Autoteollisuus Ab at the end of 1968. The Vanaja brand ceased to exist in 1971, after which the former Vanaja factory produced Sisu terminal tractors, bus chassis, military vehicles and mobile crane chassis. The factory now belongs to Patriawhich produces Patria AMV armoured personnel carriersand heavy-vehicle axle producer Sisu Axles.
Vanajan Autotehdas was always a small company, employing about 400 people in 1968, and in the 1960s its market share was barely 5% in Finland. Almost all Vanajas were sold for the domestic market; only a few units were exported. Vanaja vehicles became known for their robust construction and high degree of customisation. The number of Vanaja bus chassis and lorries totalled 7,140 units; this consists of 260 lorry and 66 bus chassis models; for 116 lorry models only one or two units were produced. Vanajas had a good reputation and they are nowadays valued by vintage vehicle enthusiasts.
The brand name Vanaja refers to town of Vanaja (today part of Hämeenlinna), where the factory was located.
Foundation During the winter of 1942–43, the Finnish Defence Forces estimated there was no immediate prospect of a quick end to the Continuation War but there was an immediate need for new vehicles. In the longer term, the army was expected to need at least 7,000 lorries and buses. Neutral countries such as Sweden and Switzerland were willing to sell vehicles to Finland but demanded payment in advance and in their own currencies. As Finland did not have sufficient currency reserves the only option was to develop domestic vehicle production.Blomberg: Ajatuksena autojen suurtuotanto. p. 14.
At that time, the only Finnish heavy vehicle producer Oy Suomen Autoteollisuus Ab (SAT) was building a new factory in Karis, a location considered less likely than Helsinki to come under attack from Soviet air raids. Company general director Tor Nessling suggested the factory should be larger than originally planned. As another option, Nessling, with extreme reservation, considered building a new factory elsewhere in Finland. SAT was experienced in heavy vehicle production but economic and technical resources were limited. Heavy vehicle importers and some political cliques thought SAT was trying to benefit from the war and to gain a dominant position in the Finnish market.
Defence minister Rudolf Walden called a meeting held on 3 and 4 March 1943 to explore solutions to the acute shortage of vehicles. The meeting was attended by representatives of the government and military leadership, and key personnel from leading Finnish industrial companies. A committee was formed to propose founding a company in which SAT and the state were both involved. The proposal was presented in a meeting on 20 March. The name of the company was Oy Yhteissisu Ab ("mutual Sisu"), which meant the intention was joint production of Sisu vehicles. The private owners were A. Ahlström, Ata, Fiskars, Kone, Kymin Oy, Lokomo, W. Rosenlew & Co., Suomen Autoteollisuus, Suomen Gummitehdas, Suomen Kaapelitehdas, Tampereen Pellava- ja Rauta-Teollisuus, Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat and Strömberg. The headquarters was in Erottaja in Helsinki. The company chairman was Heikki H. Herlin and the reluctant Tor Nessling was appointed general manager.
The Defence Forces set strict requirements for the vehicles to be produced. There was not enough time to develop a new model. Although outdated, the best of the available options was the Sisu S-21. Yhteissisu and SAT agreed to transfer Sisu S-21 lorry production to Yhteissisu.Blomberg: Tarvittiin johto ja piirustukset. pp. 19–22. The Yhteissisu-produced models were named S-22.Blomberg: Tositoimiin. pp. 22–23.
Start of production Immediately after the company was founded, production started in the SAT factory in Vallila, Helsinki. The Yhteissisu vehicles were built separately from SAT vehicles. It was clear from the start that vehicles should be produced away from Helsinki; the company sought a suitable location close to good rail, road and waterway connections. The original idea was to build the factory inside caves mined into bedrock; the place would be required to have suitable geology. A suitable area was finally found in Vanaja next to Hämeenlinna. Yhteissisu bought of land on 14 March 1944.Blomberg: Valittiin Vanajan kunta. pp. 23–25. A contract for factory construction was signed with a contractor on 30 March. The Railway Administration accepted Yhteissisu's plan to build a railway connection in the area. Quarrying work for the underground workshop began in July 1944. The expense and a shortage of time meant the plan had to be amended, and the entire production area was built above ground. The factory buildings were completed in early November 1944. Alvar Aalto's architectural office designed houses for the factory workers.Blomberg: Rakennustyöt uuden kauden alku. pp. 26–32.
