Milestones of SESKO’s action

1926

The Finnish Electrotechnical Committee was set up by the Finnish Standardization Committee (established 1924) in order to prepare electro-technical standards and other recommendations.

1930

Safety instructions prepared by The Electrotechnical Committee were published as a decree of The Trade and Industry Ministry and as handbook (number 1) of The Electrical Inspectorate.

1933

The first electro-technical SFS standards were published. They considered standard voltages, units of electro-technical measurements and symbols.

1943

The New Finnish Electrotechnical Committee was set up by The Associaton of Electrical Engineers in Finland to continue standardization work, which had been interrupted because of the war. The New Committee was also established now for the purpose of defence forces.

1949

Finland was affiliated as a member to The International Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (IEC, founded 1906).

1954

SESKO abbreviation was taken in use. It was formed from initial letters Suomen (Finnish), Elektrotekniska (Electrotechnical), Standardisoimis- (Standards), KOmitea (Committee).´

1960

The European Standardization Organization CENEL was established. CENEL involved in EEC and EFTA countries. Thus SESKO became a member of CENEL via EFTA.

1965

The Electrotechnical Standards Organization in Finland SESKO ry was established as an association of public utility. There were 13 founder members which were electro-technical associations in Finland. The charter of foundation was underwritten by The Association of Electrical Engineers in Finland, The Finnish Society of Power Plants and The Federation of Finnish Electrotechnical Industry.
The electrical safety authority at that time The Electrical Inspectorate recruited an executive director Mr. Tuomo Ilomäki, a standardization engineer Mr. Tapio Viitanen and a typist Mrs. Liisa Piippo in the service of SESKO’s office.

1966

SESKO started to publish SESKO bulletin, which comes out continuously four times a year and partly in electronic form.

1968

The Finnish State became a member of SESKO. In the beginning five state institutions were represented in SESKO. Later these institutions directly became members of SESKO. Today the members represented by state institutions are The Electrical Safety Authority (TUKES), The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA).

1971

SESKO’s activities widened into the sector of power plants and one more standardization engineer was recruited.

1972

Finland got the first technical committee international chairmanship (IEC/TC 62).

1973

CENEL and CENELCOM, which included only EEC countries, merged into a new electro-technical European standardization organization CENELEC. SESKO became a member of CENELEC through CENEL. LVD (Low Voltage Directive) came into effect.

1975

Through SESKO’s initiative SFS started to pay compensation to standards-writing bodies for SFS-standards and handbooks.

1978

SESKO’s activities widened into the electronic sector and one more standardization engineer of this sector was recruited.

1979

SESKO arranged the 5th General Assembly of CENELEC in Finlandia House. The President of CENELEC Mr. A. K. Edwards acted as the Chairman in this meeting.

1982

SESKO joined to the member of the European standardization and certifying association (CECC). CECC merged to the CENELEC in 1995.

1983

Kalervo Rudanko was elected for a Vice-President of CENELEC during period of 1983 – 1984.

1984

The Finnish Electrotechnical Standardization Association SESKO was confirmed as SESKO’s official name.

1985

SESKO arranged the dinner of the 20th Anniversary. The old-time technical committee chairmen were awarded with certificates of honour.

1987

Kimmo Saarinen was elected for a Vice-President of CECC for the period of 1987 – 1989 and again 1990 – 1992.

1988

SESKO arranged the CENELEC 24th General Assembly in Helsinki. Trade and Industry Minister Ilkka Suominen opened the event and the President of CENELEC Mr. Rudolf Winckler acted as chairman of the General Assembly.

1990

SESKO arranged the seminar of the 25th Anniversary. The President of CENELEC Mr. Gordon Gaddes was the main guest of seminar. Mr. Erkki Yrjölä was chosen as the Honorary President and Mr. Martti Karttunen as the Honorary Member. The history of electrotechnical standardization in Finland was published. It was written by Erkki Yrjölä.

1992

All European EN-standards were accepted and implemented in Finland before the opening of EU Internal Market.

1993

Finland got the first secretariat in an international committee (IEC/SC 12G, now TC 100/TA5). SESKO achieved the record amount of all time for publishing over 3200 pages of SFS standards.

1994

SESKO withdrew economically from Electrical Inspectorate and took in use the participation fee of technical committees for financing the standardization activities.

1995

SESKO arranged the seminar of the 30th Anniversary. The Main speaker in this event was the President of IEC Mr. Hans Gissel. Mr. Kalervo Rudanko was chosen as the SESKO’s Honorary President.

1996

SESKO opened in internet the www portal of over 50 pages.

1997

SESKO’s activities were widened into the electro-technical installation sector and a new project leader was recruited.

1999

SESKO published in co-operation with The Finnish Standards Association SFS standards (SFS-standards) concerning low voltage installations and electrical safety. The old national rules of electrical safety were replaced with these standards based on international examples.

