AluNews 2023 in english

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MÄKELÄ ALU CUSTOMER MAGAZINE 2023

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WISOL OY: AN ALUMINIUM PROFILE SUPPLIER IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNER IN THE PHOTOVOLTAIC SECTOR THE ALUMINIUM PROFILES IN GYMRAIL’S INNOVATION ARE MANUFACTURED BY MÄKELÄ ALU ALUPURE® – ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND LOW-EMISSION ALUMINIUM BILLETS

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AluNews 2023

Dear reader, In this customer magazine, we discuss how we have initiated an extensive development project to achieve our carbon neutrality goal by the end of 2025. We also showcase customer experiences and share how we have been able to be part of our clients’ journeys from idea to finished product.

Over the past year, we have accomplished a significant renovation: we have entirely renewed the energy system of our anodizing facility. Now, we are very close to carbon neutrality in anodizing.

You can read more on this topic in our AluNews magazine!

We also talk about how we monitor quality in our certified powder coating lines daily. You can also read about the operations of our export department.

Enjoy your reading!

Mäkelä Alu oy Sales team

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Wisol Oy’s Business Director of solar parks, Arto Kurtti, next to the recently installed solar park.

Wisol Oy: An aluminium profile supplier is an important partner in the photovoltaic sector The growth and strong demand in the solar farm

plant installation service. The company’s product

construction and photovoltaic systems market

range also includes mounting systems for solar

bodes well for a good winter and years ahead for the

power plants and subcontracting for solar farm

industry. Things are also looking good for Wisol Oy

construction.

in Tuusula. The company develops, sells, and installs

“Our head office and our warehouse in Southern

solar panel mounting products. Wisol products are

Finland are located in Tuusula. Our logistics centre

sold as accessories through wholesalers, but also

is located in Tampere. From there, we send our

directly to energy companies and solar panel system

supplies all over Finland and also for export. Exports

installers. Wisol also offers its own solar power

are growing, and Finnish suppliers are attracting

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”The cooperation has always been constructive and smooth, which made it easy to continue. I didn’t feel the need to seek other suppliers.”

is very flexible; this way we ensure that they can also

ARTO KURTTI, WISOL OY

has not made an order on time, they may suddenly

serve their own customers as well as possible,” says Olli Korkia-aho from Mäkelä Alu’s sales team.

“The warehousing service is great for unexpected needs. Sometimes our products are ordered on short notice. For example, if a customer company need 3,000 rails in two weeks. On the solar farm side,

interest. Currently, our products are mainly exported

we don’t keep much of the rails we need in our own

to the Nordic countries, and exports to Estonia are

stock, as the need for them is always project-specific.

growing,” says Arto Kurtti, Business Director at

Occasionally, we may be offered the opportunity

Wisol Oy.

to install smaller power plants on short notice. In situations like these, Mäkelä Alu’s warehousing

Smooth and efficient services

service has worked extremely well,” says Arto Kurtti.

Mäkelä Alu manufactures panel fixings and mounting rails for Wisol for both rooftop power

More than a profile manufacturer

plants and solar farms. In total, five different

Although Wisol Oy was established only last year, the

aluminium profiles are in production. In addition,

actual business of developing mounting products

Wisol uses the AluCoating

for photovoltaic systems started more than six years

®

surface treatment

service, which means that the aluminium profiles ordered are finished as requested by the customer; in this case, with a black powder coating.

ago.

“We originally started developing these products at Sadex Oy, which has a long experience in various

Wisol has its own storage space, but Mäkelä Alu’s

roofing and ladder products as well as rainwater

AluStorage® warehousing service is a good addition

systems. Mäkelä Alu has long been our partner also in

for storing certain profiles.

Sadex’s operations, and the aluminium profiles used

“We keep the customer’s most popular rail in our warehouse in a ready-to-use package. This allows the

in the company’s products are still supplied from Mäkelä,” Arto Kurtti says.

customer to get the products quickly and efficiently.

It was therefore natural that Mäkelä Alu was

The idea is that by having a buffer in place, we can

also chosen as the profile supplier for Wisol Oy’s

respond to Wisol’s unexpected needs. The concept

mounting products.

“The cooperation has always been constructive and smooth, which made it easy to continue. I didn’t feel the need to seek other suppliers,” he says.

“We received good help from Mäkelä Alu in designing the profiles. I had drawn a profile model on graph paper to see if it would be good, and that’s where it all started,” Arto says.

What the whole Wisol team appreciates about Mäkelä Alu is that they are not just a manufacturer.

“Mäkelä’s service concept is very similar to ours: Wisol is not just a supplier either, our service range

Wisol’s mounting rail systems have been tested to withstand demanding wind and snow loads. Mäkelä Alu designs and manufactures aluminum profiles suitable for demanding conditions.

is much broader. When we deal with Olli or Viljo Sivula, we see that they have a genuine desire to be our partner and, for example, to develop and make a product even better together,” Arto says.

