Professionals Winter 2015

Professionals is a commercial supplement produced by Editor Helsinki // December 2015 // www.editori.fi

Reward yourself with a great sauna page 14

Wild berries – arctic delight for the health conscious consumers page 15

Plantui brings the miracle of growth to all | 2

More than 60 years of reliable road transport | 4

The chameleon of testing | 11

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Contents Plantui brings the miracle of growth to alls.................................................. 2 Genuine buzz, real opportunities ................................................................. 3 Ahola Transport — More than 60 years of reliable road transport .............. 4 MyGeoTrust aims to revolutionize the crowdsourcing of mobile data......... 5 Nordcloud utilizes cloud technology in assembling engines of digital business.................................................... 6

Professionals is a publication produced by Editor Helsinki.

Editor Helsinki is an independent expert in business communications. We work in close co-operation with the leading media houses and reach the business decision makers in Finland.

For additional information, please contact Valtteri Rantalainen, +358 40 561 7703.

Every customer deserves VIP treatment ..................................................... 7 Thermal Treatment of Wood Supports Sustainable Development .............. 8 Unique side-grip technology by Movax makes piling more efficient ........... 9 The Needs of Export Markets Inspire New Inventions .............................. 10 The chameleon of testing .......................................................................... 11

Production team: Managing producer: Valtteri Rantalainen. Art Director: Pirja Suotamo. Editors: Maija-Liisa Saksa (MLS), Eila Aalto (EA), Mia Heiskanen (MH).

Translation: Käännöstoimisto Helsincom Oy. Printed by Hansaprint.

Bringing transparency and efficiency into global logistics chains ............. 12 Use of gases on the increase – safety improves........................................ 12 High-quality Honka Buildings Retain their Value........................................ 13 Reward yourself with a great sauna........................................................... 14 Wild berries – arctic delight for the health conscious consumers.............. 15

Feedback to Editor Helsinki Oy: tuotanto@editorhelsinki.fi +358 40 561 7703 www.editorhelsinki.fi www.editori.fi

Nordautomation delivers what’s promised to the log handling value chain .................................................................. 16

Plantui brings the miracle of growth to all

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lantui Smart Garden by the Finnish company Plantui is an innovative miniature greenhouse that produces delicious salads, herbs and edible flowers joyfully and fast at home bringing the miracle of growth to everyone.

The idea of the Plantui garden was born in year 2007, when its creator Janne Loiske admired the plants he had grown in the garden at his summer cottage. Janne wondered how to fit an own garden into the urban life of a city dweller such as himself, because according to him, we have all deserved our own gardens. This moment marked the beginning of the Plantui smart garden concept that has since then gathered global awareness.

Plantui makes it possible Plantui offers an ingenious system that enables you to grow herbs, salads and edible flowers around the year easier than ever. “Plantui is a smart garden based on hydroponic cultivation method in which the herbs, salads and edible flowers grow from ready-made plant capsules, and it’s designed to work indoors.

Gardening without soil is easy, and the devices’

Plantui’s products can be ordered online at www.plantui.com.

The Moomin Garden 3 will be available at www.moomin.com and in the Moomin Shop in Forum shopping center, Helsinki.

intelligent led lighting combined with an automatic pump enable growing plants from seeds to the harvest size in only 4 to 8 weeks. The joy of growth is easy to monitor and results come fast,” Plantui’s Commercial Director Johanna Siltala says.

More than just a device Plantui concept includes not only the device itself, but also carefully selected and tested plants.

On top of this, Plantui shares its knowledge of plants and their care with the home gardeners.

“We share gardening advice, stories and recipes

in the Web, and we also have a chat service with our own gardener answering questions.”

Children can have their own Moomin Garden The Plantui 6 Smart Garden can grow up to six different plants at the time. In November, it will be available also in Japan and Singapore. For the Christmas Plantui brings to the market the smaller Plantui 3 Smart Garden and a Moomin Garden 3, with which also children can experience the joy of growing plants. The Moomin Garden package includes nine plants capsules and a book with lovely tales about the Moomins. TEXT: MH

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Genuine buzz, real opportunities The largest inland city of the nordic countries, centrally located Tampere offers a vibrant environment for aspiring new businesses.

The region has a very significant industrial history, the first GSM phone call was made in Tampere!”

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here’s a genuine buzz in the high tech sector in the Tampere region, and it offers real opportunities for new business,” ventures Mr Petri Nykänen, in charge of business development and investment promotion in the Tampere Region Economic Development Agency, Tredea.

Mr Nykänen lays down compelling figures to back the case for Tampere. The population of the city is expected to grow 20 per cent by 2030. Tampere attracts ample development investments from both public and private sector, second only to the Finnish capital Helsinki.

The city is home to three internationally competitive university-level institutions. One in five people in Tampere is a student, which directly reflects on the availability of highly skilled work force.

“Due to Microsoft´s recent changes in their mobile phone business, there are now intact teams of high-level professionals available, capable of developing products and services for example in automotive industry, entertainment industry, industrial automation, wearables, and health technology.”

