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The Story of the Griffin

Mythical creature in the North

The griffin is a mythical creature that is half eagle and half lion in various cultures. In legends and folklore, the beast guards the gold and other priceless possessions of kings. Having moved into the far north, this ancient creature watches over the green gold inherent in the forests.

The griffin also has counterparts in Finnish folklore and mythology. Depending on their name, Finnish griffins can be either spirits guarding treasures hidden underground or wizards' henchmen in the form of giant birds.

From legend to business

At the end of the 19th century, Kymmene Aktiebolag, one of the predecessors of the current UPM, hosted a competition for artists to design a new, distinctive logo for Russian trade. Hugo Simberg's griffin was declared the winner, and Kymmene Aktiebolag purchased the drawing in 1899.

Hugo Gerhard Simberg (1873-1917) was a talented Finnish painter and graphic artist. He is a prominent figure in Finnish art history. Simberg is known for his gloomy style and macabre, supernatural themes. Fittingly, his most famous piece is The Wounded Angel (1903). His mentor, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, a visual artist known for his interpretations of Kalevala, the Finnish national mythology, encouraged Simberg to follow his symbolistic themes.

Over the years, the griffin has evolved alongside us and become a recognizable, iconic symbol for UPM, representing high quality and responsibility. The griffin is not only used in UPM advertisements and marketing materials, but also in communications materials. It is an artistic and ornamental motif that has been hewn in granite, etched on glass, carved in wood, and embroidered on wall rugs and fabrics.

The artists that shaped the Griffin

Hugo Simberg's iconic design has been adapted to reflect the company's evolution and the changing times. Over the last 120 years, four other artists and graphic designers have also left their mark on the Griffin.

Esa Ojala, 1989

The Griffin was modernized in 1989 by graphic designer Esa Ojala. Following the merger of Kymmene Corporation and Repola Ltd. in 1996, he designed a new logo for the newly formed UPM-Kymmene Corporation. Ojala combined the Griffin with the letters UPM, which stand for United Paper Mills, a subsidiary of Repola Ltd. Esa Ojala is one of the most prestigious Finnish graphic designers and still creates today.

Erik Bruun, 1981

Professor Erik Bruun created some of the most iconic Finnish illustrations of the 20^th century. Many of his works depict Finnish flora and fauna. He combined his love of nature and conservation in his work for the Kymi Corporation, producing several variants of the Griffin. They appeared on Högfors cast-iron goods in the 1970s and on Kymi’s paper rolls, bale wrappers and labels from 1969 to1995.

Topi Valkonen, 1956

In the 1950s, Topi Valkonen, Kymi’s in-house graphic designer and artist, gave the Griffin a more “heraldically appropriate” new look. This design was used until the 1980s.

Dagmar Kärnä, 1942

The Griffin underwent its first makeover in the 1940s, when Dagmar Kärnä, a technical designer in the Kymi Corporation’s engineering department, redesigned it.