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Solar park installed by Wisol in Kemiönsaari.

Optimistic about the future

through its own operations,” says Viljo Sivula,

Effective and close cooperation is in the interest of

Sales Manager at Mäkelä Alu.

both companies and ensures a successful and longlasting partnership.

“Mäkelä Alu has an active team that is always happy to talk to us. There’s even a project going

The construction of solar farms is now growing strongly both in Finland and abroad. Wisol aims to target more export markets, once the domestic market is up and running.

on right now where they’ve been involved in

“The whole market is still very much in its

discussions and thinking about whether we could

infancy in Finland. We want to strengthen our

make a certain product out of aluminium. This

foothold in Finland first, before we really start

gives a very positive signal to us that the whole

to invest in exports. Of course, Europeans and

Mäkelä Alu team wants to participate and go over

Chinese are rushing into the same markets, but our

these things together,” Arto says happily.

strength is our specialised knowledge of northern

“We believe that the next step in the cooperation

conditions, which we have years of experience in.

could be a profile made from recycled AluPure,

In Norway, for example, snow loads are slightly

which would create added value for both sides

different from, say, the Netherlands. With our

by achieving emission reductions. It is great to

specialised expertise, we’ve been able to secure a

cooperate with a customer that shares the same

fairly significant installation company in Norway,”

values of environmental responsibility with us

he continues.

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Harri Salmenautio (on the left) and Production Manager Mikko Liikala, who has been with the company from the beginning.

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The aluminium profiles in Gymrail’s innovation are manufactured by Mäkelä Alu Gymrail’s Momentum X1 is a patented Finnish innovation for active cyclists where the athlete’s own bicycle is attached to an indoor cycling training platform, i.e. a rocker plate. The platform tilts from side to side, mimicking the natural movement of cycling in a real outdoor environment.

The

man

behind

the

innovation,

Harri

Salmenautio, originally from Alajärvi, has taken

I should make my own product for indoor cycling,” says Salmenautio.

his idea forward with long-term commitment.

Salmenautio has been developing the idea since 2018. Momentum X1 entered the market in early 2022.

The idea for Gymrail came from resistance bands, which are difficult to attach to anything in a home environment.

“I wanted to start training with resistance bands.

I started brainstorming ideas on the best way to attach them at home. I came up with the idea of an aluminium profile to which I could also attach other home training equipment. This resulted in a home fitness product with a variety of additional components, including chin-up bars and pulldowns. At some point I figured that I could also attach an exercise bike to it – or better yet, my own bike! However, I came to the conclusion that I shouldn’t just start selling a rail to the wall, instead,

Gymrail’s front frames ready for assembly. The middle part made of aluminium can be seen in the middle of the product. The yellow Gymrail components with text are extruded and surface treated at Mäkelä Alu.

8 Aluminium profiles from Mäkelä Alu

We want to be involved in new innovations, as

The profiles used in the production of Momentum

they also bring growth to our business once

X1 are extruded at Mäkelä Alu. There are three

commercialised,” Korkia-aho continues.

different profiles. The use of aluminium profiles in manufacturing has made the production process

Local manufacture

more efficient and reduced production costs.

Gymrail’s products are made at a prototype

“Of course, at the beginning we tested different

workshop in Vimpeli, about six kilometres from

prototypes, and the production quantities were

Mäkelä Alu’s Luoma-aho factory. 80 per cent of

so small that it wouldn’t have made sense to order

Momentum X1’s parts are made by companies in

a profile right away. Now, however, it is a very

Mäkelä Alu’s immediate vicinity or elsewhere in

reasonable solution,” says Harri Salmenautio.

South Ostrobothnia.

“We think it’s great that such an innovation

Professional profile design

has been developed in our region, and we want to

Before the final design of the aluminium profiles,

favour local companies in its production,” says Olli

Salmenautio sent Mäkelä Alu a request for a quote

Korkia-aho.

that outlined most of the details concerning the shape of the profile.

“We are located close to the aluminium cluster of Luoma-aho and Vimpeli. From the very beginning, it

“With the help of our expert design team, we

was clear to us that the parts would be manufactured

started to plan how we could best achieve the desired

nearby and we would be able to scale production

vision with extrusion. We refined the plans together

volumes quickly if necessary. By collaborating with

with Harri, and finally the profiles were made. Two of

the network, we are able to buy only what we need,”

the profiles were delivered to the customer without

says Salmenautio.

surface treatment and one profile with surface

Working with partners in the nearby area also

treatment,” says Olli Korkia-aho from Mäkelä Alu.

eliminates the need for the company to have its own

The surface-treated profiles are finished in

warehouse, as it is able to order finished parts that

further processing.

