More than 130 years
of history
It is at least fascinating if you consider the fact that your company is celebrating, this year, 133 years of continuous and uninterrupted operation. We have a lot of stories to share, some of which are pleasant and others filled with difficulties. The fact that we enjoy what we do, that we work closely with our partners, and that each generation has worked hard to prepare the next to succeed, are the key reasons why this company has successfully survived to the fourth generation. Due to the strain of more than a century of continuous operation, we have learnt to adjust to changing market conditions, work in accordance with our moral principles, and make decisions while carefully considering how they will affect our day-to-day operations and long-term growth.
By directly promoting their products to Greek businesses, our company acts as an agent for international industries on the Greek market. We constantly look for new products, advertise them, keep our customers informed, and of course, sell them. We actively take part in every step of the process, including ordering, purchasing, transporting, and solving any issues that might arise.
In Piraeus, we have privately held offices as well as a showroom, where we exhibit the products that we represent.
Our company's logo
The company used to be known as “Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co.” in all prior years. This year, we concluded that this name comes from an earlier era. With an eye towards the future, but also with respect to our history, the company is now presented under its new distinctive name “TK Timber”.
In the abbreviation of our distinctive name, the letter T stands for the first letter of my great-grandfather’s name and firm founder, Theologos. Additionally, the letter K is the initial letter of our family surname in Greek.
As a further tribute to our past and heritage, the olive green colour, that was selected for our logo and will from now on characterise our branding, originates from the most distinctive Greek tree – the olive tree. Furthermore, our business began operations 133 years ago as a wholesaler of olive oil.
Our goal
To continue operating as usual, yet continually searching for new products, to form creative partnerships, and to advance both personally and professionally.
Our vision
To pass the business on to the fifth generation as powerful and worthy as we received it, if not better.
Thank you,
Dimitris Constantinidis
2023
The history:
a 130+ years old company.
Theologos 1867 – 1951
1890
Theologos Constantinidis, born in Epivates Thrace of North East Greece, was the founder of a wholesale business company in Constantinople (Istanbul), trading mainly olive oil and butter products. His company was named after him as THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS.
Theologos 1867 – 1951
1912
Theologos by foreseeing the future difficulties that the Greeks in Istanbul would have to deal at the time, decided to initiate a new trading business company in Piraeus, Greece, and although he kept the shop in Istanbul active, he moved with his family in Athens.
Theologos 1867 – 1951
1922
After the end of the Turkish-Greek war and the “Destruction of the Minor Asia”, all of Theologos’ properties, including the business company in Istanbul were destroyed. Meanwhile, his business activities in Greece were well established by that time.
Mimis 1903 – 1984
1927
Theologos established a new second business company named THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS & CO, where his sons Kostas and Mimis (Dimitris) were both members, after they had completed their studies in Switzerland and Germany respectively.
Mimis 1903 – 1984
1934
The company THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS & CO moved their offices from Piraeus to Athens and expanded their business activities. Mimis, the youngest son of Theologos, was appointed Director and was also the inspiration for new activities, which included a representation of the Swedish company MO OCH DOMSJӦ AB for sawn timber trading and a representation of the Insurance company ASSURANCES GENERALES DE FRANCE (A.G.F.).
Mimis 1903 – 1984
1940 - 1945
Business Activities diminished during the Second World War but were not completely ceased.
Mimis 1903 – 1984
1946
Mimis was by that time, the owner and director of the THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS & CO. The company’s primarily interest was shifted to act as a representative agent of foreign firms in the sawn timber, wood pulp and plywood industry.
John 1942 – 2014
1966
John Constantinidis, Mimi’s son, joined the company after completing his studies in Sweden and Austria
John 1942 – 2014
1969
Due to changes in the Greek legislation, that demanded the separation of insurance from commercial activities in a company, a new company was established named THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS SONS & CO managing the commercial activities, whereas the THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS CO remained for the insurance activities and acted as a legal representative of Assurances Generales de France. In both companies, Mimis was the director and his children John and Lila were members.
John 1942 – 2014
1972
Both companies THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS SONS & CO, as well as THEOLOGOS CONSTANTINIDIS & CO, became limited, owned by the Mimis’ family members.
John 1942 – 2014
1976
John became the new director of both companies.
John 1942 – 2014
1983
The head offices of both companies were moved from Athens back to Piraeus, in order to be closer to their customers and to provide better service.
John 1942 – 2014
1989
The head offices were by that time situated on their privately owned offices in Kololotroni 153, Piraeus. To commemorate the firm’s 100th anniversary, John published a “diary” and its text was excerpted for the history above.
John 1942 – 2014
1999
The company Theologos Constantinidis & Co Ltd became an Allianz Insurance Broker, after AGF Insurance Company was engulfed into the Allianz group. The main activity of the Broker Agency was to insure the transported goods that the Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co Ltd was importing for his clients.
John 1942 – 2014
2000
The company Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co Ltd following the new market trends was also representing industries producing other products than sawn timber, such as MDF, Chipboard, MFC, melamine flooring. The represented industries are amongst others the following: Kronospan, Kronotex, Egger, Homogen, Funder, Impress and Pfeifer.
Dimitris 1977
2001
Dimitris Constantinidis, John’s elder son, after finishing his university studies in the United Kingdom and Germany is incorporated into both companies.
Dimitris 1977
2010
Dimitris Constantinidis was running both companies alongside his brother, George Constantinidis. At the same time, Greece is entering the economic crisis period and recession started. The company Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co Ltd has a decreased turnover, but continues to represent to the Greek market the industries of Fundermax producing chipboard and Impress producing melamine paper. It also represented timber industries based in Austria and occasionally also imports Plywood and Flooring from China and India. On the other hand, the company Theologos Constantinidis & Co Ltd was rapidly increasing its activities, collaborating with more Insurance Companies and expanding to all the different insurance fields.
Dimitris 1977
2015
The company Theologos Constantinidis & Co Ltd is well established in the insurance market, collaborating with almost all the national and international insurance companies that are active in Greece and can provide insurance solutions covering all the different fields.
The company Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co Ltd is the representative of Fundermax in Greece as well as the Austrian Johan Offner Industry producing sawn timber.
Dimitris 1977
2021
As the insurance market has become saturated with insurance offers from non-industry companies (banks, telephone companies, etc.) claiming a portion of the market, it is no longer profitable to operate a traditional insurance agency, and thus the decision is made to terminate the company’s Theologos Constantinidis & Co Ltd activities.
Simultaneously, Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co. Ltd. “retires” as having satisfactorily and adequately achieved its purpose and is replaced by Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co. L.P., which continues the activities of the departing firm without interruption.
Dimitris 1977
2023
The company is continually expanding through new collaborations, and it is now critical to transition into the new digital age. Over the last five years, the corporation has gained significant representation of industries from various countries, including Germany, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Turkey, amongst others, and is now in a position to offer a variety of products ranging from chipboard and sawn timber to all kinds of flooring, wall decorative cover surfaces, finish foils, decorative papers, honeycomb door structures, and others by simultaneously expanding its client and project lists.
With respect to its past, but also in recognition that the term Theologos Constantinidis Sons & Co. L.P. belongs to a bygone era, the company adopts a new distinctive name and now trades by TK Timber. Simultaneously, the business acquires a new website- the one that you are now just browsing.
Source: The text of the history of the company up to 1990, has been reproduced from the text of the “diary” published by Tzonis Konstantinidis, for the celebration of the company’s 100 years.
