Flexible technology

Leading Nordic specialist in polymer technology Teknikum has more than 20 years’ experience in utilising its material know-how for its customers’ best advantage. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Vesa Vihavainen to find out more.

Established in Finland in 1989, Teknikum Group Ltd has grown to become one of the foremost companies in the region to provide high-quality polymer technology products. The company’s advanced production facilities and skilled workforce, including many specialist material engineers, both work together to allow the company to continually offer market-leading solutions.

A privately owned company with three families at the helm, Teknikum is proud of its history of appreciating and cultivating longterm, mutually beneficial relationships. CEO Vesa Vihavainen told Industry Europe, “We are a long-term partner for clients, employees and suppliers. As a family business we value the importance of reliable, honest relationships and we work hard to ensure that this spirit lives on in every area of our business.”

This spirit is certainly evident in the fact that Teknikum’s product portfolio is focused on delivering high-quality products that offer a total cost of ownership that is best for the client. The company knows that it is not the cheapest provider, but it is clear that its products are reliable and long-lasting.

Teknikum offers the design, manufacture and delivery of a wide range of products that have a requirement for sophisticated material know how at the core. Its portfolio includes industrial hoses, moulded products, rubber linings, polyurethane and liquid silicone products, rubber compounds and sheets and mats. The company has its own mould design, compound development and process planning capabilities at its Finnish headquarters, which allows it to ensure that it maintains its scientific leadership in the market.

Teknikum’s products are concentrated into three capability sectors: wear and corrosion protection, fluid handling and contractor and OEM production. Each of these three areas utilises the company’s vast experience in rubber, plastic, thermoplastic and polyurethane processing, and each works to the same customerfocused strategy on a day-to-day basis.

Mr Vihavainen explained, “The common thread that runs through all three sectors is the way in which Teknikum can incorporate high-quality material knowledge into small and medium-sized businesses. That is why our slogan is ‘Flexible Technology’, because we are able to transpose our understanding of how materials perform into products for our clients. As a family business, we know the importance of a reliable, good-value solution and we are committed to offering that at all times.”

Popular products

In the wear and corrosion sector, Teknikum’s best-selling product is its flexible ceramic hoses for use with highly abrasive materials for clients in segments such as enrichment plants and the chemical and mining indus-

tries. Teknikum is the clear technology leader in this particular niche market and its products have an excellent reputation for holding various different liquids. The company also offers a combination of raw materials, such as plastic, rubber and metal, which can be used together or separately to create the ideal solution for each individual customer.

The fluid handling sector sees a number of hoses and membranes for use in pumping various liquids in or out of different places.

This could be petrol pumps at garages but also environmental projects such as pumping water in flooded areas of Venice, where Teknikum is involved in a long-term city rescue project.

For contractor services and OEM manufacturing, Teknikum has a wide range of clients that are active in this sector. Each client has a specific need for a materialsbased solution, which Teknikum is able to provide following a series of processes. Mr Vihavainen said, “We are involved very early on in the client’s development so that we can generate ideas that support their requirements – sometimes even before they have defined the problem! Our dedicated teams make sure they completely

understand the conditions in which the end product will be used, such as the environment, the humidity and the type of liquid, and they create a solution that perfectly suits the application.”

Total service solution

Geographically speaking, around 60 per cent of the company’s production is bought in the domestic region with the remaining 40 per cent exported worldwide, although Mr Vihavainen explained that actually around 80 per cent of production leaves the country directly or indirectly as many clients buy Teknikum products in Finland and then build solutions using them to then be sold overseas. Teknikum has regularly posted annual revenue of €46–50million, with a workforce of 420 people. The company expects both of these areas to grow in the coming years, with quality being its key driver. Organic growth is expected following heavy investment in Asia, particularly China, and in Australia, Africa and Americas.

Mr Vihavainen concluded, “Much as we are excited about the commercial possibilities in China, Europe remains our strongest market. As a proudly Finnish company that manufactures all our products in Europe, we are well aware that the European mark of quality is gaining appeal worldwide as high-quality products are increasingly valued over ‘fast and cheap’ products. Teknikum is well-positioned to capitalise on this trend and we are very much looking forward to a positive future.” n