Latest era of re-invention creates the buzz The entrepreneurs in Tampere region testify to Nykänen´s views on the growing number of opportunities in Tampere region.

“The atmosphere is very positive for startups. There is a lot of collaboration between the network of companies, which is mostly due to the legacy of Nokia. The region has a very significant industrial history, the first GSM phone call was made in Tampere!,” says Risto Kivipuro from PiceaSoft.

Also Teppo Hemiä, CEO of Wirepas, praises Tampere region. “The Tampere startup scene is still quite young, and in that sense it is easy to stand out. The location of Tampere is excellent for companies aspiring for internationalization; from Tampere-Pirkkala airport you can get anywhere in the world, and even Helsinki-Vantaa is only 90 ­minutes away,” he says.

Tampere grows and innovates According to Veli-Pekka Vatula, Manager, Ideation & Innovation and Site Manager for Intel Tampere, there is a very positive environment for startups. “The region has a positive determination to grow and innovate, and the environment is very diverse.”

Mariina Hallikainen from Colossal Order points out the development of Tampere region. “As the news of the Tampere startup scence spreads, also recruiting a skilled work force from abroad becomes much easier. There is actually nothing missing from Tampere, and everything is located in a very compact area,” she says.

Oula Välipakka, Petri Nykänen and Oliver Hussey from Tredea.

You also find us from the www.tredea.fi personnel page.

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Ahola Transport

— More than 60 years of reliable road transport Hans Ahola, CEO of Oyj Ahola Transport Abp, was only six years old when his dad Helge Ahola took him along in a brand-new truck. That’s when Hans knew what he wanted to be when he grows up. Today, the company has offered transport services already for sixty years. Hans Ahola has expanded its operations in the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries and around Eastern Europe, while at the same time customizing the services to fit the needs of each customer.

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elge Ahola founded the family enterprise in 1955, at a time when Finland was building infrastructure really extensively. The company started the business transporting gravel and expanded to fuel transporting in the next decade. Cargo deliveries were started in the 1970s. That´s when Hans Ahola also started in his father’s company.

“I was only around fifteen when I first started to envision the company’s future. I started out as a gravel truck driver already as a teenager in 1972 and drove my first cross-border delivery to Sweden the very next year,” CEO Hans Ahola recollects.

Hans wanted to develop the cargo transport and expand abroad. In the 1970’s Ahola Transport begun transporting cargo to Norway. In the next decade his younger brothers Lars, Nils and Rolf started in the company. They are also now shareholders in the family enterprise.

“When my dad died in 1982, I took charge of the company. In the late 1980s we focused on international transports in the fields of trade and industry. At the break of the 90s depression, we decided to differentiate the company from the competitors, by developing Ahola Transport’s own dynamic logistics online concept. This was

Developing, reforming and expanding abroad are the only ways to come up with useful services to the customers.”

– Hans Ahola, CEO, Oyj Ahola Transport Abp

tailor made to fit the demand. This turned out to be a great concept,” Hans says.

“During the 90s, the concept was reformed into an ERP system. This later turned into its own company providing IT solutions for logistics companies. After the year 2000, we also started transporting in the Baltic Countries

and Eastern Europe.”

In 2007, our special transports were separated into another company AT Special Transport Oy. The company specializes in project transporting and special transports, both in Finland and internationally. In 2015, the Group was restructured into three parts. The parent company Ahola Transport specializes in international transport. Oy AT Special Transport Ab takes care of the special transports, and Oy Attracs Ab offers the IT and logistic services.

Ahola Transport held its IPO and got listed on the AktieTorget securities exchange in Stockholm, this fall.

“We want to reform the field of logistics and be the leading Nordic transport company. Our goal is to develop the dynamic logistic management by digitalizing and optimizing services and creating extensive logistic concepts for the client. Developing, reforming and expanding abroad are the only ways to come up with useful services to the customers,” Hans Ahola concludes. TEXT: EA www.aholatransport.com www.atspecialtransport.com www.attracs.com

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The Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) is a research and expert institute that carries out research and development related to spatial data infrastructures. Currently it consists of four research departments and one service department. Two of its four research departments are involved in the MyGeoTrust project, including the Department of Navigation and Positioning and the Department of Geoinformatics and Cartography.

Stay tuned for more information on MyGeoTrust at mygeotrust.org Twitter: Follow @mygeotrust

MyGeoTrust aims to revolutionize the crowdsourcing of mobile data The vision of the MyGeoTrust project is to create an alternative location platform for mobile users which allows users to enjoy the benefits of location technologies without sacrificing their privacy.

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ccording to the Project Manager Robert Guinness MyGeoTrust is an ambitious project with true potential to revolutionize the market of crowdsourced mobile data. “We want to demonstrate that the contributors to this data, which means smartphone users, can and should remain in control of their personal data. We plan to show that there is an alternative to the closed model of large tech companies by opening up the ecosystem of crowdsourced mobile data, while preserving personal privacy and user trust.”

