About a year ago the Turku based work shop Stairon Oy (Ltd.) started with its partner to plan a new strategy how to gain new business opportunities and growth in the future. “Starting point was the fact that already now the customers are demanding deliveries with larger scope than for a couple of years ago and the customer does not hand out ready drawings to work with / to start with”, says Mr. Hussi - the Managing Director and the major share holder of Stairon Oy (Ltd.). “We made a decision to reach out for reliable and competent partners with whom we can offer the customer deliveries with a wider scope – “turnkey”- deliveries - everything from engineering to installation and maintenance. This was the fastest way to gain knowledge and experience”, concludes Mr. Hussi.
The goal was to find four to six companies that mutually complement each other and together are able to deliver the customer with the demanded knowledge in the business areas that the customers want. The new strategy includes a new business plan, gaining of the knowledge in the existing and new business areas.
In order to integrate the operations a common brand S4i – Stainless for Industry – was formed. S4i comprises of five mutually complementary companies specialised in making of welded sheet metal structures, machinery and equipment made of stainless and acid-resistant steel as well as aluminium for the Pulp & Paper, Energy and Environmental Technology industries. S4i is an umbrella organisation containing extensive and diverse competence and machinery enabling comprehensive “Turn key”-deliveries.
“Our goal is to be together stronger than the sum of the five of us standing alone”, says Mr. Sorsavirta, the Deputy Managing Director of Sepima Oy (Ltd.), who was originally behind this concept with Mr. Hussi. The close cooperation between the S4i-companies supports the entrepreneurship – that certain edge, which keeps the companies going more focused compared with a company with a single ownership.
The second important decision that was made was to export and get activated in internationalization process. S4i has appointed a Joint Export Manager who coordinates the export efforts of the S4i-companies and is responsible for the export activities in Central Europe. “We want to be regarded as an organization with unique expert knowledge and competence also outside of Finland, since otherwise we would be in danger of losing our position in the Finnish markets as well. There are no longer the traditional home markets in the EU – therefore our main market area is Europe but due to the global activity of our partners, all the S4i-companies have delivered worldwide through large Finnish concerns, making us a global player”, Mr. Hussi continues.
As mentioned earlier customers want nowadays more than just a product or service. The best way to manage this demand is to offer the customers comprehensive knowledge, added value in a win-win-manner – furthermore one has to be agile and adaptive.
Mr. Hussi is pleased that we started to plan the changes already prior the current economical situation, so we have a slight head start. What we need now is new thoughts and new business models. Problems are no longer solved with old fashioned thinking – they are solved with a new, wider understanding, looking at things differently from a wider perspective with new insights.
Members of the S4i bring their own supplier and customer network to the common use of the S4i, which leads to larger volumes and serves the whole S4i.
The business areas of the S4i are as mentioned Pulp & Paper, Energy and Environment Technology. Kymtec Oy (Ltd.) is responsible for the development of the process technology needed in the S4i-deliveries, whereas the other members focus on the development and optimization of the production and service concepts. This enables us to compete with competitors from the LLCC (Low Labour Cost Countries).
The S4i–complete service concept is offered by workshops Stairon Oy (Ltd.), High Metal Production Oy (Ltd.) and Sepima Oy (Ltd.) as well as engineering company Kymtec Oy (Ltd.) and industrial installation and maintenance company Efkava Oy (Ltd.).
S4i employs today more than 300 professionals and has revenues totalling approximately EUR 40 m€. In future we will be able to deliver increasingly demanding and extensive bespoke systems and components for our customers.
The S4i-Companies
Stairon Oy (Ltd.) is a Turku-based workshop with roots leading back to the 1960s. With turnover of approx. EUR 13 million, the company employs 75 people. Stairon is a system supplier providing comprehensive high-quality equipment made of stainless and acid-resistant steel or aluminium to various industries. It specialises especially in ventilation systems for paper machines. Other typical products include air dryers for paper machines, runnability components, heat exchangers, heat recoverys systems, fans and silencers.
High Metal Production Oy (Ltd.) is a Vantaa-based workshop established in 1949, with turnover of EUR 4 million and 30 employees. The company develops and manufactures innovative sheet metal structures from stainless and acid-resistant steel using the latest cutting and welding laser technology. Typical products include hygienic conveyors, corrosion-proof equipment and systems, silos and funnels, special filters, applicators and hoods.
Sepima Oy (Ltd.) is a Naantali-based contract workshop and turnkey supplier. Established in 1989, the company now has 20 employees. Its main materials are stainless and acid-resistant steel as well as aluminium. The company utilises the latest production technologies, including water cutting and robot welding. Its typical products are machines and aggregates, containers, funnels and pipelines.
Kymtec Oy (Ltd.) is an engineering office based in Kouvola, specialising in technical design. The company was established in 1989 and has turnover of approx. EUR 2 million with 24 employees. Kymtec’s design and planning services cover process planning, industrial design and energy planning. It has specialist competence in paper and board processes, chemical processes and energy technology investments and projects.
Efkava Oy (Ltd.) is an industrial installation company headquartered in Helsinki. Established in 1989, it has turnover of EUR 10-20 million and 165 employees. Efkava has a nationwide regional network in Finland, and has been involved in international project exports to some 20 countries.
The export chain is managed by Export Manager Juha Rossi.
In case of any further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our Export Manager –
Mr. Juha Rossi
Tel.: +358 400 18 11 18
Tel.: +49 173 41 01 561
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.s4i.fi