Emil Wilhelm Wahlforss (25 June 1891 – 20 June 1969) was a Finnish engineer, industrialist and vuorineuvos.
Early life
Wahlforss was born in Helsinki, the capital of Grand Duchy of Finland. His father Henrik Alfred Wahlforss was an appreciated chemistry teacher in Polytechnical institute; his mother, Emilia Elisabeth née Långhjelm, was 24 years younger and originally from Ostrobothnia. The couple had four children: 1883 and 1885 born daughters Elisabeth and Henriette, and 1891 and 1895 born sons Wilhelm and Eric. While the father was doing significant research, his work, which was written in Swedish, remained without international attention. Another hindrance for his success was his drinking problem. He died in 1899 when Wilhelm was just eight years old. The family fell into poverty and moved often in the following years, however, staying in the same area, Oulunkylä.
Studies
During his school years in Swedish Normal School Wilhelm Wahlforss had classmates who later became influential, such as Hugo Österman and Hjalmar Strömberg. Wahlforss did well at geography and other subjects which required remembering, but not at mathematics, and particularly languages and writing created difficulties. He graduated few months late in autumn 1911 because first failed his matriculation exam in Finnish, the main language of the state.
In September 1911 Wahlforss signed up for mechanical engineering studies in his father's former workplace which had been in the meantime renamed University of Technology. His orientation was textile industry. His strong areas were mechanics, physics, inorganic chemistry and economics, but in such subjects which required practical skills, as laboratory exercises, his ratings were "satisfactory". He took part in student activities and was active in the students' union. Wahlforss had a hectic social life, as an organiser he was efficient and determined, and he is described as a self-confident and charming person. Already during his studies he decided to become a manager of some large company. At the end of his studies Wahlforss focussed on heavy machinery and industrial economy. He did his internship in De Förenade Yllefabrikerna AB in Helsinki, Finlayson repair workshop in Tampere and later in Helsinki at Hietalahti Shipyard and Engineering Works, and finally in State Railways' Engineering Works foundry. For his master's thesis he made a complete and detailed calculation about textile factory economics and gained excellent rating, graduating in March 1916.
In autumn 1915 Wahlforss started dating Siri Johanna Wrede, a young lady from Turku.
Early career
Nobel and Turun Rautateollisuus
Wahlforss started his working career as draftsman in Nobel arms company in Saint Petersburg in February 1916, but he returned to Finland already in May. After Wahlforss got engaged with Siri Wrede, he became workshop engineer in Turun Rautateollisuus in Turku which was then led by Siri's father Freiherr Carolus Wrede. The work was technical and intense, as the company order book was full of ammunition and other military equipment to the Imperial Russian Army. He quit at early 1917, possibly for loyalty towards many of his old classmates who had enlisted in the Jäger Movement to fight against the Russian rule; also Wahlforss had wanted to join in the movement but was not accepted, because he was regarded as provider for his mother and younger brother. Another possible reason for leaving might have been his manager and brother of his fiancé, Gustaf "Dutta" G.W. Wrede who he mostly got well along with but found his sarcasm arduous at times.
Fiskars
Wahlforss's new workplace was in Fiskars rolling mill, where he was appointed workshop technical manager under Albert Lindsay von Julin. Julin supported him a lot, sharing his experience and knowledge, but offered also a warning example about dangers of alcohol in business relations. Wahlforss enjoyed his work; he led a team of younger engineers and got a lot of freedom at renewing the outdated facilities.