MyGeoTrust is a Finland-based research project being carried out by a small consortium of research organizations. It is led by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, and the second consortium member is the University of Helsinki, specifically the Faculty of Law. Funding support is provided by Tekes. “We don’t have a commercial focus, as we are a government-owned research organisation, but we do believe that our platform will benefit Finnish companies and companies around the world.

Our primary goal is to help the smartphone users and consumers to enhance the level of control that they have over their privacy. The second goal is to be a trusted partner in the exchange of information from mobile phones to businesses.”

More responsibility needed Guinness says that currently companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft are collecting data from millions of mobile phone and tablet users, including location data. “From the user perspective it’s like a black box as far as what data is being collected and who has access to it. Some companies make claims that they take privacy very seriously and with the user in mind, but when you start to look into detail how their technologies operate, there’s a lot of room for improvement. We aim to change this situation by showing that there is a more responsible way to crowdsource mobile data.”

Business benefits from location based intelligence

The MyGeoTrust project wants to benefit companies as well. “We want to support various companies with location-based intelligence and analysis. I would say any company that needs to utilize some kind of location intelligence can benefit from the MyGeoTrust platform. In the next phase of the project, we will be offering companies API’s (application programming interfaces) to access data products that the MyGeoTrust platform generates, and we will open up the MyGeoTrust location technology to third-party developers to make their

own mobile apps.”

Guinness gives an example. “Let’s say you’re an entrepreneur who wants to start up a coffee shop in the Helsinki area. Having information about where people normally drink coffee or do other relevant kinds of activities can truly benefit your business concept planning.”

Apps help to demonstrate the idea As the project was started in March 2015, it is still in the early phases. “We have big plans, but every big change starts from small beginnings. We will demonstrate a new way of crowdsourcing by offering three innovative apps that follow the MyGeoTrust model. We call them keystone apps. The first app is called HelloMyGeoTrust, which will demonstrate the features of the MyGeoTrust platform. The second is called #hylo (Hyperlocal), which will focus on location-based information sharing to support local communities. The third app will focus on indoor navigation, which means how to navigate and provide different services in indoor spaces like shopping malls.” TEXT: MH

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We now have a staff of eighty and soon we’re about to reach one hundred people.”

– Esa Kinnunen, CEO, Nordcloud

Nordcloud utilizes cloud technology in assembling engines of digital business Nordcloud combines cloud building blocks provided by Amazon, Google and Microsoft, creating a reliable automated digital business engine that can accelerate from zero to a zillion.

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ordcloud, a Finnish company established in 2011, rides the trend of cloud technology with almost infinite possibilities in the market. “The outlook is really great and our strong growth continues. We now have a staff of eighty and soon we’re about to reach one hundred people,” states CEO Esa Kinnunen.

Nordcloud has a unique business concept.

The company refines the cloud platforms made by giants like Amazon Web Services, Google or Microsoft into automated and secure IT platforms according to clients’ needs. “These giants have built data centers the size of dozens of football fields all over the world, and these

are in fact concentrated points of resources and technical functionality. The resources in their turn are building blocks we can use to construct the world’s most functional IT platforms to best suit the needs of a customer. We automate the set of resources, in other words build an engine,” Kinnunen explains.

The infinite power of the engine Nordcloud’s engines are, according to Kinnunen, secure, cost-efficient and deliver high-performance. “We are the forerunners in cloud technology and thus able to provide the leading expertise and business intelligence in the industry.”

Automation and scalability are keywords of Nordcloud’s service. “Automation makes sure that the capacity is scalable to meet every need the client may have — and always in the right proportion. The bigger, more international and more versatile the customer’s business is, the more apparent the advantages of the engine’s scalability are.”

Because Nordcloud assembles the engine out of infinite resources, the result is also infinitely scalable. “This means that the customer’s website, CRM or ERP system can never be under too much load for the engine.”

Another dimension in Nordcloud’s service is its continuous support. We are always awake and monitoring that the client’s service is functioning in all situations. This way our clients can get peace of mind and sleep at night. TEXT: MH

Cloud Academy recruits future talents Nordcloud’s business is thriving. This year turnover soared and the staff count doubled. “In addition to our regular staff recruiting, next year we’ll start the Cloud Academy welcoming future talents to learn from our experts. This way, we offer the motivated vigorous talents an epic chance to develop themselves into international experts of the latest cloud technology.” www.nordcloud.com

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The customer data collected from the Internet, mobile equipment, and stores can be combined into a single data pool which assists in predicting the desires of individual customers and in improving the customer experience.

Companies capable of utilizing all the existing information in real time can automate processes and make quicker decisions that are always based on up-to-date facts, Mikko Eerola emphasizes.