The first lorry made in Vanaja was a Sisu S-22 prototype, which rolled out of the factory door on 1 August 1945. After a short and intensive testing period, serial production began on 29 October 1945 but because of a shortage of materials and component quality problems, the first vehicles were not ready until early 1946. The capabilities of the domestic suppliers proved to be very limited and the company was dependent on imported gearboxes, steering components, drive shafts and electrical systems until domestic companies could set up their own production. The Finnish suppliers were unable to meet the requirements with the available materials and experienced severe quality problems.Blomberg: Valmista tuli. pp. 32–34. Total production in 1946 was 147 Sisu S-22 vehicles, which was far below the target of 2,000 vehicles. The original, calculated price per vehicle had been 765,000 marks but the eventual cost was 800,000 marks.Blomberg: Synkkiä pilviä taivaalla. pp. 34–35.
The war had ended before series production was started, and the Defence Forces did not need new vehicles. On the contrary, the army had to reduce the number of vehicles according to the Moscow Armistice. The frustrated component suppliers left the business and the Ministry of Trade and Industry terminated the vehicle supply contract from the end of 1946. In early 1946, Yhteissisu had agreed with the Ministry of Trade and Industry that vehicles not bought by the state could be sold on the civilian market. Sisu S-22s became available for sale at 12 SAT locations in Finland. The company presented a lighter, lower-cost model, the S-22K, at the Helsinki Domestic Industry Fair in May 1946.
From Yhteissisu to Vanajan Autotehdas
Tor Nessling resigned from Yhteissisu in February 1947. There was talk of closing the company. Yhteissisu sold only 103 S-22s in 1947, some of which had been produced the previous year. 55 lorries were built by the company in 1947. The company's share capital was reduced from 75 million marks to 7.5 million, then increased to 50 million; the state became the main owner, having a 44% share of the company.Blomberg: Ollako vai eikö olla? p. 35–36. The other owners were Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat, A. Ahlström, Strömberg and Tampereen Pellava- ja Rauta-Teollisuus.Blomberg: Yhteissisu Oy tiensä päässä. p. 36. From September, the new general manager of the company was Eero Kytölä. The company lost two million marks in 1947.
Yhteissisu had the rights to use the Sisu brand until summer 1948. In a general meeting held in 1948, the board decided to rename the company Vanajan Autotehdas and the brand of the vehicles became Vanaja.Blomberg: Mallilainaajasta monipuoliseksi tuotekehittäjäksi. pp. 44–46. The factory area was moved from the municipality of Vanaja to that of Hämeenlinna at the beginning of the same year.Blomberg: Kuntalaisesta kaupunkilaiseksi. p. 51.
First Vanaja production
Vanaja V-48 When the licence to use the Sisu brand expired in June 1948, Sisu S-22 production was continued as the Vanaja V-48, and its production continued until 1955.Mäkipirtti: Kuorma-autot 1948–1956. p. 33.
White M2 Half-Track conversions General manager Kytölä travelled to France and West Germany in 1947 and early 1948 to buy military surplus materials from the Western Allies. He bought 425 White Motor Company M2 Half-Track vehicles, 186 lorry engines, 304 Cadillac V8 engines, 4 Mack ED diesel engines, 2 Hercules Diesel DFXE engines, 11,000 GMC wheels and one 45-tonne-capacity trailer. Trading was organised through the Ministry of Supply and the first delivery arrived in March 1948. The White Half-Track vehicles were without armour; Kytölä's idea was to equip them with superstructures for field or forest clearing, or to convert them into Four-wheel drive lorries by replacing the tracks with a conventional rear axle.Blomberg: Teloilla tai pyörillä. pp. 40–41. In total, VAT sold 359 units as half-tracks, and 60 were converted into 4×4 or 4×2 vehicles. These lorries were sold as Vanaja VaWh. Some of the half-track vehicles were scrapped for parts; the last was sold in 1952.Blomberg: Vihdoinkin kuivilla. pp. 49–50.
Some of these conversions are still extant and in the Finnish vehicle registry. At least one hase been reconverted back in the WW2 half-track guise with US Army insignia. https://www.flickr.com/photos/34057640@N07/5646595752
Growth and recession in 1950s After the original contract with the state was terminated, a new agreement for the production of 650 vehicles to be delivered between 1948 and 1952 was reached. The state helped production with a significant prepayment of 132 million marks. According to the contract, 150 vehicles were scheduled to be built in 1948. The company reached this target and made a further 11 vehicles for private use. 92 were sold under the name of Sisu S-22 or S-22K and 69 were badged as Vanaja V-48. 101 M2 Half-Tracks were sold. In 1948, VAT made a loss of 746,000 marks.Blomberg: Helpotuksia alkutaipaleella. pp. 46–48. In 1949, VAT made another 150 vehicles for the state and 37 vehicles for private operators; it produced 163 V-48s and 24 VaWhs. The company also sold 211 M2 Half-Tracks, allowing it to declare its first profit of 1.208 million marks, which was helped by a devaluation of the Finnish mark.