For several centuries, papermaking was a pure handicraft. Paper was made from collected fabric rags. Production was dependent upon good supplies of water to drive water beaters and to dissolve the rags. Water wheels powered water beaters fitted with iron-shod mallets that beat the rags against an iron-shod base to separate and dissolve them into pulp fibres.

1670
A new process for pulping rags was invented in Holland. The method consisted of an oval trough with a separating wall down the middle and an axle with rotating knives that tore the rags apart against fixed knives in the bottom of the trough. This machine is called a "hollander".
1693
The then iron mill in Lessebo gained permission from Konga Hundred to establish a paper mill.
1719
Lessebo Mill gained permission from Kommerskollegium to manufacture paper.
1802
Johan Lorenz Aschan, a "bergsråd" (member of the College of Mountainmen) acquired Lessebo Mill. During the period 1802-1856, he transformed the mill from a dilapidated iron mill and paper mill into a well-maintained iron mill with one of the foremost paper mills in the country.
1832
The precursor of what would become today's paper machines was invented in France during the revolution of 1789.
Paper manufacture by machine was a vital precondition for the development of the Swedish paper mills into real industrial companies. The investment in new technology at Klippan was the start of a new epoch in Swedish industrial history.
1836
The first paper machine was installed at Lessebo.
1881
Production at Lessebo amounted to 365 tons per year.
1896
Lessebo Bolag was converted into a limited company.
1902
A decision was taken to start sulphite pulp production at Lessebo, which made Lessebo the first integrated mill in the Nordic countries.
1908
The majority of sales of paper in Sweden was carried out through Finpappersbrukens Försäljnings Aktiebolag. Lessebo participated as shareholders.
1926
AB Klippans Finpappersbruk acquired Lessebo AB.
1997
AB Klippans Finpappersbruk changed its name to KLIPPAN AB.
2006
VIDA acquires Lessebo mill.