Every customer deserves VIP treatment For the majority of people, purchasing daily groceries is a necessary evil. Consumers struggling in overcrowded shopping centers might be wondering why something so everyday can’t be handled in an easier and more pleasant manner. According to Mikko Eerola, Managing Director at Affecto, stores must improve their customer experience through better utilisation of existing knowledge.

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erola points out that above all else, highquality customer experience needs to be personalized, smooth and seamless.

“Traditionally, such experiences can be provided by the best specialized stores, where the storekeeper is personally familiar with the customers and the range of products offered, and capable of predicting the needs of customers.”

At the turn of the millennium, most retail chains introduced loyalty cards. They were marketed with promises of discounts and better service. But for the most part, these promises remain unfulfilled. Even though purchasing data is collected, most retailers haven’t used the data for making personalized offers on the customer’s favorite products, for example.

However, due to new technology, the situation is changing quickly.

“For example, a mobile app for a leading food retail chain in Norway is capable of putting together a personalized shopping list of products the customer is likely to purchase.

The app is based on a system combining customer data and purchasing frequency information. It can also make personalized offers

and Amazon-style product recommendations,” Eerola says.

The retailer can now anticipate the customer’s wishes

The core competence of Affecto consists in combining customer data collected from the Internet, mobile equipment, and the store into a single data pool. At the store, data is collected by video and wi-fi analytics, which follow the customers’ movement – for example, where they stop, what they look at, and which locations are overcrowded. By combining customer data, Affecto builds more accurate models that assist companies in predicting the desires of individual customers.

“For example, as I’m walking through a department store, I may receive a message on my phone that a limited special version of Game of Thrones Season 4 is on sale today. This is not a coincidence – it is a personalised message for me. The technology at the store has identified me and connected the data with information regarding my earlier off-line and online shopping events,” explains Eerola.

In addition to better service, the data pools

are used for managing the store’s business.

The pools provide up-to-date information for managers to accelerate the decision-making process.

“Many industrial companies are more experienced in the use of big data and advanced analytics, compared to commercial enterprises.

Affecto’s skills in these areas have been sharpened in the service of industrial clients; this experience has also enhanced our offer to retailers. We are currently carrying out the first major pilots in the Nordic countries, and the results are promising indeed,” Eerola states.

Affecto Plc • The largest data and analytics provider in Northern Europe • Headquarters in Finland, subsidiaries in all Scandinavian and Baltic countries, as well as in South Africa • More than 1,000 experts www.affecto.com

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Thermal Treatment of Wood Supports Sustainable Development With the help of Luxhammar Oy’s environment-friendly thermal treatment technology, trees from regular forest stands are modified to match tropical tree species.

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innish Luxhammar Corporation offers to the world wood thermal treatment plants based on an entirely new technology. “The characteristics of wood can be improved using heat and water vapour, which results in excellent decay resistance. At the same time, the wood colour darkens to resemble tropical tree species, such as teak. Moreover, thermal treatment stabilises the wood, thereby reducing possible shrinkage and swelling,” explains Tero Lallukka, CEO. Sustainable Development Method Tropical, dark wood has traditionally been used in the manufacture of furniture, terraces and floors, as well as in construction. “The technology we developed contributes to sustainable development, since instead of using tropical wood species the availability of which is decreasing at an alarming rate, cultivated tree species can be employed for the manufacture, thereby supporting sustainable development.”

Finland is at the Forefront of Development Lallukka has been at the forefront of thermal wood modification development in Finland.

“In the early 1990s, we started studying thermal wood treatment – today, I’m pleased to say that Finland is pioneering the use of thermal wood modification. A significant share of

The new thermal wood treatment plant will be delivered to Thailand this year.”

The thermal wood treatment technology developed by Luxhammar supports sustainable development.

the wood used in terrace building is thermally treated wood, and Finland exports considerable quantities of such wood to the world.”

Luxhammar’s competitive position on the international markets is reinforced by the unique production technology developed by the company. “Using our technology, the manufacture and delivery time of a wood thermal treatment plant can be about halved.”

Major Transaction in Thailand Market prospects are currently good, and Luxhammar recently managed to sign a substantial contract for delivery of a thermal treatment plant to Thailand. “The marketing potential for our technology in Thailand is excellent. Our technology will provide the local timber companies and timber processors with an excellent possibility for the treatment of cultivated, light wood in an entirely new and environmentfriendly manner.”

The new thermal wood treatment plant will be delivered to Thailand this year. “The delivery to Thailand is a good example of how quickly we can operate: the manufacture started in August and the containers left the factory already in October. In the context of this delivery, we were also able to make full use of our manufacturing technology. We are strongly determined to grow on the international markets, and we strive towards similar contracts and turnkey deliveries not only in Asia, but in Europe and North America as well.” TEXT: MH www.luxhammar.com

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Unique side-grip technology

by Movax makes piling more efficient Movax is internationally renowned for the world’s most efficient side-grip piling equipment.

