KEEPING IT COOL Leading manufacturer of commercial refrigeration solutions Norpe Oy is well on target to becoming the preferred vendor for food retailers across Europe thanks to innovative solutions and a focus on customer enjoyment. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Matti Virtanen to find out how this is being achieved.
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stablished in Porvoo, Finland, in 1953, commercial refrigeration solutions manufacturer Norpe Oy has continually expanded to become one of Europe’s leading companies in its field. With subsidiaries across Europe and a wider comprehensive partner network, Norpe delivers refrigeration to clients in the supermarket, bar and restaurant, retail, and food and beverage cooling sectors. In the two years since Industry Europe last spoke with Norpe CEO Matti Virtanen, the company has continued its upward trajectory, with new products launched and an ongoing expansion programme. Mr Virtanen said, “We’re doing very well. We are no longer particularly affected by the recession, especially as the food, beverage and supermarket sectors did not really slow down anyway, so the last two years have seen us continue with our ambitious plans for growth and continued development. We’ve introduced lots of new products that
have been created in direct response to our customers’ changing needs, and indeed the demands of their end user - the consumer.”
Totally chilled Mr Virtanen explained that Norpe had enjoyed a strong performance at the retail industry’s trade exhibition EuroShop in 2011. Held in Düsseldorf, EuroShop was the perfect opportunity for the company to launch its latest product line. Mr Virtanen explained, “We had a fantastic EuroShop last year and we’ve continued to capitalise on the opportunities arising from our attendance, both in terms of new product introduction and customer relationship building. We launched our innovative Aida cooling cabinet for the convenience store sector, and this has already gained fans across Europe and is selling well. Aida is an attractive, curve-fronted cooling cabinet that is suited to a wide range of applications for clients in the prepared food display arena.” Industry Europe 203
