Coastline 2012–2013

L I F E A N D B U SI N E S S O N T H E F I N N IS H W E S T COA S T 2 012–2 013

COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGEThese guys go to work every morning to save the world

business review: close-up of the region’s export companies

coastline 2012–2013 life and business on the finnish w

est coast

2 coastline 2012–2013

ON THE COVER

Niklas Wägar (on the left) works as General Manager, Electrical & Automation, Power Plant Technology at Wärtsilä. Quick to ramp up, Wärtsilä’s engine-driven power plants are a perfect complement to wind and solar power. Wägar’s du-ties include increasing awareness for this flexible alternative to traditional power plants. Read more on page 30.

Jouni Ikäheimo (on the right) is Manager of Innovation & New Technology at ABB Motors and Generators. Among other things, he develops new, more energy-efficient electric motors. With up to a third of the world’s electricity used to power electric motors, higher efficiency plays a major role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Turn to page 10 to learn more.

COASTLINE is regularly published by the Ostrobothnia Chamber of Commerce. OFFICE Raastuvankatu 20, FI-65100 Vaasa, Tel. +358 6 318 6400, www.ostro.chamber.fi, [email protected] EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Juha Häkkinen EXECUTIVE EDITOR Anna Jeanne Söderlund EDITORIAL BOARD Juha Häkkinen, Mia Brännbacka, Anna Jeanne Söderlund, Lars Rosenblad PROJECT MANAGEMENT Mantra Communications EDITORS Lars Rosenblad, Anni Kiviniemi, Sara Jungersten ART DIRECTOR Janne Nylund LAYOUT Studio PAP/Glenn Nylund, Annika Lillkvist, Janne Nylund TRANSLATIONS Tina Seidel PRINTING UPC Print Vaasa 2012

All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Guldkusten Ab and the copyright holders, is strictly prohibited. ISSN 1235-6646.

Want to try UpCode? Every company in Coastline has a tag similar to this on their page, directing you to their website. To use it, please download the code reader at www.upcode.mobi. The reader is also available on App Store, Ovi, Android Market etc.

This publication is produced by Mantra Communications. Read more about us at www.mantra.fi

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L I F E A N D B U SI N E S S O N T H E FI N N IS H W E S T COA S T 2 012–2 013

COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGEThese guys go to work every morning to save the world

business review: close-up of the region’s export companies

coastline 2012–2013 life and business on the finnish w

est coast

baltic yachts/guido cantani

mikko lehtimäki

coastline 2012–2013 3

OSTROBOTHNIA is one of Finland’s strongest export regions. The proportion of export businesses to the population, as well as exports per capita are among the highest in Finland. A full 70 per cent of the region’s production is exported. This shows that local companies are good at listening to their customers and reacting to their needs.

Finland has often been ranked the world’s best country to live in. Regardless of the indicator, Ostrobothnia, in turn, is one of the best regions in the country. We are proud to be the best part of the best country. The confidence and trust between people and companies are exceptionally strong. Networks function well, and hundreds of subcontractors get their products onto worldwide markets through large global export companies operating in the area. The favourable microclimate for entrepreneurial activities forms the foundation for growth, while the energy technology cluster makes the region a global growth area. True bilingualism has proved to offer an excellent basis for internationalism. Ostrobothnia is today one of the most international regions in Finland, in terms of the number of nationalities working and studying here.

The world economy follows cycles that are increasingly difficult to forecast. We may well see extreme ups and downs in 2012 and 2013, the years in which this edition of Coastline will be distributed. Ostrobothnia’s location north of latitude 63° N means that the locals are used to huge seasonal differences. In the summer, it is light almost day and night, but in the winter, there are only a few hours of daylight. The dark months can feel extremely tough, but we also know that every winter is literally followed by a new spring and summer. This mentality makes Ostrobothnians well equipped to run and manage companies in a changing world.

Juha HäkkinenEditor-in-chief

EDITORIAL

THE BEST PART OF THE

BEST COUNTRY


CONTENTS

08

10

16

Energy-efficient motors are crucial to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, since electric engines account for up to a third of the global electricity consumption.

Finland is one of the world’s best functioning societies despite the challenging climate. Read more about how things are made to work at –30 degrees Celsius.

AA. Häggblom 68ABB Finland 38Ahola Transport 86Alholmens Kraft 36Anvia 80

bBaltic Yachts 54Beamex 62Best-Hall 71Boliden Kokkola 91

CCentral Ostrobothnia University

of Applied Sciences103

Centria 102Citec 32Componenta Pistons 49

dDermoshop 76

eEkeri 66ELY Centre 98EPV Energy 34Eur-Mark 65

fFederation of Education

in Central Ostrobothnia104

Finnvera 97Fluid-Bag 63

hHalpa-Halli 78Hanken School of Economics 107Herrmans 75

kKatternö Group 37Kewatec AluBoat 57KGN Tool 50KIP Service 88Kolster 93Kokkola Industrial Park 88KPO 77The Kvarken Council 81KWH Group 58

lLeinolat Group 53LKI Käldman 70

mMapromec 52Mervento 40Mirka 59Muova 99

COMPANIES PAGE BY PAGE

Meet two young Ministers with their roots on the Finnish west coast: Jutta Urpilainen, Minister of Finance, and Alexander Stubb, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade.


22

26

Ostrobothnia boasts the country’s highest export rate. This can be explained by the region’s history and strong entrepreneurial spirit.

Europe’s first lithium mine is to open in Central Ostrobothnia. The rising number of electric vehicles means an increased demand for lithium.

nNautor’s Swan 55NCE 60Nordautomation 67Novia University of Applied Sciences 105

oOMG Kokkola Chemicals 90Outokumpu (OSTP) 74

pPetsmo Products 51Port of Jakobstad 82Port of Kaskinen 82Port of Kokkola 82Port of Vaasa 82

rRani Plast 72Rettig Värme 64Rolls-Royce 56Roschier 94

sScancool 47Snellman 79Solving 61Switch 42

tT-Drill 73

uUniversity of Vaasa 108UpCode 92UPM 69

vVaasa Adult Education Centre (VAKK) 101Vaasa Parks 84Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) 108Vacon 33Vamp 45Vasek 85VEO 46Viexpo 96VNT Management 44

wWapice 48Wedeco Management 95Westenergy 41West Finland European Office 100Wärtsilä 30

yYA! Vocational Education and Training 106

Österberg Group 51

20Marit Holmlund-Sund combines the best of two worlds: life in the middle of the Kvarken archipelago and work in an international company.

28Andreas Romar has proved it is possible to become an alpine world star despite growing up in one of Europe’s flattest regions.


▪ Ostrobothnia, or the Coastline from Kristinestad in the south to Kokkola in the north, covers an area of about 10,000 sq. km. About 200,000 people live on the Coastline, of which 51% are Finnish-speakers and 48% Swedish-speakers.

The area has a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and the largest number of companies per capita on the mainland of Finland. The export share of approximately 70% is exceptionally high. Another indicator of the area’s strong economy is that the unemployment rate is the lowest in the country.

→ KOKKOLA…has a significant concentration of inorganic chemistry business. The town provides a complete, top-class operating environment for large-scale industry with excellent logistics and location. Transport connections include the first covered all-weather terminal in the Nordic countries.

→ JAKOBSTAD…also called Pietarsaari in Finnish, is a mecca of small and medium-sized export companies. The town is full of export-oriented niche businesses that thrive on the global markets. There are companies that have fewer than 50 employees yet export to more than 50 countries!

→ VAASA…is home to probably the biggest concentration of energy technology companies in the Nordic countries. Vaasa’s export percentage in industrial production is nearly 80, which makes it the biggest exporting town in Finland.

POPULATIONInhabitants: 5.4 millionAverage population density: 18 per sq. kmAnnual growth rate: 0.5%Life expectancy: Men 76.5 and women 83.2 yearsLanguages: 90% speak Finnish, 5,4% SwedishReligion: 87% are Lutheran, 1% OrthodoxEducation: 78% of the population aged 25 to 64 years have completed upper secoandary or tertiary education (highest percentage in the EU), 35% have university or other tertiary qualificationsWired: 88% of Finnish households own a computer and 78% have broadband

GEOGRAPHYArea: 390,920 sq. km of which 9% is fresh waterClimate: Warm summers and cold wintersAverage temperature (in Vaasa): –7.8 °C in January and 15.7 °C in July

GOVERNMENTGovernment: Sovereign parliamentary republic since 1917Member of: The EU (since 1995), EMU, UN, OECD and the WTO

ECONOMYGDP 2010: €180 billionGNP per capita: €33,600Currency: EuroMain industries: Metal, engineering, electronics and forest

Kokkola

Jakobstad(Pietarsaari)

Vaasa

FACTS ABOUT FINLAND

THE COASTLINE – ONE OF THE STRONGEST AREAS IN FINLAND


Ethiopian food for beginners→ Just like many other working mothers, Wulita Bezabeh used

to cook big batches of food on the weekend, which she would freeze for future use. This made it easy to quickly microwave meals on otherwise stressful weekdays.

“The idea for my company simply emerged from my own needs,” explains Bezabeh, who established Mama Ethiopia in 2007. The company makes deep-frozen meals with Ethiopian spices.

Originally from Ethiopia, Bezabeh has been living in Jakobstad, Finland, for the past ten years. Her previous work as a food inspector has made hygiene and nutrition important to her.

“Plus, I naturally want to fix food that is both tasty and healthy,” she says.

In Bezabeh’s opinion, the easiest part of the business is making good food – the most difficult one is marketing.

“Finns aren’t used to eating spicy food. I’ve also thought about exporting my products. There are many Ethiopian restaurants around the world, but I don’t know of anyone else who would produce ready-made Ethiopian dishes.”

Slow living→ Kristinestad, a picturesque town characterised by its wooden houses, is Finland’s first

official Cittaslow town. The Cittaslow concept, drawing inspiration from the Slow Food movement, started in Italy but has since spread all around Europe. The goal of the towns belonging to the network is to emphasise the positive aspects of small town living: quality of life, history and peacefulness.

Kristinestad lies 100 kilometres south of Vaasa, on the west coast of Finland. The city centre features over 200 protected wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.

An energising vitamin bomb→ Few plants do well on rocky, salt-splattered shores, but the sea buckthorn isn’t just any old

plant. The berry has one of the world’s highest vitamin contents – around 360 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of berries.

The thorny bushes make sea buckthorn picking something of a challenge. To be edible in the first place, the sour berries call for added sugar, which is why they are usually sold as processed products, such as juice, jelly or liqueur.

In the past few years, the orange berry has become a kind of unofficial symbol of the coastal region, and every self-respecting restaurant typically offers a sea buckthorn dessert.

A big bang at Söderfjärden→ 520 million years ago, a large meteorite crashed into Earth. The result of the violent

collision can still be seen in what is known as Söderfjärden, a plain 15 kilometres south of Vaasa. The meteorite impact created a large crater, one of the world’s best preserved of its kind.

At the time of the collision, the Fennoscandian shield was located in the southern hemisphere, from where it has gradually moved to its current location. The outline of the crater is fully visible since the area is used for cultivation. Söderfjärden was drained in the 1920s, and water must still be pumped from the fields. An observatory, a visiting centre and bird-watching tower are located close by. Read more at www.meteoria.fi

Wulita Bezabeh runs a company that produces ready-made Ethiopian food. Her great challenge is to get Finns used to more spices.

Cittaslow towns are characterised by the residents’ strong sense of identity and community spirit. Kristinestad was the first town in Finland to become a member of the network.

HIGHLIGHTS

One of the world’s best preserved meteorite craters is located south of Vaasa. It came into being 520 million years ago.

As far as berries go, the sea buckthorn has one of the world’s highest vitamin C contents. The thorny bushes are extremely resistant to drought, salt water and floods.


HELLOJUTTA URPILAINEN

Y ou are Finland’s first female Minister of Finance. What does a historic appoint-ment such as this feel like?

�I think it’s fantastic to hold this post and simultaneously work as a pioneer. We’ve seen positive development in the

shattering of glass ceilings, but a lot remains to be done, say, in the gender structure of the boards of listed compa-nies.”

What are Finland’s trump cards on the global export market?

�They boil down to competence, capacity to innovate and natural resources. We possess a great deal of competence especially in the metal, technology, wood processing and forest industries. We also have many growth sectors, such as culture and environmental technology, as well as bioenergy, which is particularly relevant to Central Ostrobothnia.”

The Finnish west coast enjoys one of the country’s high-est levels of well-being. What do you think is the reason for this?

�Coastal Ostrobothnia is extremely competitive, as in-dicated, for example, by the low unemployment rate. Long business traditions, a thriving entrepreneurial culture, successful education, as well as good transport and traffic connections are some of the explanations for this. The Ostrobothnian culture is characterised by a tradition of both persistent and creative entrepreneurship, along with a practical, go-getting attitude.”

You hail from Kokkola on the west coast. How would you characterise a typical Kokkola resident?

�I would list perseverance and optimism as common fea-tures. Generally speaking, Ostrobothnians are character-ised by practicality, in the positive sense of the term. We prefer to get down to work rather than stand around”.

People from Kokkola are said to be tradesfolk. Is this true?

�At least trade has long traditions in Kokkola. Kokkola was granted the right to conduct foreign trade in 1765, and the town has ever since been an integral part of interna-tional business. Trade still plays an important role for the town’s business and industry.”

PROFILES

JUTTA URPILAINENPosition: Minister of Finance of FinlandBorn: 1975Party: The Finnish Social Democratic Party


MEETALEXANDER STUBB

A s the Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade, what is your view on the export-oriented region of Ostrobothnia?

�My roots are, in fact, in Ostrobothnia. My father’s family comes from a village called Stubb outside Jakobstad. I think of

Ostrobothnia as an extremely entrepreneurial region, fea-turing strong small companies active in various sectors. It is a highly industrialised area.

Interested as I am in sports, to me Ostrobothnia also stands for a region that has produced some of the coun-try’s best athletes, both long-distance runners and sprint-ers.”

What is the significance of regions?�Their importance continues to increase. Instead of

capital cities handling all business, urban regions now conduct their own foreign trade. It is a global phenomenon. I recently visited Shanghai on a trade promotion trip with Finnish companies. The city is home to 20 million people, who definitely do not want their foreign trade to be han-dled by Beijing.”

Finland sometimes seems fixated on finding a new Nokia. What does the Minister for Foreign Trade have to say about this?

�Why wait for a new Nokia phenomenon? What you need to do, instead, is identify the right sectors. Energy technol-ogy, so strong in the Vaasa region, could become a new engine of export – or it could be mines, the heavy industry or something completely different. You never know.”

You were in charge of the project leading to the creation of a Finnish country brand. The core message is “Finland – It works”. Could you explain this some more?

�Picture the classic scene on a plane when someone falls ill and you ask: ‘Is there a doctor on board?’ We are aiming at a status that tells the world we’re good at problem-solv-ing. Should a problem arise, the pilot asks: ‘Is there a Finn on board?’ We are pragmatic rather than ideological. What you see is what you get.”

ALEXANDER STUBBPosition: Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade; former Minister for Foreign Affairs, former Member of the European Parliament.Born: 1967Party: The National Coalition Party


A DRIVE FOR

ENERGY EFFICIEN CY

ENERGY EFFICIENCY


A DRIVE FOR

ENERGY EFFICIEN CY

ABB recently introduced a synchronous reluctance motor, which it hopes will become a new flagship. Since the rotor has no electric current, no losses arise, and this automatically leads to higher efficiency.

Energy efficiency as a theme has been overshadowed by renewable energies, even though it is an easier and faster way to curb the greenhouse effect.


E lectricity consumption continues to increase, even though its reduction would be preferable in view of climate change. The EU’s 20-20-20 objective aims at

increasing the use of renewable energy forms, as well as improving energy efficiency by 20 per cent by 2020. Dull-

sounding, energy efficiency has un-fortunately been overshadowed by the sexier renewable energies, even though it is often an easier and faster way to curb the greenhouse effect.

Energy efficiency can be improved in many ways. Consumers can help by avoiding the use of standby power or by purchasing an energy-frugal refrigera-tor. However, the biggest potential for savings is to be found in industry, which accounts for the bulk of global electricity consumption.

Industrial work horsesAs for reducing industrial electricity use, there is one approach far supe-rior to any other: investing in energy-efficient electric motors and equipping them with variable-speed drives.

Electric motors are the work horses of industry. You’re bound to find one wherever there’s an industrial process. Electric motors power machines, pumps, compressors and a host of other devices. They have, in fact, become so common that they make up a whopping two-thirds of the electricity used in indus-try. And since industry accounts for the bulk of worldwide electricity consump-tion, electric motors use up as much as one-third of global electricity.

Tightened regulationsABB is one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of electric motors. In addition, ABB is a world leader in low voltage AC and DC drives with produc-tion facilities all over the world, includ-ing Helsinki. The company engages in both production and research of electric motors in Vaasa.

�There are various efficiency cat-egories for electric motors,” says Jouni Ikäheimo, Manager of Innovation & New Technology at ABB Motors and Generators. �EU directives are now doing away with the lowest of these. In a few years, regulations will be further tightened.”

This trend is well-suited to ABB, which offers a wide range of efficient motors in all sizes. EU directives alone do not explain the increasing demand for energy-efficient motors. Custom-ers who purchase motors have noticed that the overall cost of a slightly more expensive but more efficient motor is lower in the long run.

�Customers are growing more aware of the importance of energy efficiency and have learned to calculate the price of waste energy at the investment phase. Buyers now focus on overall

Electric motors play a crucial role in restricting energy consumption, since they use as much as one-third of all the electricity generated worldwide. The most efficient way to reduce the amount of electricity consumed by a motor is to equip it with a variable-speed drive.

“The AC drives supplied by Vacon in 2010 helped save 35 TWh of energy, which corresponds to the production capacity of six nuclear reactors,” explains Jukka Kasi at Vacon.

mikko lehtimäki

ENERGY EFFICIENCY


expenses rather than the price of the motor itself,” says Ikäheimo.

ABB is running a development project that aims to raise the efficiency of small motors. In large motors, efficiency is already around 95 per cent, but there is still room for improvement in smaller motors with a kW rating of 5–10.

�This is an important field, since small motors are more common and therefore consume the biggest share of electricity. Competition in small motors is tougher, and many manufacturers have focused on price rather than quality. This has also led to lower efficiency.”

Focus on the entire processGenerally speaking, the energy effi-ciency of motors is already so high that the greatest savings potential is found in the process surrounding the motor rather than in the motor itself. Variable-speed drives that steplessly control motor speeds play a crucial role in this respect: they can reduce the electricity consumption of motors by as much as 40 per cent. Vaasa-based Vacon is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of AC drives.

�Just a few years ago, companies in-vested in AC drives because they wanted to improve flexibility and increase

capacity. There’s a clear change in the air now. Customers also want to save electricity with AC drives,” says Jukka Kasi, Vice President, Corporate Develop-ment at Vacon.

Like an accelerator pedalThe accelerator pedal of a car is a good analogy to drives. A motor without a drive is like a car without a pedal. It either runs at full blast or not at all, and braking is the only way to control the speed.

Without a drive, the motor only has an on/off state. Reducing the speed of a motor with brakes alone is tough on the motor and squanders huge amounts of energy.

�As recently as the 1980s, for example, pumps were controlled with brakes, but these days nearly all of them have an AC drive. The payback period for an AC drive used in this application can be as short as six months,” says Kasi.

The energy-savings potential of AC drives varies depending on the applica-tion. In a lift, for example, an AC drive can save 80 per cent of energy, equalling a payback period around 18 months. The average savings potential in different applications is approximately 30 per cent.

�AC drives have developed enor-mously in recent years. When Vacon started operations in the early 1990s, all customers were basically offered the same T-Model Ford. Today, AC drives are customised to different needs, and they so to say speak the customer’s language,” Kasi explains.

Huge savings potentialOf all the world’s electric motors, around 10 per cent are now equipped with a drive. A decade ago, this figure was only five per cent. Growth has been fast, but there is still room for more.

�I estimate that around 35 per cent of electric motors worldwide are used for such purposes that installing an AC drive in them is economically sensible. If the utilisation ratio is low, installation does not necessarily make sense,” says Kasi.

The following figures may help to un-derstand the energy-savings potential: the AC drives supplied by Vacon in 2010 helped save 35 TWh of energy, which corresponds to the production capacity of six nuclear reactors. Vacon has a 4.5 per cent market share, which means that the energy saved by all AC drives manufactured last year corresponds to more than 130 reactors. Think about the

“Customers are growing more aware of the importance of energy efficiency. They now focus on overall expenses rather than the price of the motor itself,” says Jouni Ikäheimo at ABB.

→

mikko lehtimäki


W ith more and more of the future electricity supply originating from decentralised and renewable sources like solar and wind power, the electrical power networks must grow smarter to cope with

fluctuations (more about smart grids on page 38). For an electrical network to be called smart, it must

be highly automated. This, in turn, means that the equipment in the electrical grid must be able to com-municate with the surroundings. Today, the devices of different suppliers do not always interact optimally with one another, despite the relatively new interna-tional standard defined for the field. A new education and research laboratory has therefore been set up in Vaasa to come up with ways to overcome problems and make the devices speak the same language.

�It’s natural for the lab to reside in Vaasa, since the major Nordic relay manufacturers operate here,” says Anna-Kaisa Valkama, Project Manager at the Merino-va Technology Centre, who coordinates the laboratory project. The new lab is jointly run by several education-al institutions and companies in the region.

The payback period for an AC drive can be as short as six months. Smart grids increase energy efficiency

In the future, smart electrical power networks will be crucial in the strive to reduce electricity consumption and increase energy efficiency. A new research lab in Vaasa will improve the flow of information in smart grids.

number of nuclear reactors that could be closed down if a third of the world’s motors were equipped with a drive instead of the current ten per cent.

Clear signs of changeWhy, then, aren’t drives used more fre-quently, if the investment pays back in a couple of years?

�Conservatism and unawareness are probably at work in the background. Low energy prices have also kept devel-opment at bay,” says Jukka Kasi.

Jouni Ikäheimo from ABB also be-lieves that old habits die hard.

�Customers may not always have understood the life cycle of motors. There are now clear signs of change in the air. Concerns about climate change and surging energy prices also raise the demand for energy-efficient solutions.”

The use of AC drives will necessarily increase in the future, simply because electric motors are taking over from combustion engines. In addition to the increasingly popular electric cars, vari-ous work machines are also going over to electric motors. Mechanical power transmission is being replaced by elec-trical transmission.

With the rising popularity of AC drives, ABB has been pondering whether the traditional induction motor is the best possible companion for a drive. The company recently introduced a syn-chronous reluctance motor (see picture on pages 10–11) developed in Vaasa, Sweden and Spain, which it hopes will become a new flagship.

�This is, in fact, a really old inven-tion, which we’ve simply updated. In a reluctance motor, a magnetic field rotates the rotor. Since the rotor has no electric current, no losses arise, and this automatically leads to higher efficiency. The rotation speed can be controlled more accurately, which is especially well suited to the process industry,” says Ikäheimo. c

→

MERINOVAINNOVATION WITH ENERGY

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Better control over the networkSmarter and more automated power networks also provide individual electricity consumers with real-time information about their consumption. Studies show that people are more willing to save electricity when they can follow their own use. Automation equip-ment can also help households reduce their electricity use when the spot price of electricity is high.

Moreover, smart grids improve energy efficiency by giving electricity providers better control over the network, making it easier to detect where losses occur and faster to deal with them. A smart grid is also able to automatically and independently react to changes in supply and demand.

�Smart grids are crucial for the EU to achieve its 20-20-20 target,” says Robert Olander, Merinova’s Marketing Director. �On the one hand, they enable increased use of renewable energy sources and on the other hand, they increase energy efficiency.”

Difficult to measureIn public, renewables have so far received considerably more attention than energy efficiency, even though energy efficiency is often easier and faster to improve. Robert Olander believes this is because energy effi-ciency is harder to see and understand than large-scale wind or solar farms.

�You can easily measure the energy efficiency of a single device, but figures for the entire society are much more difficult to obtain, since overall electricity consumption increases constantly. Energy efficiency is composed of so many small sources that it is difficult to get a grip of.” c

ENERGYVAASAthe Nordic leader in energy technology

The Vaasa region is home to a considerable concentration of energy technology competence. Many of the region’s companies supply solutions that improve energy efficiency in different ways, including variable-speed drives and high-efficiency engines. The region is also a frontrunner in smart grid development.

Companies: More than 120Employees: Some 10,000 (¼ of Finland’s total energy-sector manpower)Experts in research and development: 800Total turnover: Some €4 billion annuallyExport rate: Over 70%, which is 30% of Finland’s total export of energy techology

Energy technology companies presented in this magazine:

→ ABB→ Wärtsilä→ Citec→ Vacon→ VEO→ The Switch→ Vamp→ KWH Pipe→ Wapice→ Mervento→ EPV Energy→ Westenergy→ VNT Management→ Leinolat Group→ Mapromec→ KGN Tool→ Österberg Group

Anna-Kaisa Valkama and Robert Olander from Merinova are pleased with the new test lab in Vaasa, which aims to improve interaction between various smart grid devices.

Smart grids increase energy efficiency

mikko lehtimäki



SNOW -HOW OR HOW TO MAKE THINGS WORK AT –30 DEGREES CELSIUS


SNOW -HOW

mats sandström


-30 °COff the ground in any weather→ Even when the snow and cold force airports elsewhere in Europe

to close down, planes normally take off on schedule in Finland. Difficult winter conditions are nothing of an exception or emergency: deep snow banks are perfectly normal up here. All airports offer 24/7 readiness to remove snow from the runways and maintain other vital operations. In recent years, Finland has been widely praised abroad for its well-functioning air traffic, and Finavia, which operates most of the country’s airports, has begun to provide consultation in winter maintenance.

Cold outside, warm indoors→ Thanks to well-insulated houses, it is rarely cold inside in Finland

– even in the winter. The country may not be all that densely populated, but it still has one of the world’s most extensive district heating systems. District heating is used in around half of the houses, and the network continues to be expanded. A full 80 per cent of the district heat used in Finland is produced in combi power plants, which are exceedingly energy-efficient. What this means in practice is that the heat generated in electricity production is used for heating houses instead of going to waste.

SNOW-HOW


-30 °CSnowploughs clear the way→ Night-time snowfall does not have to lead to chaos the following

morning. Road-clearing operations keep a close eye on weather forecasts, and snowplough drivers man their vehicles in the middle of the night, if need be. This ensures that everyone gets to work in the morning, irrespective of the nightly weather.

A snowmobile for every man→ Anyone visiting the Finnish west coast in wintertime will get acquainted

with the sound of snowmobiles. Most men in the region own one, and riding snowmobiles out on the ice is a common evening and Saturday pastime. It is true that snowmobiles serve as tools for reindeer farmers, but most people use them expressly for entertainment.

The sea bears→ When the sea freezes over, new roads and channels open up. In

cold winters, the ice gets thick enough to carry heavy vehicles, encouraging people to open up ice roads. Most of them are ploughed by private forces, but some are marked as official roads. Suddenly, the crossover from the Finnish west coast to Sweden becomes much shorter and faster. Back in time, ice roads were of great importance to services and provisions. Of course, you always use them at your own risk!

How to stay fit at –30 °C→ After a hot sauna, a jump into a hole in the ice feels marvellous. At least

according to the hundreds of thousands of Finnish ice swimming devotees. Winter swimming is done in a frozen sea or lake with a hole cut through the ice. It is considered to offer many health benefits. The ice-cold water boosts blood circulation and may relieve pain. Some passionate winter swimmers also claim it alleviates stress and sleep problems.


THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS

W hen Marit Holm-lund-Sund, Senior Manager, Marketing Communications & Branding, enters the car in the morning,

ready to drive off to work, she turns on the radio to listen to the news. She also starts planning the workday ahead of her. Forty minutes later she arrives at the Wärtsilä office in Vaasa – usually facing a hectic workday. Marit Holm-lund-Sund carries global responsibility for Wärtsilä’s marketing communica-tion and the company’s brand develop-ment. Her colleagues are located far and wide across the globe.

�We have well-developed systems, including Telepresence conferences and on-line systems through the computer, which enable face-to-face meetings without our having to travel anywhere. You rack up many trips nevertheless,”

says Holmlund-Sund, listing Italy, the USA, the Netherlands, Norway and Singapore as her destinations in the coming month.

�I normally don’t travel quite as often as this. Of course travel is interesting, but it also takes up a lot of energy. In the end, I’d rather return home for the night.”

Home is 40 kilometres outside Vaasa, in the Björköby village on the island of Replot. Björköby lies in the middle of an area that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site based on the rapid rise of land after the last Ice Age. This post-glacial rebound continues at an average rate of one metre a cen-tury, leading to nature being in constant fluctuation.

In the middle of natureMarit Holmlund-Sund lived in Björköby throughout her childhood. She chose to move back when she started a family,

Marit Holmlund-Sund combines an international job with a home in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

PROFILE

AT WORK. Marit Holmlund-Sund works as Senior Manager, Marketing Communications & Branding at Wärtsilä, a power solutions provider. She carries global responsibility for the company’s brand.

katja lösönen


which now consists of her husband and two children, aged 10 and 11.

�It’s fantastic to live in the middle of nature, but still be able to work in an international company. I always knew I wanted to have an international job. What I most like about my work is that something new takes place all the time; we are not bogged down in a routine.”

At home, Marit Holmlund-Sund enjoys the peace and quiet. She spent some time in Germany during her studies and noticed how badly she needed to live close to the sea.

�We spend a lot of time boating out at sea and we like to fish. In the winter, I love skiing on the ice; it’s like medita-tion. I’m not particularly good at sitting still and would rather be active. When I get home from work, I take off into the woods with our dog or tend the green-house and garden. Vegetable growing is a form of therapy. Sometimes the crops

grow so big we don’t have time to eat it all. My solution is to hand out cucum-bers to my friends.”

Finland’s longest bridgeStill, Marit Holmlund-Sund does not think of the family living out of the way. Her drive to work is no longer than that of many colleagues in the capital, Helsinki. She usually telecommutes one day a week, and even then she can use the computer for on-line meetings with colleagues around the world. As for trips abroad, the Vaasa airport offers her several daily flights to choose from. Although the family lives on an island, traffic connections are good thanks to the archipelago being linked to the mainland by Finland’s longest bridge.

�The bridge was built around the time I moved back. This lifestyle would not be possible without it, since the trip to work would be a whole lot longer.”

At the end of the workday, Marit Holmlund-Sund gets back in the car to start her 40-minute drive home.

�I normally use the drive to make phone calls. Sitting in the car is also a good way to wind down.” c

MARIT HOLMLUND-SUNDPosition: Senior Manager, Marketing Communications & Branding at Wärtsilä.

Family: Husband and two chidren, aged 10 and 11.

Lives in the Björköby village in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

AT HOME. Marit Holmlund-Sund lives in the middle of the Kvarken archipelago, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. When she returns home from work, she often heads out into nature.

katja lösönen


EXPORTIN G AS A LIFES TYLE

EXPORT


EXPORTIN G AS A LIFES TYLE

The coastline region around the cities of Vaasa, Kokkola and Jakobstad has become a driving force for Finnish export. It is the most industrialised region in all of Finland, and its exports have seen the country’s fastest growth in the 21st century. The region boasts the largest number of export companies in relation to its population, in addition to which Ostrobothnians export twice as much per capita as Finns on average.

mats sandström


V aasa airport at 6 a.m. on a normal weekday. Hundreds of passengers representing dozens of nationalities line up for check-in, security control

and boarding. Employees of industrial companies in the Vaasa region head out on international flights, while business customers visiting the city fly home to different parts of the world.

Four daily flights to Stockholm, twelve to Helsinki and one each to Copenhagen, Riga make the airport Finland’s liveliest outside the biggest cities and tourist destinations. Morning planes from Vaasa are popularly called engineer buses: it is the engineers on them who put a face on export.

The cities of Jakobstad and Kokkola are served by an own airport (Kokkola-Pietarsaari airport), with daily depar-tures to Helsinki and Stockholm.

Meanwhile in KokkolaMeanwhile, activities are getting under way in the region’s largest port, Kokkola, 130 kilometres north of Vaasa. The 121-metre container vessel, Johan-na, which sails the route to Antwerp, is at berth to load and unload containers.

It isn’t just any old quay that Johanna calls at. It is Finland’s only all-weather terminal, where vessels are loaded and unloaded in a huge hall offering protec-tion against snow and rain.

The port in Kokkola, with its 13-metre fairway has grown into an important port for mines in northern and eastern Finland, as well as for Russian transit traffic.

The port and fairway have been constructed and developed for industry in Kokkola, and the region has its own export industry to thank for the profit-able and expanding port.

Seventy per cent exportedOstrobothnia has Finland’s largest number of export companies in relation to its population. In absolute figures, export enterprises are more numerous here than in any other Finnish region, except for the triangle formed by Helsinki, Tampere and Turku – three of Finland’s five biggest cities.

The country’s export per capita totalled €9,800 in 2010, while that of Ostrobothnia was over €20,000.

The region’s industry progressed in leaps and bounds between 2005 and 2010. Industrial GNP nearly doubled in

the period and its share of the region’s overall GNP is 1.5 times the figure for the rest of Finland. Approximately 70 per cent of industrial production is exported, which also shows in the national export figures (Figure 1).

Energy technology leaderA considerable part of growth is gener-ated by energy technology companies in the Vaasa region, the leading concentra-tion of energy technology competence in the Nordic countries. Energy technol-ogy is a global growth sector, and nearly a third of Finland’s exports in the field come from Ostrobothnia.

The chemical industry in Kokkola is also extremely outwardly oriented. Jakobstad is dominated by the wood processing industry, still a cornerstone of Finnish exports.

Finland is a country that lives on exports – they account for 40 per cent of the GNP. A high level of education and technological competence helped Finland grow in the 20th century and become a significant export country in Europe. A clear statistical link has been detected over the years: when exports hold up, Finns do well, when they dwin-dle, the whole country suffers.

Maritime exports have long traditions in Ostrobothnia. The port of Kokkola has Finland’s only all-weather terminal, where vessels are loaded and unloaded in a huge hall offering protection against snow and rain.

EXPORT


Long traditionsIn coastal Ostrobothnia, export has been a part of life and business since time immemorial. Farmers along the coast practised international trade early on. Tar burning and exporting played a big role in the 17th century, while important merchant fleets were built up in Vaasa, Kokkola and Jakob-stad in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Ostrobothnia’s bilingualism is one of the factors explaining its readiness for export. Finnish- and Swedish-speakers constitute groups nearly the same size. The linguistic and cultural proximity to Sweden, Finland’s main export country, means that Ostrobothnians have been able to sell their products pretty much the same as on their home market. A successful entry into the first export country makes it easier to step further into the world.

International regionEmigration is another historical factor. When times were grim, Ostrobothnians emigrated in search of work, especially to the USA and Sweden. When times improved, they returned home with new skills and ideas, which they turned into business.

An open attitude to the surround-ing world has benefited the region in the form of numerous immigrants, who have brought with them skills and knowledge from their home countries. Today, Ostrobothnia is one of Finland’s most international regions, second only to Helsinki, in terms of the number of nationalities working and studying here.

Confidence in the region is strong, and networks come into being natu-rally and flexibly. In an export-oriented business climate, small subcontractors become a part of the quality culture characteristic of global industry. Small-er players get a push from bigger ones out in the world. Exporting becomes a lifestyle. c

Read more about the region’s ports on page 82, the logistics hub in Vaasa on page 85 and the investments in flight logistics on page 84.

Growth of exports 2005 – 2011

2005

INDEX

100

150

200

250

20062007

20082009

20102011

FIGURE 1. Both the GNP and exports of the two Coastline regions, Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia, have seen Finland’s fastest growth in the 21st century. A big leap took place between 2005 and 2010, as the region was less severely hit by the recession than the rest of the country. Central Ostrobothnia has experienced larger fluctuations due to the global market price of zinc, an important industrial raw material.

Central Ostrobothnia Ostrobothnia Finland

mats sandström


EXPLORERS OF LITHIUM

Lithium will be an important element in the futureworld: in addition to vehicles, lithium batteries willbe needed for electricity storage.


R echargeable lithium batteries have been around for some twenty years. They replaced other alternatives in mobile phones and laptops in the early 2000s, and electric vehicles are now expected to multiply the demand for lithium.

It has been known for decades that Central Ostro-bothnia is home to a large lithium deposit, but its utili-sation has not been economically viable earlier. Around ten years ago, Keliber began exploring the deposit, the goal being to launch mining activities in the region.

�This is a globally unique deposit. There are only a few lithium mines in the world, and in Europe, for example, there are no other corresponding mines or deposits,” says Olle Sirén, CEO of Keliber.

Lithium with biogasSome 20 individual lithium deposits are currently known to exist in the 500-square-kilometre area lo-cated in the municipalities of Kokkola, Kaustinen and Kruunupyy. Olle Sirén believes it is highly likely that other deposits will be found in the future.

�We are now carrying out an overall survey. In line with international practices, financiers require proof that the lithium reserves will suffice for at least ten years.”

If everything goes as scheduled, mining activities will begin in late 2013, early 2014, and Keliber will start delivering 6,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate a year to its customers.

�Lithium carbonate is a 99.94 per cent concentrate. I hope we can produce an even purer, 99.99 per cent concentrate in the future. It will easily enable us to increase our turnover tenfold, since the high-purity substance is a lot more valuable.”

Lithium enrichment is an energy-intensive process. To secure inexpensive and environmentally friendly energy, Keliber has developed a production process that utilises biogas made of waste materials.

Norwegian ownershipA lithium mine suits Central Ostrobothnia extremely well, since the region already houses a great deal of chemical production.

�This is a sector we absolutely want to invest in,” says Kaj Lyyski, Development Director from the Regional Council of Central Ostrobothnia. �We have, for exam-ple, set up a research unit in the local university of applied sciences, which focuses on the development of lithium battery technology.

Nordic Mining ASA, a Norwegian company, has a ma-jority holding in Keliber. The Norwegians got involved in 2007, when the company’s own funding model failed.

�This has been a long process. We originally planned to start mining in 2005. I can’t think of any other sector where it would be this slow to start business operations. We have needed over one hundred official permits alone,” says Olle Sirén.

He and Kai Lyyski, however, are convinced that the mine has a bright future ahead despite the sluggish start. Lithium will be an important element in the future world: in addition to vehicles, lithium batteries will be needed for electricity storage.

�I believe this holds the biggest potential in the future. The increased use of wind and solar power will further raise the need to store energy using different types of compensation and emergency power systems,” says Sirén. c

This jar holds a 99.94 per cent lithium carbonate concentrate. Keliber believes it can make an even purer product in the future.

Lithium will be an important element in the futureworld: in addition to vehicles, lithium batteries willbe needed for electricity storage.

Europe’s first lithium mine is about to start operations in Central Ostrobothnia. Electric vehicles and energy storage will multiply the demand for lithium batteries..

This lithium deposit in Central Ostrobothnia is unique as there are only a few lithium mines in the world. Olle Sirén and Kaj Lyyski hope the mine can start operations in late 2013, early 2014.

mats sandströmmats sandström


Ostrobothnia is one of Europe’s flattest regions. It resembles the Netherlands, with miles of flatland stretching as far as the eye can see. Known as �Pampas” among the locals, the region is not exactly the likeliest home district for a downhill skier.

Nevertheless, this is where Andreas Romar started his climb to the world top. His break-through came in 2009, with the downhill bronze at the Junior World Championships.

Andreas is not alone, for that matter. In the 2011 season, the Vaasa ski club was Finland’s most successful alpine club in the national championships. The success achieved by Andreas Romar and the Vaasa ski club are typical examples of the Ostrobothnian approach: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. You head out into the world and go

straight for the top. This is the same attitude that has made Ostrobothnian companies so successful in the global market. It is natural for them to interact with the outside world.

The only �mountain” around Vaasa can be glimpsed in the background of the photograph. Naturally, it now fea-tures a 45-metre downhill slope so children can learn to ski. When the home slope becomes too small, people begin shuttling to the mountains. Parents do the driving and take care of arrangements, while children train.

�Ever since I turned ten, we’d visit ski centres in central Finland every other weekend,” says Andreas Romar.

�There were enough enthusiastic dads and parents who dedicated all their spare time to us,” he adds.

In the late teens, it’s no longer enough to train every other week. The only option is to leave home at the age of 16. Andreas attended the Ruka Alpine High School in mountainous northern Finland.

One of the driving forces in the Vaasa ski club is Tomas Brännkärr, who along with Andreas’s father, Jan-Erik Romar, bore the greatest responsibility.

�There were no trained coaches in the region, so we taught ourselves from the ground up,” explains Brännkärr.

That’s the way you do things in Ostrobothnia. c

PROFILE

Andreas Romar’s road to the world top is a perfect example of the Ostrobothnian mindset.

THE ALPI NE STARFROM THE FLAT LAND


FACTS

Keep up to date with Andreas Romar’s career at www.andreasromar.fi

Other skiers from Vaasa representing Finland on the national team include Andreas’s sister, Tii-Maria Romar, as well as Samu Torsti and Nathalie Brännkärr.

THE ALPI NE STARmikko lehtimäki

THE EU’S TARGET is to increase the share of renewable energy by 20 per cent by 2020. This means that wind and solar power will account for nearly a third of the Union’s future electricity consumption – and even more than that in some member states.

This reduces the predictability of elec-tricity production and therefore increases the need for flexible, balancing reserve power, used to generate electricity in the absence of wind or sun.

“We realised a few years ago that the Wärtsilä power plant concept would be a perfect complement to wind and solar power. Our engine-driven power plants are

Smart power generationWärtsilä’s fast engine-driven power plants are a perfect complement to wind and solar power.

The increased use of renewable energy sources puts new demands on other electricity production, as well. Wärtsilä’s power plants can produce electricity when there is no wind or sun.

very fast and flexible. It only takes them five minutes to reach full load from stand-still,” says Niklas Wägar, General Manager, Electrical & Automation at Wärtsilä Power Plants.

Alternative to turbinesMany traditional power plants run with gas turbines and may need up to thirty minutes to start up. What is more, turbine technol-ogy is poorly suited to cyclical operations. In contrast, engine-driven plants can be ramped up and down several times a day, yet the need for maintenance does not increase.

“The future will inevitably include more peaks and troughs in electricity production. This puts whole new demands on technol-ogy,” says Wägar.

He and his colleagues are currently involved in educational work and actively participate in energy discussions at the EU level.

“Many people don’t even know about big gas-fuelled engines. They assume that tur-bine technology is the only alternative. We have seen many surprised faces when we’ve explained it only takes five minutes to start up an engine-driven power plant. Our goal is to further reduce the ramp-up time.”


Smart power generationWärtsilä’s fast engine-driven power plants are a perfect complement to wind and solar power.

wärtsiläTel. +358 10 709 0000 www.wartsila.comBusiness sector: Decentralised power plants, ship power systems and service, operations and maintenanceTurnover (2010): €4,553 millionEmployees: 17,500 (Finland 3,000)Export: 98%Major markets: Worldwide

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One of the reasons for the low awareness of gas engine-driven plants is that the technology is still quite new.

“Our engine-driven power plants are very fast and flexible. They can go from standstill to full load in only five minutes,” says Niklas Wägar.

Pioneer in gasOne of the reasons for the low awareness of gas engine-driven plants is that the technol-ogy is still quite new. Large diesel and heavy fuel oil engines have been used for many decades, but gas engines are a fairly new player, with some twenty years in operation. Wärtsilä has pioneered the development of large gas engines with fast and intelligent controls ensuring rapid response.

“We don’t have any real competitors in the large-gas-engine sector. On the one hand, this is an advantage, but on the other hand, we don’t get any help spreading our message.”

In Wärtsilä’s vision, traditional power plants would be used for baseload power, while engine-driven plants could balance electricity production.

“We wish to show the considerable improvement that can be achieved in the overall efficiency of electricity produc-tion.”

Fuel flexibilityWärtsilä’s power plants can also run on other fuels, such as biofuels. In addition, the company delivers liquid fuel power plants to regions that still have inadequate infrastructure.

“In all, we have supplied 4,500 power plants corresponding to a total of 47 GW to 168 countries. I can ensure, without doubt, that the engine technology is thoroughly proven.”

Niklas Wägar believes there should be more talk about the impact that an increas-ing use of renewable energy will have on electricity production.

“There have been discussions about everything from energy storage to demand control, but all solutions have their own challenges. Some energy is always wasted during storage. Irrespective of other meas-ures, there will always be a need for flexible power, and that is where our power plants come in as a strong option.” c

mikko lehtimäki


“We are quite unique in offering an overall concept that makes technical information an integral part of the engineering process of power plants and the like,” says Martin Strand.

CITEC, A LEADING PROVIDER of multi-discipline engineering and information management services, experienced major changes in 2011. In June, Citec announced it had a new majority owner, the Finnish private equity company Sentica Partners. At the same time, Martin Strand took over as Citec’s new CEO.

Citec has always followed a growth strategy, but the new owner means shifting into a higher gear. “Our goal is to double our turnover in five years. This is an interest-ing challenge for our personnel as our end product really is the competence of our skilful people. The headcount is estimated to rise from 1,000 to approximately 2,000. We will mainly grow organically, but also through acquisitions,” says Strand.

Comprehensive servicesThe company will primarily focus on the en-ergy sector, already its biggest customer group. Citec commands vast expertise in many sectors, such as the process and manufacturing industry, as well as the civil, rail vehicle, ICT and healthcare sectors.

“We offer increasingly comprehensive and competitive consultancy services to our customers,” explains Strand. “Citec is quite unique in offering a total concept. We make technical information an integral part of the engineering process and planning, from the design to the launch

Embedded information Citec experienced major changes in 2011 when the company got a new majority owner and began to execute its growth strategy. The picture shows one of Citec’s designs, the Ibese 105 MW GT Power Plant in Nigeria.

and maintenance of power plants or other industrial projects. Competitors may pro-vide similar services separately, but we aim much higher in the sense that we focus on offering measurable benefits and values to our customers by efficiently creating and merging project information. We try harder in the sense that we aim to prove the sav-ings from our solutions,” says Strand.

Global resourcesCitec has its main market in northern Europe and aims to grow stronger on the French, German, Russian and Middle Eastern markets. Citec established itself in both France and Russia a few years ago, and according to Strand, activities in the countries developed very positively in 2011. Citec also entered the German market in 2011 by acquiring an engineering firm, which provides a good base for close work with German customers.

“Our concept is to offer local presence with global expertise to create the best possible customer teams. More than a fourth of our experts are based in India, which gives us additional resources and competencies, in addition to making us very competitive on the global market,” says Strand. c

Citec integrates technical information management with engineering.

citecTel. +358 6 3240 700 www.citec.comBusiness sector: Multi-discipline engineering and information management servicesEstimated turnover 2011: €60 millionEmployees: 1,100Major markets: Northern EuropeCertificates: ISO9001:2000

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katja lösönen


“Energy efficiency and renewable power sources are two global megatrends. That is to say, we’re in the right business,” says Jukka Kasi.

VACON, A MANUFACTURER of variable-speed AC drives, launched a new ap-plication for solar power in 2010. Vacon’s inverters convert solar energy from direct current into alternating current used in the electrical network, while also improving the power quality of electricity.

“We introduced a wind power applica-tion back in 2006, which made the solar power business a natural extension for us,” says Jukka Kasi, Vice President, Corporate Development.

Inverters for renewable power sources use largely the same type of components as industrial AC drives. The main difference resides in the software used.

Rapid progressVacon was one of the first variable-speed AC drive manufacturers to introduce solar-power applications. Things took off rapidly in 2010, when Vacon acquired a small Spanish R&D company specialised in solar energy. The following year, Vacon won prestigious recognition for its work in the solar-power sector when it was presented with the Millennium award.

“We offer products for a wide power range, from roof top panels to large solar farms,” says Kasi.

Vacon has also built a 55-kW roof top installation on the roof of its plant in Vaasa.

“Many have asked us if it’s really worth-

Bright outlookVacon is one of the first variable-speed AC drive manufacturers to introduce solar-power applications.

while utilising solar power this far north, but more than anything, this functions as a research laboratory for us. It is difficult to develop products unless you can test them in practice. We naturally use the solar energy generated by the roof top system in plant processes,” says Kasi.

Cleantech all the waySolar power is a natural choice for Vacon, seeing as the company’s operations have always been based on cleantech. The com-pany’s industrial AC drives save electricity in electric motors and thus help to combat climate change. While variable-speed AC drives still stand for the largest share of turnover, renewable energy accounted for as much as 18 per cent in 2010.

“Energy efficiency and renewable power sources are two global megatrends. This strengthens my belief that we are on the right track,” says Kasi. c

Vacon converts solar energy into solar power.

vaconwww.vacon.comBusiness sector: Electrical components and equipment for AC drives and renewable energy productionTurnover 2010: €338 millionEmployees: 1,400Major markets: EMEA, APAC, Americas

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mikko lehtimäki


“Gasification technology has never been used on this scale anywhere in the world,” says Rami Vuola.

A TYPICAL OBSTACLE to increasing emis-sion-free energy production comes from existing plants that have been designed for use with coal. They cannot utilise biofuels due to technical reasons.

EPV Energy has contributed to develop-ing a solution to the problem. Vaskiluodon Voima, a subsidiary in which it has a 50 per cent holding, is building a biomass gasifica-tion plant in connection with its coal-fired power plant in Vaasa. The new plant will enable a considerable amount of coal to be replaced with forest residue.

“The plant is the first of its kind in the world. Gasification technology, as such, is not a new idea, but it has never before been used on this scale and for this purpose,” explains Rami Vuola, CEO.

The new plant is scheduled for deploy-ment in early 2013. After that, a third of the coal will be replaced with biofuels, such as forest chips. The plant currently uses up to 600,000 tonnes of coal a year, which means the new investment will consider-ably reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Calculations promise an annual reduction of up to 230,000 tonnes.

Domestic fuelIn addition to being environmentally friendly, the gasification plant offers many other advantages as well.

“We estimate that the plant, the biomass

EPV Energy has long and persistently worked to increase the share of emission-free power production. To meet its targets, the company currently runs three schemes focusing on bioenergy, wind and nuclear power.

production and the logistics chain around them will employ around 100 people. Our annual purchases of local fuels amount to some 15 to 20 million euros. This sum will stay in the region instead of being used for emission allowance and fossil fuel pur-chases from other countries,” says Vuola.

EPV Energy is constructing five to ten terminals around the region where the forest residue will be received and stored.

The Vaskiluoto coal-fired power plant still has 20 years of service life ahead. In addition to electricity it generates heat, which is distributed through the district heating network to homes in the Vaasa region.

Before biomass can be gasified it must first be dried. An energy-efficient solution has been devised for this challenge, as well: the waste heat from the turbine process, which today is dumped into the sea, will dry biofuel in the future.

The 40-million-euro input into the gasifi-cation plant has received state investment aid. Moreover, the feed-in tariff adopted in Finland ensures the competitiveness of environmentally friendly electricity.

FrontrunnerEPV Energy procures or produces around five per cent of all the electricity used in Finland. The company has long and persistently worked to increase the share of emission-free power production. The construction of the gasifier is a part of the company’s bioenergy scheme, which aims to increase the utilisation of domestic biomass from the forest and from field cultivation in the co-generation of power and heat.

The new biomass gasification plant is the first of its kind worldwide.

EPV Energy replaces coal with biofuel

gunnar bäckman


EPV Energy procures or produces around five per cent of all the electricity used in Finland.

The gasifier built next to the Vaskiluoto power plant will extend the service life of the coal-fired plant, while also reducing CO2 emissions considerably.

epv energy ltdTel. +358 6 337 5300 www.epv.fiBusiness sector: Electricity and heat production and transmission. Electricity procurement: 4.4 TWhHeat procurement: 1.4 TWhElectricity transmission: 6,916 GWhTurnover: €188.4 millionEmployees: 24

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EPV Energy replaces coal with biofuel

In addition to this, EPV runs a wind power scheme. In 2010, EPV’s subsidiary Rajakiiri launched the country’s most energy-efficient wind power park in Tornio, in northern Finland.

“The west coast is Finland’s windiest region, and we aim to set up around ten wind power parks here,” says Vuola.

EPV’s third programme for satisfying climate policy targets involves nuclear power.

“Wind power and renewables won’t be

truly competitive until the following dec-ade. We will need nuclear power until then.”

EPV Energy has the option to later build another gasification plant next to the cur-rently constructed one. Should the project go ahead, coal will become a mere auxiliary fuel.

“The biggest challenge is to collect enough biofuel from the surrounding areas. A constant supply of forest residue may also be a big issue, since forest owners fell trees depending on the price of wood.” c


Roger Holm is the new CEO of Alholmens Kraft. His objective is to optimise the broad fuel mix and enhance the value added for the power plant’s owners.

ALHOLMENS KRAFT in Jakobstad is the world’s largest biofuel power plant. Its pri-mary task is to supply electricity, process steam and district heat to the surrounding region.

“Ten years in the business make us a real frontrunner in the field,” says Roger Holm, who recently stepped in as CEO of Alholmens Kraft. “We get many visitors

Biofuel pioneerForest residue material is the main source for Alholmens Kraft’s biofuels.

here and are a model for others. After all, we were the first in the world to introduce this concept.”

Towards an optimum mixAlholmens Kraft aims to optimise its fuel mix to achieve the most cost-effective result possible.

“We use biofuels and peat as our main sources. REF, or recovered fuel such as sorted industrial and household waste, is also included in the fuel mix. Coal serves as a supplementary and reserve fuel,” explains Holm. “Our goal, of course, is to maximise the use of biofuels.

Further development of the already broad fuel portfolio is also on the power plant’s agenda.”

“It means basing operations more clearly on currently relevant fuels, eliminating the most expensive fractions and focusing on those available right now.”

Crucial availabilityAlholmens Kraft produces some of its own peat and purchases the rest from other producers. Forest residue is collected within a radius of 100-150 kilometres of the plant. Transport distances longer than this would make fuel use uneconomical.

“Our capacity enables us to use biofuel

on a much larger scale than we currently do. Availability is the crucial factor,” says Holm.

National action programmes aim at an increased use of biofuels as energy sources. Both the carrot and the stick are used to achieve this target.

“This naturally means more competition. We have a large capacity, and so far it has taken us a long way. It remains to be seen how much biofuel can be recovered from Finnish forests,” says Roger Holm. c

Alholmens Kraft points the way towards greener energy.

oy alholmens kraft abwww.alholmenskraft.comBusiness sector: Power production based on biofuel: electricity, process steam and district heatingElectricity production: 1,800 GWhHeat production: 560 GWhTurnover 2010: €80 millionEmployees: 42 employees + 350 subcontractors in fuel production

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mats sandström


“We contribute to the region’s employment as a local power producer and distributor,” says Stefan Storholm.

POWER COMPANIES play a crucial role in the development of society. If, like Kat-ternö, they also have strong regional ties in terms of ownership and operations, they are in a great position to boost positive development in their region.

“It’s our vision to develop local society, both as a good place to live in and as a dynamic business environment. We are responsible for producing and distrib-uting the electricity and heat needed, effectively, reliably, in an environmentally friendly way and at a competitive price,” says Stefan Storholm, CEO.