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EO Matti Mustonen describes Movax as one of the world’s best international company in its field. “At the moment, over 90% of our products are exported and Movax products have been sold worldwide to over 50 countries. I’ve playfully stated that we have a chipmunk strategy, in which the world is full of burrows to peek out and be noticed. The observer will have a notion that we’re everywhere—that’s the concept of a quick chipmunk.”

The strategy has proven to function well.

“Movax has grown steadily for the last five years and in the last financial term we once again posted our record result. In my opinion, this proves that focusing in the latest technology in one’s own industry and investing in product development brings success, even in a challenging economic situation,” Mustonen rejoices.

Side-grip technology boosts efficiency The main thing is the product — we produce top-notch excavator mounted piling equipment. We offer a selection of excavator mounted vibratory hammers, tube drivers, impact hammers and soil drills. Our main product is unique, since its operation is based on the side-grip technology we’ve developed. The technology allows the piles to be gripped from the side enabling better handling and piling with longer piles. Piling can also be done in tight locations like under a bridge.

According to Mustonen, the demand for piling in tight spaces is increasing in urban locations worldwide. “Our concept is the only one that really works and boosts efficiency in these circumstances.”

Product development together with clients

Movax is known as a producer of safe and efficient equipment, and the company is investing strongly in product development.

“We wish to offer our clients always more and more efficient solutions. Without our clients and the knowhow that comes from

Our main product is unique, since its operation is based on the side-grip technology we’ve developed.

Delivery of 1000th Movax to Maanrakennus A. Ruusunlehti Oy in Espoo on 28 October 2015.

From the left: Pekka Putaansuu, Antti Ruusunlehti, Mikko Lindeman, Heini Ruusunlehti and Matti Mustonen.

their experience, we wouldn’t yet be this far in product development. Sheet piling requires much from the equipment and the people operating it. That’s why we always try to improve our products by making use of our clients’ user experience.”

Customer won’t be let down Movax has a great reputation amongst its clients. Our principle is that the client will not be let down. We always answer the phone and, if

necessary, our staff even flies over to help the customer.

The product facilities in Hämeenlinna include the company’s own maintenance and spare part service. “We are known for delivering spare parts fast and, when needed, we repair the machines either at our factory or on the spot.

In addition, Movax Oy has an international importing network in the company’s key market areas.” TEXT: MH www.movax.com

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All Kone Ketonen products are bench-tested prior to delivery. From the left: Jari Hakala, Peter Bodman (spare parts seller – behind Hakala, testing a product), Juha Ketonen (the son of Lauri Ketonen), and Lauri Ketonen, founder of Kone Ketonen.

The Needs of Export Markets

INSPIRE NEW INVENTIONS Kone Ketonen Oy from Kristiinakaupunki has been producing forestry machines for over 30 years.

The company from West Finland copes well with competition on the international markets, since it focuses on product development.

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he company founded by Lauri Ketonen in 1984 started exports as soon as the first harvesters were completed. “From here, it’s a short trip to Umea. That’s how it started,” Lauri Ketonen says. Sweden is still an important market for Kone Ketonen. KETO harvesters are also in great demand in Japan.

“About one-half of our export income comes from Japan,” states Jari Hakala, Foreign Sales Manager. Machines intended for thinning and

The strengths of Kone Ketonen harvesters include the roller feed unit handling the logs gently and excellent dimensional accuracy.”

cutting of coniferous trees are also being sold to Argentina, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain, for example. The products have often opened doors to new markets. For example, the dealers in North America and in the United Kingdom contacted Kone Ketonen on their own initiative after seeing a KETO harvester.

Product Development is Important The strengths of Kone Ketonen harvesters include the roller feed unit handling the logs gently and excellent dimensional accuracy. As a Master of Science in engineering, Lauri Ketonen understands the importance of product development, for which reason about six of the company’s 30 employees are designers. Many

new ideas are still conceived in the head of the founder of the company. “As concerns product development, the focus is currently on the cutting of the tree and on how to make it safer,” Ketonen says. The company’s novel ideas have also been patented.

According to the 65 years old entrepreneur, building of a successful export company takes time. The development of an idea into a completed product takes many years, and time must also be invested in establishment of personal contacts with the dealers and customers.

“Export is based on human interaction. There will be deals if the chemistry works,” admits Ketonen, pointing out that he established a number of useful contact at the Elmia fair in Sweden. www.kone-ketonen.fi

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Chameleon test system is efficient, flexible and easily tailored to fully fit the needs of the customer, Jarmo Rajala and Kimmo Hyrykangas emphasize.

THE CHAMELEON OF TESTING High-quality testing of electronic devices is imperative in order to achieve quality devices the end users can rely on. Production periods of product series are getting shorter yet the product features are getting more complex increasing the need for flexible, efficient and reliable testing.

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hameleon product family by the Finnish company PKC Electronics Oy is a response to these increasing requirements. Chameleon’s product development is based on the company’s almost 30-years of experience in electronics design and manufacturing, including over two million test devices delivered to the world’s leading producers of electronics.

