Väinö Korpinen Oy

Korpinen is a Finnish accessibility pioneer founded in 1935. Korpinen offers uncompromising, customized bathroom solutions that are designed with specific areas of use in mind. Korpinen is a major provider of aids and other accessible solutions, using an extensive network of partners to offer a diverse range, enabling the comprehensive implementation of sustainable and hygienic facilities. Read more of our story!

Continuous product development on users’ terms

We develop accessible Gaius bathrooms to meet the needs of the changing population and to promote independent living. We are the market leader in our field in Finland, with headquarters in Espoo. In addition to Finland and Sweden, our market includes countries such as Denmark and Japan – and the list keeps getting longer.

We are involved in continuous product development with researchers, leading designers, health care professionals, and other interest groups. Besides durable technical solutions and good functional properties, design plays a central role in our product development.

Our network of collaborators consists of skilled people from a number of fields: professionals in social and health care who specialise in the planning of premises, hospital hygiene and ergonomics, among other things; subcontractors involved in everything from mechanical planning to design; and product manufacturers.

In 2018 Korpinen was acquired by AddLife, an independent player in the Life Science sector. AddLife offers high-quality products, services and advice to the private and public sectors, above all in the Nordic region and rest of Europe. AddLife has about 2,000 employees in some 85 subsidiaries that operate under their own brands. Read more about AddLife here: www.add.life

Our milestones are listed below, and through the menu on the left you can find out more about what kind of a company Väinö Korpinen Oy exactly is and how we operate.

Milestones

1935: A stationery shop is opened in Helsinki.
1958: The first dispensers for liquid soap are launched (as Puts-Väck Oy).
1991: The product selection is extended to products for the disabled.
1996: We start the development of an accessible bathroom for the elderly and physically disabled so as to promote their independence.
1998: We launch the Gaius Original concept and products, designed to facilitate the assisted living of the elderly.
2001: We start exports to Norway.
2002: We launch the Gaius Hospital concept and products.
2003: We start exports to Japan.
2003: We sell our office supply business so as to focus on accessible bathroom furnishings.
2004: We receive an ergonomics award from the Finnish Ergonomics Association for important contributions to the development of washroom solutions and furnishings.
2008: We launch the Gaius Senior concept and products, designed for independent living.
2010: The Gaius bathroom furnishings are given an anti-bacterial finish.
2012: We launch the Gaius Life concept, designed to support living in the same place for the entire duration of one’s life.
2012: We start exports to Japan.
2015: Our product selection is renewed and expanded.
2015: Antimicrobial properties of products and infection control cooperation in the HygTech Alliance begins.
2018: AddLife acquires Korpinen.
2019: We start exports to Australia.
2020: We start exports to Hong Kong.
2021: Korpinen acquires Suomen-Aputuote and expands aids product range
2021: We add height-adjustable kitchen concepts to our product range.
2022: We add safe products to our product range.