2000

SESKO arranged the seminar of the 35th Anniversary. The Main speaker was the President of IEC Mr. Mattias Fünfshilling. Mr. Otso Kuusisto was chosen as the Honorary Member of SESKO. The first five Erkki Yrjölä Awards were granted.

2001

IEC, CENELEC and SESKO moved to use completely e-working practices. The high voltage standard (SFS-standard) based on international example was published in Finnish.

2002

SESKO started to arrange the spring seminars concurrent with the annual general meeting. Consultation paper concerning standardization act was sent to the Finnish Parlament. The third edition of electrotechnical vocabulary was published in form of CD.

2003

The official name of association was confirmed shortly SESKO. SESKO arranged the CENELEC 43rd General Assembly in Helsinki. The President of CENELEC Mr. Ulrich Spindler acted as chairman of the meeting. The sell of electrotechnical safety standard exceeded the 25 000 examples.

2004

The SESKO’s Board accepted the Master Plan. Managing Director Tuomo Ilomäki retired. He had directed SESKO over 39 years. Sinikka Hieta-Wilkman was nominated for a new managing director.

2005

SESKO celebrated its 40th Anniversary. General Secretary of CENELEC Mrs. Elena Santiago and Director Alain Maishlish represented the European and International Standardization Organizations CENELEC and IEC in celebration. Mr. Rainer Smått was chosen as the Honorary Member.

2006

The IEC Centenary was celebrated in Berlin. Mr. Jorma Rutanen and Mr. Pekka Talmola were the first Finns who were awarded with IEC 1906 Awards. SESKO’s allowance for meeting participations was chosen as the one of the European best practicies among the hundreds of proposals.

2007

Mr. Kimmo Saarinen was elected the SESKO’s President for the fifth period. Mr. Leo Laaksonen was elected the member of CENELEC Administrative Board. The electrotechnical professionals obtained over 4000 examples of the handbook concerning low voltage installations. SESKO made a survey of motives in participation of electro-technical standardization in Finland.

2008

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of Finland was accepted as the 22nd member of SESKO. Mr. Markku Norhio was nominated for chairman of the technical committee IEC SC 34C. SESKO’s Managing Director Sinikka Hieta-Wilkman was nominated for the chairperson of the SFS standardization Board for the three years period.

2009

SESKO´s Chairman of the Board, Mr. Kimmo Saarinen and Group Manager Mr. Eero Sorri received IEC 1906 Awards. The Finnish Society of Senior and Master Electricians SAMSY approved membership. A record-breaking number – nine  – handbooks concerning electrical engineering standards were published.

2010

SESKO arranged its 45th Anniversary Seminar with keynote speaker Director Gabriel Barta from IEC. Another international speaker, CEO Tore Trondvold from Norwegian Electrotechnical Standardization organization NEK, underlined the importance of the excellent cooperation between the Nordic countries in standardization – not forgetting EU. Leo Laaksonen was invited to honorary membership.

2011

Finnish Electrotechnical Trade Association (STK) was approved as a new SESKO member association. Smart Grid co-ordination committee was established to follow up European and global progress of standardization in the theme. Electric vehicle committee drafted the first national guidelines for charging electric vehicles. Lauri Halme was called an honorary member.

2012

Frans Vreeswijk, IEC General Secretary and CEO since 1 October 2012, visited Finland at the NOREK Presidium meeting. A new edition of the standard series SFS 6000 on low-voltage installations was published. Nuclear Automation committee was established. The first self-assessment of SESKO’s activities was made against the membership criteria of CEN and CENELEC.

2013

SESKO’s long-term President Kimmo Saarinen was nominated as SESKO’s Honorary President. He also received a certificate of honor from the Finland Chamber of Commerce for his accomplishments in electrotechnical standardization. SESKO joined the project ‘Wellbeing through Electricity – A Vision for 2030’. Hasse Nordman, Hannu Peiponen and Arto Sirviö were awarded IEC 1906 Award. Sinikka Hieta-Wilkman was nominated as chair of SFS’s Standardization board.

2014

Kenneth Hänninen at Finnish Energy Industries started his first triennial as the new chairperson for the SESKO’s Administrative Board and President of the association. SESKO held a joint workshop on electrotechnical standardization together with IEC. SESKO and SFS agreed that also IEC and EN standards, in addition to SFS standards, will be available through SFS sales during 2015.

2015

SESKO celebrated its 50 years and published a jubilee issue “SESKO – 50 years expertise and reliability” to commemorate the year. The gala occurred on the 6th of October 2015 in Ravintola Teatterin Klubi and as well with the musical Mamma Mia in Svenska Teatern.  Sales of Electrotechnical Standards in Finland were moved entirely to the SFS web-shop and on-line collection.