Héðinn for over 100 years

Héðinn’s first premises were at Aðalstræti 6, on the site where the Morgunblaðið building was later constructed. Reykjavík’s first industrial district grew up along Aðalstræti.

Markús Kristinn Ívarsson was born on September 8, 1884. He studied blacksmithing at Eyrarbakki and mechanical engineering at Stýrmannaskólinn í Reykjavík (the Navigation School in Reykjavík) from 1912 to 1913.

Bjarni was born in Reykjavík in 1897. After completing his studies with his father, he went to Denmark, where he studied mechanical engineering and worked for about two years in various departments of the Flydedokken shipyard.

In 1933 it was decided to establish Stálsmiðjan, a partnership between the machine workshops Héðinn and Hamar. Hamar contributed the company Járnsteypan to the venture, which went on to play a major role in Héðinn’s operations, as the foundry became the foundation of Héðinn’s production during and after the mid-20th century.

Héðinn’s premises have changed greatly over the years. At the start, in 1922, the machine workshop had about 60 square meters of floor space at Aðalstræti 6b, but twenty years later, in 1942, the workshop had expanded to 489 square meters at Seljavegur 2. The space grew even further when the later famous Héðinn building was erected on the site.

Sveinn Guðmundsson was managing director of Héðinn for 47 years. His wife was Helga, the daughter of Markús, the company’s founder, and Kristín Andrésdóttir.

The Employees’ Association of Héðinn Vélsmiðja was founded on September 11, 1939. Its purpose was to promote educational activities and strengthen social ties among the staff.

Héðinn took part in developing and building a new and modern waste treatment plant in Suðurnes, replacing an older facility that had been in operation for a quarter of a century.

The creator of the logo is Helga Markúsdóttir, daughter of Markús Ívarsson, who had founded the machine shop 30 years earlier.

It is evident, as can be seen from these names, that there are many connections to Héðinn—and this applies even more to the artwork itself, for its creation story quite literally begins at Héðinn.

Large storage tanks have been part of Héðinn’s project portfolio since the very beginning.

For many years, Héðinn was the agent for Rolls Royce Marine ship engines and operated the only authorized workshop not directly owned by Rolls Royce Marine.

From the very beginning, Héðinn’s ties to the fisheries sector have been strong. Among other things, Héðinn carried out repairs on trawlers and fishing vessels in the Icelandic fleet.

Since its founding, Héðinn has taken the initiative in its own diverse innovation projects, but has also contributed to the projects of others with its expertise and experience.

The brothers Sverrir and Guðmundur Sveinn, sons of Helga (daughter of Héðinn’s founder Markús Ívarsson) and Sveinn Guðmundsson, who served as the company’s CEO for 47 years, shared the leadership of Héðinn from 1983 to 2016.

The method of separating out as independent companies those parts that had developed within Héðinn outside the core business greatly simplified the possibilities for changes in the company’s ownership.