Katternö operates in an area stretching from Alavieska in the north to Vöyri in the south. The company’s own power produc-tion is a key element in Katternö’s strive to support local society through competitive electricity and heating.

“We want to be in control of our own energy production and distribution – the electrical network, that is – as far as possible. It’s a matter of safety and has proved to work well. Knowing our custom-ers and our operating region enables us to react quickly and purposefully,” says Storholm.

Bio, wind and nuclear powerAs a power producer, Katternö operates in

For a powerful societyTornio is home to Finland’s biggest wind farm, Rajakiiri, which is partly owned by Katternö.

a global environment, dictated by interna-tional and national contracts.

“We want to contribute in various ways to Finland’s activities related to the Kyoto Protocol. For example, we operate Alholmens Kraft, a biofuelled power plant, and the Kanteleen Voima power plant, where the goal is to increase the use of biopower. We also offer wind power. We are part owners of Finland’s biggest wind farm, Rajakiiri, in Tornio up north, and our next wind farm in Merijärvi is under construc-tion,” says Storholm.

The gradual reduction of coal use in Finland means added pressure to secure a sufficient amount of baseload power.

During peak power needs, for example, in the cold winter months, wind power plants often stand still. This calls for alternative sources of energy.

“Nuclear power is carbon dioxide-free and works in all weather. That is why we are a part owner in Fennovoima, which is build-ing a new nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki, in northern Ostrobothnia. Society needs reliable baseload power, and it is always a good idea to use a mix of fuels, especially with competition in biofuels now on the increase,” says Storholm. c

Katternö supports local energy in a global world.

katternö groupTel. +358 6 781 5300 [email protected] www.katterno.fiBusiness sector: Production, transmission, distribution and sale of electricityTurnover 2011: €200 millionEmployees: 200Customers: 65,000Own capacity: 285 MWPower transmission: 1.3 TWhDistrict heating: 0.3 TWh

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mats sandström


The traditional electrical grid can no longer deal with increasingly large and versatile loads. ABB’s competence covers the entire life cycle of smart grids from large power plants to the automation of single-family houses.

Smart electrical grids also improve energy efficiency. The better the utility’s control of the grid, the better the management of energy losses.

UNTIL NOW, electricity generation has been adjusted to electricity consumption, and electrical power networks have been designed according to centralised power generation. In the future, however, renew-able energy from volatile sources like solar and wind will account for a larger share, which means that consumption must in-creasingly adapt to production. Electricity production is also becoming increasingly decentralised.

“These trends call for new balanc-ing mechanisms in the electrical power network. The grid must, quite simply, become smarter. The future grid needs to incorporate new elements, such as electric vehicles and electricity storage,” says Dick Kronman, Business Development Manager from ABB Distribution Automation.

Smart grids 1.0ABB is a pioneer in smart grids, and much of the company’s global research and development in the field of distribution automation takes place in Vaasa. The concept of smart grids refers to electri-cal power networks featuring built-in intelligence. Intelligence may mean, for

Smarter gridsexample, that the continuity of supply can be secured through remote access and automation in the network, even in its most distant branches, and that the network is also capable of feeding electricity in the opposite direction.

“We already have what you could call smart grids 1.0 in Finland, since we’ve long invested in automation. The majority of buildings and facilities are equipped with smart electricity meters, which provide real-time information about consumption,” says Kronman.

Increased energy efficiencySmart electricity meters have numerous functions. Firstly, access to real-time in-formation makes consumers better aware of their own consumption, and experience shows that this also leads to reduced elec-tricity use. Secondly, electricity meters can provide valuable information about prob-lems in the low-voltage network, which means that interruptions can be dealt with faster. Today, dozens of kilometres may separate the last supervised station from the end-customer, and the electric utility has no way of monitoring the status along

ABB supports renewable energy by making electrical grids more intelligent.


“When the share of renewable energy increases, the electrical grid must also grow more intelligent. We need balancing mechanisms that can meet the challenges posed by decentralised power production,” says Dick Kronman.

The roof of ABB’s frequency converter factory is home to the largest Nordic solar power plant linked to a national grid.

abb finland Tel. +358 10 2211 www.abb.comBusiness sector: Power and automation technology Turnover: €2.2 billionEmployees: 7,000Export: 80% Major markets: Worldwide

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that stretch. The better the utility’s control of the grid, the better the management of energy losses. In other words, smart elec-trical grids also improve energy efficiency.

“The extent of smart grid construction differs depending on the country, and coun-tries have also taken different approaches depending on the political decisions made. German residential customers, for example, have long been able to feed their surplus production from rooftop solar cells into the network, while this is not yet feasible in Finland.”

Pilot project underwayIn order for the complete power system to become more energy efficient, buildings also need to be smarter in the future. Vari-ous automation options in buildings can be linked to the smart grid.

“It’s unrealistic to expect people to run around turning off lamps when they notice a peak in the spot market price for electricity. Instead, we need automated regulation to manage demand response. For example, electric heat accumula-tion and electric vehicle charging can be automatically performed at times when

electricity is available at a lower cost. We know that price fluctuations will increase as a consequence of volatile generation,” says Dick Kronman.

The challenge that electric utilities now face is finding sensible ways to package this type of demand response into com-mercial services. ABB is currently carrying out various pilot projects with different electric utilities. They involve trials of what could be called the first step towards smart grids 2.0. For example, new residen-tial areas where houses are equipped with roof solar panels and every imaginable apparatus to boost energy efficiency are under construction in southern Finland. c

gunnar bäckman


mervento oyTel. +358 40 833 1091 www.mervento.comBusiness sector: Wind powerMajor markets: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Great Britain

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“Mervento’s turbine pays back more quickly,” says CEO Patrik Holm.

MERVENTO CELEBRATED a momentous day on 9 February 2012, as the prototype of its 3.6-118 turbine was erected outside Vaasa.

It was the culmination of three years of intensive product development. The turbine will now be tested in harsh condi-tions on the Finnish west coast, where temperatures drop to some –30° Celsius in the winter.

The next phase is small-scale produc-tion, the goal being to gradually increase production to 30 wind turbines in 2014. At the time of its establishment in late 2008

Ready for the next stepThe prototype of Mervento’s wind power plant 3.6–118 was erected in February 2012 in Vaasa.

Mervento was Finland’s biggest start-up with a share capital of almost 20 million euros. Including other funding, the total investment was close to 30 million euros. Mervento’s business idea is to develop next-generation wind turbine solutions for nearshore (class II) and offshore (class I) use.

Low cost of energyMervento’s products offer many benefits compared to existing wind turbines. Low operation and maintenance costs, long lifetime and high energy production make Mervento’s power plants more advanta-geous to customers than traditional, less expensive turbines.

Moreover, investment costs must be examined in relation to the revenues originating from the amount of electricity the plant produces.

“Our turbine pays back more quickly,” says Patrik Holm, Mervento’s CEO.

Direct driveThe main competitive advantage comes from the direct drive design. The turbine does not have a gearbox, which means fewer moving parts, less wear and tear, diminished need for lubrication, reduced

maintenance headaches and absolutely no need for costly gearbox exchanges.

Mervento’s engineers have developed a tower that can be supplied with a hub height of 125 metres. This means higher average wind speeds and higher income over the turbine’s lifetime. Since the tower is made of steel, it is fully recyclable at the end of the turbine’s life. Concrete towers, instead, end up as landfill.

The fundamental technology, including a large number of new innovations, has now been developed and the pilot turbine erected. Mervento is currently testing its business model and service concept, as well as verifying the turbine technol-ogy. The prototype is run by Mervento’s subsidiary, Wasa Wind.

“Our subsidiary enables us to evaluate our performance from the customer’s viewpoint,” says CEO Patrik Holm. c

Mervento’s prototype is ready after three years of product development.

gunnar bäckman


“Westenergy is a notable environmental achievement, since the power plant will considerably reduce the region’s carbon dioxide emissions,” says Jan Teir.

WHEN THE WESTENERGY Waste to Energy plant comes online in early 2013, carbon dioxide emissions in the Vaasa region will drop notably. The power plant will satisfy a third of the region’s district heating needs, in addition to producing electricity corresponding to the demand of 7,000 apartments. In the absence of Westenergy, this amount of energy would be produced using coal and oil.

“Emissions will decrease by 100,000 to 200,000 carbon dioxide equivalents annu-ally,” says Jan Teir, Managing Director. “This corresponds to the annual emissions from 30,000 to 60,000 passenger cars or nearly half a per cent of the CO2 emissions of all of Finland. In other words, we’re talking about a considerable reduction.”

Publicly ownedOwned by five municipal waste manage-ment companies, Westenergy handles household waste produced by 400,000 people. Finland has been slow off the start-ing blocks in waste combustion, which is why the new plant is among the first of its kind in the country.

“What most clearly sets Westenergy apart from other similar planned plants is that we are not owned by power compa-

Waste powerMany local power companies, such as ABB, Vacon, Citec and VEO as well as Lemminkäinen and Wasacon, have been involved in the construction of Westenergy. The power plant will burn household waste from 400,000 people.

nies but by municipal waste management businesses. It means we don’t have a profit requirement, which leads to lower waste expenses for consumers,” Teir points out.

The sale and distribution of district heat and electricity will be handled by Vaasan Sähkö.

Local suppliersThe area in which Westenergy is being built is also home to the biggest cluster of

energy companies in the Nordic countries. Many of the companies are participat-ing in the construction project. All of the electrical motors are supplied by ABB, the AC drives by Vacon and the transformer station by VEO, while Citec is in charge of civil engineering and some of the project supervision. The civil works have been carried out by Lemminkäinen and Wasacon.

“I’d like to underline that the companies were not chosen because they are local but because they submitted the best offers. Most of them weren’t even chosen by us but by our main suppliers and our main consultant Ramboll,” says Teir.

All in all, over 30 companies have been involved in the construction work, which will cost around 135 million euros. c

Westenergy will considerably reduce the region’s carbon dioxide emissions.

westenergyTel. +358 10 229 1030 www.westenergy.fiBusiness sector: Power production from separated combustible wasteElectricity production: 75 GWhHeat production: 250 GWhEmployees: 25

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gunnar bäckman


“The Switch has both the ability and the credibility to act as a supplier of future wind power technology,” says CFO, Executive Vice President, Dag Sandås.

THE GLOBAL MARKET for wind power, but especially China, is shifting its focus from quantity to quality. This is good news for The Switch, which develops cutting-edge technology for the wind power sector.

The Switch manufactures generators and converters used in wind turbines. The generator transforms mechanical energy into electricity, which the converter then adapts to and optimises for the network.

PMG and FPCThe Switch has always focused on per-manent magnet generators (PMG) and full-power converters (FPC), as well as on combining them into a drive train package for wind turbines.

The Switch has challenged the industry,

The Switch wind turbine solutions are vying to become preferred technology.

Frontrunners in new energy

gunnar bäckman


The Switch develops drive train packages, which enable the customer to obtain more energy from wind power. The Switch Drive is the soul of every reliable turbine.

the switchTel. +358 20 783 8200 www.theswitch.comBusiness sector: Innovative power electronics and drive trains for distributed power generation systems.Turnover 2010: €134.6 millionEmployees 2010: 270Main markets: China, Europe, USA

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Frontrunners in new energy

first by gaining preferred-choice status for its PMG and FPC technology and then by making the technology commercially available. PMG’s big advantage is the high efficiency achieved even when winds are weak and turbines rotate more slowly.

The Switch offers the widest range of standard and tailored generator and converter packages.

Ability and credibilityDag Sandås, CFO, Executive Vice Presi-dent, lists six strategic factors explaining why The Switch has grown so fast and continues to do so. These have been the guiding principles for The Switch from the very start of the company.

“One, we believe our technology featur-

ing PMG and FPC will emerge as the winner to become preferred technology.”

“Two, the turbine market is moving towards larger entities and multimegawatt turbines, especially in the offshore busi-ness. Our technology is well suited to that.”

“Three, the wind power industry is going over to a modern business model, involv-ing partnership. The big conglomerates do not make everything on their own, but opt for procurement. This is a welcome trend for independent players, such as The Switch.”

“Four, we can offer a wide and large product portfolio thanks to our expertise in both generators and converters.”

“Five, our flexible production scheme means we can quickly ramp production

up or down and continuously adapt to demand,” says Dag Sandås.

“The first five factors prove our ability, but the sixth factor is high credibility awarded to us by numerous references.”

Model factoryThe company’s production scheme, one of the success factors, is based on the model factory concept. The Switch does not have its own continuously running production. Instead, the production lines, methods and processes are developed at the model factory in Vaasa and Lappeenranta. The factory concept can be quickly replicated close to every customer. This can be car-ried out in cooperation with the customer or with a local partner.

The Sun SwitchThe Switch has a big product portfolio, which enables the company to utilise its technology in new environments. Solar power is one example of this. The company has applied its proven technology for large-scale wind power generation to its inverter solutions for the solar industry.

Similar to wind power, solar power is going through a strong growth phase.

The wind power market“The markets are growing in India, Korea and Taiwan. South America is turning into a new wind power market and China will make a comeback,” says Dag Sandås.

Competition is growing more and more global. Chinese companies are breaking through in the US, and international com-panies are competing in China. In this race, it is quality that will win over quantity.”

“China pulled the handbrake in wind power construction to scrutinise quality. They now have new laws and regulations in place. The Switch products were the first to pass the new Chinese quality tests,” says Dag Sandås. c


With humble courageThree of the companies that VNT Management funds have invested in are There Corporation (www.therecorporation.com), Wello (www.wello.fi) and Gasek (www.gasek.fi).

VNT Management’s third fund closes, first fund ready for exit.

VNT Management has six partners with different fields of specialisation. Chairman Jarmo Saaranen is the company’s wind power expert.

VNT MANAGEMENT, a venture capital company, is an important background player in the Vaasa region energy cluster. The company’s funds have turned numer-ous innovative business ideas into reality.

VNT Management’s first two funds – Power Fund I and II – invested in companies such as The Switch, Mervento, eGen and There Corporation. The company has also launched a third fund, Power Fund III, which will be closed in the end of 2012 for investors.

The funds have clear niches they invest in: renewable energy, cleantech and electri-cal systems.

Power Fund I from 2003 raised 17 million euros and is now in the exit phase. This means that VNT will divest its holdings, typically to international industrial compa-nies or capital investors.

Power Fund II from 2007 raised 63 million euros, while fund number three aims at a sum closer to 100 million euros.

Headquartered in Vaasa, VNT Manage-ment has six partners, posted in different cities in Finland and Germany. The company mainly operates in the Nordic countries and Central Europe.

In search of a good team“We are looking for companies with a good business idea, a good team and good tech-nology, as well as a ready prototype,” says Jarmo Saaranen, Chairman of the Board of VNT Management.

“We always sit on the companies’ board, contributing with our networks and our business management approach.

We can, however, be even more active and work in specific task forces to develop the business together with company management.”

VNT Management receives around 200 business plans a year from compa-nies seeking funding. In addition, the six partners are actively on the lookout for interesting investments.

“Setting up a company is another op-tion,” says Saaranen, naming the success-ful The Switch as an example.

Global frontrunner“Veijo Karppinen, the founder of VNT Management, was a pioneer. When he set up Power Fund I in 2003, only five funds worldwide invested in renewable energy and cleantech. Such funds now number around 1,500,” says Saaranen.

While working on Power Funds I, II and III, the six partners make sure they also look ahead to analyse the sector’s future.

“Wind power is becoming a mature industry but it will advance to a new phase if kite windmills, based on a kite moving up and down in the air stream, become reality. We believe that wave power, starting soon as a business, will follow the same growth curve as wind did during its late 1990s boom. Biomass will become another big trend in power generation,” says Saaranen. c

vnt management oyTel. +358 40 837 1559 Jarmo Saaranen Tel. +358 40 837 1560 Jussi Palmrothwww.vntm.comBusiness sector: Venture capital in renewable energy and cleantechCapital under management: €120 millionEmployees: 6 partnersMajor markets: Finland, Northern and Central Europe

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gunnar bäckman


Arc flash protection world leader

Vamp keeps electricity running.

Vamp expands its sales network and develops new products.

vamp ltdTel. +358 20 753 3200 www.vamp.fiBusiness sector: Medium-voltage protection relays and arc flash protection.Turnover 2011: €16 millionEmployees 2011: 40Major markets: WorldwideExport: 90%, of which 80% direct

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“Vamp allocates 15 per cent of its turnover to R&D,” says Managing Director Jerker Kullberg.

AN ARC FLASH can cause huge losses and damage, such as ruined equipment, stalled production, fires, blackouts and – in the worst case – bodily injuries or even death.

This is where Vamp steps in with its arc flash protection units and protection relays with integrated arc flash detection.

Arc flash protection units are installed in switchgears, which run the risk of arc flashes caused by loose joints, animals or human error.

An arc flash is a powerful electrical dis-charge through the air, which results in the air being ionised so it conducts electricity. The current heats the air up to thousands of degrees Celsius, there is a bright flash and a sharp bang. Lightning is an example of this perfectly natural phenomenon.

Growing marketUntil recently, many countries had not adopted arc flash protection, but it is quickly becoming a standard option as demands grow stiffer. Finland has been a pioneer in this field, which partly explains Vamp’s leading position worldwide.

“The global market is growing at high two-figure growth rates yearly,” says Jerker Kullberg, Managing Director of Vamp.

This is good news for Vamp, which an-nually introduces new products meeting all the international demands. Vamp’s end customers include both industrial compa-nies and power distribution companies.

New products “We are a small company that offers short throughput times and can quickly produce new products,” explains Kullberg.

gunnar bäckman

Two-thirds of Vamp’s turnover comes from protection relays and a third from arc flash protection systems.

However, it is the integration of the two that is Vamp’s strength.

“We’re the only protection relay sup-plier that offers full integration of arc flash protection of all relay products,” says Kullberg.

Today, Vamp is fully owned by Schnei-der Electric from France.

“While we maintain and develop our old sales network, we also have access to Schneider’s global sales organisation, comprising 1,000 sales representatives in the Chinese market alone.” c


Excitation expertVEO’s excitation experts have excited nearly 190 synchronous machines over the years. Pictured here is Tampella’s power plant in Tampere, Finland.

VEO upgraded its excitation competence to top level.

“Our main advantages in excitation are short deliveries and a user-friendly, open system,” explains Hannu Erkkilä.

VEO’S CORE COMPETENCE consists of electrification and automation solutions for the power generation sector, as well as solutions for power distribution and use. In 2010, the company upgraded its excitation competence to an all new level and instant-ly saw good results: VEO now commands 50 per cent of the re-excitation market in Finland. It will next go for growth especially in the Swedish and Russian markets.

“Synchronous generators and motors must be re-excited two to three times over their lifetime. Future prospects look bright, seeing as there are around one thousand synchronous motors in Finland alone,” says Hannu Erkkilä, Sales Manager.

Fastest in the marketErkkilä is one of the experienced excitation engineers, who joined VEO in 2010. In all, the team of engineers has excited nearly 190 synchronous machines.

“Belonging to a large company offers stability and security,” says Erkkilä, ex-plaining the team’s decision to move to VEO.

Jointly with Voith-Siemens, VEO’s excitation group has developed its own excitation technology, which is tailored to customer needs and enables the company to achieve the fastest delivery times in the market.

“Our technology is open and user- friendly, meaning that customers can easily service the device. This is a clear competi-tive advantage, since competitors’ devices are protected.”

Excitation is typically performed for industrial purposes, but a brand new field of use is now emerging. Generators and VEO’s excitation devices can be used to replace expensive permanent magnets in wind power plants.

Organic growthIn addition to excitation, VEO’s offering includes a long list of various solutions re-lated to electricity use, electrification and power plants. The company also focuses on the manufacture and maintenance of customised switchgear products, mainly for customers in the energy and process industry.

VEO is increasingly focusing on exports. Norway has traditionally been important to the company. Since 2008, VEO has had an office in Sweden and since 2009 in Russia. In addition, a large share of VEO’s products and projects find their way around the world through its cooperation partners. c

veoTel. +358 207 1901 [email protected] www.veo.fiBusiness sector: Automation and electrification systemsTurnover 2010: €70 millionEmployees: 410Export: 75%Major markets: WorldwideCertificates: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004

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mikko lehtimäki

mikko lehtimäki


“We are delivering this 0.5 MW industrial heat pump to Vaasan Vesi. The heat generated from waste water cooling is used for process and space heating at the waste water treatment plant,” explains Jonny Asplund.

SCANCOOL HAS ALWAYS been known as a cold pro, providing refrigeration solutions to the food and process sectors. These days it also supplies industrial heat pumps, and the company’s production line will begin to generate even more heat in the future, now that Scancool is a subsidiary of Oilon, manufacturer of burners and heat pumps.

“Both cold and hot are now available un-der the same roof. We offer a joint field of competence and concept that no one else in the world can offer,” says Jonny Asplund, Managing Director of Scancool.

Eco-friendly cool and heat Finland’s leading supplier of industrial refrigeration facilities, Scancool divides its operations into cool and heat solutions. The company offers turnkey services in both fields, ranging from design and pro-duction to installation and maintenance.

“Our customer groups include the food industry, process industry and energy producers,” says Asplund.

The company has developed its own industrial heat pump to serve the steeply growing market. Combining hot and cold generates considerable savings in ex-penses and is good for the environment.

“Our refrigeration facilities also provide heat. The industrial heat pump enables the best possible utilisation of condens-

Hot and coldScancool wants to help prevent the world’s icebergs from melting. It supplies cool and heat solutions that reduce companies’ carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 80 per cent annually.

ing heat. This helps companies reduce their energy expenses and carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 80 per cent,” says Asplund.

Win-win acquisitionOilon’s acquisition of Scancool ingeniously complements the product portfolio. In the future, industrial refrigeration operations will also be boosted in fields other than the traditional food industry. Power compa-nies have been interested in combining burner and heat pump technologies, and now a well-functioning solution is available for this, too. Through their joint business, Scancool and Oilon can offer heating and

cooling products on a large scale – and increasingly for the international market.

“We had a burning need for one another’s competence, and now both of us benefit from new, interesting contact interfaces. Alongside Oilon, Scancool will also gain stronger entry into the Chinese and Rus-sian markets,” says Asplund. c

Scancool solutions save the environment and expenses.

oy scancool abTel. +358 207 281 868 www.scancool.fiBusiness sector: Industrial refrigeration, industrial heat pumpsTurnover 2011: €14 millionEmployees: 65Export: 15%Major markets: Europe

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oilon oyBusiness sector: Domestic heating, industrial refrigeration, heat pumps and burners for liquid and gaseous fuels, power plant and process burnersTurnover 2011: €70 millionEmployees: 350Export: 60%Major markets: EMEA (Europe, MiddeEast, Asia), Marine, South America

mats sandström


Reliable software partnerWapice provides the customer with a wide range of one-stop services. The services are divided into three areas: embedded systems, industrial systems and business solutions.

“Programming is a central part of product development in the industry. A coder supports ten other employees,” says Pasi Tuominen, Wapice’s Managing Director.

WAPICE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST indus-trially focused software companies in Finland. It develops systems and software for industrial companies looking to auto-mate the entire process from the sale of complex products to their final delivery.

Headquartered in Vaasa, Wapice has expanded rapidly thanks to the region’s energy cluster. Its customers are primarily found in the energy and engineering sec-tors.

“A typical customer exports over 90 per cent of its production,” says Pasi Tuominen, Managing Director.

Growing fastWapice has grown at an annual rate of 30 per cent and has added around 40 people to its payroll annually over the past few years. Most of the new employees have a background in engineering and an average age of 31.5 years.

“We have started on a smaller scale and later been given more and more respon-sibility by customers. It’s been one of our success factors,” says Tuominen.

He believes in Wapice’s continuing potential for strong growth. Software solu-tions and integrated information systems are core elements in modern industrial pro-duction. Large industrial companies used to have their own software units. These days, they are looking for partners.

Pasi Tuominen draws an analogy with the development seen in the automobile industry:

“People are familiar with BMW and Audi, but few know that Bosch, a subcontractor, is one of the biggest companies in the field.”

Summium and WRMWapice is a full-service company in the software industry. While many of its

products are tailored to customers, the company also develops its own products with individual brand names.

The most important of these is Sum-mium, a sales configurator, which is designed to support the sales processes of mass-customising companies. Summium compiles the price, commercial and techni-cal documentation for the configured product in real time, as well as the product structure required in production.

Wapice Remote Management (WRM) is a complete remote control and management system. WRM integrates the customer’s machines and devices with the information systems. c

Wapice solves the software issues of industry.

wapice ltdTel. +358 6 319 4000 www.wapice.comBusiness sector: Embedded systems, industrial systems, business solutionsTurnover 2010: €10 millionEmployees 2011: 180Major markets: Domestic

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gunnar bäckman


“Our competitive advantages include high product quality, reliable deliveries, innovation and flexible production. One of our strengths is that our own Group supplies the raw materials for our products,” say Sakari Pisilä, Tommy Rönnskog and Michael Johansson.

THE PISTON is a strategic part of an engine. It must withstand high tempera-tures and continuous mechanical loads. The service interval must also be as long as possible. Componenta Pistons’ products face tough requirements, but the company is convinced it can meet these challenges.

“Our pistons offer high quality and cost-effectiveness. Our innovativeness helps our customers enhance the technological benefits of engines,” explains Sakari Pisilä, business unit director at Components Pistons.

Tailored to customer requirementsComponenta Pistons provides piston solu-tions to manufacturers of medium-speed diesel engines. Large-bore pistons come in four bore sizes, measuring 200 to 340 mm in diameter. The range also includes differ-ent versions of the bore sizes.

“We always communicate closely with the customer’s product development, which enables us to design the pistons to meet the exact requirements,” says Pisilä.

The endurance and long life of pistons are of crucial importance. Componenta Pistons uses composite piston design with nodular cast-iron skirts and special nitrid-ing steel crowns. Its pistons are assembled in both ship and power plant engines.

Technological boost for engines

Contributing to a world recordComponenta Pistons has improved its production processes according to Lean principles and increased its own product development resources in recent years. As a result, customers get pistons that are of higher quality and more cost-effective than ever before.

“We streamlined the production process and internal logistics in order to reduce lead time and increase productivity and quality,” explains Michael Johansson, Production Manager.

Componenta Pistons’ goal is to be cost-effective and innovative.

Componenta Pistons annually manu-factures some 7,000 pistons, one-third of which go directly to export.

As Johansson explains, the company emphasises research in its product devel-opment.

“We were involved in the construction of a test engine platform in the Hercules project run by Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel. Our piston was used in a part of the Extreme Value Engine, which set a world record combustion pressure of 300 bar, at the Aalto University,” says Johansson, with an air of pride. c

componenta finland ltd pistons

Tel. +358 10 403 00 www.componenta.comBusiness sector: Development and manufacture of large-bore pistons for diesel engine manufacturers Turnover 2011: €6.7 millionEmployees: 35Major markets: WorldwideExport: 33%Quality assurance systems: ISO 9001:2008

Parent Company: Componenta Corporation Turnover 2010: €451.6 millionEmployees 2010: 4,414

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Componenta Pistons is one of Europe’s three large piston manufacturers. Its products are used in rough conditions like offshore vessels.

stx europe

mats sandström


Maintaining the futureBOLTMANN is KGN Tools’ first own brand. The company also manufactures tailored tools for individual customers.

KGN focuses on BOLTMANN, its first own product family.

“Our high-quality Okuma machine park, skilled and loyal staff, as well as reliable deliveries give KGN a competitive advantage,” says CEO Katariina Pukkila-Palmunen.

KGN TOOL IN KAITSOR, outside Vaasa, manufactures various high-quality service and maintenance tools, toolsets, special machined components and spare parts. It also carries out part assemblies for several industrial purposes.

