In the industry since 1898  

The history of the Reka Group stretches back to 1898, when Edvard Rentto began his career at Korkeakosken Kenkätehdas (Korkeakoski Shoe Factory). 

After achieving a high level of professional skill, he moved on to Tampere Kenkätehdas Oy Attila (Tampere Shoe Factory Attila Ltd) as Technical Director. When the founder of that factory, Anton Kustaa Attila, died in 1915, Edvard Rentto became the majority owner of the company and also its Managing Director, a function he performed until 1921. He was then appointed Chairman of the Board and continued in that post until his death on 18th January 1927. 

He had seven children. Of those, Kalle Edvard served as a director and sales manager of Attila while Onni Kullervo was still studying at the Helsinki University of Technology. Because the boys were quite young when their father died and suffered severe financial problems, in 1932 they sold their shares in Attila Oy to a well-known shoe entrepreneur from Tampere, Emil Aaltonen. The Rentto brothers, however, remained in the employment of Attila Oy.  

Text borrowed from Rentto Oy, review of operations 1938-1991, Kurt Carlander