“Chameleon is a new versatile and efficient testing solution. It is automated to a great extent and can be tailored to fit the customer’s needs. By using it, many of our customers have shortened their test cycle times remarkably and enhanced capacities, especially when there are many products and the product series are produced only for a short while. The test platform takes up only little floor space and can be used equally well to test, for example, mobile phones, smart watches and other electronic devices by changing the product specific module,” explains the Director of Test Solutions Kimmo Hyrynkangas.

Chameleon’s flexibility is also increased by its modular construction that enables expansion when necessary.

“In case there are more features to be tested, adding more test instrumentation and ex-

Great partnerships make great products.” tra modules broadens the test coverage and increases performance. This way the system is always also cost-efficient,” Hyrynkangas emphasizes.

Automated testing reduces bottlenecks and increases efficiency. Unlike manual testing, Chameleon is able to repeat and analyze the tests always the same way and save the results in a database that can be further used, in e.g. quality measuring.

Managing Director Jarmo Rajala highlights the significance of close cooperation with the customers.

“We are in cooperation with the client already when they design and develop their products. In this way, we can best improve the client’s own performance and simultaneously develop our own knowhow. Our goal is to be the world’s leading testing solutions provider in our selected segments by the year 2020 and this we’ll achieve only together with our clients and cooperation partners.” TEXT: MLS

Chameleon test platforms can be applied to testing of, e.g. mobile phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices both in design phase and during serial production.

PKC Electronics Oy • Business areas: Test Solutions, Power Solutions, EMS & ODM Services • Locations in Finland, China, the US and Vietnam • Personnel: 650 • PKC Electronics Oy is a PKC Group Company.

www.pkcelectronics.com

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Bringing transparency and efficiency into global logistics chains

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lobal cargo traffic flows are increasing and businesses have a growing demand for reliable and fast communication. Youredi’s service can get the systems in this heterogeneous network to communicate.

“Youredi offers a software solution called Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), whose key idea is information delivery between differ-

ent data systems,” says Chief Technology Officer Sami Tähtinen. “Data systems can be fully heterogeneous and in use in one or several different companies. We see to it that information is delivered between systems and always kept up-to-date. Since we deliver information between organizations, we can also offer the parties ways to measure the networking. In other

Youredi’s service can get the systems in this heterogeneous network to communicate.

words, we can show in real time what goes on in a network.”

The significance of information keeps on growing in the fast-paced global world. “This is especially essential in the field of logistics. Our service enables fully transparent operation of the logistics chain. It’s also really fast to launch, for example an integration of two operators can be built in a few weeks, which makes the integration project cost efficient.”

Transparent logistics network Tähtinen describes Youredi’s role in the logistics chain as an electronic information transmitter and interpreter. “Youredi’s strength is that we’re able to integrate with any system, wherever, and in a way that everyone speaks the same language. We can also inform our client of problems in the network beforehand — before the message reaches the end customer.

This way we can create an efficient and a genuinely transparent logistics network to benefit everyone.” TEXT: MH

| www.youredi.com |

Use of gases on the increase – safety improves

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ll possible safety risks must be mastered when using gas. It requires great e­ xpertise, which the Finnish gas detection equipment manufacturer Detector Oy has.

Detector Oy is an expert in gas detecting and monitoring with over 30 years of experience. The product portfolio covers extensively gas detectors for toxic, flammable and suffocating gases, including LNG and biogases. Reliable detection equipment helps to safely eliminate explosion, ignition and health hazards.

Detector’s mode of operation and the modular structure of the equipment ensure flexible solutions for special gas detecting and monitoring needs, whether the monitoring equipment is mobile, fixed or remote. The expertise of our company is relied upon by large industrial plants, shipbuilders, power plants, hospitals and laboratories, among others, in Finland and abroad.

“At the beginning of this year, our entry to the Middle East oil and gas market together with the international giant group NAFFCO, operating in Dubai, was particularly gratify-

Kjell Jernström and Pentti Maunu (right) designing a customised gas detector for a customer.

ing. Prior to that we already have partners in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe,” says Pentti Maunu, majority owner and Managing Director of Detector.

Detector is a fully Finnish-owned company, and its product development and production also take place in Finland. In October, Detector­ received the Turku Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 award for its merits as an enterprise.

Competence development has been active throughout the history of the company. The goal has been comprehensive competence in the gas safety industry, from planning and production to installation and service. In recent years, investments have focused on new manufacturing methods, which enable even more customer-oriented and flexible applications.

Detector Oy | www.detector.fi

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The Healthy House™, Finland

The Celtic Manor, Great Britain

According to Markko Saarelainen, on the global level, Honkarakenne is known mostly for high-quality residential houses. In Finland, the company is increasingly involved in detached house building as well.

High-quality Honka Buildings Retain their Value Honkarakenne is known as the builder of high-quality holiday homes, but a number of public buildings and residential buildings intended for year-round use also bear the trademark of the Finnish company.