KGN’s main business areas are big diesel engines, wind turbines, the power industry and special industry.

KGN has traditionally tailored its prod-ucts for each customer, but is now focusing more and more on BOLTMANN, its first own, recently developed product family. Launched in 2011, BOLTMANN comprises

hydraulic tightening tools in different sizes, as well as test benches.

“We are making big inputs into interna-tionalisation and are active abroad,” says CEO Katariina Pukkila-Palmunen.

Accurate deliveriesBOLTMANN tools are an important part of KGN’s internationalisation strategy. The company’s vision is to be one of the three leading manufacturers of maintenance tools worldwide.

KGN is already one of the few companies in the world with the technological capacity and competence to offer a full range of maintenance tools, thanks to its 40-year history in their manufacture and develop-ment.

“We are known for our high quality, ac-curate deliveries and exceptional Okuma machine park. In 2010 our delivery accuracy was as high as 99.8 per cent for all custom-ers,” says Pukkila-Palmunen.

Prompt performanceWhen talking about vessel engines, power plants, wind turbines and offshore solu-tions, rapid deliveries are a crucial way to save money for customers.

“If it costs 40,000 dollars a day to keep a vessel waiting in port, it really makes no difference if your maintenance tool is 1,000

euros more expensive than another one,” says Pukkila-Palmunen.

“What counts is your reliability and delivery accuracy, as well as the high quality of delivered tools, components and spare parts – the customer cannot afford anything less.”

“We have an outstanding Japanese machine park. We only use the world’s best CNC machines – those of Okuma – which ensure the most accurate performance. ”

“Many of our employees live close to the plant and have worked here long. Our employee turnover is low, the staff is well acquainted with the machines and our flex-ibility ensures fast deliveries.”

KGN is a 40-year-old company, which expanded its ownership base in 2009. The company is now part of the Österberg Group. c

kgn tool oy abTel. +358 6 383 5680 www.kgntool.fiBusiness sector: Maintenance-tool and special component productionTurnover 2010: €6 millionEmployees 2010: 25Major markets: Domestic, Europe

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Two strong legsThe Österberg Group has broad competence in the plastic and metal industries.

Österberg Group grows as a subcontractor and is a world leader in its own niche.

BASED IN VAASA, Österberg Group has achieved robust growth through acquisi-tions in the 21st century. The 60-year-old family business is an important subcon-tractor for global industrial companies. Acquisitions have enabled the Group to manufacture larger systems and entities.

Österberg consists of four fully owned subsidiaries in Finland and two in Estonia. It is also a joint owner of KGN Tools, intro-duced on the previous page.

Vaasa is home to Wel-Mach, a versa-tile industrial subcontractor involved in machining, welding and assembly. Its operations are supplemented by Manor in Kuortane, including Manor s auxiliary trademark Beam Net in Kurikka. Manor offers welding and surface treatment, while Beam Net specialises in steel construction for industry. The Group also includes Hepmet in Estonia.

System manufacturer“Our strength comes from a wide product range and our ability to assume responsi-bility for bigger and bigger entities,” says Jens Österberg, Managing Director of Well-Mach and Petsmo Products.

Large global companies want their sub-contractors to provide complete entities and work as system suppliers rather than manufacturers of single components.

“The ultimate goal of our acquisitions is to satisfy these requirements,” explains Jens Österberg.

Long a reliable subcontractor of major companies in the Vaasa region’s energy cluster, the Österberg Group is now ready to serve new customers among global, large-scale companies.

The group of companies also includes Österberg Plast, a manufacturer of injection-moulded plastic components for industry.

World leaderPetsmo Products is different from the Group’s other companies. It develops

“We can assume responsibility for increasingly large entities as an industrial subcontractor,” explains Jens Österberg.

österberg groupTel. +358 20 790 8600 www.osterberg.fi > Group of companiesTurnover 2010: €30 millionEmployees 2010: 174Business sector: Metal industry, plastic industryMajor markets: Domestic, Europe, North America Österberg Plast www.osterberg.fiWel-Mach www.wel-mach.fiManor www.manor.fiPetsmo Products www.petsmoproducts.fi

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and manufactures products for the fur and slaughterhouse industries, as well as for agriculture. The company also offers advanced after-sales services.

“We are, in fact, world leaders in the fur sector,” says Jens Österberg.

The Group is a fully-fledged family busi-ness. Founded by Knut Österberg in 1948, it is now owned by his three children, all of whom work in the company. c

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Complete customer focusMapromec cooperates increasingly with customers.

MAPROMEC WORKS in such close coopera-tion with its customers that they almost seem to form a unit of their own in the company. This is Mapromec’s strength and has also brought in more work, even at a time when massive challenges face all of the industry’s subcon-tractors.

“We must meet customer demands and satisfy them 100 per cent,” says Caj-Erik Karp, owner and Managing Director of Mapromec.

“Increasing demands mean increasing coop-eration. We engage in both product develop-ment and forecasting with our customers,” explains Karp.

Leading in piston pinsMapromec is best known as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of piston pins for die-sel engines. Mapromec accounts for over half of the global production of large piston pins, weighing 10 kilograms and up. The company also makes other components, mainly shafts, for diesel engines, as well as for electrical motors.

The common denominator of Mapromec’s products is that they are difficult to manufac-ture. They must be heat-treated and sanded and their tolerance is very low.

Investments in robotsCaj-Erik Karp has long been a strong propo-nent of robots, in which Mapromec has made big investments.

“They ensure higher quality, improve our competitiveness and alleviate workforce shortage,” he says.

The robot investments, among other things, boost Mapromec’s confidence in the future.

“Large industrial enterprises continue to re-duce their own manufacture. They are increas-ingly turning to outsourcing, which brings in more work for subcontractors,” says Karp.

“This also means it is no longer enough to just supply a part. We must be able to assem-ble whole entities.”

Reliable deliveries and quality are some-thing that customers appreciate.

“Medium-sized subcontractors offer bet-ter service than bigger ones, since we truly consider customers to be our cooperation partners,” explains Caj-Erik Karp. c

“Customers are cooperation partners to us. We almost think of them as one of Mapromec’s units,” says Managing Director Caj-Erik Karp.

mapromecTel. +358 10 229 0150 www.mapromec.fiBusiness sector: Metal industry; parts for diesel engines and electrical motors.Turnover 2010: €22 millionEmployees 2010: 76Major markets: Europe

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THREE OF the Leinolat Group companies were recently approved as nuclear power plant suppliers. To achieve this, they went through an iron-hard quality control proc-ess, which only the best stand a chance to pass.

This shows the level of quality the Vaasa-based family company offers.

Leinolat Group comprises six com-panies, all of which operate in the metal sector. Jointly, they offer wide-ranging competence.

Extensive knowledge of metalsThe Group’s parent company, Leinolat, is a family enterprise founded in 1962.

Leimec specialises in sheet metal production and air-conditioning know-how, while Adiabatix offers industrial insulating solutions for demanding environments, such as ship engines, nuclear power plants and oil rigs. Uwira’s range includes welded products, pressure vessels and prefabri-cated piping for companies in the energy and shipbuilding industries. LVI-Leinolat develops HVAC ventilation and air-condi-tioning solutions for residences and indus-try. Kilkanen, in turn, supplies demanding and versatile CNC-controlled machining to the medium-heavy industry.

Highest level of qualityLeinolat has solid knowledge of metal products, metal services and ventilation solutions.

Although the companies work as independent units, they engage in a great deal of cooperation, which ensures that Leinolat Group can optimise its resources from product development to finished products. The company group also delivers large tailored systems and entities, which are seeing increasing demand among customers. Leinolat Group is an integral part of the Vaasa region energy cluster, but it also serves customers around the world.

Bound by traditionsLeinolat Group remains true to its family company values even though it has experi-enced steep growth in the 21st century.

“The original entrepreneurs of the com-panies we’ve acquired have stayed on as managers,” says Raimo Leinola, Managing Director.

“We take responsibility for our products and guarantee that they continue to func-tion after the warranty period.” c

“Leinolat has made big inputs into raising productivity. We have invested in control systems and quality assurance,” says Managing Director Raimo Leinola.

The 50-year-old Leinolat Group is a family enterprise with traditions.

leinolat groupTel. +358 10 289 6800 www.leinolat.fiBusiness sector: Pressure vessels, prefabricated and bended pipes, advanced insulation solutions, high-quality sheet metal products and mechanics, ventilation & air conditioning solutions and CNC-controlled machining.Turnover 2010: €20 millionEmployees 2010: 170Export: 60%Major markets: Europe, USACertificates: ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004, EN ISO 3834-2:2005, OHSAS 18001

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“For us, craftsman-ship is the alpha and omega. Every detail is the work of a human hand,” say Kenneth Nyfelt and Elisabet Holm from Baltic Yachts in Jakobstad.

BALTIC YACHTS combines the foremost qualities of sailboats with aesthetics and comfort. This results in the world’s leading racing yachts, offering the best possible performance along with luxurious interiors.

“We can collect the world’s top experts under one roof,” says Kenneth Nyfelt, Marketing Director of Baltic Yachts in Jakobstad. “We customise every order. Our customers have exclusive and selective tastes, which means we cooperate with leading designers worldwide to accom-modate their wishes. We can build anything from a pure racer to a high-performance, fully furnished cruiser, and everything in between.”

Moving, enhancing or outsourcing pro-duction are not on the company’s agenda.

“For us, craftsmanship is the alpha and omega. Every detail is made by hand, with the utmost accuracy. Boatbuilding is an age-old tradition in this region. We combine tradition with cutting-edge competence and technology,” says Elisabet Holm, Mar-keting and PR Coordinator.

Lifelong service contractsThe luxury yachts setting sail from the port in Jakobstad are lightweighters of a unique kind.

World-leading lightweightersLaunched in 2011, Hetairos combines a classic silhouette with top-of-the-line performance in its impressive 66 metres.

“Our latest flagship, Hetairos, features materials used in space shuttles,” explains Nyfelt.

Yacht building is a long process. At Baltic Yachts it takes place in close cooperation with the customer.

“It is important for us to build close rela-tionships with customers. We accompany them all the way, from the first design stages to lifelong service contracts.”

Customers have widely varying expecta-tions. Sometimes boatbuilding is a joint project, with the company and customer bouncing ideas off one another. Other customers know exactly what they want and wish to be involved in every minute technical detail.

“We are equally comfortable with both ways of working. We construct jointly with, not for, the customer,” says Nyfelt.

Wind in their sailsCustomer relationships do not end with the launch.

“Both the yachts and customers are always welcome back. The ideal option is to have the same team that built the boat also service it. At a time when many others are looking for more breadth and efficiency in their production, we are going for further specialisation and an increasing focus on craftsmanship. We represent razor-sharp competence in our own niche,” Holm and Nyfelt point out. c

Baltic Yachts represents solid Ostrobothnian craftsmanship.

baltic yachts

Tel. +358 6 781 9200 www.balticyachts.fiBusiness sector: Custom-made superyachtsTurnover: €38 millionEmployees: 155Export: 100%Major markets: Europe

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Modern classicsA Swan combines performance and comfort with maritime safety. That secures the company a good reputation worldwide.

Nautor’s Swan builds sailing yachts ranging from 42 to 130 feet.

FOR NEARLY HALF a century, Nautor has supplied seas around the world with beauti-ful sailing yachts, sporting the character-istic logo and a good reputation. We’re naturally talking about Swan yachts.

“We’ve got three lodestars in our sky,” says Ulf Finnäs, technical director at Nau-tor’s Swan. “They represent Performance, Style and Comfort.”

Swan boats are known for their good and reliable properties in terms of racing, but the yachts are also used equally for cruising.

“People want to enjoy time out at sea. Many combine regattas with more tranquil sailing,” Finnäs explains.

Sailing with the comfort of a luxury hotelNautor has customers all around the world, but a shift from the US to the European markets has taken place in recent years.

“The average age of our customers has been quite high, but we recently introduced a smaller model that attracts a younger target group in particular. It could be called a sport yacht, since it represents cutting-edge technology and design.”

As for comfort, a great deal of develop-ment has taken place in the past twenty years.

“Sailing yachts used to be surrounded by something of a camping atmosphere, and it wasn’t always easy to get wives on board,” says Finnäs, chuckling. “Today, many yachts offer the comfort of small luxury hotels. They provide everything you need – and a bit more – plus the finishing of the details leaves hardly anything to be desired.”

According to Ulf Finnäs, the boatbuilding traditions dating back hundreds of years in the Jakobstad region help the company build world-class yachts.

nautor’s swanwww.nautorswan.comBusiness sector: Semi-custom yachtsTurnover: €35 millionEmployees: 280Major markets: Europe, USA

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Altered marketIt has never been easy to sell luxury items, and the latest recession did not make it any easier.

“Although the situation in the sector has stabilised, there’s still caution in the air. I’m not sure I dare hope we’ll someday return to where we were. What we must do instead is find new strategies for surviv-ing in an altered market,” says Finnäs. “Boatbuilding’s in our genes. A centuries-old tradition of handicraft and know-how will weather storms, both at sea and on land.” c

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“The new joystick control system gives manoeuvrability brand new dimensions. Control units can easily be linked to the operator’s chair and bridge console,” says Thomas Renlund.

ROLLS-ROYCE KOKKOLA’S MISSION is to create safe, reliable and efficient propulsion systems for high-speed ves-sels. Tomas Renlund, Vice President of Rolls-Royce Kokkola, is well aware of the customers’ great expectations, as the company is trusted to deliver excellence. The Rolls-Royce Kokkola plant makes waterjet propulsors for markets all over the world. The company has a great and committed team ensuring that customer expectations are met.

“Our waterjets are among the lightest in the market, have superior efficiency and feature an ingenious control system,” says Renlund. Pure Rolls-Royce, that is.

Waterjet efficiency and easy-to-use control systemWaterjets are especially well suited to high-speed vessels and according to Ren-lund, waterjets offer several benefits.

“Their manoeuvrability is in a class of its own, since the waterjet can steer the vessel in any direction, even sideways. Waterjets ensure safe manoeuvring even in shallow waters.”

The new Rolls-Royce control system is pioneering. Instead of a steering wheel it features a joystick system used to control the vessel. The new compact system offers

Delivering excellence Rolls-Royce Kokkola boasts the highest pump technology competence in the field, truly knowing how to maximise the horsepower available. The company’s mission is to produce the best waterjets in the market.

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many functions and also accommodates various applications.

“A compact canbus-based control sys-tem features a stay-on-spot function, and can be used to carry out maintenance plan-ning and data logging,” explains Renlund.

Efficiency gives competitive advantageGood manoeuvrability and high efficiency have made Rolls-Royce waterjets popular among the authorities and commercial operators worldwide. Waterjets are also

frequently installed in passenger ships, patrol boats, naval vessels, workboats and luxury yachts.

“Good efficiency and a superb control system are appreciated in special vessels used for servicing and maintaining wind farms. The vessels must remain totally stationary next to the power plant, and our products are ideal for that,” says Renlund.

Environmental friendliness is an important element in design. The A-series waterjets, for example, offer lower fuel consumption through higher efficiency. Renlund uses the concept “positive design spiral” to characterise product develop-ment: persistent work has increased the top speeds of waterjets by a few knots and made it possible to select a smaller sized jet. That, in turn, means further weight reduction and lower fuel consumption. c

Rolls-Royce waterjets are light in weight but heavy in capacity.

rolls-royce oy ab, kokkola unit

Tel. +358 6 832 4500 www.rolls-royce.comBusiness sector: WaterjetsOverall turnover 2010: €573 millionEmployees: 75Major markets: Global

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Aluminium rocks on wavesKewatec AluBoat’s exports increase by a few per cent a year. Safe pilot boats have been designed to cope with poor weather conditions and strong winds.

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Kewatec AluBoat serves authorities in demanding tasks.

ONE OF THE LEADING Nordic aluminium boat manufacturers is located in Kokkola. Kewatec AluBoat makes boats from seven to twenty-four metres in length, which are primarily designed for professional use. Pilot boats, oil-spill response vessels, working boats and taxi boats must satisfy tough demands. According to Karl-Erik Wargh, Kewatec AluBoat’s Managing Director, one solution to the challenges presented is aluminium, the best possible material for boat construction.

“Aluminium is a light and durable metal. It is maintenance-free and, if correctly installed and handled, corrosion-resistant. The reputation of aluminium improves year after year,” he says.

Safety and oil-spill responseKewatec AluBoat has developed oil-spill response features for its fairway mainte-nance vessels. When ice-strengthened, the new, improved and updated fleet can be used in channels with up to 10 cm of ice.

“The oil-spill response features are built into the vessel. First the oil is collected and bagged, and once the water and oil have been separated, the bags are picked up into another boat,” says Wargh, introducing the handy and quick oil-spill recovery process.

Kewatec AluBoat has made big inputs

into the safety of its own boats. A great deal of attention has been given to SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) regulations: in addition to updating the oil-spill response equipment, damage stability and fire safety have been improved.

Cost-effective boatWargh says a general trend at the moment is to invest in the life-cycle expenses of boats. Energy-efficiency is in heavy demand.

“We focus more and more on the initial concept to be able to supply customers with vessels ideally suited to their in-tended use. It calls for expertise to specify the right solutions ensuring a lighter, yet efficient boat. The purchase decision is influenced by the overall expenses for the next 15 years,” says Wargh.

In addition to public-sector products, the company builds the Easy line for the private sector. The line’s boats feature a patented, opening bow door, which facili-tates landing and loading.

“However, our future inputs will focus increasingly on oil-spill response, pilot and taxi boats. We will satisfy customer needs especially in the public sector. The goal of our boats is to generate income to customers.” c

“Ice-strengthened vessels have thicker plates and their buttresses are more densely spaced,” explains Karl-Erik Wargh, Managing Director of Kewatec AluBoat.

kewatec aluboat oy abwww.kewatec.fiBusiness sector: Custom-built aluminium vessels 7–24 metresTurnover 2011: €5.6 millionEmployees: 31+10Export: 40%Major markets: Finland, Scandinavia

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The knowledge companyOne of KWH’s main brands is Weholite, a high-quality structured-wall pipe. The Weholite pipe is manufactured by spiral welding PE- or PP-profiles.

Development-oriented KWH Group is a market leader in many niches.

“We want to spearhead technological development,” says Peter Höglund, President of KWH Group, one of Finland’s biggest family-owned corporations.

IT IS ALL ABOUT SPEARHEADING techno-logical development, and that is something you achieve only by making big inputs into product development.

This is one way to summarise the strat-egy of KWH Group, which boasts top-notch competence and a globally strong market position in several niches.

“We develop new technology, and can do so thanks to the networks we’ve built to provide us with specialists in all areas,” explains Peter Höglund, Group President.

KWH Mirka, presented on the following page, is the most development-intensive part of the company.

Functional pipesThe largest business group in terms of turnover is KWH Pipe, a manufacturer of plastic pipe systems.

“We focus on niche markets for function-al piping solutions (FPS),” says Höglund.

The mining industry is a typical custom-er. KWH’s plastic pipes are more durable than steel pipes and save customers money. Their costs are minimal compared to the losses incurred from production standstill during pipe replacements.

KWH Group is also involved in the plas-tics industry through two other companies. KWH Plast creates special packaging for the food industry, while Prevex makes products for the plumbing sector.

KWH Plast is primarily a development company, but it also works for other manu-facturers. Its goal is to replace energy-intensive materials, such as glass and cans, with plastics that require less energy.

Prevex is a typical example of KWH’s niche philosophy. The company is a Euro-pean market leader in traps for sinks.

KWH Logistics, in turn, operates in ten ports on the Finnish west coast through the Backman-Trummer Group.

Even the logistics sector has room for a strong, narrow niche. KWH Freeze is Fin-land’s dominant cold storage provider, with around half of all frozen foods in Finland passing through its facilities.

Long-term perspectiveThe KWH Group is one of Finland’s biggest family-owned corporations. The company has been involved in many industrial sec-

tors and has always succeeded in adapting to the demands of the times.

A conversation with Peter Höglund is about change, renewal and rapid develop-ment, but also about endurance and the family company’s long-term perspective.

“Whenever you set up something new, you wait 20 to 25 years before it earns you income. It’s our long-term perspective that enables us to develop new things.” c

kwh group ltdTel. +358 20 778 7111 www.kwhgroup.comTurnover 2010 (Group): €484.5 millionEmployees 2010 (Group): 2,627

KWH Pipe Ltd www.kwhpipe.comBackman-Trummer www.backman-trummer.fiKWH Freeze Ltd www.kwhfreeze.com KWH Plast Ltd www.kwhplast.comOy Prevex Ab www.prevex.com

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A perfect finishMirka’s sanding systems are world leaders in dust-free sanding. Mirka® DEROS is a next-generation sanding tool.

Mirka makes a major investment in training.

MIRKA, THE WORLD LEADER in innovative dust-free sanding and abrasive technology, is a key player in the KWH Group. (See the previous page.)

Mirka develops abrasive systems for the automotive refinish, vehicle manufactur-ing, wood processing and marine indus-tries, among others.

It offers complete sanding systems, con-sisting of abrasives, polishing compounds and tools, backed by a team of customer support specialists.

Mirka is now making big inputs into increasingly better customer training. The fundamental principle is: ‘train the trainers’. The new training centre in Jeppo makes it possible for even more end-users to be schooled in the same place where product development and manufacture take place.

“Mirka was the world’s first company to introduce dust-free sanding. Now eve-ryone is talking about it,” says CEO Ralf Karlström.

Mirka has managed to maintain its technological lead thanks to Abranet®, the revolutionary net to which the abrasive material is fixed.

“No one else has a net like this,” says Karlström.

Mirka also produces electric sanding appliances.

“There aren’t many European companies

that export electric tools to China,” says Karlström, chuckling.

DEROS after CEROSThe real success is called Mirka® CEROS, a tool that weighs less than one kilogram and can be used with one hand.

Next to be launched is Mirka® DEROS, a new-generation sanding tool running on

“We are building a new training centre on our factory premises so we can provide customers with even better training,” says Ralf Karlström.

kwh mirka ltdwww.mirka.com Tel. +358 20 760 2111Business sector: Sanding systems, coated abrasivesTurnover 2010: €145 millionEmployees 2010: 796Major markets: USA, Europe, Far East

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a 240 V current, which does away with the need for a transformer.

Investment in the environmentAiming at green operations, the company will make a 10-million-euro investment to reduce its carbon footprint in cooperation with Ekokem Oy Ab. The company will build a power plant and replace the oil boiler with a boiler that primarily runs on bio chips and waste, but can also burn paper waste from the company’s own production.

Despite a global focus, Mirka is strongly anchored to its home district through the family-owned KWH Group, as well as its employees and suppliers.

“We try to get as much as possible of our raw material and subcontracting along the Kokkola–Vaasa axis on the west coast,” says Ralf Karlström. c

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Composite expertNCE, a pipe manufacturer from Jakobstad, delivered a large metallurgical project to the Dominican Republic in 2011 and 2012.

NCE delivers more appropriate and durable composite solutions.

“We are a safe player to turn to,” says Dan Björkskog, CEO of NCE. “We handle the construction of reactors, so customers can concentrate on their own business.”

NCE SPECIALISES IN COMPOSITES and strives to satisfy the needs of the metal-lurgical and recycling industries in the Nordic countries and Europe. Other target groups include the chemical, paper and mining industries. In practice, the company makes chimneys, tanks, scrubbers and pipes, all of which are constructed to cope with great challenges in terms of corrosion and high pressure, while also taking envi-ronmental issues into consideration.

“What we live off is developing and optimising solutions to better match our customers’ objectives. To put it simply, we know composites in and out, are good at strength analyses and can thereby offer more appropriate solutions to our custom-ers,” says Dan Björkskog, the company’s CEO. “While we aren’t the cheapest option, we can guarantee superior quality and durable products.”

On the threshold of an exciting spin-offThe company is about to launch a brand new type of solution. In line with its empha-sis on industrial sustainability and environ-mental preservation, NCE is now expand-ing to the development and manufacturing of rotor blades for wind power plants.

“We are currently developing proto-types and will get going with serial produc-

tion in 2013. The rotor blade business will be run by a spin-off company in the future,” says Björkskog.

Today, all production takes place at the facilities located way out in the port of Jakobstad.

“We are superbly located in view of transportation and volumes,” explains Björkskog. “We have a wide reach. In addi-tion to Finland, we also deliver products to Zambia, the Dominican Republic and the rest of Scandinavia.

Initiator of new education Although the region boasts high compe-tence in composite materials, there is

always room for improvement. NCE there-fore took the initiative to offer a new kind of customised education in cooperation with Optima, a local vocational institute. The education is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2012.

“We are, of course, looking after our own interests and hope to find new and competent people, but the education will naturally serve many other industries in the region as well,” says Björkskog.

Dan Björkskog does not worry about an unstable global economy.

“I feel confident. The future demand in our core customer segments will not de-crease, quite the opposite, in fact. We look ahead with an optimistic five-year plan that has stable growth as its theme.” c

nce oyTel. +358 6 781 8200 www.nce.fiBusiness sector: Composite solutionsTurnover: €8 millionEmployees: 60Export: 70%Major markets: The Nordic countries and Europe

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Creating movementThe automated vehicle for rock drill steel handling exemplifies Solving’s approach. The vehicle is fully automated and tailored to its purpose of use.

Solving moves heavy loads on both air bearings and wheels.

TAILORS ARE what Peter Björk, Solving’s CEO, likes to call his staff.

“Customer needs are the focus of operations: our whole concept is based on satisfying our customers’ requirements in the best possible way. This is why we offer tailored solutions, developed in close cooperation with the customer.”

Solving is one of the few players in the world working with indoor heavy load han-dling, the word “heavy” referring to weights from ten to hundreds of tonnes.

The unit in Jakobstad manufactures high-tech products.

“We’re talking about entities in which both software and hardware are equally important. This means our employees must possess the highest possible level of competence.”

Production currently focuses to a large extent on fully automated vehicles that navigate on their own, using, for example, laser, wire or tape guidance.

From air to wheelsSolving’s equipment for heavy load handling has traditionally been based on air film technology. Today, more and more of its products move on wheels.

“Development is continuous: new struc-tures and, more importantly, new materials enable increasingly heavy loads to be

transported on wheels as well,” says Björk. “A combination of air bearings and wheels is also a viable alternative for some types of transport.”

Solving has a wide customer base, with the motor, heavy workshop, heavy electric, steel and paper industries playing an important role.

“We are now working increasingly with the rail and airline sectors,” says Peter

Solving’s CEO, Peter Björk, compares the task of supplying transport equipment for heavy load handling with the work of a tailor: “You must come up with the ultimately perfect fit.”

ab solving oyTel. +358 6 781 7500 www.solving.comBusiness sector: Systems for heavy load handlingTurnover 2011: €12 millionEmployees: 50Export: 80%Major markets: Worldwide

Solving GroupTurnover: €22 millionEmployees: 140

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Björk. “The manufacture of the Airbus A 350 takes up much of our time at the mo-ment, but the Chinese rail industry is also important.”

Comprehensive serviceServices have become an important part of Solving’s operations over the years.

“The services we offer are wide in scope. They can involve anything from training the customer’s staff to performing on-site installations and remote diagnostics, which means we can access the customer’s machines from our production plant in Jakobstad,” explains Björk. “We strive to be a lifelong partner.” c

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“We have launched calibration services for a new variable: temperature. Furthermore, the new temperature block product range was launched in 2011,” say CEO Raimo Ahola and Vice President Jan-Henrik Svensson.

TO ENSURE HIGH QUALITY and optimised production, companies need to calibrate the measurement instruments used in their production processes. Even the best instruments age and wear in use, which leads to drifts in their accuracy. Jakobstad-based Beamex has developed a calibration system that ensures consistent instru-ment accuracy according to the customers’ requirements.