“We have been really excited about this product.

only require final assembly. In this way, there is no need for stock that ties up the company’s capital.

Customers can also obtain ready-made pieces through Mäkelä Alu’s subcontractor network. The yellow parts of the Gymrail platform are extruded into an aluminium profile and surface treated by Mäkelä Alu and finished by Mäkelä Alu’s partner Tikli Group.

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The aluminium profiles in the world’s most popular table football game are manufactured at Mäkelä Alu Mäkelä Alu’s idea: all our customer relationships are more than just about profiles, whether the customer is looking for a single aluminium profile, larger deliveries or warehousing services.

The table football game Subsoccer®, which has gain-

factory in Luoma-aho.

ed immense international popularity, is being pro-

“When someone has an idea for a product, they

duced in Lauttasaari, Helsinki. All its parts are made

present it to the supplier, and our job is to design the

in Finland, including the aluminium profiles used in

aluminium profile needed in the product so well that

the frame, which are manufactured at Mäkelä Alu’s

it fits perfectly with the other parts and that the final

10 The story of Subsoccer® began from that moment, and within a few years, the product gained immense popularity among the world’s most famous football stars, leagues, sports circles and brands.

From vision to production The idea for Subsoccer® sat in a drawer for a few years before it was taken forward with the help of 4 Feet Under, a company founded in 2016.

“At first, we didn’t really know whether the product was intended for children or adults. We also had no plans for internationalisation. We started looking for Finnish manufacturers who could deliver parts for the assembly as a turnkey solution,” says Markus Toivanen, partner and Head of Product Development and Production at 4 Feet Under.

When designing the profiles, it was important to find the right dimensions to fit the plastic and aluminium parts.

The product consists of aluminium profiles and an injection-moulded corner piece that bind the structure together.

“This was our first challenge: how to make the

product is cost-effective, durable, and ready for the

relatively soft plastic part and the aluminium profiles

market. This is also the part we play in the story of

stick together. We had to find suitable experts that

Subsoccer ,” says Product Manager Pasi Korhonen

could work together to solve this problem. We wanted

from Mäkelä Alu.

to find the best people for the project, because the

®

product had to be of high quality and durable,” says Jarno Saarinen.

An idea born by chance The developer of Subsoccer , Jarno Saarinen, ®

came up with the idea for the product by chance.

Turnkey delivery

“I was on a summer holiday in Spain with my

The successful solution was developed in cooperati-

family, and the European Football Championship

on with Mäkelä Alu and North Karelian plastic pro-

was taking place at the same time. I was watching a

duct manufacturer Vesuto. In total, the product re-

game between Russia and Spain on the balcony of the

ceives components from 11 Finnish suppliers.

hotel when my daughter Emma wanted to play with

“The design work together with Mäkelä Alu went

me. We sat opposite each other on chairs and had a

well. We received plans for parts from 4 Feet Under.

plastic ball that we kicked at each other. Emma kicked

We had to improve the original plans to some extent

the ball under my chair and shouted SCORE,” says

to ensure the quality and usability of the parts,” says

Jarno Saarinen, the man behind the Subsoccer idea

Veikko Viitanen from Vesuto.

®

and the founder of 4 Feet Under, the company behind the brand.

“When designing the profiles, it was important to find the right dimensions to fit the plastic and

“I also wanted to watch the game while I was

aluminium parts, within their respective tolerances.

playing with Emma, so we used wet towels and

Aluminium profiles can be extruded into all kinds of

swimsuits to build sides around the chairs so that

shapes, the possibilities are endless. Another option

the ball wouldn’t roll away. We had a lot of fun and

for an edge profile is a profile with LED lights,” Pasi

suddenly I realised that we had come up with a whole

Korhonen adds.

new game,” he continues.

“We often cooperate with other suppliers as

11 well. This highlights Mäkelä Alu’s service promise: we can provide various services to our customers on a turnkey basis, from an idea to a finished product. We can take care of the profile design, tool

”Aluminium profiles can be extruded into all kinds of shapes, the possibilities are endless.”

PASI KORHONEN, MÄKELÄ ALU

manufacturing, extrusion of aluminium profiles, surface treatments, the necessary machining on the profiles and, of course, the delivery,” says Sales

land does not have a similar football culture as the

Specialist Antti Lesonen from Mäkelä Alu.

big football countries abroad. According to Saari®

“We deliver two different profiles for Subsoccer .

nen, the Subsoccer® game’s popularity is based on a

They are pre-sawn to the right dimensions and

very simple thing: in addition to being fun, the game

surface treated. What makes the product particularly

also looks fun on social media. There is often an inc-

interesting is when it is made with the colours of

rease in orders and contacts after social media posts

different brands and it is exciting to see where the

gain high visibility.

product ends up,” he adds.