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arko Saarelainen, the newly appointed Managing Director of Honkarakenne, recently moved to Finland from Japan, his former place of employment. “Especially as seen from Asia, the special features characteristic to Finnish construction and habitation include the DIY approach and the rich summer cottage culture.

The clean nature of Finland provides endless raw materials and tremendous plots. Almost every Finn has access to a summer cottage. It is quite unique from the global perspective.”

Ecological, high-quality product For nearly 60 years, Honkarakenne has taken part in the construction dreams of Finnish people and implementation thereof. “Even though we are mainly known in Finland for our holiday homes, over the years, we have also constructed detached houses and more demanding

public log buildings. If you check the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on Sundays or any real estate portal, in case of Honkarakenne buildings, the company name is often mentioned.

This means that Honkarakenne buildings retain their resale value,” Saarelainen says.

At the Vantaa Housing Fair, the smallest carbon footprint was achieved by Honkarakenne.

The raw materials production process is also considered under the building’s footprint.

“The carbon footprint of our products is really small. Our production processes are efficient and we have our own power plant, which means less than one per cent of waste,” Saarelainen tells.

Innovative Healthy House™ “One of our most important innovations, the non-settling log, and our latest novelty, the

zero angle, are also associated with ecology and healthy living. It is a safe choice that can be flexibly combined with other construction materials – to make plastered walls, for example,” Saarelainen continues.

Honkarakenne also takes seriously the increasingly more common indoor climate challenges.

“As concerns allergies, we consider each case separately, since people are sensitive to different things. We have co-operated with universities, the Allergy and Asthma Federation, and VTT in the field of research. Based on this co-operation, we have developed a house product especially suitable for people suffering from allergies – the Honka Healthy House™, which has received the respective VTT certificate.” www.honka.fi

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Helo Saga Electro and Helo Deco Seaside benches Helo Rondo and Helo Deco Arkk Line benches

Helo Himalaya and Helo Deco Kokoro benches

Helo Vienna and Suvi benches

Reward yourself with a great sauna If there’s one place in this world where you can truly relax, that’s sauna!

In Helo’s way of thinking sauna is its own world, which offers its owner a valuable time off the busy everyday life.

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innish company Helo Oy has the longest history in sauna retail. Helo was a major company already at the dawn of the electric sauna heater production in the 70s and 80s.

Today, Helo offers a variety of products beyond heaters. Helo and Kastor product lines include wood-burning and electric heaters, their c­ ontrol units, fireplaces, steam generators­, saunas, steam rooms, steam shower rooms, infrared saunas and a full selection of sauna and steam bath accessories.

that offers a unique chance to have a break without schedules, noise, smart phones and other gadgets,” Helo’s CEO Jan Björkbom explains.

In order to deliver a sauna providing all this, Helo invests in consultative sales by its distributing network. “Everyone considering ­ purchasing a sauna should first think what kind of experience they want their sauna to be.

After that they can choose a suitable Helo heater, interiors and lighting elements.”

Sauna is an individual experience Helo has a holistic approach to sauna. “We see the sauna always as a long-term investment.

That’s why it needs to be a room people enjoy being in, a place to enjoy at length and a place

Finnish sauna is well-known and appreciated Finnish sauna is a globally well-known concept. “The Finnish sauna culture is appreciated and many would like to own a genuine Finnish­ sauna. On the other hand, there is sometimes

a slight misconception that the Finnish sauna would be dry and really hot.”

There isn’t only one Finnish way of using the sauna, and the experience is always affected by the temperature and humidity in the sauna. If sauna is heated to 55°C and there is a humidity­ of 60 to 65, breathing is really comfortable and you don’t need to throw practically any water on the stones. Therefore, it is possible to use the Finnish elements in creating a really pleasant sauna that everyone can enjoy at length.

The secret of Himalaya lies in its water container

The Himalaya sauna heater by Helo is a great way to enjoy a pleasant sauna. The Himalaya heater conceals a water container that keeps the sauna’s humidity agreeable making its gentle heat ideal for a longer while and enjoyable also for the children. You can also create a unique sauna experience by steaming mountain salt or adding aromatic scents in the water container.

“And if you want, you can also heat it up more and throw water on the stones like a real Finn might do,” Björkbom adds. TEXT: MH

Helo Oy is one of the world’s leading companies in sauna and steam bath industry. We develop, produce and market our sauna and steam bath products all over the world. Helo also offers whole sauna interiors, including interior benches, wall panels, ceilings, lighting, windows and a selection of products with the brand Helo Deco. www.helosauna.com

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During the growing season, berries get a lot of light – they grow very fast, and their taste is enhanced by the sun,” says Simo Moisio, director of Arctic Flavours.

Sophisticated production methods and precise quality control ensure that the quality of our handpicked wild berries is appreciated when our clients receive them,” says Vernu Vasunta, CEO of Kiantama.

Wild berries – arctic delight for the health conscious consumers Finns have the luxury of living amidst healthy and pure super foods, wild berries, found basically everywhere –even in the proximity of the biggest cities.