60 countriesBeamex has continued to grow and progress throughout its lifetime. Accord-ing to Raimo Ahola, CEO, the company has become one of the world’s leading calibra-tion solution providers. New branch offices

Beamex expands Beamex offers accessories supporting calibration products, systems and software. Recalibration and service, user training, spare parts, software maintenance and information system integration are also available from the company.

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and distributors have enabled the company to expand to an impressive 60 countries.

“We have recently established affili-ates in India, China and Saudi Arabia and during the last two years we have signed contracts with new distributors in Brazil, Denmark and Switzerland,” Ahola contin-ues. “This rapid expansion has continuously required new recruitments, and in 2011 we acquired 14 new employees,” he adds.

In addition to global expansion, a new territorial conquest is now underway: Beamex has begun offering temperature-related calibration products and services in addition to those measuring pressure, electronic signals, current, length and mass.

“Temperature is a highly synergic new variable, since it allows us to serve existing customer groups more comprehensively than ever before,” says a satisfied Ahola.

Complete focus on calibrationBeamex’s automated and integrated calibration system consists of calibrators, workstations, software and services. The company is one of a kind in offering such a package.

“Since this is the focus of our whole business, we can take the role of a total supplier to fully satisfy customer needs,” explains Jan-Henrik Svensson, VP, Sales and Marketing at Beamex.

This has resulted in new global key ac-counts and frame agreements with some of the largest actors on the market.

Beamex’s customers include world-lead-ing companies in industries such as oil and gas, food and beverage, power and energy and pharmaceuticals. The integrated and automated system enables the company’s calibration products to interact electroni-cally with factory systems.

“Large industrial companies expect efficiency from their calibration systems, which is why they favour Beamex,” Svens-son says. c

New markets, new customers, new products and increased personnel.

beamexTel. +358 10 550 5000 [email protected] www.beamex.comBusiness sector: Development and manufacturing of high-quality calibration equipment, software, systems and services for the calibration and maintenance of process instruments.Turnover (2011): €19 million Employees: 120Export: 95%Major markets: WorldwideCertificates: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 17025, ATEX/IECEx ApprovalParent company: Sarlin Group Oy Ab

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DURABLE CONTAINERS that guard against particle contamination and carry up to 1,000 litres, yet require only a minimum of storage space. This is what Fluid-Bag supplies to large industries around the world.

“We specialise in closed packaging systems that minimise the risk of contami-nation,” explains Jan Backman, Managing Director.

A traditional bulk container must be cleaned and disinfected. Besides, a stainless-steel container is just as bulky whether empty or full.

From mining to pharmaceuticalsThe company makes plastic transportation and storage containers at its unit in Jakob-stad under meticulously supervised condi-tions. Ninety-six per cent of the production is exported, mainly to the EU and other Nordic countries, but the African, Austral-ian and Indonesian mining industries also constitute an important market.

“Our product also satisfies the pharma-ceutical industry’s strict requirements for hygienic packaging. Our containers ensure a minimum of waste material, which is important from both an environmental and an economic perspective.”

Generally speaking, the plastic container can be emptied to the very last drop. Fluid-Bag assures a residue of 0.5 per cent after

To the very last dropOne major advantage of the Fluid-Bag container is the ease and efficiency of discharge.

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discharge. It is very little, seeing as the figure of many competitors is around seven per cent.

“Our product is effective in many ways: there is practically no residue, the contain-ers need a minimum amount of space, and the pallets can be reused. It is important for us to combine an ecological approach

with economically smart solutions,” explains Jan Backman.

Introducing new thinkingFluid-Bag, based in Jakobstad, continues to develop its products and their areas of use.

“We produce containers suitable for our customers’ products and test new types of plastic and foil,” says Backman. “Our challenge is to convince customers that it is safe to store incredibly expensive products in a flexible container made of plastic.” c

Fluid-Bag’s flexible containers carry up to 1,000 litres, but take up hardly any transportation space when empty. The transportation boxes behind CEO Jan Backman hold 20 containers.

Fluid-Bag’s containers increase efficiency.

fluid-bag ltdTel. +358 20 779 0444 www.fluid-bag.comBusiness sector: Container system for handling liquids in industrial quantitiesTurnover 2010: €9.5 millionEmployees 2010: 49 in Finland and 23 in ThailandExport: 96%Major markets: Europe and South-East Asia

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Rettig Värme is Scandinavia’s biggest radiator supplier. Carl-Anders Nygård and Mia Högkvist believe that water-based radiators with a modern design are the best way to satisfy future heating needs.

EU’S CLIMATE GOAL calls for a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. At that time, renewables must account for at least 20 per cent of the power used and energy efficiency must have improved by 20 per cent.

“This is a target that applies to all of Europe,” says Mia Högkvist, Marketing Manager at Rettig Värme in Jakobstad. “Finland is already well positioned in the field of renewables. What we aim at is to convince professionals about the fact that radiators are the best solution for low temperature heating systems. It is a pro-radiator programme that does not exclude underfloor heating systems, which also are part of our product portfolio.”

The human body generates watts. A computer that is turned on functions as a heat source, as do the rays of sun shining through the blinds.

“Our modern radiators react to tem-perature changes instantly, which is a must for smart energy use. For many years, underfloor heating has been marketed as the energy-efficient alternative. While it has its role to play, underfloor heating is not capable of adapting to indoor tempera-ture changes in the same effective way,” explains Högkvist.

20% smarter Design and performance prove that today’s radiators are well suited to meet new demands on form and function.

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Big savings from proper renovation“Making a thorough energy plan for the home can help to reduce indoor tempera-tures considerably. Insulation and windows make a big difference. In a properly renovated house, it is possible to make remarkable savings in heating costs,” says Carl-Anders Nygård, the company’s Managing Director.

However, radiators also play a crucial role. Many people renew their energy source, but carry on with the same radia-tors that may have been in use for decades.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with optimal heating,” says Nygård.

Embracing the future with design radiators To make an old invention trendy and ap-pealing, Rettig Värme focuses on minimal-ist and thin panels.

“You’ve got to think innovatively. Vertical radiators represent a new design and look, and water-based radiators provide the best solution to future energy demands. Radiators are anything but outdated; quite the contrary, they are on the threshold of a renaissance,” says Nygård. c

Rettig Värme believes in a radiator renaissance.

oy rettig värme abTel. +358 6 786 9111 www.purmo.fiBusiness sector: Water-based and electrical heating solutionsTurnover 2010: €45 millionEmployees: 160Export: 80%Major markets: Europe

Parent company: Rettig ICCTurnover: €550 millionEmployees: 3,000

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EUR-MARK, a manufacturer of individually designed environmental vehicles for suc-tion and high-pressure washing, is going through a long-term investment phase. The facility in Nykarleby is being expanded, and in June 2011 the company got a new owner when its long-time cooperation partner, Kaiser Ag from Liechtenstein, stepped in at the helm.

“We aren’t an investment company out to make quick money. We strive to be the best in our field and work as a responsible player in the region,” say Kurt Vienonen and Patrik Spåra.

With its family company background, continuity and a people-oriented approach are fundamental to Eur-Mark.

“Kaiser shares our values, being a family-run business with long traditions.”

Working to satisfy a constant need“A company is equal to the people working there. Without the right staff, you’re noth-ing more than the walls and roof surround-ing you. We rightly boast an incredibly competent personnel and are always on the lookout for suitable employees,” explains Vienonen.

Eur-Mark is the uncontested number

The professional solutionIt’s not until sewer networks fail to work as they should that people pay attention to their existence. Eur-Mark manufactures vehicles used to wash sewers, cleanse industrial facilities and maintain sewer networks.

one in the sector, when talking about the Scandinavian and Baltic markets.

“The change in ownership also gives us access to the European market. Our products are in constant demand. As long as there are people around, there will be gullies that need to be cleaned and wells that need to be emptied.”

Communication is everythingWith Sweden being the largest market, Kurt Vienonen, Patrik Spåra and Magnus Karhunmaa believe the company’s geo-graphic location offers many advantages.

“We operate in the world’s best place! Communication is crucial to all business, and we’re at the centre of everything here. We’ve got Swedish as our mother tongue, as well as strong and fluent skills in Finnish. Add to that the other Nordic languages that come ‘for free’, plus Estonian, which is like a second cousin to Finnish,” explains Vienonen.

Although Eur-Mark is not set on becom-ing the biggest player, it will not compro-mise on being the best.

“The number one is the last one forced to step down. It’s that simple,” says Patrik Spåra. c

“We aim to work as a responsible player in the region. This sector has a bright future ahead of it,” say Kurt Vienonen, Patrik Spåra and Magnus Karhunmaa.

Eur-Mark meets fundamental needs with high technology.

oy eur-mark abTel. +358 6 781 3400 www.eurmark.fiBusiness sector: Sanitation aggregatesTurnover: €12 millionEmployees: 54Export: 70%Major markets: Finland, Scandinavia, the Baltic States

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Mikael Eklund is the third-generation Managing Director of the leading Nordic specialist in transportation technology. He believes the family will carry on its entrepreneurial traditions long into the future.

EKERI, A TRAILER MANUFACTURER, has made the ‘easy loading’ concept its lode-star. The goods must be easy to load and fasten, in addition to which the company wants to maintain smooth contacts with its customers and satisfy their special wishes.

“Our niche is the manufacture of trailers with side-opening doors. They are a direct answer to the special demands set by Scandinavian logistics. It’s all about long transport routes and a great variation in goods. The trailer space must adapt to the freighting of refrigerated food in one direction and of wood on the way back,” explains Mikael Eklund, Managing Director. “For the customer, a special trailer is an investment that pays back.”

From small-scale carpentry to big exportsMikael Eklund’s grandfather founded the company in 1945. Today the family looks back on a history leading from small-scale carpentry work to a position as the leading Nordic specialist in logistics and transpor-tation technology.

“Family companies are a natural phe-nomenon in Ostrobothnia. We are used to getting along on our own and are born into an entrepreneurial environment that is

Easy loadingEkeri supplies special trailers with side-opening doors to make loading as easy as possible. Every trailer is tailored to the customer’s needs.

both visionary and realistic. What is more, the region’s entrepreneurial spirit means there are always plenty of subcontractors around,” says Eklund.

After the steep plunge experienced during the last recession, the company’s performance has now rebounded to previ-ous levels.

“Our plant in Kållby delivers twelve trailers every week. This also shows on the road, especially in Scandinavia.”

Right distribution channels at the root of allEkeri continuously works on expanding its service offering. Different types of leases

and service agreements are a part of the supplementary services the company of-fers its customers.

“The goal is to serve customers over a period much longer than just the manufac-ture of a specially ordered trailer.”

Eklund emphasises that it is crucial for companies to find the right marketing and distribution channels.

“What’s there to gain if you have a su-perb product that no one knows of? We’ve got the right channels to reach customers, but there are still many ways we can con-tribute to the market. We’ve got nearly 70 years of entrepreneurship under our belt. I believe we will remain a family busi-ness long into the future.” c

Ekeri offers customised solutions for demanding transportation needs.

ab ekeri oyTel. +358 6 788 7400 www.ekeri.comBusiness sector: Trailers, semitrailers and truck bodiesTurnover 2010: €33 millionEmployees: 155Export: 75%Major markets: The Nordic countries, Holland, the UK and Germany

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NORDAUTOMATION SUPPLIES log handling equipment to sawmills around the world. Its customers include large forest groups and individual sawmills that are looking for high-quality and reliable wood-handling equipment. According to Pauli Ojala, Managing Director, Nordau-tomation’s own mechanical workshop, along with its design, electrification and automation units give the company a great competitive edge.

“We can ensure high-quality products and a fast and reliable delivery schedule, thanks to design and production taking place under our own roof,” he says.

Eyes set on AustraliaNordautomation’s sites in Kristiinankau-punki and Alajärvi are hard at work thanks to a new territorial conquest. The company has signed a major export deal in Australia, which involves a log-handling line for a new sawmill. Ojala knows that once you get your foot in the door, future sales in the new country will be a great deal easier.

“Australia has huge forest resources, but no equipment industry in this field. Strategically speaking, this is an incredibly important move for us,” he says.

More and more forest companies opt for

Wood runs around the globeNordautomation offers comprehensive service. It tailors its overall solutions to customer needs and teaches the staff how to use the facilities.

Nordautomation, thanks to its excellent references and satisfied customers. The company has become the leading Nordic supplier of log-handling equipment for sawmills. Export to Sweden and Norway is well-established, and the company has also made inroads into Russia in the wake of large forest company customers.

“We’ve also got references in France and Eastern Europe. To give an example, we built Latvia’s largest sawmill,” says Ojala.

Well-scheduled projects and satisfied customersThe company’s product is a demanding and thorough project, in which many details

must be integrated in a given time frame. In a new country, work always involves product adjustments based on the wood species and the purpose of use.

“Nordautomation always offers com-prehensive service. We design and deliver the facility, train the staff and handle post-monitoring. Much of the post-monitoring can also be done online,” Ojala explains.

Solid expertise in project work promises success also in the future. The forest industry is a cyclical business, but Nord-automation enjoys a stable position.

“We want to be number one in log-handling; it’s our special field of compe-tence.” c

“The work of Nordautomation’s project managers is demanding. There’s no room for compromise in quality and schedules. Our customers are exceedingly satisfied with our skilled and committed personnel,” says Pauli Ojala.

Nordautomation is very particular about quality and delivery schedules.

nordautomation oyTel. +358 20 761 6200 www.nordautomation.fi [email protected] Business sector: Mechanical forest industryTurnover 2011: €10 millionEmployees: 80Export: 50%Major markets: WorldwideCertificates: ISO 9001:2000

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“In addition to our manufacturing competence in the field of earth-moving machines, we also offer service, maintenance and spare part services,” says John Hagnäs.

A. HÄGGBLOM is Finland’s leading manu-facturer of undercarriages for earth-moving machinery, as well as a spare part supplier. The company has achieved its prestigious status thanks to over 50 years of experience, a thorough understanding of the field and a comprehensive service chain. A. Häggblom designs, manufactures, services and supplies spare parts for earth-moving machines, ensuring the earth moves both today and tomorrow.

Spare parts for rough useEarth-moving is tough on the machinery and machine components. The demanding conditions in mines put a continuous strain on excavator buckets, teeth and tracks. A. Häggblom’s spare part sales aim to keep construction sites running effortlessly.

“We have Finland’s biggest range in stock. It contains almost 7,000 items, including wear parts for earth-moving machines, repair sets and components for CAT engines. We want to offer as many parts as possible in the field,” says John Hagnäs, Managing Director of A. Häggblom.

A. Häggblom offers spare parts to both quality- and price-conscious customers. Its main and supplementary representations encompass 30 different brands.

Heavyweight champion A. Häggblom supplies buckets to the Talvivaara mine. A sturdy structure, efficient protection and Esco’s replacement wear parts considerably lengthen the service life of the valuable buckets.

“We practically offer components for all excavator brands and models in the market. Our spare parts mainly come from northern Italy, where the big suppliers operate,” Hagnäs explains.

Manufacturer of large bucketsThe current mining boom in Finland ensures good demand for A. Häggblom’s products. The country’s only manufacturer of the largest and most demanding buck-ets, A. Häggblom makes buckets that carry five to twenty cubic metres, weigh over 20 tonnes and bring added efficiency to mines.

Even the teeth of large buckets may weigh 70 kg each.

“Buckets are high-tech products that must withstand extremely high forces. They are made of wear-resistant steel, since they must endure a great deal yet be as light as possible,” Hagnäs explains.

Each large bucket is tailored to the customer’s machine and purpose of use. Buckets used in tough mining work need to be serviced every three months. Charac-teristic of A. Häggblom’s good customer service is that the buckets serviced by it are as good as new. The company always carries a wide range of other wear parts, as well. c

A. Häggblom’s spare part sales reliably cater to customer needs.

ab a. häggblom oyTel. +358 207 658 200 www.haggblom.fiBusiness sector: Metal products for earth-moving machinesTurnover 2011: €22 millionExport: Indirectly appr. 90%Major markets: Finland and Northern Europe

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Safety firstUPM Pietarsaari is a large industry that aims to make as small an environmental impact as possible on its surroundings.

UPM substitutes fossil fuels with biofore.

UPM PIETARSAARI boasts long traditions in pulp and paper production. A history going back over a hundred years has made the company one of the region’s main employers. The pulp and paper manufac-turer is now preparing for major challenges brought about by changing markets and a shifting world order.

“We are looking at a whole new competi-tive environment,” says Kenneth Winberg, General Manager of the UPM Pietarsaari mill. “Large, new units on the other side of the globe will prove to be tough contend-ers, especially in pulp production. We are now bracing ourselves for five difficult years. The only alternative is to improve our efficiency, in terms of both production and costs.”

Fully independent of fossil fuelsWhat the unit in Jakobstad is really good at is conserving energy.

“We are extremely energy-efficient,” explains Winberg. “We sell a great deal of electricity to the Finnish grid, and all of our production is located under one roof. We at UPM also innovated the biofore concept. It means we are fully independent of fossil fuels: our production is bio-based through and through.”

The product itself circulates in recycling devices several times before it is treated as waste.

“Paper is, after all, a material that is reused countless times before it disap-pears,” Winberg points out. “The paper we make here ends up as different types of packaging papers.”

Industrial safety prioritisedIn addition to using an environmentally friendly manufacturing process, UPM Pietarsaari strives to cause the smallest possible environmental impact on its sur-roundings.

“We are a large industry, but we do not want the local population to negatively ex-perience our presence. It’s all about taking environmental aspects into consideration and minimising emissions.”

Industrial safety and the staff’s well-being are high on the mill’s agenda right now.

“This involves everything from handling top-level management in the best possible way to ensuring that people have sufficient education and training for their duties. Ul-timately, of course, our main concern is to avoid accidents at work. It’s not just about business: Safety first!” c

Kenneth Winberg, General Manager of the UPM Pietarsaari mill, expects small and medium-sized paper industry units to face tough challenges in the future.

upm, pietarsaariTel. +358 20 416 113 www.upm.comProducts: Bleached soft and hardwood pulp, packaging papersProduction capacity: Pulp mill 800,000 t/a and paper mill 195,000 t/aEmployees: Approximately 450Major markets: EuropeCertificates: Quality: ISO 9001Environment: ISO 14001 and EMASChain of custody: The right to use the PEFC and FSC logosWorking conditions: OHSAS 18001

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According to Managing Director Tom Nordström, the company is focusing on comprehensive solutions, the future emphasis lying on intelligent control and maintenance of production processes.

TOM NORDSTRÖM, the new Managing Director of LKI Käldman Ltd. (LKI), steady-handedly steers the large exporter of auto-mation solutions for sheet metal handling.

“Our customers generally work as sub-contractors. This usually involves process-ing thin sheets for computers, office and kitchen furnishings, as well as the whole telecom industry,” Nordström explains.

Service contracts on the rise“We’re currently expanding our indus-trial package by developing and adding complete automation solutions to it,” says Nordström. “When you buy a mobile phone, for example, it’s really the software you’re after, which actually gives you the user ex-perience. The same principle applies in our sector. It’s the software that customers interact with, which is why we’re making big efforts to develop it in a more user-friendly direction, enabling the customers to increase their competitive edge.”

The company is also expanding its service operations by offering new service concepts and at the same time supporting solution sales.

“We’re taking the whole system of an-nual contracts a step further. This means that customers can simply operate the systems, while we take charge of all instal-lation and service work. Turnkey solutions are the name of the game.”

Comprehensive solutionsLKI develops and manufactures equipment for the sheet metal industry, such as automation solutions for laser cutting machines and punch presses. The company engages in successful cooperation with Amada from Japan.

Exploiting new marketsThe recession a few years back dealt a big blow to the sheet metal industry, but 2011 brought a comeback for LKI. Thanks to its close cooperation with the Japanese com-pany Amada Co., Ltd., LKI now also exports its products to North America.

“Amada makes machines for steel processing, while we provide an automa-tion solution to enable a full, competitive package. We’re talking about more than 15 years of solid cooperation,” says Nord-ström.

After a few cautious years, the market is flourishing again.

“We’ve practically rebounded to pre-slump levels and have also succeeded in

making a breakthrough in North America,” says Nordström. c

LKI Käldman focuses on comprehensive solutions for the sheet metal industry.

lki käldman ltdTel. +358 20 7009 000 www.lki.netBusiness sector: Development and production of solutions for the automation of sheet metal handling for punch presses and laser cutting machines.Turnover 2011: €17 millionEmployees: 110 Export: 95%Major markets: Europe and North America

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mats sandström


Best-Hall – true to its name

Best-Hall constructed a unique exhibition hall for BBC’s hit series, Doctor Who, in Great Britain.

Tailored halls meet the highest criteria.

AIMING TO OFFER products that live up to their name, Best-Hall has grown into a lead-ing supplier of fabric-cladded hall solutions in the Nordic countries. Best-Hall buildings are constructed, among other things, as storage facilities, sports halls and airport hangars, as well as for protection in ports. They can be used for nearly any purpose, thanks to the advanced technology and accessories.

“We design, manufacture, equip and in-stall our halls totally according to customer needs. Our halls are supplied based on the turnkey principle,” explains Leif Fagernäs, Managing Director.

Tailored hallsBest-Hall designs and manufactures halls ranging from hundreds to thousands of square metres. In addition to PVC fabrics, the company also uses fixed structures such as metal sheet, wood and semi- finished components. The frames are always made of first-class steel that endures extremely demanding weather conditions. The building is erected on an asphalt foundation using a steel pile bolt-ing method developed by Best-Hall or on a concrete foundation.

Fagernäs believes that one of the com-pany’s main competitive advantages comes from the halls being fully customisable.

“We supply the halls with automation,

ventilation, air drying and lighting individu-ally designed for each case. In addition, the halls are always customised to accommo-date local snow and wind conditions,” he explains.

The fabric of Best-Hall’s maintenance-free fabric halls has a life cycle of 25 to 30 years. The life cycle of the steel frame, in turn, is 50 years or more.

Growing marketBest-Hall satisfies the increasingly tight official requirements. It also develops its operations according to customer wishes. The bearing structures carry several

“Thanks to our design skills, halls can be fully tailored to customer needs and wishes,” say Antti Karjalainen, senior designer, and Leif Fagernäs, Managing Director.

best-hall oyTel. +358 6 832 5000 [email protected] www.besthall.com Business sector: Sales, planning, manufacture and installation of halls with steel frame.Turnover 2011: €27 millionEmployees: 120Export: 40%Major markets: WorldwideCertificates: ISO 9001:2000

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quality labels, indicating the company is an approved and high-quality hall supplier. In addition to safety, the appearance of halls is coming under increasingly tough criteria.

“During the design phase, we do a lot of consulting with architects, who know how to adapt the properties of fabrics,” says Fagernäs.

Best-Hall is the Finnish market leader in fabric halls. The introduction of metal-cladded halls boosted the company’s domestic operations, which now account for 60 per cent of its overall operations. Its main export countries are Austria, Norway, the UK, France and Estonia.

“We annually deliver some 200 halls. In the future, we will continue to increase investments in our plant and put more and more emphasis on the look of our halls.” c

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“The demand for high-quality packaging films continues to increase in the Russian market,” says Mikael Ahlbäck.

PACKAGING SOLUTIONS PROVIDER Rani Plast has exported plastic products to Rus-sia since 1963. With customs and exports growing more challenging over the years, the company has long studied the option to build its own plant on the other side of the border.

Things finally started rolling in late 2011, when the company launched the construc-tion of a new plant in Kaluga, a city 200 kilometres south of Moscow.

“This is our biggest ever investment,” says Mikael Ahlbäck, Managing Director, “but also something we’ve dreamt of for many years.”

Films for RussiaRani Plast’s new plant in Russia will eventually account for a fifth of the Group’s overall production.

Enormous potentialThe new plant will come online at the begin-ning of 2012. It will produce the same kinds of plastic films, using the same type of machines, as those at Rani Plast’s primary plant in Teerijärvi, Finland.

In the first phase, the new plant will have 30 employees, most of whom will have attended training in Teerijärvi. Both the headcount and production will double in a few years’ time, and the Russian plant will account for some 20 per cent of Rani Plast’s overall production.

“The Russian market holds enormous po-tential and the demand for packaging films continuous to increase. In fact, it didn’t even drop during the latest recession,” Ahlbäck points out.

Strong family companyRani Plast is a family company with strong traditions in both growth and long-lasting customer contacts. The company was founded by Mikael Ahlbäck’s father, who was unable to find other work in his home town, Teerijärvi. Today, Rani Plast is by far the biggest producer of plastic films in Finland and has grown into an international corporation operating in several coun-tries. The company is the world’s biggest

supplier of dielectric films and the third biggest supplier of stretch films for agri-culture. Most of the production still takes place in Teerijärvi.

“We are solidly anchored to our home town, but it does not prevent us from going out into the world. In addition to our own plant in Russia, we also have joint venture plants in Sweden, Slovakia and Ukraine,” says Ahlbäck. c

Rani Plast’s new plant in Russia is the company’s biggest ever investment.

rani plastTel. +358 20 768 0111 Fax +358 20 768 0200 www.raniplast.comBusiness sector: Polyethylene and polypropylene films for packaging, industry and agricultureTurnover: 170Employees: 350Export: 50%Major markets: EuropeCertificates: ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001

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Virtuoso in tube solutions

T-Drill’s collaring method is globally unique. The company also offers solutions for flanging, cutting and end-forming. T-Drill’s headquarters are located in Laihia and its component manufacturing in Isokyrö. T-Drill also has a subsidiary in the USA.

T-Drill is a versatile supplier in a narrow niche.

T-DRILL IS ONE of the world’s most ver-satile and successful suppliers in the tube and pipe fabrication niche. The company offers solutions for challenging tasks, including collaring, cutting, flanging and end-forming, carried out in various sectors. T-Drill’s products cater to a versatile mar-ket, and the company now exports to more than 50 countries.

“Our applications are used in the HVAC, shipbuilding and equipment manufacturing sectors, as well as in the automobile and food industries. Since we supply fabrica-tion machines to both industry and plumb-ers, our products range from handtools to equipment the size of a detached house,” explains Anne Hanka, General Manager of the company.

Competitive advantage from efficient pipes and tubes The high quality and efficiency of pipes formed with T-DRILL machines are the company’s signature.

Their flow property is excellent, since the number of joints accumulating dirt has been minimised. Moreover, our fabrica-tion machines have been designed to keep material use to a minimum,” Hanka adds.

Although T-Drill’s machines can last dozens of years, times and trends change in the pipe business, as well. New needs and demands boost the demand for new types of pipes. T-Drill is eager to take up new challenges.

“New pipe and tube materials, for ex-ample, present us with new opportunities. The demand for machines for thick-walled pipes is on the increase, as pipes are ex-

pected to show higher corrosion and pres-sure resistance. Thick walls and special materials are a must, for example, when making drinking water out of sea water.”

Product development and customer serviceT-Drill emphasises good customer service and aims to create long-term and reliable

“T-Drill is a 40-year-old company, with a staff possessing enormous expertise in the field. The employees are also highly committed: 40 per cent have worked at T-Drill for more than 20 years,” says a pleased Anne Hanka.

t-drillTel. +358 6 475 3333 [email protected] www.t-drill.fiComponent manufacturing in Isokyrö: Tel. +358 6 471 5500Business sector: Tube and pipe processing technologiesTurnover 2011: €12 millionEmployees: 90Export: 90%Main markets: Worldwide

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customer relationships. It has built up an extensive customer-oriented service chain for its products.

“After product commissioning, we offer user training for the staff. In addition, we sell spare parts and offer maintenance and service,” says Hanka.