“The videos that have gone viral have also caught the attention of sports media, and we have gained

Viral videos boosted success

visibility in prime time even on Fox News. All

95 percent of the company’s revenue comes from ex-

thanks to social media. Our modest goal is to make

ports. The product has not become a hit in Finland,

our product the biggest table game of the century,”

at least not yet – this is likely due to the fact that Fin-

Saarinen concludes.

The Subsoccer® game made in Mäkelä Alu’s brand colors is located at our sales office in Luoma-aho.

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Cooperation between ROCA Industry and Mäkelä Alu is running smoothly The Swedish company ROCA Industry has been Mäkelä Alu’s customer for about 15 years. The collaboration started when ROCA selected Mäkelä Alu as its aluminium profile supplier for its sliding doors in its Turku office.

At first, the order quantities were small, but ROCA’s positive customer experience led to further cooperation. A deeper collaboration began to emerge, also with ROCA’s Swedish office.

Special solutions and surface treatment methods were

volume is considerable.

developed together, and aluminium products became

“Since then, we have designed around 30 different

an increasingly important part of ROCA’s own pro-

profiles together,” says Bengtsson. According to him,

duct range.

ROCA Industry is a great and interesting partner

“Today, we mainly supply ROCA with anodized

company.

and powder-coated custom-made profiles, although some of the profiles are pre-cut and pre-machined at our factory. The profiles are packed in ROCA’s own

An international company with a long history

packaging, and ROCA delivers the products to their

ROCA was founded in 1976. At first, the company’s the

own customers,” says Anders Bengtsson.

product range consisted of boating supplies, such as

We also have some long profiles ready in stock,

windshield wiper motors and boat fittings. The com-

which can be delivered machined very quickly to the

pany has operated on international markets from the

customer, if necessary.

beginning

Today, there are regular orders and the annual

“For example, we have a long history of cooperating with the Finnish company Maritim,” says Alexander Grinde, ROCA’s R&D manager.

“The company has been international from the very beginning and we started operations in Taiwan at a very early stage. In 2022, our turnover will reach approximately SEK 250 million and we employ 50 people, most of whom work at our headquarters in Tyresö. We also have offices in Denmark, Finland, China, and Taiwan, which is still the centre of our global operations,” says Alexander Grinde.

The company’s product range still includes boating accessories, as well as window and door fittings.

The owners of the company have always thought long-term, and the company has seen steady and

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ROCA sees opportunities for development especially in glass walls and doors. profitable growth since the beginning.

“The company invests and expands continuously, in all areas,” says Alexander Grinde.

Continuous partnership development ROCA’s products have been developed over the years.

”Our requirements and wishes are always considered, and our cooperation runs smoothly. Our relationship with Mäkelä Alu is good.”

ALEXANDER GRINDE, ROCA INDUSTRY

The company’s product range still includes boating accessories, as well as window and door fittings. New products are also being introduced to the market. The

that allows them to process Mäkelä Alu’s aluminium

company sees opportunities for development espe-

profiles, such as door frames, according to the

cially in glass walls and doors, which are manufactu-

customer’s wishes. The investment will double the

red according to the ROCA’s wishes.

segment’s capacity. These positive future prospects

“In the near future, we will launch new products, such as soundproof glass doors, and a completely new door product family,” says Grinde.

ensure the continuation of cooperation with Mäkelä Alu. “We are challenging customers, but we get the

Another growing product group is related to so-

best possible service from Mäkelä Alu’s sales manager

called “compact living”, which is all about maximising

Anders Bengtsson. Our requirements and wishes

living space by making the best use of every square

are always considered, and our cooperation runs

metre. This product group includes, for example,

smoothly. Our relationship with Mäkelä Alu is good.

brackets for fold-down tables.

The products are of high quality and we look forward

ROCA has recently invested in a production line

to continued cooperation,” says Alexander Grinde.

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We launched a

€10 million development project to achieve our carbon neutrality goal

At Mäkelä Alu, we have invested in sustainable production and environmentally friendly solutions for years. Our goal is to achieve entirely carbon neutral production by the end of 2025. Now we have launched a new development project that will promote our efforts to reduce emissions, combat climate change, and increase energy efficiency.

In the project, we seek to significantly reduce the use

tells us that we are doing important things, on a

of liquid gas by electrifying production, investing

significant scale, and that we are leading the way

in our own electricity production and storage, and

towards a sustainable future at national level,” says

increasing the recovery of waste heat.

Petri Mäkelä, Chairman of the Board.

“With these measures, we can reduce our carbon

The planning phase of the project has been

dioxide emissions by about 2,800 tons per year,

coordinated by our Development Director Tomi

which is about 40 percent of our current emissions

Pilbacka and EHSQ Manager Päivi Venesoja.

from production,” says Mäkelä Alu’s Development Director Tomi Pilbacka.

