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The Finnish company Uwira supplies welded products and components – mainly pressure vessels and prefabricated piping – for clients throughout the world. In recent years, as Victoria Hattersley found out in a conversation with CEO Samuli Kuusisto, the company has been focusing increasingly on specialist component assembly for a number of high profile projects. 162 Industry Europe
ounded in Vaasa in 1993, the biggest milestone for Uwira occurred in 2005 when it was taken over by the Leinolat Group, a corporation consisting of seven companies offering a variety of services in the field of metals. Today the group employs 240 people and achieved a turnover of €31 million in 2014. Uwira serves mainly the Oil & Gas, Marine & Power and Industrial Projects markets. Its activities are perfectly complemented by those of its subsidiary company, Kilkanen, which specialises in flywheels and machined parts. The two companies have grown together from metal works into hi-tech manufacturers working on a range of specialist international projects with globally renowned clients such as ABB and Stena Line. Mr Kuusisto says of the strong synergies between the two companies: “We have been developing our operations persistently for years jointly with our subsidiary Kilkanen Oy. We have implemented many LNG (liquefied natural gas) projects in recent years and are observing the actively growing LNG market.”
Products and industries Uwira’s products include standard piping, double walled pipes, welded components and pressure vessels. But Mr Kuusisto is keen to stress that the company’s production focus has seen a shift in recent years. Rather than simply focusing on subcontracted basic welding projects it has adopted a far more project-oriented approach, covering everything from planning and machining to assembly and documentation.