T-Drill also makes considerable inputs into product development. It allocates ten per cent of its turnover to development to ensure that the machines meet customer needs better, more efficiently and more durably than ever. c

gunnar bäckman


“We aim at improved quality based on security thinking,” explains Thomas Pettersson, General Manager at Outokumpu Jakobstad.

OUTOKUMPU’S UNIT in Jakobstad focuses entirely on the production of pipes and butt welded fittings these days. As competition and supply increase, what helps companies stand out are its individual employees. OSTP Jakobstad has found that attitudes can be changed with a goal-oriented ap-proach.

“Occupational accidents were earlier considered an inevitable part of work. Nevertheless, we decided to reduce their

How to create a work cultureOSTP’s reorganisation resulted in pipe production being concentrated in the Jakobstad unit.

occurrence, and although it took time to change course, we have now maintained a zero accident rate for nearly two years,” says Thomas Pettersson, General Manager.

Individual responsibilityEncouraged by the good results from its safety campaign, the company now aims to improve quality based on the same approach.

“It means involving each individual employee in the process. It means being attentive and not shrinking from responsi-bility. All employees are equally important in this respect: supervisors, cleaners, sales representatives, installers and so on.”

The staff is divided into sixteen groups. They hold weekly meetings to exchange ideas and opinions, discuss potentially risky situations and talk about measures that can further improve quality.

“We do not want management to impose a set of directives from above, but instead aim to offer every individual their own responsibilities,” explains Pettersson. “We strive to make use of all staff resources, including both manual skills and mental capacity.”

Continuous developmentTo date, OSTP’s fruitful efforts have resulted in the highest score in occupa-tional safety among all of Finland’s metal

processing companies, as well as in fewer complaints.

“This is a long-term project. The goal is not to reach specific scores, but rather to achieve a change in the work culture, and that is a never-ending process. We believe these activities will benefit everyone: they give our employees a sense of security at work and make them feel important and involved experts.”

So far, everything indicates that better products and a good market reputation also follow in the wake. c

OSTP emphasises involvement to increase safety and improve quality.

outokumpu stainless tubular products oy ab

Tel. +358 6 786 5111 [email protected] www.outokumpu.comBusiness sector: Longitudinally welded stainless steel pipes, tubes and fittingsTurnover 2010: €72 millionEmployees: 190Export: 88%Major markets: Worldwide, major markets in EuropeCertificates: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001

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mats sandström

mats sandström


LED turns night into dayHerrmans’ work lights and bicycle components are delivered worldwide. The company cooperates with some of the major brands and companies in both fields.

Herrmans invests in the product development of work lights and bicycle components.

HEAVY-DUTY MOBILE MACHINERY used in demanding conditions calls for durable and efficient lights. Herrmans’ answer to the hard vibrations and shocks, humidity, extreme darkness and soil dust that such machinery must deal with is called the Nordic Lights. They turn night into day in mines, on construction sites, in forest management and agriculture – all around the world.

Developing lightHerrmans designs and manufactures LED, HID and Halogen work lights, as well as Xenon driving lights. According to Reijo Tiuraniemi, Managing Director, LED tech-nology is at the forefront of the lighting industry.

“LED lights have become increasingly efficient in recent years. We, too, have focused on developing new technology for work lights,” he says.

Product development is extremely important to Herrmans: up to 10 per cent of its employees work on development daily. Nordic Lights has a modern light laboratory, where lights are subjected to environmental condition testing, including salt mist, temperature cycling and water immersion tests.

“Having our own light laboratory speeds up the product development process and enables us to offer the latest technology to

the world’s largest work-machinery manu-facturers, such as Caterpillar, Komatsu and Hitachi,” says Tiuraniemi.

In his view, Herrmans’ main competitive advantages come from keeping up with development in the field, as well as having modern products, sales representatives in Germany and a subsidiary in the USA. Production volumes are also growing.

“In addition to the plant in Jakobstad, we are now setting up one in China.”

Matching bicycle components In addition to work lights, Herrmans is also known for its bicycle components. The company supplies rimtapes, reflectors, grips, chainguards and lights.

The newest product is a grip consisting of three materials, something no one else in Europe makes. The three components enable the grip to be adjusted to one’s lik-ing in the handlebar. The grip features two different soft materials to increase riding comfort.

For Herrmans, comfort, safety and de-sign form the foundation for its products.

“Colours and design are important in this field. Thanks to our flexible production, we can match the colours of components with the colours of bicycle frames. Few component manufacturers measure up to us in terms of resources,” Tiuraniemi points out. c

“We have focused on our own testing equipment in the ultramodern light laboratory. The goniometer measures the amount of light and draws isolux curves,” explains Reijo Tiuraniemi, Managing Director of Herrmans.

herrmans oy abTel. +358 6 781 5100 Fax +358 6 723 3110 [email protected] www.herrmans.euBusiness sector: Work lights for heavy duty machinery, bicycle componentsTurnover 2011: €39 millionEmployees: 164Major markets: WorldwideCertification: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

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mats sandström


“We have been in the starting blocks, ready to set up shop in Russia for years. The time is ripe now, with the number of Russian Internet users rising steeply,” says Henry Backlund.

A PIONEER in Finnish online sales, Dermo-shop has sold Dermosil-branded skincare products on the web since 1996. In addition to the home market, the company’s prod-ucts are sold in Sweden and Estonia.

Dermoshop has now taken a big leap by establishing itself on the Russian market.

“We have had our eyes set on the east for years, but until now, the move has been postponed due to so few Russians having Internet access. With the number of users now growing steeply, we judged the time to be right,” says Henry Backlund, CEO.

Big challengesDermoshop launched its Russian web store at the beginning of 2010. The company has also built its own office and storage facili-ties in St Petersburg. The goal is to reach a turnover of 10 million euros from Russia within five years.

The Russian market offers big opportu-nities, as well as great challenges.

“It’s far from easy to carve yourself a niche in Russia. The red tape is endless, and customers are not used to buying products online. We see ourselves as missionaries of a kind. Our goal is to be one of the leading e-commerce businesses in Russia four years from now,” explains Project Manager Rasmus Backlund, in charge of the project.

New make-up lineWith its Russian market entry progressing at full speed, Dermoshop is also taking a big step on another front. In autumn 2010, the company made its biggest ever prod-uct launch, rolling out a brand new line of make-up products. In the past, Dermoshop has mainly supplied skincare items.

Heading eastIn autumn 2010, Dermoshop made its biggest ever product launch, rolling out a brand new line of make-up products. The company has previously sold mainly skincare items.

Dermoshop establishes itself on the Russian market with a new make-up line.

dermoshop oy Tel. +358 20 746 6400 www.dermoshop.fiBusiness sector: Webshop for skincare and cosmetics productsTurnover 2010: €20 millionEmployees: 51Major markets: Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Russia

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“The launch is partly linked to our entry into Russia, since we know that Russian women use more make-up than their Scandinavian counterparts,” explains Henry Backlund.

He admits to being slightly nervous, since few companies have ventured to sell make-up online. Dermoshop has worked hard to correctly reproduce the colour of products on its website and in customer magazines.

“We believe the trust we’ve built with our customers over the years will convince them to also buy make-up from us. In fact, many customers have expressly asked us to start selling make-up,” says Backlund.

The Dermoshop Group also comprises three subsidiaries: Guest Comfort, ZAO Peter Pak and Vivisanté Finland. c

dermoshop

dermoshop


Regional co-op

Taking the form of the green S bonus card, KPO follows along in each co-op member’s pocket. The card offers purchase rewards and service benefits to members. The S bonus system is also used to collect information for providing increasingly better service to co-op members.

KPO flourishes thanks to its store and product diversity.

ONE COULD EASILY live a good everyday life with KPO co-op’s provisions alone. Butter for your bread from groceries, fuel for your tank from service stations and perfume to dab behind your ears from cosmetics shops. The co-op also encom-passes hotels and restaurants, and even car dealerships in the economic regions around Ylivieska, Kokkola, Jakobstad and Vaasa. And, of course, there’s the S Group’s joint S-Bank.

“Regional, versatile and successful – that aptly describes the operations of KPO, a co-op with over 100 years under its belt,” says Arttu Laine, Managing Director.

Range influenced by customers and local companiesAs Laine explains, KPO’s operations are based on the needs of customer owners – co-op members, that is. The strategy has been successful: a 45 per cent market share makes KPO the market leader in gro-cery goods sales in coastal Ostrobothnia. Two-thirds of the region’s households are KPO members.

“We listen to the customer. Groceries are the foundation of our operations, but peo-ple increasingly ask for speciality goods as well. We have consequently diversified

our offer to also encompass DIY services,” says Laine.

KPO influences well-being in its sur-roundings by offering employment and versatile products. Although a big player, KPO also supports small enterprises and primary producers in the region.

“KPO’s activities are regionally im-portant, since much of what we earn we invest in the area. We cooperate with 1,500 entrepreneurs and use over 50 local goods suppliers. KPO’s range includes many local food items. The safety and origin of food are important issues to us.”

“We are closely linked to businesses in the region. In addition to goods suppliers, we cooperate with construction firms, architectural agencies and flower sellers, among others,” says Arttu Laine.

kpo cooperativeTel. +358 20 780 7000 www.s-kanava.fi/kpoBusiness sector: Retail businessSales 2011: €700 millionEmployees: 1,700Major markets: Ostrobothnia

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Green cardKPO’s members are also members of the nationwide S Group. The green member-ship card is a part of the cooperative’s bonus system that offers both purchase rewards and product and service benefits. “A broad product range and inexpensive shopping are the green card’s advantages,” Laine summarises.

According to him, the S bonus system is pioneering – even from an international perspective.

“It represents world-class competence in co-op activities. The bonus system gives us valuable information about the items that customers want. This helps us enhance our market insight in differ-ent sectors and offer increasingly better service to our co-op members.” c

mats sandström


“We aim at being a clearly unique store chain that stands out from the rest and always offers first-rate customer service,” says Janne Ylinen, Halpa-Halli’s Managing Director.

“I WISH THERE WAS a store where a small sum would get you loads of goods,” Esko Ylinen mused as a child. In 1969, he founded Kokkolan Halpa-Halli Oy, which has since expanded into a chain of 37 stores and spread to 36 towns around Finland. The company is today led by Esko’s son, Janne Ylinen. The current Managing Director is proud of his father’s heritage, a successful family business that stands out from other retail store chains by its centrally managed chain concept and solid principles.

Halpa-Halli’s stores are full-service de-partment stores with a range of more than 60,000 products. The stores sell nearly everything from household goods and clothes for the whole family to electronics and food items. Internal specialised outlets are one of the stores’ unique features.

“We’ve developed our own shop-in-shop concept, which offers added value to customers in a number of stores. HH Cafe serves food and baked goods, HH Sport specialises in leisure time, hunting and fishing, while HH Kangas sells textiles,” Ylinen explains.

Own imports straight to the home portHalpa-Halli’s headquarters in Kokkola handle the company’s marketing and ad-

Good quality at bargain prices Halpa-Halli won the national entrepreneurial award in 2011. The company’s founder, Esko Ylinen, is grateful and proud to accept the award, which honours persistent and successful entrepreneurial activities that have offered ample employment around Finland.

mats sandström

ministration. Kokkola is also home to a big central warehouse, which all the products, except for food items, pass through.

The company itself imports much of its goods via the Antwerpen-Kokkola sea route. Nearly 2,000 tonnes of Halpa-Halli’s goods are annually transported in sea containers to Kokkola.

“Direct container traffic to Kokkola saves both expenses and the environment. What’s more, the containers can be easily and flexibly unloaded directly into our Kokkola central warehouse, located by the port,” says Ylinen.

Business guided by values and principlesHalpa-Halli’s commerce is based on solid principles, which differ from those of its competitors. All of the products are sold below their suggested retail price, cheaper than elsewhere. Ylinen emphasises that quality can be achieved at a low cost if savings are obtained in other areas.

“We have an agile and quick family organ-isation that works clearly and efficiently. It saves costs,” he says.

Halpa-Halli’s founder, Esko Ylinen, had strong Christian values, which still form the foundation for the family company: the stores stay closed on Sundays and do not sell any tobacco or alcohol products.

“Principles have a cost, but they also give you a great deal and are valued. We are a store chain that lives by its values,” Ylinen sums up. c

Halpa-Halli – a retail chain store with high principles.

kokkolan halpa-halli oyTel. +358 20 718 2000 Fax +358 20 718 2100 www.hhnet.fiBusiness sector: Retail businessTurnover 2010: €260 millionEmployees: 1,400

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Hunger drives businessSnellman’s raw materials are clean and of a high quality. The pork and beef it uses are of Finnish origin and ethically produced. The delicious flavour of the meat products comes from real meat, which has not been enhanced with sodium glutamate.

mats sandström

Snellman serves more meat, less food additives.

SNELLMAN SERVES solutions that satisfy hungry consumers. It bedecks tables with meat products, locally produced con-venience food and fast food. Business is growing and the market area continues to expand, because Snellman listens to what its customers want to eat.

“We aim to provide clean, healthy and locally made food. It is what hungry people want these days,” says Martti Vähäkangas, CEO of Snellman.

Food trends guide productionSnellman’s product development antici-pates future food trends. Among other things, the company began eliminating ad-ditives early on. When the trend for authen-tic, clean food began to emerge, Snellman was already prominently promoting its meat products free of sodium glutamate.

“Our products only contain clean and pure substances,” says Vähäkangas.

Shop shelves are now being taken over by low-carb foods, and Snellman is once again among the first to offer products that satisfy the new food trend.

A transforming platterSnellman offers a versatile food platter. The Group is divided into different sectors, all with their own food brands. Herra Snell-

man provides processed meat products made at the plant in Jakobstad. Kokkikar-tano produces convenience foods, while Mr. Panini serves a fast-food concept. Its finger on the pulse, Snellman launches new products or expands its market area at regular intervals.

“We recently got involved in Trading, which means supplying cooked meat, fish, vegetables, berries and baked products to the hotel, restaurant and catering indus-tries,” explains Vähäkangas.

Snellman has also expanded into Sweden, where it produces convenience food under the Carolines kök brand near Stockholm. Mr. Panini, in turn, has estab-lished itself in both Finland and Sweden, as well as in Russia.

The demand for Snellman’s food is great, and especially meat processing has seen significant growth.

“The production volume of products made in Jakobstad totals nearly 30 million kilograms a year,” says Vähäkangas.

Large production volumes are impor-tant, as Snellman’s future plans include expanding to other Scandinavian countries in the next few years. c

“Snellman’s greatest competitive advantages include clean and locally produced food. We have our own Finnish raw material chain, starting with a breed of swine we have developed for Finnish farms,” says Martti Vähäkangas.

snellman oyTel. +358 6 786 6111 www.snellman.fiBusiness sector: Meat and processed meat, food productsOverall turnover 2011: €232 millionEmployees: 920Major markets: Finland, Sweden, RussiaCertification: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

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“Anvia believes in the future of fixed networks,” says Matti Makkonen.

ANVIA LOOKS BACK on 130 years as a tel-ephone operator. The company has gradu-ally expanded into a nationwide company with extensive competence in communica-tions and information technology.

Anvia stands on four pillars. It is a local network operator in the Vaasa, Kokkola and Seinäjoki regions, a national provider of IT and TV solutions in the business-to-business market, as well as a supplier of security technology.

“We expect to see growth in all of our business sectors,” says Matti Makkonen, Managing Director.

Investments in fibreMatti Makkonen believes the fixed net-work will continue to play an important role in the modern telecom infrastructure.

The mobile network cannot satisfy all the needs of customers, since both consumers and business customers need increasingly fast network connections. TV programmes, for example, are often watched over broadband, and many televi-sion manufacturers now support this by equipping their sets with applications needed for online TV viewing.

Cloud services, which the business world has rapidly adopted in recent years, also set tough demands on functioning connec-tions. The online use of business critical software and databases offers companies savings in IT investments, but also requires more of the speed and quality of connec-tions.

Because of this, Anvia is investing big to expand its fibre network. The goal is to replace current copper cables with optical fibre.

“Providing high-quality network connec-tions in Ostrobothnia is one of the corner-stones of our strategy,” says Makkonen.

“Anvia is an important infrastructure constructor in this region, and we believe it is important to ensure that business and industry also have good operating condi-tions outside big cities.”

Cooperation with customersIt is important for the company that the network is accessible and that it is used. Anvia actively cooperates with customers to come up with new uses.

“The network of tomorrow can do much more than today. This will lead to greater needs for online transactions. People can, for example, interact with healthcare serv-ices via a network-enabled TV,” explains Makkonen. c

Infrastructure supplier

Anvia supplies important communication infrastructure for companies along the Ostrobothnian coastline.

Anvia’s fibre broadband connects Ostrobothnian companies with the world.

anvia plcTel. +358 6 411 4111 www.anvia.fiBusiness sector: ICT, TV and securityTurnover 2010: €108 millionEmployees 2010: 696Major markets: Domestic

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gunnar bäckman

eetu sillanpää


“It is absurd that a natural passageway between two countries, between the east and west for that matter, would be the responsibility of a single business,” says Mathias Lindström. “It is time to secure and develop traffic across the Kvarken Strait.”

A NARROW STRAIT AND FRONTIER sepa-rate the two sister regions on both sides of the Kvarken. Ostrobothnia in Finland and Västerbotten in Sweden are closely related both culturally and historically. The Kvar-ken Council’s main task is to operate as a cross-border cooperation forum aiming to secure and advance interchange between the regions.

“There’s great potential in our region,” says Mathias Lindström, Director of the Kvarken Council. “Umeå on the Swedish side is the country’s most rapidly growing city, and we on the Finnish side boast a tradition of knowledge and competence. It’s all about taking full advantage of synergies. As a cross-border region, we can greatly contribute to both national and international activities.”

Corridor from the Atlantic to St PetersburgThe abolishment of tax-free sales in the Kvarken Strait led to a redrawing of the map. In a decade, the number of passen-gers travelling over the strait plunged from an annual one million or so to 60,000.

“Logistics and infrastructure are the main pillars. There’s no hope for coopera-tion without well-functioning connections,” Lindström explains. “That’s why we’ve opted for a major investment, which also involves Norway as a cooperation partner. The goal is to strengthen the thoroughfare running from Norway’s westernmost ports to the great hubs in Russia.”

This has put the Kvarken Council in charge of big investments in expanding port capacity and marketing the “NLC Corridor concept” to a wide, international target group.

“Increasing goods traffic across the Kvarken Strait will improve the business conditions for industry and boost passen-ger traffic in the process,” says Lindström.

Redrawing the mapUmeå is closer to St Petersburg than Gothenburg. That is, if one goes across the Kvarken shortcut.

“Today, transports in the west-to-east direction proceed in a lengthy and rounda-bout manner. Opening a route and working hard to create robust and well-functioning traffic between Vaasa and Umeå, as well as linking the inputs into logistics made in both Finland and Sweden will provide a natural passageway between the east and west,” says Lindström. c

Kvarken shortcut

The Kvarken Shortcut System project and the NLC Corridor concept are highly relevant projects aiming to boost goods traffic across the strait.

NLC Corridor transport vision becomes reality after persistent work.

the kvarken councilTel. +358 6 319 5500 www.kvarken.orgBusiness sector: Cross-border cooperation forum for the Kvarken region. Operates as a registered association and is one of the official cross-border bodies of the Nordic Council of Ministers.Employees: 2 full-time and 4 part-time

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www.botnia-atlantica.eu

EUROPEISKA UNIONENEuropeiska regionala

utvecklingsfonden

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THE PORTS of Kokkola, Jakobstad, Vaasa and Kaskinen work daily to support the re-gion’s success. They are vital links between companies and the outside world. Each port is genuinely interested in developing its operations and serving business and industry increasingly efficiently.

“We listen closely to what customers expect of ports and how we can contribute to the region’s success,” the port directors say in unison.

Port of Kokkola breaks recordsKokkola, the northernmost port, is known especially for its handling of dry bulk mate-rials. Goods traffic volumes increased over 24% in 2011, setting a new record of almost 8 million tonnes of annual cargo through-put. Growth is also expected in the future.

“Our success stems from three dedicat-ed port areas, wise investments, such as the construction and development of the deep port, as well as successful market-

Ports for regional well-being ing of the port,” explains Torbjörn Witting, Director of the Port of Kokkola.

He emphasises the need to look both near and far.

“We are halfway along our development path. The other deep-water harbour, the Silverstone port area, is in its first develop-ment phase and is sited next to the existing one to take advantage of the 13-meter-deep fairway. It will multiply our capacity and at-tract more major customers,” says Witting.

Channel dredging generates growth in JakobstadThe Port of Jakobstad caters especially to the forest industry and power produc-tion. It is now in the midst of an important dredging project, which will increase the depth of the channel and turnaround basin to 11 metres. Work will be concluded in 2013.

“The dredged material will be used to construct eight hectares of new yard facili-ties. Raw material handling calls for space,”

explains Kristian Hällis, Director of the Port of Jakobstad.

The deeper channel is expected to offer further growth opportunities.

“It will bring us new traffic, since trans-port concepts always build on the channel. We’ll be seeking new opportunities jointly with the port operator and also aim to build broader concepts for new customers.”

Vaasa goes for liner shippingThe Port of Vaasa is a significant import harbour. In the future, it will increas-ingly focus on serving the region’s energy cluster, where exports account for as much as 70 per cent of turnover. Business and industry as a whole are looking for growth in maritime exports. Major investments are being made for this purpose.

“We will increase our hoisting efficiency to 200 tonnes. A 20-metre-wide ramp for heavy loads has also been constructed in the port. In addition, the city is rebuild-

“We have the port at our back and our faces turned toward companies.”

port of kokkolaPort Authority: Satamakatu 53 FI-67900 Kokkola, [email protected] www.portofkokkola.fiPort director:Torbjörn Witting Tel. +358 6 824 2400Main areas: Deep port: Dry bulk (dark), liquid bulkGeneral port: All-weather terminal, general cargo, containersSilverstone port: Dry bulk (light), liquid bulkChannel depths: 13 m safety waterTotal quay length: 2,334 mVolume 2011: 7.2 million tonnesOpen: Throughout the year

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port of jakobstadPort Authority: Laukkovägen 1 FI-68600 Pietarsaari, Finland www.portofpietarsaari.fiPort director: Kristian Hällis Tel. +358 44 356 5689 [email protected] areas: Specialised in handling pulp, sawn timber, chips, paper and mixed goodsChannel depth: 9 mTotal quay length: 1,250 mVolume 2011: 1.75 million tonnesOpen: Throughout the year

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“Cooperation between port operators is extremely important. As long as a port looks after its own infra structure, other service providers also notice the opportunities on offer. We will continue to push ahead at full speed in the coming years,” say port directors Teijo Seppelin, Kristian Hällis, Torbjörn Witting and Timo Onnela.

Ports for regional well-being

port of kaskinenPort Authority: Kalasatamantie 30 FI- 64260 Kaskinen www.kaskinen.fi > Port of KaskinenPort director: Timo Onnela Tel. +358 40 726 5740 [email protected] Main areas: Specialised in handling pulp, sawn timber, chips, dry bulk, liquid bulk and mixed goodsChannel depth: 9 mTotal quay length: 1,100 mVolume 2011: 1.1 million tonnesOpen: Throughout the year

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ing the Vaskiluoto bridge so the road to the port can cope with heavy loads in the future,” explains Teijo Seppelin, Director of the Port of Vaasa.

The port’s vision is to become an ef-

ficient and modern port, whose services target especially the heavy and project industries.

“We plan to create tailored and flexible solutions for the energy cluster.”

port of vaasaPort Authority: Laivanvarustajankatu 3 FI-65170 Vaasa, [email protected] www.vaasa.fi/portPort director: Teijo Seppelin Tel. +358 6 325 4500 +358 40 559 9652 [email protected] areas: Passenger, oil, bulkChannel depth: 9 mTotal quay length: 1,615 mVolume 2011: 1.61 million tonnesOpen: Throughout the year

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Kaskinen focuses on versatilityThe Port of Kaskinen is strong in handling forest industry products, but it also has a great deal of capacity for other traffic.

“We are logistically well located. Our 9-metre-deep channel is short, so pilot-ing fees are low. Winter conditions are also good, since we only have ice for two months or so,” says Timo Onnela, Port Captain.

The port will now focus on increasing its volume. The one-kilometre quay and the 53,800-square-metre warehouses for general cargo, 53,500 cubic metres of silo storage for dry bulk and 31,300 cubic metres of tank capacity offer a host of opportunities.

“We’ve got the resources needed to provide versatile service. This is why we’re also involved in North-East Cargolink, an EU project developing a transport channel between Norway, Sweden, Kaskinen and Russia.” c

mats sandström

jaakko j. salo


“Many companies want to establish themselves in Vaasa Airport Park to gain easy access to the top-notch technological competence of companies in the area,” explains Ulla Mäki-Lohiluoma, CEO of Vaasa Parks.

VAASA AIRPORT PARK has been Finland’s fastest growing business park in the 21st century. Its office and plant facilities are used by some 3,500 people, most of whom work directly or indirectly with energy technology.

Passenger volumes at the airport in Vaasa have grown steeply in recent years, and the airport is now the sixth biggest in Finland.

Both the airport and the Vaasa Airport Park will soon be even more attractive, when the park’s developer Vaasa Parks

Top modern flight logisticsThe new flight logistics centre will be located halfway between the airport and the Vaasa Airport Park.

together with the city of Vaasa, links them with a new flight logistics centre.

The centre’s terminals will be construct-ed behind the plants in the Vaasa Airport Park, giving airplanes direct access to the runway.

Fast service“Logistics is a key competitive factor. It’s about both speed and expenses,” explains Ulla Mäki-Lohiluoma, CEO of Vaasa Parks.

“The products manufactured in the Vaa-sa region have a high price per kilogram and many of them are well suited to air freight transports. When companies service their own products, the ability to quickly ship spare parts or replacement products is crucial,” says Mäki-Lohiluoma.

Not only VaasaThe purpose of the new flight logistics centre is to serve industry in the Vaasa region and make the region increasingly interesting to companies. However, its geographical location also serves compa-nies from other regions.

“All of central and northern Finland ben-efit from it. Flight logistics are currently concentrated in the south of the country,” says Mäki-Lohiluoma.

Vaasa Parks is owned by the city of

Vaasa, the Merinova Technology Centre, and Wedeco, a venture capital investor. Its mission is to improve the operating condi-tions of companies in the region. Vaasa Parks provides business premises as well as services, such as reception, restaurants and conference rooms.

“Our customers can focus on their core operations. We want it to be easy to oper-ate and come into the Futura I-IV technol-ogy houses and other premises,” says Mäki-Lohiluoma. c

Vaasa Parks links the business park and airport with a new flight logistics centre.

vaasa parks oy abTel. +358 6 282 8228 www.vaasaparks.fiBusiness sector: Development of business parks, property and facility management, marketing and rental of business premises.Turnover: €4 millionEmployees: 5

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THE ENERGY CLUSTER in and around Vaasa comprises successful companies, which need good transport connections to be globally competitive. This has given rise to intensive development work, the goal being to create an entity that improves price competitiveness, quality and environ-mental aspects of companies’ logistics.

Multimodality and intermodality are important concepts for Tommi Tuominen, Logistics Expert at the Vaasa Region Development Company, Vasek. The com-pany is in charge of coordinating logistics development.

The logistics node

Vaasa region’s developing logistics entity enables new solutions that improve both competitiveness and environmental friendliness.

Both concepts involve combining and linking four modes of transport: sea, air, rail and road.

“Large companies, such as Wärtsilä, need all four modes,” explains Tuominen.

Today, 95 per cent of the goods export-ed from the Vaasa region leave the town on wheels. The future goal is to transfer more and more of the goods directly to vessels, planes and trains in Vaasa.

Air logistics will be further improved through a new airport logistics centre presented on the following page.