“We are in a good place to start implementing the plan that will lead to a net-zero emissions Mäkelä Alu. It will not be an easy task, but we are

The project received significant government funding

determined to succeed,” says Petri Mäkelä.

We have received energy investment aid (RRF) for our project from the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The energy investment

A large project consisting of several sub-projects

aid covers about 30 percent of the entire project

The development project consists of eight sub-

costs: 2.85 million euros. The Ministry of Economic

projects. The sub-projects are strongly related to

Affairs and Employment granted a total of 100

each other and are planned to be completed by June

million euros in investment aid to six clean energy

2026.

projects. We are very happy that Mäkelä Alu’s project made the cut.

“In the project, the most significant reduction in emissions will be achieved by replacing our

“We are one of the six companies that received

LPG process heating appliances with electric ones.

aid in the first round. In its own great way, this

Electrification and the renewable energy sub-

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projects require major changes to our factory’s internal electrical network,” says Tomi Pilbacka.

Currently, LPG is used for billet heating on our two extrusion lines. These will now be replaced with induction technology, where renewable electricity can be used as energy. One of our lines already uses induction. In addition, we intend to build a 1 MWh electricity storage facility in the Alajärvi plant area.

“We will build a waste heat recovery system for both of our production facilities, the Luoma-aho plant in Alajärvi and the Voikkaa plant in Kouvola.

In addition, we will improve the combustion process

facility and are very close to carbon neutrality in

of our foundry’s melting furnace by renewing the

anodizing. Also we have developed AluPure®, an

burners and their control system. These measures

environmentally friendly billet made entirely from

will significantly reduce our gas consumption and

our foundry’s own recycled aluminium.

nitrogen oxide emissions,” says Tomi Pilbacka.

“Our customers are constantly more interested

Later on, the new system will allow us to use

in energy consumption, the forms of energy

hydrogen or locally produced biogas as an energy

used, and emissions. Therefore, we are glad to be

source.

able to offer our customers aluminium profiles that are produced in the most sustainable and

A lot has already been accomplished

environmentally friendly way possible. The

Mäkelä Alu’s work to promote carbon neutrality

emissions generated by the profile manufacturer

does not by any means start with this project, it

affect the carbon footprint of our customers’

extends much further and a lot has already been

products. By choosing Mäkelä Alu as your profile

accomplished. For example, we have entirely

supplier, you are also making a choice that is better

renewed the energy system of our anodizing

for the environment,” says Päivi Venesoja.

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AluPure

®

– Environmentally friendly and low-emission aluminium billets More and more of our customers are monitoring the emissions and environmental impact of their production. Due to a new, environmentally conscious way of thinking, interest in recycled aluminium has also increased. At Mäkelä Alu, we have invested in monitoring and reducing emissions for years.

As one of our responsible solutions, we offer our

for a long time, as many of our customers look for

customers AluPure® aluminium billets produced

the lowest possible primary percentage, or want

in our own foundry, which consist of 100% recycled

to use our recycled aluminium, AluPure® in their

aluminium.

aluminium profiles.

Selecting aluminium profiles made from

Billets made in our own foundry

recycled aluminium billets allows you to reduce the

Mäkelä Alu has been producing recycled aluminium

carbon footprint of the final product.

17 Low emissions, high impact

billets that can be used as a raw material in profile

The emissions of AluPure are very low, only 2.01

production. In the melting process, we ensure

tn CO2e/t. The carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

that the specification of the mixture to be melted

describes the climate impact of human-produced

is met by using a proper combination of alloying

greenhouse gases. The measurement unit used

elements,” says Päivi Venesoja.

®

(tn CO2e/t) illustrates how many carbon dioxide equivalent tonnes are produced when a thousand

EDP and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel

kilogrammes of product are manufactured. By

We are currently preparing an Environmental

comparison, the average emissions of primary

Product Declaration (EPD) for profiles made from

aluminium produced in Europe are 6.7 tn CO2e/t.

both recycled and primary aluminium.

The raw material emission calculation is based on standards ISO 14025 and EN 15804:2012 + A2:2019.

“An Environmental Product Declaration is a standardised and reliable way to present a life-

“The figures show that the choice of aluminium

cycle analysis of a product or service. An EPD is an

profile manufacturer can have a great impact on the

independently verified and certified document that

®

climate and the environment. By choosing AluPure ,

provides clear and comparable information about

you are making a choice for the environment and

the environmental impact of a product throughout

the climate,” says Päivi Venesoja, Mäkelä Alu’s

its life-cycle,” says Päivi Venesoja.

EHSQ Manager.

