The Swedish Tradition Developing Quality Leather Oil & Leather Care Products

by Anders Abelius

The EKOL AB story begins with my fathers grandfather August J. Johansson, a farmers son from the North of Småland (a land in Sweden a bit South of the Capital City of Stockholm). Many Småland families were forced by poverty to emigrate to the United States at the end of the 1800’s.

Since times were very tough August educated himself as best he could to work with leather and also be a saddle maker. As time passed he became very knowledgeable in the working of all types of leather, and somewhat of an expert in the craft. It was natural that August became interested in the care and preservation of leather products. After skin was scraped and worked into leather products, would it be possible in some way to preserve the softness, strength, and water resistance. August felt there must be some way to maximize the usefulness of leather products.

During these times a saddle maker traveled from farm to farm making and repairing at that time very important equipment made of leather. In this period all heavy work was done by horse and ox. The machine age was just beginning, and horsepower was a major force in the economy of developed countries. August experimented and developed his leather oil where in 1880 he started Eksjö Oljefabrik( Translated The Town of Eksjö’s Oil Factory) This name was later shortened to EKOL, and later became EKOL AB as we know it today.

In 1895 August moved to Linköping, Sweden a larger city with one of richest agricultural economies at the time. There were lots of horses used in agriculture, and many regiments of the Swedish Army who also rode the horse. The Army had for many years been a strong customer for EKOL Oil products. My great grandfather in the first year of the 1900’s manufactured EKOL Oils using natural ingredients from the cheese making process.

After my grandmother ran the company for several years in the 1930’s, my father was able to take over the responsibility. Then came the Second World War, and my father was sent to SAAB as a chemical engineer specializing in the removing of ice from aircraft aluminum. This knowledge was gained in the development of EKOL products. During this time my mother held the firm together doing all sorts of jobs and delivering to the railroad by bicycle.

In 1946 my father and mother built a new factory and production began again. During the mid 1950’s the use of horses diminished drastically from Swedish agriculture. Sweden was about ten years behind the same development process in the USA, and the traditional market dropped drastically.

A new type of horse market began at this time. The private owner, riding clubs and other methods of using the horse grew steadily as societies returned to owning the horse. These new customers and saddle makers became EKOL’s largest customers. The EKOL name for preserving and care of leather products from a previous era again was in high demand. The quality of EKOL was well known for its ability to preserve and maintain the strength of leather. Due to the demand a number of other products; hoof oil, hoof salve, leather soap, and horse shampoo were added to the product line. The new products were a natural growth from the original manufacturing process which had always been to develop leather care products of the highest quality.

We feel when you begin to use EKOL products for your own leather items the quality put into our manufacturing will be obvious. The EKOL difference in leather care will be positive experience for you and the leather items you wish to maintain for the future.