The Taito award goes to Jouko Nieminen in 2008
The Finnish Crafts Organisation grants the national Taito award of €5000 every second year. The Taito award is donated by the Tapiola Group. The purpose of the award is to make the public aware of excellent crafts enterprises and to show that devotion to skill gives impetus to success.
The grounds for granting this award include:
- professionalism of the company’s operating mode together with its profitability
- uniqueness of the products
- high quality design combined to good overall quality
- ethical way of working according to the the principles of sustainable development.
The recipient of the Taito award in 2008 is the company Seppämestari J.E. Nieminen of Vantaa, Finland. The nomination was made by the Crafts Associations Taito Helsky and Taito Uusimaa. The entrepreneur, Mr Jouko Nieminen, graduated as a smith in 1983 and completed the vocational qualifications for master smith in 1990. The basis for his product design and development work is traditional forging with related working practices. In his design work, he utilises the modern technologies and 3-D modelling.
The company makes products needed in building and interior design to order, mainly. These products inlude gates, balustrades, equipment for fire places, weathercocks, even sculpture. The materials Jouko Nieminen uses include steel, stainless steel, copper, brass and bronze. Jouko Nieminen also renovates and mends old metal objects. The key value in the company is reliability - the customer must understand what he or she is getting and the manufacturer must be liable for the product he is delivering. Jouko Nieminen has worked actively as a teacher and lecturer and taken on trainees to guide, thus cultivating the valuable inheritance.
The judges explained their choice by the fact that the enterprise fulfilled all set criteria quite well. In addition, Jouko Nieminen works as a developer and promoter of a rare craft. The products reflect the concept of sustainable development excellently.
The local crafts and design associations provided 15 nominations for this award. The judges decided to grant the Local Taito Crafts Entrepreneur 2008 Award to the following local nominees:
- Atelje Auli-Kristiina tmi / Pori
- Atelje’ Hannetar / Jurva
- Design Pylsy / Joutsa
- Idea-Rapsakka ky / Savitaipale
- Kipikude Ay / Turku
- Keramiikkastudio Jenni Linnove / Siilinjärvi
- Koistinen Kantele Oy / Rääkkylä
- Kulman Kankaat / Padasjoki
- Lovi Oy / Kiiminki
- Marianne Uusitalo Tmi / Kokkola
- Paperivalo ky / Karunki
- Sammallammas / Vilppula
- Tmi Seppämestari J.E.Nieminen / Vantaa
- Väkkäräverstas ky / Valkeala
- Waneeriverstas Wimmi / Koskenkorva