AluPure® also bears the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

Ympäristömerkintä Suomi Oy has approved the use

Where does Mäkelä Alu’s recycled aluminium come from?

of window profiles made from Mäkelä Alu’s recycled

Process and quality scrap generated in our

in accordance with the building requirement O25

production is melted for reuse in our own foundry.

(“Windows and outer doors of non-renewable

In addition to our own production scrap, we also

materials”).

collect scrap aluminium from our downstream companies and customers.

“In our foundry, scrap aluminium is melted into

aluminium in Nordic Swan Ecolabelled buildings

The label is an official ecolabel used in the Nordic countries, which means that the product or service meets the environmental criteria set for the label.

Scrap aluminum is melted down and recast in the foundry as raw material for profile production, into round bar billets. During the melting process, the ratio of alloying elements used ensures the fulfillment of the specified

18

Our anodizing plant has taken a big step towards carbon neutrality The energy system in our anodizing plant has been

emissions have also dropped dramatically: by around

completely renewed in a four-year project. The end

800 tonnes per year, and the plant’s operational

result is better than we expected, with top energy

reliability has improved,” says Tomi Pilbacka,

efficiency and 100% carbon neutrality just a small

Development Director at Mäkelä Alu.

step away!

“With this annual emissions reduction, each of our

“We have been able to reduce the plant’s annual

280 employees would drive about 20,000 kilometres

consumption of around 300 tonnes of LPG to less

per year in an internal combustion engine car,” adds

than a tenth. At the same time, the plant’s CO2

Päivi Venesoja, EHSQ Manager at Mäkelä Alu.

19 Aiming to phase out LPG

Together with a network of partners, we have

LPG consumption has been pushed down to the

launched a new energy efficiency project at our

point where it will be possible to switch from gas

Voikkaa powder-coating paint shop, and planning

energy to biogas within one to two years. With

is already well underway for further projects,”

the switch to biogas, the anodizing plant’s energy

Pilbacka says.

system will become completely carbon neutral.

“The plant’s energy consumption per tonne

Low carbon footprint anodizing

produced has fallen by around 40%. In addition to

We are now able to offer our customers anodizing

the reduction in gas use, energy efficiency has also

of aluminium profiles with a very low carbon

improved significantly. Improved efficiency means

footprint.

that this investment, which cost around EUR 1.1

“Environmental issues and the pursuit of

million, will pay for itself in six to seven years,”

carbon-neutral production are important themes

Pilbacka continues.

for us. Our efforts to enhance energy efficiency in

The project has received funding from Business Finland.

anodizing processes is a concrete demonstration of this,” says Päivi Venesoja.

The technical implementation of the new energy

We have invested in sustainable production

system is based on a system built around heat

and environmentally friendly solutions for years

pumps and heat recovery.

– and the work continues! Our production will be

“The project was carried out in cooperation

completely carbon neutral by the end of 2025.

with Finnish technology companies, and our local

“In addition to the energy efficiency project that

partners and staff have played a major role in the

has just started in Voikkaa, we have similar projects

project. Thanks to the knowledge generated by

coming up in Luoma-aho. We will reach our goal by

the project, we have already identified many new

electrifying new production sites and increasing

areas for reducing emissions from our production.

heat recovery,” Venesoja says.

EHSQ Manager Päivi Venesoja

Development Director Tomi Pilbacka

20

Long traditions in the export market – aluminium profiles from us to the world The history of Mäkelä Alu stretches back 85 years. We have manufactured aluminium profiles for about 30 years, and we have equally long experience with the export trade.

When Mäkelä Alu launched its extrusion plant

paramount at the time, and later the Finnish and

operations, the recession of the early 1990s had just

Scandinavian markets also began to grow. Mäkelä

hit the country. It was difficult to find business in

Alu’s Swedish subsidiary Mäkelä Alu AB was founded

Finland, so we had to invest in the export market.

in 2012 to better serve the Swedish market and

“Our first extrusion line had just been completed

customers.

when the recession began. We had to take our

Mäkelä Alu exports aluminium profiles to 12

business to the world, and our first target country

countries, but the main market is the Baltic Sea

was Germany. Luckily, our sales representative found

region; specifically Germany, Denmark, and the

our first export customers in Germany. Today, exports

Baltics.

account for 35 per cent of our total production,” says Mäkelä Alu’s Export Manager Janne Lager.

Gaining access to the export market was

Success in exporting speaks volumes Competition on the export market is much tougher than on the domestic market. Success in exporting can thus be considered a significant measure of success.

“In addition to aluminium profile production, Mäkelä Alu stands out with its range of services, i.e. the AluServices concept, which allows us to offer added value to the customer. We are not the cheapest, and our method of operation stands out from other aluminium extrusion plants in Europe and perhaps the whole world,” says Janne Lager.

Our AluCoating® surface treatment service and AluStorage® and AluCallOff® warehousing services increase the cost efficiency of our customers’ production.

