Väinö Korpinen Oy

Väinö Korpinen Oy is founded in 1935. With over the past two decades of active work, we have become pioneers in accessible bathrooms. 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 and additional offices in Stockholm and Göteborg. In addition to Finland and Sweden, our market includes countries such as Denmark, Russia 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.

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.
2009: We start exports to Russia
2010: The Gaius bathroom furnishings are given an anti-bacterial finish.
2011: We launch the Gaius Memory concept, designed for people with memory disorders.
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 operations in Sweden.
2014: We expand our operations to Denmark.
2015: Our product selection is renewed and expanded.