Everything close byVaasa’s strength lies in its port and airfield being separated by no more than ten kilometres. The motorway and electrified railroad are also close by.

“This is almost unique in Finland,” says Tuominen.

The crux of it all will be the new logistics park, the Freight Village, which is slated for construction next to the airport. It will in-clude freight terminals, as well as a railroad connection. In the long term, the area will become the centre of the region’s logistics entity and the node combining different transportation modes.

Nordic Logistic CorridorThe port in Vaasa is another important area of development. It has tradition-ally been an important thoroughfare for passengers and imported fuel. It will now be adapted to the export needs of energy technology companies, among other things, by equipping it with a new and big-ger crane. The Vaasa region mainly exports large general cargo, such as diesel engines and transformers.

“We want to arrange regular traffic to a major European port,” says Tuominen.

The route across the Kvarken Strait to Umeå in Sweden is another crucial sea connection from Vaasa. It plays a key role in linking central Sweden, central Finland, Norway and Russia – a concept known as the Nordic Logistic Corridor. c

Tommi Tuominen works as Logistics Expert at Vasek, the Vaasa Region Development Company, which coordinates the region’s logistics projects.

The Vaasa region’s developing logistics park connects all four modes of transport.

vasek, vaasa region development company

Tel. +358 6 317 7600 www.vasek.fiBusiness sector: Promoting regional business, helping SMEs to grow, marketing the region, developing logistics.Employees: 17

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TODAY, THE TRANSPORT and logistics sector involves more than just moving goods from A to B. Ahola Transport wants to be at the forefront of development in the field. The prevailing trend is to deal with entire value chains.

“We offer comprehensive service, including transport and logistics from the warehouse of our own customer to that of the customer’s customer. A flexible and transparent process benefits all parties,” explains CEO Hans Ahola.

Ahola Transport is a family company, where the third generation of the Aholas is now at the helm. The plan is to remain a family enterprise in the foreseeable future.

“We believe there is room for our kind of a company, which lives by its values – general liability, transparency and respect for the individual – also in practice.

Attracs steers goods flowsAhola Transport’s operations are based on direct transports, involving transport hubs for optimised loading, as well as transport planners who handle each transport from beginning to end. Ahola is a strong player

Value management on wheels

in the Nordic, Baltic and East European markets. It also offers services in western and southern Europe through its coopera-tion partners.

“We will further strengthen our position by focusing on the value chain as a whole and by introducing our customers to At-tracs, a new tool for steering goods flows,” says Hans Ahola.

Attracs is a customised logistics system that is based on the user’s own business

logic and links production and logistics.“Instead of using many motley systems,

Attracs offers a single transparent system with dynamic routing, that is, with routes that can be adapted to changing situations, as well as real-time profitability calcula-tion,” says Peter Grankulla, Managing Director of Attracs.

Originally developed for the transport sector, the system works equally well for the logistics control of large companies,

Ahola Transport focuses on the whole value chain.

Ahola Transport, a family company, works with direct transports and comprehensive solutions for customers’ value chains.

AT Special Transport handles demanding special transports based on detailed route arrangements.


“Our competitive advantage comes from our always aiming to keep our customer promise, and usually succeeding in it,” says Hans Ahola.

Value management on wheels

oy ahola transport abTel. +358 20 747 5111 [email protected] www.aholatransport.fiBusiness sector: Transport servicesTurnover 2010: €87 millionEmployees: 190Export: 95%Major markets: The Nordic and Baltic countries, Central and Eastern EuropeQuality assurance systems: ISO 9001, ISO 14001Health & safety management system: OHSAS 18001

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as well as for logistics planning involving three to four parties.

Reliability comes firstThe Ahola Group stands on many legs. True to its name, AT Special Transport is an expert in particularly demanding trans-ports in terms of size, weight and route arrangements.

“Among other things, we transport bulk cargo and one-off components for industry

– often very valuable items. This makes complete reliability and detailed routing and scheduling a must,” says Jonas Ahola, Managing Director.

Reliability, the difficult skill of fulfilling one’s promises, works well at Ahola Trans-port. Hans Ahola believes this is based on the Ostrobothnian culture, which values loyalty and involvement.

“We follow the principle of continuous improvement, with 100 per cent of our

staff involved in strategy work. Everyone takes responsibility for developing and implementing their part of our strategy. This ensures good results in the form of dedicated employees who see the big picture,” says Hans Ahola. c

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tiina aholatiina ahola

tiina ahola


Port Tower serves as an impressive meeting place for the Kokkola Industrial Park and KIP Service’s numerous services. The façade of the skyscraper-like building is pure zinc.

NEARLY 20 HEAVY-INDUSTRY companies toil away at the Kokkola Industrial Park. The 300-hectare area by the sea is like a world of its own, with individual services and infrastructure specially developed to meet its needs. To ensure smooth daily rou-tines in a workplace of 2,000 people, the area’s infrastructure, security and support services are handled by a single company: KIP Service Oy.

At times, the needs of heavy industry are so vast they can only be satisfied with special solutions. KIP Service’s main task is to deliver huge volumes of water to the area via tunnels running under the bay. A water supply as massive as this could not

At the park’s service

be handled by the municipal network.“Different types of water are needed

in different parts of the area. We offer surface and sea water for the cooling of industrial facilities, domestic water for everyday use and demineralized water for boilers and some production stages. Our own network also provides customer companies with district heat, steam and a ready sewage system,” explains Olli-Matti Airiola, Managing Director of KIP Service.

Safe workday!The new, imposing Port Tower stands majestically at the entrance to the Kokkola Industrial Park. It is home to many of the

area’s companies. KIP Service manages the building’s security facilities, the restau-rant and the eighth floor, where it leases space for the park’s companies. The Tower also has modern and inviting meeting and entertainment facilities.

“Hosts can ensure the safety of visits by welcoming their guests in Port Tower. An industrial area always has factory require-ments that call for special arrangements,” Olli-Matti Airiola points out.

Security and surveillance are crucial in a large industrial area. KIP Service has its own firefighting equipment for fire and rescue operations, and it is in charge of the fire service, civil protection and fac-

KIP Service keeps the Kokkola Industrial Park rolling.


“We develop KIP Service’s offering based on the needs of companies in the industrial park. The area’s own postal service is one example of this,” explains Olli-Matti Airiola, Managing Director.

Nearly 20 heavy-industry companies toil away at the Kokkola Industrial Park. The 300-hectare area by the sea is like a world of its own.

At the park’s service

kip service oyTel. +358 40 522 1979 [email protected] www.kipservice.fiBusiness sector: Sewage, infrastructureTurnover 2010: €8.2 millionEmployees: 4

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kokkola industrial park

air liquide finland boliden kokkola cabb chemicals kemira j kokkolakip infra kip service kokkola powermaintpartnerneste oilnordkalkomg kokkola chemicalsport of kokkolatetra chemical europewoikoskiyara suomi

tory fire brigade operations of KIP North. The area’s access control and security services are centrally located in Port Tower.

The comprehensive maintenance serv-ices offered by KIP Service also add to the safety of workdays in the industrial park. The companies’ own insight into security, in turn, is enhanced with various regularly arranged occupational safety courses.

Services for business needsKIP Service continues to develop its serv-ices to facilitate the everyday routines of customers in the Kokkola Industrial Park. The area’s own postal operations serve

as a good example of customer-oriented service development. KIP Service takes care of mail handling, sorting, distribution and collection.

“Our own postal operations are more affordable to companies and offer a more user-friendly delivery timetable and faster deliveries. We deliver the mail stamped to the postal centre the very same evening,” says Airiola.

The company’s own transportation service makes sure that people and goods are in the right place at the right time; it also accompanies visitors from the gate to the host company.

One-stop principleThe Kokkola Industrial Park is an easy place to roll out industrial activities and service production. A company looking to set up shop in the area can conduct negotiations based on the one-stop principle with KIP Service, the town of Kokkola or KOSEK.

Even though KIP Service has a small staff and is still a young company, its operations are based on solid insight into and decades of experience in industrial park operations.

“We also have a strong cooperation network consisting of absolute top-notch players in their fields.” c

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Under the cobalt blue moon

“We have become the world’s leading cobalt producer thanks to efficient operations and the skills of our people. Our location near the port enables our operations in Kokkola,” says Jöran Sopo, CEO.

OMG Kokkola Chemicals has operated for more than 40 years. It has developed its own continuous production technology, which is fully automated.

MOST PEOPLE ASSOCIATE cobalt with the colour blue. In reality, it is a metal with many unique properties. Cobalt is used to make colour pigment, as well as chemical compounds for lithium batteries, hard metals and various catalysts, among other things. The production of cobalt com-pounds calls for vast special skills in the chemical industry. OMG Kokkola Chemicals possesses top-notch competence in chem-istry, which has made it the world’s leading cobalt producer.

Growing production Cobalt is an element that can be used for numerous purposes. Cell-phone batteries, hard-metal tools, animal feed, blue ceramic coating, and vitamin B12, for example, all contain cobalt.

Cobalt raw material is obtained as a by-product from nickel and copper production. Refining begins with a complex purification operation.

“After purification, cobalt goes through a massive refining process resulting in various cobalt chemicals and powders,” explains Jöran Sopo, CEO of the company.

OMG Kokkola Chemicals produces 10,000 tonnes of cobalt materials a year, with overall global consumption amounting to some 60,000 tonnes. Sopo predicts that consumption will continue to increase in the future, as the demand for batteries and hard metals grows.

Quality competence opens new doorsCEO Jöran Sopo has his eyes set on the future, as concerns the operations of OMG Kokkola Chemicals. In his view, qual-ity competence is the main theme today. The company’s advanced expertise shows in the demanding production of cobalt products.

“Our production technology is fully automated. Therein lies our competitive

advantage: we produce high quality ef-ficiently,” he emphasises.

In the future, OMG Kokkola Chemicals wants to invest in its own research and development organisation, which works on new products and seeks increasingly functional chemicals.

“The needs and criteria of future customers will be increasingly demanding, and we want to be involved in challenging product categories. Among other things, we’re looking to enter the electric and hy-brid vehicle industry where we can develop new products and produce reliable battery materials,” Sopo reveals. c

OMG Kokkola Chemicals is the biggest cobalt producer in the world.

omg kokkola chemicals oyTel. +358 6 828 0111 www.omgi.comBusiness sector: Metal-based speciality chemicals and powdersTurnover 2010: €461 millionEmployees: 380Export: 99%Major markets: WorldwideManagement systems:Quality: ISO 9001Environmental: ISO 14001Health and safety: OHSAS 18001Parent Company: OM Group Inc.

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ZINC IS A NATURAL METAL, which Boliden Kokkola obtains as a concentrate from mines around the world. To refine concen-trates into high-quality zinc you need vast expertise, long experience and advanced production technology. Boliden Kokkola, one of the world’s largest zinc plants, has all these. A large share of the concentrates used at the Kokkola zinc plant originates from the Boliden Group’s own mines in Sweden and Ireland. In addition to Kokkola, Boliden has a zinc plant in Odda, in Norway.

“Our plant refines concentrates into pure or alloyed zinc. Our annual production capacity in Kokkola is slightly over 300,000 tonnes of zinc,” says Jarmo Herronen, General Manager.

Zinc extends livesThe biggest customer group of Boliden Kokkola consists of steel plants that make products such as plates for vehicle super-structures. The company’s customers also include hot-dip galvanisers that use zinc to coat lighting poles, fences, trailers and highway railings.

“Zinc is a vital corrosion protection for steel. Steel as such withstands corrosion only a few years, but if galvanised, it resists rust anywhere from 50 to 100 years,” says Herronen.

On top of the zinc world

Process Operator Mikko Koivisto, Production Manager Jens Nyberg and Foundry Manager Manu Myllymäki all contribute to ensuring the quality of operations meets customer.

He knows that zinc is also essential to all living organisms. This is why Boliden supports Zinc Saves Kids, an initiative of the International Zinc Association (IZA), in support of UNICEF’s zinc supplementation programmes for children in developing countries who suffer from malnutrition and diarrhoea.

Modern production Boliden Kokkola has invested in advanced and environmentally efficient production.

The heat generated in production process-es is utilised in other production facilities and in urban district heating networks. The sulphuric acid generated as a by-product of zinc production is also put to good use.

“We have owned a sulphuric acid plant since 2010, and can provide the raw material for it on our own,” explains Herronen. The plant has been developed goal- orientedly for decades, and the direct leaching method used for zinc concentrate, for example, was developed in Kokkola.

“Thanks to our highly skilled personnel we will be able to further develop produc-tion into a more modern and energy- efficient direction,” says Herronen with pride in his voice. c

“Zinc is an important nutrient for our health. Its deficiency affects small children in particular. In this respect, Boliden Kokkola is a natural assistant, which is why we are strongly committed to UNICEF’s Zinc Saves Kids campaign,” explains Jarmo Herronen.

Boliden Kokkola refines a metal vital to both steel and humans.

boliden kokkola oyTel. +358 6 828 6111 www.boliden.comBusiness sector: Zinc productionTurnover 2010: €211 millionEmployees: 520Export: 85%Major markets: EU

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esa melametsä


The intelligent codeUpCode integrates information and saves customers money.

IT BEGAN AS AN EASILY accessible way to obtain product information and media con-tent. In just a few years, though, UpCode has taken off to whole new sectors and all new fields of use.

Warehousing, logistics, access control, production reporting and production man-agement are just a few examples of the purposes to which UpCode is suited.

However, the biggest profits come from using UpCode to handle information and make systems that do not communicate with one another more efficient.

“We offer you 20 per cent savings. That’s our strongest argument when clinching deals,” says Sture Udd, Managing Director of UpCode.

UpCode offers integrated solutions for many business purposes. “We offer you 20 per cent savings,” says Sture Udd, Managing Director of UpCode, in his sales pitch.

upcodeTel. +358 6 321 8000 www.upcodeworld.fi Business sector: CommunicationTurnover: €23 millionEmployees: 100Export: 50%Major markets: Europe, the USA, Asia, South America

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Fewer systems“A company may have 20, 30, even 40 sys-tems – a hospital as many as 120 systems – that don’t interact with each other,” says Sture Udd.

“UpCode can replace many of them. The goal, of course, should be a single system, but that is not always possible for one or another reason.”

UpCode began by simply offering scan-ning of 2D or QR codes with mobile phones. This takes the user to a website with prod-uct information, media content, schedules, route information, tourist information and so on.

UpCode continues to be a major player in this highly competitive sector. However, the company’s focus of development is on increasingly smart and integrated solutions.

“We’re talking about intelligent scanning, I-scanning. In other words, a single code can mean different things depending on where and who you are,” Udd explains.

Eliminating typing“Another advantage we emphasise is the elimination of typing. For example, when you fetch an item from the warehouse, you spend 20 to 40 per cent of the time on the computer, simply keying in what you’ve taken. In addition, 20 per cent of what people type has proved to be incorrect and up to 5 per cent seriously wrong or outright fraudulent. It’s obvious that this leads to huge expenses, which can be reduced by using intelligent code scanning instead of typing,” says Udd.

UpCode is a part of the UPC Group, a leading media and printing house in Vaasa. c

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Protecting your innovationsKolster offers one-stop service for all IPR transactions.

KOLSTER CHARACTERISES itself as a de-partment store for IPR services, with IPR standing for Intellectual Property Rights. What it means is the company works as a consultant, providing assistance in all mat-ters related to immaterial rights.

“What we do is protect and manage the intellectual property of our clients. We have expanded our operations so that com-panies can now turn to us in all questions involving IPR,” explains Timo Kuosmanen, Unit Manager for Vaasa and a European Patent Attorney.

Håkan Niemi, European Patent Attorney, lists inventions, design rights, trademarks and domain names as examples of IP mat-ters.

“Among other things, Kolster helps clients draw up IP contracts and strate-gies. One of our main tasks is to develop IP assets into valuable competitive tools for the business of customer companies,” he explains.

Design right supports businessProtecting an invention or product gives a major competitive advantage in business.

According to Niemi and Kuosmanen, exclu-sive right should be sought immediately for anything worth protecting. Exclusive right to one’s own product gives greater leeway in the market, since it is the only permis-sible way to restrict competition.

“When a company’s IP matters are taken care of, its market value is also up-to-date. IP assets are proof of innovation and they are advantageous in for example market-ing,” says Kuosmanen.

Design rights apply to product appear-ance and the like, while trademarks protect logos and slogans.

“When building a brand strategy, you must pay attention to the way the logo is used, among other things.”

Finland’s most experienced IPR expertFounded way back in 1874, Kolster is Finland’s most experienced professional specialised in industrial rights. The office in Vaasa provides local service to all sectors of business and industry. It also has access to the company’s worldwide cooperation network.

“Kolster is a versatile department store for IPR matters. We offer consultation in all questions related to immaterial rights,” say Timo Kuosmanen and Håkan Niemi.

kolster oyTel. +358 6 318 8200 www.kolster.fi [email protected] sector: IP ConsultationTurnover 2011: €22 millionEmployees: 170; 60 of them IP consultants

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“Any company that engages in business will come across immaterial rights at some point. The earlier a company puts its IP matters into shape, the more flexibly it can operate on the market. While we do help companies in potential dispute resolutions, the easiest way to avoid conflicts is to use Kolster’s services in advance,” Kuosmanen points out. c

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FINLAND’S LEADING LAW FIRM, Roschier, has always been a frontrunner. It is an inte-gral feature of the corporate culture, which goes back to the founder, Åke Roschier-Holmberg.

No wonder, then, that Roschier is now pioneering the Green Economy and Energy (GEE) practice area.

GEE is a multifaceted field of law, which requires full command of, for example, environmental, competition, technology, public and corporate law. The practice area also calls for solid competence in both EU and national legislation.

Roschier’s office in Vaasa is a key player in GEE.

“The Vaasa region is a Nordic leader in energy technology, and we have expanded our competence in the field jointly with our clients from the region’s energy cluster,” explains Stefan Wikman, Partner at Ro-schier, Head of the Vaasa office and one of the firm’s GEE experts.

“We have deep insight into the legal needs and matters of the sector, and above all, we understand our clients’ business logic.”

The green law firm

Local presenceRoschier is now growing rapidly also in Sweden. With offices in Helsinki, Stock-holm and Vaasa, the firm also works in close cooperation with Raidla Lejins & Norcous in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This joint network, the RR Alliance, com-prises 250 lawyers overall.

The Vaasa office operates both locally and globally.

“Clients value local presence, and our offices give them access to our whole network of lawyers and all their special competences. The lawyers in Vaasa work with local clients in the Vaasa, Seinäjoki and Kokkola-Pietarsaari regions, but we also contribute to the entire network with our special knowledge of different busi-ness sectors and practice areas,” explains Wikman.

Trusted advisorLawyers these days are not just lawyers, they are trusted advisors.

“Earlier, you provided clients mainly with court representation. These days, what we actually do is business consulting.

A law firm is a persuasive framework, a label of quality. You have to be accepted by the community, and the sector is regulated. Most importantly, Roschier is a totally independent advisor and has no connec-tions with other interests. We emphatically focus on law,” says Stefan Wikman. c

75-year-old Roschier is an expert in environmental and energy law.

roschierFounded in 1936 (Vaasa 1994) www.roschier.comBusiness sector: Legal servicesTurnover: €52.4 million (fiscal 06/2010–05/2011)Employees: Approx. 270, over 150 of them lawyersMajor markets: The Nordic and Baltic countries

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Roschier’s office in Vaasa houses eight employees, four of whom are lawyers with wide legal expertise in public contract law, corporate advisory, as well as mergers and acquisitions. From the left: Stefan Wikman, Elina Peltokorpi, Kim Åstrand, Leena Lilius and Essi Kärkkäinen.

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Finance for the futureWedeco Management enables business growth and success.

WEDECO MANAGEMENT is a Vaasa-based venture capital investor that has supported the growth and success of over 80 Ostro-bothnian companies over the years. The company’s funds hold around 40 million euros and its resources saw steep growth in 2011.

“We teamed up with Teknoventure Man-agement from Oulu and established a new venture capital enterprise, Noweco Part-ners, which is now the parent of both of us. Joining forces enables us to develop target companies and set up a new venture capital fund,” explains CEO Keijo Kangasluoma.

Tools for board workWhen Wedeco Management steps in as a minority or majority owner through a VC investment, it makes all its expertise avail-able to the company in question. However, instead of participating in operational man-agement, it is involved in board work.

“We provide the board of directors with a set of tools we’ve developed to clarify procedures,” says Kangasluoma.

These include complete models for Senior Advisor activities, board agendas and self-evaluation forms. The company also offers an online archiving and reporting system for boards of directors, as well as a strategy workbook and weekly reporting.

“Our Senior Advisor team comprises 11 experts, who help companies through their long and invaluable experience,” Kangas-luoma explains.

Partner for growth-oriented companiesWedeco Management continues to look for new investments in Western Finland. It is, for example, interested in supplying the capital required for acquisitions, internationalisa-tion or other business arrangements.

“What we value very highly in a company is professional and committed management. Operations must be well organised and responsibilities shouldered by more than one person. We also expect the company’s past profitability to be at least satisfactory,” says Kangasluoma.

According to him, the venture capitalist is more than just a new owner for companies. It also makes companies more self-sufficient, helps them obtain debt financing, improves their credit rating and risk capacity and, most importantly, enables the company to grow faster. c

“Wedeco Management has solidified its position by joining forces with Teknoventure Management. We invest broadly in different sectors, usually in companies with a turnover in excess of 2.5 million euros,” explains CEO Keijo Kangasluoma.

oy wedeco management abTel. +358 6 316 5800 www.noweco.fi [email protected] sector: Venture capital

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ABC of exportViexpo helps small and medium-sized companies establish themselves abroad.

Viexpo offers practical guidance and expertise in export.

VIEXPO IS ONE of the country’s leading organisers in the field of joint exports. Backed by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Viexpo functions as an expert and counsellor for small and medium-sized companies looking to take a step closer to international markets.

“First of all, you’ve got to do your home-work well. Proper preparation makes it easier for companies to get it right and es-tablish themselves on new markets,” says Mikael Kvist, Managing Director. “We offer help with everything from market research and trade fair participation to the hiring of a joint export manager for a small group of companies in the same sector.”

Four steps towards internationalisationMikael Kvist lists four steps preceding market establishment.

“Thorough market research is the first step. From there, we move on to fact find-ing, which could involve visiting trade fairs and sounding out local conditions. Compa-nies then take part in a fair with their own stand in order to launch their product, and the last stage involves the creation of an export network.”

The goal at this point is for companies to be established and independent and have their own distributors, retailers or subsidiary.

“Viexpo also offers consultation and language services,” says Kvist.

Applicable conceptAgricultural machinery, as well as the metal and boatbuilding industries, are now hot sectors ready to expand. According to Kvist, the export concept can be applied in any sector.

“We attract companies from all around Finland, but Ostrobothnia’s entrepreneuri-

“Successful international establishment hinges on proper preparatory work. There’s no point in rushing ahead without a watertight plan,” says Mikael Kvist.

al density certainly shows in our statistics, since half of our clients come from Central Ostrobothnia and Ostrobothnia.”

In terms of their products, Finnish com-panies offer extremely high quality.

“Problems in international establish-ment are usually related to poor marketing and too low and humble a profile,” says Kvist. “Our assistance and reasonably set targets give companies every chance to succeed.” c

viexpoHeadquarters in Jakobstad Tel. +358 6 781 6440Kokkola office Tel. +358 6 832 6440Vaasa office Tel. +358 6 319 9250Närpes office Tel. +358 50 342 [email protected] www.viexpo.fiBusiness sector: Assistance in international trade for small and medium-sized companies.Employees: 11

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Development and growthFinnvera offers financing for business establishment and internationalisation.

FINNVERA is a specialised financing company owned by the State of Finland. It grants loans, offers guarantees and makes venture capital investments in domestic companies. Finnvera is Finland’s official Export Credit Agency (ECA).

“Our operations are guided by the state-set goals for industry and ownership policies. These include increasing start-up business activities, enabling financing for SMEs undergoing changes, as well as promoting the growth, internationalisation and exports of companies,” explains John

“Finnvera offers loans, guarantees, risk capital and export credit guarantees to boost the competitiveness of Finnish companies,” says John Erickson.

finnvera plcTel. +358 204 6011 www.finnvera.fiBusiness sector: Risk financing for small and medium-sized companies and export credit guaranteesRegional offices: 15Outstanding commitments arising from export credit guarantees and special guarantees (current commitments and offers given) in Q2/2011: €9.5 billion.Outstanding domestic commitments (loans and guarantees) in Q2/2011: €3.1 billion (the Vaasa office €239 million)Employees: 400 (the Vaasa office 13)Customers in Q2/2011: 29,700 enterprises (the Vaasa office 1,810)

020637Erickson, Vice President, Western Finland, from Finnvera’s regional office in Vaasa.

Finnvera finances entrepreneurial ac-tivities that are based on a good business idea and meet the criteria for profitable operations if the company’s own resources or collateral are insufficient for acquiring funding on the commercial market.

Venture capital providerOne of Finnvera’s main tasks is to offer financing assistance at the start-up phase.

“In terms of the number of projects,

around one-third involve start-up proc-esses. The remaining two-thirds are related to growth companies and companies going international, which naturally account for a large share in terms of money. Finnvera also provides venture capital products through its seed fund to strengthen the capital of early stage innovative companies.”

Besides that, Finnvera also offers exporters and their financiers internation-ally competitive solutions to hedge against export and project risks.

Needed in difficult timesDuring the recent economic crisis, Finnvera has offered counter-cyclical loans and guar-antees to struggling companies. To receive such financing, the funded company must have the potential for profitable business once the economy picks up.

“Our services are needed especially in difficult times. Counter-cyclical loans can be granted as working capital to secure li-quidity or to fund investments that will help to assure competitiveness. They cannot be used to repay existing loans and com-mitments to Finnvera or other financiers. Counter-cyclical loans and guarantees will be available until the end of 2012,” Erickson promises.

Finnvera began financing export credits at the beginning of 2012.

“The objective of the new export financ-ing model is to ensure the competitiveness of Finnish exporters. The model is intended for the arrangement of financing for for-eign customers who purchase Finnish capital goods.”

According to Erickson, Ostrobothnia has weathered the downturn relatively well.

“The region and its energy sector are very innovative and export-driven and have not taken as deep a plunge as many others. In many ways, this region is a front runner in the world.” c

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According to Kaj Suomela, the ELY Centre has the resources to invest in new and innovative business ideas. “We constantly keep our eyes out for entrepreneurs with a new philosophy.”

THE GOAL of Kaj Suomela, Director of the ELY Centre in Vaasa, is to find enterprising people with an innovative business idea that could both create jobs in the region and succeed out in the world.

“We constantly keep our eyes out for entrepreneurs with a new philosophy. It is naturally in our interest to support ideas with the potential to employ masses. As for

Creating opportunitiesinnovative approaches, we can contribute with many more resources, as long as we find the right idea and entrepreneur,” he explains.

Developing the countryside and citiesThe ELY Centre supports the region’s companies from cradle to grave.

“We aim to help companies grow and do well. This means we are responsible for every type of business support and help companies sell the actual product. We hope to see international and outward-oriented entrepreneurship in our region,” says Suomela, who considers Ostrobothnia to be a vigorous environment for entrepre-neurial activities.

“We are located in the middle of a versa-tile region that is considerably more indus-trialised than the country on average.”

Vaasa boasts an energy and technology cluster, while Pietarsaari is known for pulp and paper, as well as metal companies and small enterprises. Kokkola, in the north, is home to the chemical, metal and metallur-gical industries, while southern Ostro-bothnia is characterised by its greenhouse sector.

In support of youth cultureMaintaining a vital Ostrobothnia, but above all offering a dynamic environment for young people, are other primary goals for the ELY Centre.