“Moving forward and continuous investment are prerequisites for success. When our aluminium

In the picture from left Elina Luoma-aho, Leena Kalliokoski, Janne Lager and Anne Hämeenniemi.

extrusion plant started operations in the early 1990s, we only had one extrusion line and we only made

21 Mäkelä Alu AB’s area sales managers Anders Bengtsson (on the left) and Kari Saarelainen. In the middle, Mäkelä Alu’s export sales specialist Anne Hämeenniemi and sales coordinator Satu Lassila.

aluminium profiles. Now we have three extrusion

“Mäkelä Alu is a good and reliable employer.

lines, as well as an anodizing plant, warehouses, and

The work is interesting and varied,” says Leena

powder coating plants in Luoma-aho and Voikkaa. It

Kalliokoski.

has taken years of strategic development to get to this point,” says Janne Lager.

The entire export unit is happy with the work team and their co-workers. Low employee turnover also benefits the customers.

“Customer relationships and contacts are

115 years of experience with exports

managed successfully, and we know the customers

“Our strength in exports lies in our long-term

and the market very well.”

customer relationships, some of which go all the way back to the 1990s. We are a trusted partner

A carbon-neutral partner for the future

known for our reliability of delivery and continuous

Export is still used to accelerate growth, and future

development. Since the 1990s, we have grown from

prospects are favourable, despite the uncertain

a small company of 24 people to a large company

global situation. In difficult times, it is important to

employing almost 300 people. We have always

have reliable partners.

maintained high service quality and flexibility,” says Leena Kalliokoski.

“Here at Europe’s northernmost extrusion plant, we manufacture aluminium profiles in a customer-

“Our customers appreciate our quick response

oriented and environmentally friendly manner. We

times. We always do what we have promised,”

have just launched a development project of more

continues Anne Hämeenniemi.

than 10 million euros towards carbon neutrality.

Mäkelä Alu’s export unit consists of export

This will be an increasingly important competitive

manager Janne Lager, export sales specialists Anne

advantage in the manufacture of various products

Hämeenniemi and Leena Kalliokoski, and sales

on all markets,” says Janne Lager.

coordinators Satu Lassila and Elina Luoma-aho.

“We are a trustworthy operator, Finland has good

All of them have worked at Mäkelä for several years,

security of supply, and that’s why we are a reliable

Leena for more than 30 years. Area sales managers

partner to our customers. At Mäkelä Alu, raw

Anders Bengtsson and Kari Saarelainen are

material deliveries are based on long partnerships,

responsible for sales in the Swedish market. The

and our delivery reliability is higher compared to

entire export unit has 115 years of combined work

many other European competitors,” says Leena

experience.

Kalliokoski.

22

Mäkelä Alu’s GSBcertified powdercoating lines can also handle small batches Mäkelä Alu offers a comprehensive service where all the customer’s further processing needs can be handled quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively under one roof.

Powder coating is a central part of our AluCoating®

two other paint shops in Finland.

service concept, and its popularity has grown

At Mäkelä Alu, we have developed our surface

significantly over the years. Mäkelä Alu has four

treatment services in such a way that even small

powder-coating lines in total, all of which are GSB

batches and individual pieces can be coated cost-

certified to guarantee high quality. In addition to

effectively.

Mäkelä Alu, the GSB certificate can only be found at

“As many as 34 percent of the orders received

23

at the powder-coating paint shop are single-piece

Daily quality control

orders. This staggering figure shows that we are able

We have maintained the GSB certificate for 20

to meet all customer needs: even a single piece can

years. It sets strict requirements for the paints and

be painted in any colour,” says production manager

pretreatment methods we use. They are the key to

Vesa Saarenlaita.

ensuring that the coating of the aluminium profiles can withstand demanding conditions – from strong

Thousands of shades available Powder coating is an ideal aluminium surface treatment solution that is based on the use of electrical charges and heat. The powder paint adheres to the aluminium surface through electrostatic attraction, after which it is melted into a smooth and durable coating in a furnace.

This gives the product an extremely hard surface that protects it against UV radiation, corrosion, abrasion, and impact.

“The colour options are endless, as there are thousands of shades available. The most popular colours are white, and various shades of grey and black. After these, the spread is rather large. In our powder-coating paint shop, you can find all the colours of the colour palette and see how boldly designers use colours today,” says Saarenlaita.

In the deep drawing test, the durability of the powder-coated finish is tested.

24 sunlight to heavy rain.