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n addition being a national health asset, wild berries are an important export crop for Finland. The annual crop of forest berries in Finland has been estimated at more than 500 million kilos. Approximately 50 different species can be found in all kinds of environments from rocky seashores to swamps and forests. Of all the different species of forest berries in Finland roughly 20 are edible. Lingonberry, bilberry, cloudberry and crowberry have the biggest crops. But also sea buckthorn, arctic brambles, bog bilberries and rowanberries are used in special products. ”During the growing season, berries get a lot of light – they grow very fast, and their taste is enhanced by the sun,” says Simo Moisio, director of Arctic Flavours, a berry association in north east Finland. Finland has probably the purest water in the world used by our wild berries during the growing season; as to the cultivated berries, the use of pesticides is lower in Finland than in more southern countries thanks to the cold winters killing off bugs.

Bilberry - packed with vitamins C and E Arguably Finland’s most important berry export is the bilberry. Densely packed with nutrients, the humble bilberry, or wild blueberry – which carpets the forest floor during July and August – is winning a lot of fans in Asia in particular. Simo Moisio describes it as Fin-

land’s most famous super fruit. ”It has three to four times more anthocyanine polyphenols than cultivated blueberries” he says. The berry is also packed with vitamins C and E and a source of dietary fiber.

Berry industry in Finland is flourishing A whole industry has grown up around the health properties of local berries. ”There are over a hundred small firms making berry products”, says Simo. ”They make berry powders, dried berries, smoothies, shots, cold pressed juices, liquors like crowberry and Arctic bramble, extracts and snacks. Many of the exotic products made from forest berries are also possible to export.”

Finland’s small batch producers are enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, with renewed interest at home and abroad in high quality specialist food and drinks based also on berries. Producers are finding unique new ways to use natural Finnish ingredients.

Kaskein Marja’s Managing Director Pekka Koivisto is an example. Their company’s future, producing e.g freeze dried and exceptionally fine berry powders, seems very positive as the global demand is growing. For Example health-conscious consumers in South Korea can’t get enough of Finnish bilberries, where they are considered natural, fresh and clean with bilberry juice and bilberry powder being the most popular items.

The processing of the traditional ingredients in Finland is modern and efficient. “We take special attention to controlling the production chain that is transparent from the forests to the packing. Sophisticated production methods and precise quality control ensure that the quality of our handpicked wild berries is appreciated when our clients receive them,” says Vernu Vasunta, CEO of Kiantama, a leading manufacturer­of ingredients made of berries.

Naturally Delicious Food from Finland is presented at the Food Ingredients Europe Paris 1.-3.12.2015 at Hall 7 Stand G12. Welcome! www.foodfromfinland.com/now!

Food from Finland, +358 40 343 3447 annaleena.soult@finpro.fi

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Nordautomation delivers what’s promised to the log handling value chain Nordautomation manages the whole log handling value chain with high work morale and reliability.

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innish Nordautomation was founded 1991 to serve the wood processing industry. The company is now a leading log handling supplier expanding into new markets. Nordautomation’s marketing, sales, product development, electrification and automation, planning and project management, administration and management are located in Kristiinankaupunki, employing over twenty persons. The production is in Alajärvi.”We manage the whole value chain from engineering to production and provide effective user training and after sales support,” CEO Pauli Ojala explains.

Delivering the promised Nordautomation designs and produces technical solutions for log handling, where top performance is combined with reliability and durability.

“Our customers expect us to understand their needs and requirements, and to deliver turn-key solutions. Achieving the best solution requires open interaction between the client and our designers, planners and constructors. Our engineering team brings its experience, technical knowledge, industry expertise and insights to develop the best solution.”

According to Ojala the key driver within Nordautomation is high work morale and reliability. “Delivering log handling equipment to a sawmill is a challenging project. Keeping to timetable is vital and end product quality must be excellent. Our personnel are well aware of that and therefore highly committed to deliver what’s been agreed upon. Good team spirit gives more results than pointless bureaucracy and hierarchy.”

Eyes set for new markets Today, the company exports log handling equipment far overseas thanks to well-managed project references. “Over 50% of our turnover comes from export and we are actively seeking for new markets. Finland, Sweden and Norway are our domestic markets, and we want to increase further our exports to more remote destinations.”

Ojala names a successful project reference from Australia, where Nordautomation delivered a large sawmill project. “Australia is an interesting market where a tree becomes harvestable in 25–35 years. Nordautomation’s efficient sawmill equipment is therefore urgently needed in the large forests Down Under. There are similar markets also for example in New Zealand and Chile.”

Great ambition for the future Solid expertise in Nordautomation project work promises success also in the future. “Ecology or ergonomics don’t have to weaken the economy.

We want to be number one in log-handling; that’s our special field of competence.” TEXT: MH www.nordautomation.fi/en

We manage the whole log handling value chain with high work morale and reliability.”

– Pauli Ojala, CEO, Nordautomation