Tor Nessling
Tor Ragnar Nessling MSc (diplomi-insinööri) (6 September 1901 – 23 November 1971) was a leading Finnish industrialist, entrepreneur and engineer. For nearly four decades he was the general manager of the Finnish heavy vehicle producer Suomen Autoteollisuus (SAT). His contribution to national development was officially recognized by the Finnish President who appointed Nessling as a "Vuorineuvos".
Tor Ragnar Nessling | |
|---|---|
Nessling at a truck launch in 1962 | |
| Born | 6 September 1901 Helsinki, Finland |
| Died | 23 November 1971 (aged 70) Helsinki, Finland |
| Education | diplomi-insinööri |
| Alma mater | Helsinki University of Technology |
| Occupation | General Manager |
| Years active | 1931–1970 |
| Employer | Oy Suomen Autoteollisuus Ab |
| Predecessor | John Hellsten |
| Successor | Erik Gillberg |
| Spouse | Greta Maria ("Maj") née Kock |
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Nessling became head of SAT in 1932, soon after the company's foundation. He developed the business in an era when only few believed in the possibility of a Finnish automotive industry, and a decade later had become the company's majority shareholder. Nessling took a patriarchal approach to his leadership of the company, which he built into a producer of trucks, bus chassis, rail vehicles and specialist terminal tractors. Nessling lost his controlling shareholding following a merger in 1968, resigned in 1970 and died the following year.