In addition to regular external audits, quality

Investing in the efficient coating of small batches is a conscious and unusual choice.

tests are carried out daily at the powder-coating

“Our vertical powder-coating lines enable the

paint shop: coated test pieces are boiled in boiling

effective coating of small batches. Our powder-

water and subjected to raster tests, bending tests,

coating paint shop in Voikkaa has been specially

deep drawing tests, drop-weight impact tests, and

developed for handling small batches. At the paint

gloss measurement tests. The test pieces are stored

shop, individual pieces can be guided along a

for five years for possible later inspections.

separate line to another paint booth while the other

Quality control also includes monitoring the

paint booth is painting another colour. In this way,

thickness of the coating. The right thickness ensures

colour changes are possible without any loss in line

a good surface quality for the profiles. Taking coating

capacity. Our vertical powder-coating line in Alajärvi

thickness measurements also helps us minimise our

also has two powder booths, so the colour change can

powder consumption.

already be started while the other powder booth is still painting the previous colour,” says Saarenlaita.

Vertical powder-coating lines are perfectly suited for coating small batches

Currently, new coating lines are being planned for the Alajärvi powder-coating paint shop, which will take into account the need for quick colour changes.

White is a popular color in powder coating of aluminum profiles.

25

A durable and visually appealing coating solution

Decoral Elegant and sustainable

Mäkelä Alu’s latest novelty of AluCoating® surface treatment concept is Decoral – a decorative coating which imitates stone, wood, or almost any desired pattern. Decoral is an excellent coating option for aluminium profiles when visually appealing but lightweight structures are required.

Wooden structures are naturally heavy; aluminium may be a more sensible option for large structures. Fire load can also be reduced significantly by using aluminium. ”Decoral is a durable Decoral-coated aluminium profiles and stylish coating have the same properties as solution that can powder-coated profiles. The withstand even the coating is durable and protects harshest conditions.” the aluminium from abrasion. The Decoral coating does not require any maintenance even in outdoor use. Dirt and stains can be removed from the surfaces by washing. Decoral-coated products can also be recycled. The Decoral coating can be applied up to 6.7-metre-long aluminium profiles.

Chech out our coating options on our website www.makelaalu.fi/en/surface-treatment/decoral/

26

AluNews 2023 I SERVICES

More competitiveness for your company with our services The additional logistics services we have developed with our customers provide profile handling, transportation, and warehousing solutions. We aim to ensure that our customers get the aluminium profiles they need as easily as possible and exactly when they need them.

AluBasket® is a weatherproof and environmentally friendly aluminium basket solution for transporting, handling and storing long aluminium profiles. Against a payment, you will receive baskets for transporting and storing the aluminium profiles. The baskets are stackable and easy to handle with a forklift. They make handling the profiles easier and protect them from damage. Because the baskets are reusable, the amount of packaging waste is also reduced.

The AluStorage® service involves warehousing your aluminium profiles at our warehouse in Luoma-­ aho or Voikkaa in Kuusankoski. The stock is maintained and refilled automatically by our system, in accordance with the agreed service level. We will make sure that there are always enough goods for your company’s needs. Automation makes it easy to maintain the agreed stock levels, so all you need to do is make an order and wait for the delivery.

AluCallOff® is a warehousing service that takes place in the customer’s facilities but is managed by us. This service saves the customer a lot of work and capital required for warehousing. ­AluCallOff® means that your business can rely on continuous profile availability without separate orders or ­delivery times.

27

AluVendor® is an application that enables automated order tracking and stock management. As a registered customer, you can use the application to check your stock levels and track the progress of your orders in real time.

The application shows the progress of orders in production, possible delays, orders going into production and already delivered aluminium profile deliveries.

We have created the AluCoating® concept that helps us meet the constantly growing surface treatment demand. It includes the most typical surface treatment options. The surface treatment ­method is always selected together with the customer in accordance with the intended purpose of the aluminium profile. The profiles can be powder coated with special colours, and we also offer two-colour painting.

Note that you can combine the AluCoating® service with the AluStorage® service, which means that the surface treated profiles will be delivered quickly and flexible exactly when you need them.

The purpose of the AluDesign® service is to design, together with the customer, an aluminium profile that is as cost-effective as possible. Our profile designers use modern equipment and the ­newest CAD software. If necessary, we can create a visual representation of the profile using 3D modelling, giving an accurate idea about what the final product will look like.

In the AluDesign® service, our professional profile designer helps the customer determine the best aluminium alloy and coating for the profiles to ensure they are tailored exactly to the ­customer’s needs.

We recycle our production scrap into low-emission aluminium billets. We call this green aluminium billet AluPure®. AluPure® is a low-emission aluminium raw material that significantly reduces the carbon footprint of your products.

Using AluPure® as a raw material in the production of your aluminium profiles is an environmentally friendly choice that allows you to save natural resources and the environment. Recycling one tonne of aluminium saves six tonnes of bauxite and nine tonnes of CO2 emissions!

ikonos.fi

MÄKELÄ ALU OY Mäkeläntie 2, 62830 Luoma-aho, Finland +358 6 557 7600 sales@makelaalu.fi