“We naturally want young people to return here and therefore try to ensure that the region offers opportunities and vi-sions,” says Suomela. “This means we boost the things that are important if people are to enjoy themselves and feel good. We help to maintain sports facilities in good condi-tion, promote services needed by families with children, and advance cultural and after-work activities in communities.” c

the ely centre (centre for economic development, transport and the environment)

Tel. +358 20 636 0140 [email protected] www.ely-keskus.fi/pohjanmaaBusiness sector: Promoting entrepreneurship, the functioning of labour market, preservation of a vital countryside, competence and cultural activitiesEmployees: 130

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The ELY Centre offers comprehensive services for both small and big companies and is involved in every stage from developing business ideas to helping companies reach out to international markets.

The ELY Centre seeks innovations and initiatives.

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TO SUCCEED in stiffer international competition, companies need increasingly innovative and desirable solutions that are meaningful to customers. In continuously changing markets, it is important to under-stand what produces value to customers. Design offers ways to identify business opportunities in both the short and long run. It is used to develop products and services that produce value to customers and the company.

Renewing power of designDesign is an expanding field used to solve increasingly complex issues. Future product and service opportunities can be identified through product visioning, which is based on forecasting and conceptual design. At its best, product visioning can renew the entire sector.

“In the WAVE project, for example, we developed a product visioning method that enables SMEs in the boating industry to forecast changes in consumer behav-iour and utilise them in their own product development,” says Janne Pekkala, concept designer and researcher.

Service design is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary development process that aims to provide customers with a

Renewing business by design

meaningful service experience, a uniform service path and convenient contact points. Transformation design is an ap-proach used to answer complex social challenges.

“One of the goals of the VET Combo project is to renew value networks that produce information and communication services concerning water ecosystems,” says Sanna Peltonen, describing transfor-mation design.

The diverse nature of design manifests itself in a unique philosophy and operating procedure – design thinking. It refers to creative, comprehensive and user-oriented design that aims to find the sources of problems and create several alternative solutions. Solutions are expressed as con-crete descriptions, models and prototypes.

“At its best, design thinking runs through the entire company culture, with research, inspiration, the creation of ideas and implementation following each other in a continuous flow,” explains Miia Lammi, Development Manager.

Renewing companies Western Finland Design Centre MUOVA is a research and development centre, which supports the competitiveness of Finnish

companies through design. Muova aims at renewing companies and industries with transformation design, product and service design and visioning. The goal of re-search projects is to find procedures that help companies succeed in the long run. Development and training projects spread the procedures into different sectors. Muova’s business services apply research competence to revamp the innovation activities of individual companies.

“We want to make design thinking a part of companies’ routines,” says Annika Hissa, summing up Muova’s role in the world of design. c

Muova’s multi-disciplinary expert team provides companies with tools for renewal. “Why not pop in for a cup of coffee, so we can jointly talk about how we might be of help,” say Annika Hissa, Janne Pekkala, Miia Lammi, Pirkka Åman and Sanna Peltonen.

Muova helps companies identify future product and service opportunities.

western finland design centre muova

Aalto University School of Art and Design and University of Vaasa

Wolffintie 36 F 11 FI-65200 Vaasa, Finland

Tel. +358 50 568 5863 [email protected] www.muova.fiBusiness sector: Research, education and developmentEmployees: 15

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Smooth networkingWest Finland European Office promotes the west coast’s interests in Brussels.

“It pays off to be present in Brussels,” say Olav Jern and Kjell Nybacka. ”It is very rewarding when you succeed in influencing decisions important to our region.”

Four regions in western Finland have had their own Brussels-based office, known as West Finland European Office, ever since Finland became an EU member in 1995.

EVER SINCE FINLAND became an EU mem-ber in 1995, the regions in western Finland have had their own Brussels-based office, known as West Finland European Office, dedicated to promoting the regions’ inter-ests. The Regional Council of Ostrobothnia finances the office jointly with three other regions, and Chief Executive Olav Jern believes the money is well invested.

“Our member municipalities sometimes wonder about the benefits of the work, since concrete results are not that easy to detect. However, I’m convinced it is worthwhile being present where decisions are made. More than anything, it pays off to work with the long term in mind,” says Jern.

Versatile operationsThe office has been managed for many years by Kjell Nybacka, accompanied by two other employees.

“I agree that a long-term approach is cru-cial to successful operations. My first year went learning what was essential. Because of the huge amount of information, you’re forced to prioritise many things. It also takes time to develop personal contacts,” says Nybacka.

West Finland European Office deals with all kinds of questions, ranging from salmon quotas to educational cooperation and transport policy matters.

“We currently focus on serving business and industry and on supporting our fields of strength. As concerns the Vaasa region, much of this involves energy technology. The EU’s 20-20-20 objective makes the re-gion very interesting, since it is home to sev-eral companies that supply energy-saving solutions. Together with EnergyVaasa, we co-operate to increase the region’s visibility in Brussels and on the European stage.”

Prosperous regionWest Finland European Office also func-tions as a contact forum for companies and

institutions visiting Brussels. It can involve simple things like tips on facilities suitable for seminars to meetings with crucial experts in the EU Commission.

Cooperation also works the other way round: “Since we’re beginning to enjoy a good reputation as a well-to-do region, it is easier and easier to attract EU bigwigs to various seminars and events arranged in western Finland.”

The Lisbon Treaty has made Kjell Ny-backa’s work even more challenging.

“With the Parliament now playing a bigger role, it is essential to also work with MPs in addition to the Commission and Council of Ministers. It is very rewarding when cooperation functions well and you succeed in influencing decisions important to our region.” c

west finland european office

Tel. +32 2 286 9081 [email protected] www.wfeo.fiBusiness sector: Promotion of common interests for western Finland. Employees: 3

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regional council of ostrobothnia

Tel. +358 6 320 6500 [email protected] www.obotnia.fiBusiness sector: Regional council for 16 municipalities and towns. Regional development and spatial planning. Distribution of regional funding for the development of the region’s business. International matters and contacts.Turnover: €5 millionEmployees: 30

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“VAKK wants to be a national leader in the provision of practical training for the energy cluster,” say Pirjo Kauhanen and Olavi Mäntylä, standing in front of the centralised coolant and chip conveyor system.

THE VAASA ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE (VAKK) offers vocational education and training to adults. VAKK aims to deepen professional skills and provide the region’s companies with a practically oriented, skilled workforce. Students can obtain vocational upper-secondary, further vocational or specialist vocational qualifications and short-term courses in various fields. VAKK offers self-motivated education, labour-market training, ap-prenticeships, personnel development and joint-purchase training arranged in cooperation by the employer and state.

“Our educational offering focuses on the sectors most important to the region, such as energy technology and the social and health sector. We contribute to the devel-opment of the region’s business life. Since our energy cluster sorely needs new skilled personnel, we have made big inputs into our technology campus,” explains Principal Pirjo Kauhanen.

Brand new technology campusKauhanen and Olavi Mäntylä, Director of the technology sector, are pleased with VAKK’s new technology campus, which houses electrical engineering, informa-tion technology, machining, welding and building engineering. The City of Vaasa, the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia

Best in practiceLong-term partners, VAKK and the region’s industry and commerce engage in flexible cooperation. VAKK aims to offer education and development solutions that contribute to the entire region’s success.

(through the European Regional Develop-ment Fund), VAKK and the Vaasa Voca-tional Institute have jointly invested in the construction of an effective learning environment. Thanks to new purchases, students learn to professionally use the latest and most modern equipment. The new equipment also enables VAKK to offer training specifically targeted to individual companies.

“For example, we have a new centralised coolant and chip conveyor system that improves the occupational safety at plants and reduces fork-lift transports. We have

also acquired a five-axle machining centre, new machine tools and an FMS system, which automates production,” says Mäntylä.

Fruitful cooperationCompanies appreciate VAKK’s inputs into its practical learning environment. Close cooperation and interaction with business life will continue in the future. The Vaasa lo-cal association of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises recognised VAKK as the 2011 partner of the year on 26 November 2011.

“We develop education according to the needs of companies. These days, in addi-tion to content skills, employees must also have international and interaction skills, as well as insight into project work. The de-velopment perspective is also important to employees carrying out practical work,” Kauhanen and Mäntylä point out. c

The Adult Education Centre in Vaasa creates expertise for the energy cluster.

vakkTel. +358 40 727 8898 www.vakk.fiBusiness sector: Vocational training for adultsStudents: 4,200 /year and 1,400 /dayEmployees: 110

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“CENTRIA’s activities comprise applied research and development, versatile service operations, project competence and education,” says Lasse Jansson.

CENTRIA is the innovation, research and development unit of the Central Ostro-bothnia University of Applied Sciences (COU). Regional CENTRIA units operate in a networked fashion at each of the Univer-sity’s campuses. All activities are based on the region’s business needs.

“We are involved in various publicly funded research and development projects that serve the region’s companies exten-sively. We also offer fee-based services to individual players,” explains Lasse Jansson, CENTRIA’s R&D Director.

Three focal areasCENTRIA is heavily focused on three areas, in which COU offers superior competence and education.

“Our main fields comprise the develop-ment of industrial processes and produc-tion technology, as well as distributed and wireless systems in the field of ICT. In addi-tion, we offer multiprofessional well-being and cultural services, as well as service business competence,” Jansson explains.

Most of CENTRIA’s services assist the region’s strong chemical industry and proc-ess and break-bulk industries.

“We always do what customers request of us. For example, we often help them with product, service or production develop-ment,” says Jansson.

Developing regional businessExtensive development work carried out by CENTRIA has resulted in a robot known as Kaveri (“Mate”), featuring a great number of sensors and artificial intelligence. The robot is designed to assist the elderly or people with disabilities at home or in care homes.

Strong support to businessCENTRIA is annually involved in as many as 100 projects, jointly carried out with companies and organisations in the region. It is supported by a wide and professional staff consisting of 100 researchers. In addition to researchers, COU’s students occasionally participate in research and development tasks.

Businesses show great trust in CENTRIA’s expertise. According to Jansson, activities in the past year have involved up to 800 cooperation compa-nies located in CENTRIA’s home region, stretching from Jakobstad to Ylivieska. The unit sometimes caters to customers from other parts of Finland as well. Jansson hopes the region’s success will continue

to be boosted in close cooperation with various parties.

“Our goal in CENTRIA is to advance business. Companies must promote their operations and increase their sales and turnover. This is vital to our society,” Jansson emphasises c

CENTRIA offers companies the services of its 100 experts.

centriaTel. +358 6 825 0000 www.centria.fiBusiness sector: Research and developmentTurnover 2009: €7 millionEmployees: 100

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mats sandström

mats sandström

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Students go globalCOU’s global projects provide students with valuable experience in international business. This belief is shared by business students Marika Korkia-aho, Juuso Kautiainen and Petra Komulainen.

The Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences aims at global competence.

THE CENTRAL OSTROBOTHNIA Univer-sity of Applied Sciences (COU) educates, develops and does research. It possesses competence in six fields and has campuses in three towns: Kokkola, Ylivieska and Jakobstad. COU aims to profile itself, among other things, as an internationally oriented university of applied sciences. Principal lecturers Marko Forsell and Irja Leppisaari, as well as Niklas Kankkonen, international relations officer, are enthusi-astic – and for a reason.

“We’re launching and running several projects that increase the global compe-tence of students,” says Kankkonen.

Establishment in the USAMarko Forsell, PhD (Econ.), is at the helm of a project that aims to make it easier for companies to establish themselves in the USA. Beginning in autumn 2012, the year-long project will involve three to five companies considering such a move. COU’s students are closely involved in the under-taking, which will also have participants from Tallinn University in Estonia, San Diego State University in the USA and CETYS University in Mexico.

“The project also includes student ex-change between Europe and North America. Both regions have teams, and around six students of each switch places and get to

create new contacts and collect valuable information from one another’s regions. At the end, students draw up a business development plan for the other continent,” explains Forsell.

He believes the project will provide both the students and companies with a great deal of new information.

“I’m sure the results will offer good support to decisions concerning establish-ment.”

South Korea as a cooperation countryPrincipal lecturer Irja Leppisaari, PhD (Education), is in charge of an EU mobil-ity project, which also aims to increase global competence. In this context, COU coordinates four European higher educa-tion institutions participating in the joint cooperation project, which also involves three South Korean universities financed by the South Korean Ministry of Education.

“A total of 40 students will participate in exchange programmes between the EU and South Korea. Student exchange is working life-oriented, practical learning linked to everyday operations,” says Leppisaari.

South Korea, experiencing strong growth, is an interesting cooperation country and expected to be of great future benefit.

“We aim at setting up a Global Education study module, which will make our international student affairs and business cooperation increasingly efficient,” say Irja Leppisaari, Marko Forsell and Niklas Kankkonen.

“Students’ working life skills will strengthen and the region’s interna-tional competence will increase. More over, contacts often lead to new, high-quality projects,” says Kankkonen, in conclu-sion. c

central ostrobothnia university of applied sciences

Tel. +358 6 825 0000 [email protected] www.cou.fiBusiness sector: Higher educationDegree programmes: 7 taught in English, 20 in FinnishEmployees: 300Students: 3,300

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mats sandström

mats sandström

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Diverse expertise producerThe Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia has developed a national study path model for transferring from the upper secondary level to higher education.

The Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia creates synergy.

the federation of education in central ostrobothnia

Tel. +358 6 825 0000 Fax +358 6 825 2009 www.kpedu.fi Business sector: Vocational education, adult education and development projectsStudents: 4,000Employees: 599

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“We aim at 20 per cent of our students carrying out their practical training abroad,” say Liisa Sadeharju and Teija Tuunila.

THE FEDERATION OF EDUCATION in Central Ostrobothnia develops the region’s working life and satisfies the compe-tence needs of companies. Owned by 14 municipalities, the education and develop-ment organisation pursues development projects and offers multidisciplinary education to young people and adults. Its education programmes and development projects are annually attended by some 4,000 students.

“We listen closely to the needs of com-panies in this region and take a working-life-oriented approach to educating students,” explains Education Director Liisa Sadeharju.

International know-howThe Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia provides vocational upper-secondary education at six units located in Kokkola and the surrounding region. Internationality is important to it.

“EU project funding makes exchange programmes accessible to any of our stu-dents interested in them. We now have 250 students annually doing their work prac-tice abroad, making themselves increas-ingly attractive employees to Ostroboth-nian companies,” explains Teija Tuunila, Manager of International Activities.

The Federation of Education has coop-

eration partners in 38 countries, where students can acquire international know-how. The most beneficial areas are those that have a business and service structure similar to Ostrobothnia as well as existing links to the region’s companies.

“Students who have studied and worked abroad boost regional and international synergy,” says Tuunila.

Business developmentThe Federation’s adult education and projects develop the business of the

region’s companies. Around 3,000 enter-prises are involved in work-based learning projects. The Federation annually carries out some 80 EU projects, half of which aim to improve the employment and operat-ing conditions of the region’s enterprises. Education programmes are designed and organised for individual sectors and based on demand.

“For example, we arranged a devel-opment project for the region’s metal businesses, which focuses on the quality system, product development and new technology,” explains Sadeharju.

She also believes the region faces a bright future. “The Federation’s develop-ment activities provide the region with new competence, efficiency, operating models and technologies.” c

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Lifelong learningNovia is focusing more and more on tailored education for companies. Group discussions and the interchange of experiences are often more important than traditional lectures.

Novia offers fast and flexible continuing education to people in working life.

IN TODAY’S WORLD, it is more and more common for people to go through several careers in their lifetime. This has also increased the need for fast and flexible continuing education for those already in working life. Novia University of Applied Sciences is therefore boosting its offering of tailored education for businesses.

“Our strategy is to grow in this field. What it means for us is building a flexible organisation that enables us to quickly meet educational demands. Companies can rarely afford to wait; their needs must be attended to here and now,” says Presi-dent Örjan Andersson.

Meeting pointCompanies today are under pressure to constantly adapt to a changing environ-ment and to deliver better products faster. This has increased the need for training focused on optimising company processes and organisational communication. As a result, the popularity of courses in topics such as lean production and product devel-opment, project management and change communication is on the rise.

Different types of management and leadership modules are still very popular among companies as well.

“We bring together people from differ-ent sectors so they can exchange valuable

experiences. It’s more about arranging a meeting point for fruitful group discus-sions than offering traditional lectures,” explains Lena Smeds-Furu, Deputy Direc-tor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a joint educational unit of Novia and Åbo Akademi University.

Novia offers a wide range of basic degree studies in culture. This is a field that can be increasingly incorporated into busi-ness modules in the future.

“One of the current trends is to involve both body and soul in management and leadership training. An emphasis on crea-

“The skills and knowledge accumulated through company training programmes must be spread downward all the way to basic education,” say Lena Smeds-Furu and Örjan Andersson.

novia university of applied sciences

Tel. +358 6 328 5000 www.novia.fiBusiness sector: Education, research and development servicesStudents: 4,000Employees: 420Certificates: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

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tivity and mindfulness can lead to brand new results. At the moment, we are piloting training of this kind among our own person-nel,” says Smeds-Furu.

Alongside workNovia also offers Master’s education to people active in working life. The educa-tion is designed so it can, and should, be completed alongside work.

“The education includes development work, which deals with real-life matters and is carried out at one’s own workplace. The concept of integrating work and learning in this way has been a success,” Andersson explains. c

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Hasse Berglund (on the left) is one of the YA teachers who will begin educating Vacon’s customers. In the foreground, Managing principal Mika Jylhä, and behind him, on the right, Mats Österman from Vacon.

YA! VOCATIONAL EDUCATION and train-ing educates young people and adults for various professions, but it also aims at contributing to the region’s development on a more general level. Which is why YA’s Managing principal Mika Jylhä immediately caught on when Vacon, an AC-drive manu-

A win-win ideafacturer, was looking for a cooperation partner in the field of education.

“This is a form of cooperation in which both parties benefit greatly from one another. YA’s goal is to set up similar partnerships with other companies in the future,” says Jylhä.

Educating customersIn practice, Vacon will first teach YA’s staff to understand and to use AC drives, after which YA! can begin to educate Vacon’s customers in Sweden and Finland.

“AC drives are complex instruments. There’s a continuous need to train our cus-tomers, but we don’t always have enough of our own resources available. Moreover, YA has real pedagogic competence,” says Mats Österman, Vacon’s Global Training Manager.

He is very pleased with the cooperation agreement. “We hope YA! can function as a kind of education department for us. We have similar agreements with other educa-tional institutions in many countries.”

Modern technologyFor YA!, cooperation means additional income from customer training, as well as insight into cutting-edge technology in the field.

“The idea is that the competence acquired in AC drives will spread through-out our organisation all the way to basic education. It will also benefit Vacon, in view of future recruiting,” says Jylhä.

Cooperation of this kind between public educational institutions and companies is not all that common in Finland.

“Vacon opted for it because we want to be open to our surroundings. In the long run, I believe it will be to our advantage,” says Mats Österman.

Mika Jylhä adds, “The future school must increasingly open up to the rest of society. It must be broad-minded and seek new models for cooperation.” c

YA! and Vacon engage in a unique training partnership.

YA Vocational Education and Training plans to actively seek partnership agreements with various companies. First in line is Vacon, which manufactures variable-speed AC drives.

ya! vocational education and training

Tel. +358 6 324 2000 www.yrkesakademin.fiBusiness sector: Vocational educationFull-time students: 2,500Students in intensive courses: 4,500Employees: 300Budget: €30 million

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vacon

mikko lehtimäki

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International futureHanken first in Finland to include a compulsory stay abroad.

Students on bachelor level at Hanken have a period abroad in the form of studies or internship built into their study programme. The University is the first in Finland to introduce such a requirement.

AT HANKEN SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, international studies, or international internships, are a mandatory part of bach-elor level education and built into the study programme. The University also hosts a large number of exchange students from different parts of the world.

“The Vaasa region accounts for a large part of the country’s exports and inter-national business. Our industries have a great need for competent employees, who are well versed in several languages but are also used to getting along in unfamiliar environments,” says Sören Kock, Professor and Dean at the University’s Vaasa cam-pus. “The experiences that our students bring back home are of both direct and indirect significance.”

Open doors to the surrounding worldAsia now carries the future in its hands, and many young people choose to conduct their international studies in either China or India. English is the language of study.

“English is used today as both a study and work language. We offer around 50 per cent of our instruction in English, which is also the work language of many large com-panies in the Vaasa region,” explains Kock. “We prepare our students for international

careers in a global economy. It is vital to keep all their doors open.”

The Hanken School of Economics engag-es in wide and well-established cooperation with many universities on all continents. The most popular placements are decided on basis of study performance during the first two years at the University. “We also have what are known as Free Movers, who arrange their time abroad independently. The minimum duration for international studies is 18 weeks, but many choose to stay much longer than that,” says Kock.

“As long as educational institutions can provide companies with a competent and versatile workforce, jobs in the region are safe,” says Sören Kock, Rector of the Hanken School of Economics in Vaasa.

hanken school of economicsTel. +358 6 353 3700 [email protected] www.hanken.fiBusiness sector: Education and researchStudents: 2,347 (Vaasa 446)Doctoral students: 164 (Vaasa 29)Employees: 222 (Vaasa 46)Accreditations: EQUIS, Associations of MBAsCertification systems: FINHEEC, PRME

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In the region’s best interestSören Kock feels cautiously confident about the future.

“Our region is strong, but it is imperative that we supply companies with the com-petence and knowledge they need. Should the day arrive that the region can no longer provide a sufficient number of employees, companies will transfer their operations elsewhere – say to India or other parts of Asia. For us as a university, it is extremely important to ensure our education is of superior quality and to maintain a high international profile. In this way, we work with the region’s best interest in mind.” c

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THE UNIVERSITY of Vaasa and the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences are more than the sum of their parts. They have determinedly deepened their teamwork, the mission of both schools being to serve the region’s business life better than ever by providing companies with a skilled work-force and contributing to research and development projects with their expertise.

“Cooperation enables us to provide firms with excellent service concepts and stronger partnership,” say Matti Jakobsson and Tauno Kekäle, the rectors of the two educational institutions.

Joint service pointBoth schools have been tirelessly devel-oping their joint service offering. They provide service research, as well as adult and continuing education to companies and

Teamwork makes us strong

organisations. Moreover, the institutions lead significant organisational and regional development projects.

Cooperation in research projects and open university activities is arranged through the Vaasa University’s Levón Insti-tute, which further helps to increase joint resources and the number of projects.

“Companies can interact with our experts at Levón based on the one-stop principle. Making both schools’ compe-tence available in a single place ensures that education, research and development can be integrated more closely. Our service is multidisciplinary and works flexibly across school boundaries,” says Kekäle.

Good examples of joint services include the innovation ombudsman’s work and the Business Factory. Both services are collaboratively offered by four educational

institutions. The innovation ombudsman is on the lookout for new business ideas and innovations in the world of higher educa-tion and helps to patent and promote them.

Business Factory, in turn, is an incubator jointly run by four higher education institu-tions in Vaasa. It uses educational means to help students develop new business ideas.

“The purpose is to encourage students to engage in entrepreneurial activities and support them in the process. Consulta-tion is provided by experts from the four schools,” explains Jakobsson.

Continuing education for companiesThe University and University of Applied Sciences offer joint adult and continuing education services, which help the region’s business life to build up competence. At

Vaasa University and University of Applied Sciences create regional expertise.

The seaside campus of 10,000 students has been described as the most beautiful in Finland. The goal is to make the campus into a widely visible centre of education and research .

108 coastline 2012–2013

“As a team, we can cater to the region’s business life more efficiently. Enjoying greater resources means being able to participate in wide-ranging international projects and make Vaasa more visible on the world map,” say Matti Jakobsson and Tauno Kekäle.

Teamwork makes us strong

university of vaasaTel. +358 6 324 8111 www.uwasa.fi Business sector: Innovative research and educationStudents: 5,100Employees: 500

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times, education is tailored to the indi-vidual needs of companies, at other times, it is arranged as joint training for several interested parties.

“For example, the courses dealing with individual development as a manager always have participants from several companies. The MBA programmes are based on the same principle,” says Jakobs-son. The schools also cooperate in studies belonging to the open university and open university of applied sciences, which they offer through Edubothnia, a specially developed portal.

Experts for the energy clusterThe two institutions always aim to offer education in sectors needed by the region’s business and industry. Business, energy and well-being are also the focal points of external service provision.

The local energy cluster in particular poses tough demands: according to estimates, the region needs 2,000 new engineers by 2020. Student recruiting is close to the heart of both rectors.

“What we especially need is competence in technology and the energy sector. We need more students in the field and must find ways to ensure they stay in the region,” says Kekäle.

Vaasa-based higher education institu-tions have strengthened their national position year by year. The region’s special need for technological competence has also been noted in the Ministry of Educa-tion, which gives both Kekäle and Jakobs-son great satisfaction. c

vaasa university of applied sciences (vamk)

Tel. +358 207 663 300 [email protected] www.vamk.fiBusiness sector: Education and applied researchStudents: 3,700Employees: 280

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BUSINESS SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS

CONCORDIAThe regional business development company Concordia is a service unit for the Jakobstad region’s economic and regional development. Concordia is owned by five municipalities and the company’s main task is to promote the different sectors in the region. The company also has the task of promoting the region as the Home of Quality. In addition, Concordia serves as a link between the companies and the municipalities. www.concordia.jakobstad.fiTel. +358 10 239 7550

VASEKVasek is a development company owned by the municipalities in the Vaasa region. Whether you need help with starting a business in the region, are looking for a business partner or need advice on how to expand your existing business, Vasek provides the information and tools you need. For foreign companies, Vasek functions as the gateway to the region, connecting them with local networks.

www.vasek.fiTel. +358 6 317 7600

OSTROBOTHNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCEWith over one thousand members Ostrobothnia Chamber of Commerce includes all leading companies in the region. Its members employ about 70% of the workforce in the region. The mission of the Chamber of Commerce is to promote industry and commerce as well as to create networks.

www.ostro.chamber.fiTel. +358 6 318 6400

Juha Häkkinen, CEO Jarl Sundqvist, Director

Pekka Haapanen, Managing Director Niclas Dahl, CEO

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MERINOVATechnology centre Merinova offers development services for companies and public corporations in the area of energy technology. It promotes utilisation of new technologies and is responsible for the technology centre services in the Vaasa region in co-operation with its associated company Vaasa Parks. Merinova is also implementing the nationwide Centre of Expertise Programme OSKE.

www.merinova.fiTel. +358 6 282 8200

REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CENTRAL OSTROBOTHNIAThe Regional Council of Central Ostrobothnia is a joint municipal authority formed by thirteen member municipalities. The main responsibility areas are regional development and regulation of area usage. Promoting regional interests e.g. in welfare and culture is another important dimension. The Regional Council is also responsible for a wide range of international issues.

www.keski-pohjanmaa.fiTel. +358 40 160 5700

REGIONAL COUNCIL OF OSTROBOTHNIAThe Regional Council of Ostrobothnia is a joint municipal author-ity formed by sixteen municipalities. It has mainly two functions: regional development and spatial planning, which both form the basis for supporting regional interests. The Regional Council is also responsible for a wide range of EU affairs, international issues and contacts.

www.obotnia.fiTel. +358 6 320 6500

KOSEK KOSEK (Kokkolanseudun Kehitys Ltd) is a versatile provider of free-of-charge business and development services as well as business advice services intended for all entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes in the Kokkola region. www.kosek.fiwww.facebook.com/KokkolanseudunKehitysTel. +358 6 824 3400

Jonne Sandberg, Managing Director Timo Kankaanpää, Managing Director

Jukka Ylikarjula, Executive Director, Regional Mayor Olav Jern, Executive Director

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