Jussi-Pekka Kuivala has been appointed Fimpec’s Director of Consulting and Process Engineering 13.10.2021 Jussi-Pekka Kuivala has been appointed Fimpec’s Director of Consulting and Process Engineering as of September 2021. In his role, he will focus strongly on energy and aim to develop consulting from the perspective of the entire Fimpec Group while developing process engineering from an energy industry perspective. According to Kuivala consulting plays an important role in supporterting of other Fimpec services. “Consulting is how you get a foot in the door. We want to get involved with projects, semi-finished products and technologies that we can bring to our customers’ attention at an early stage. This is how we and our customers and stay up to date”, explains Kuivala. A strong background in consulting Kuivala has a master’s degree in energy technology and has also studied applied thermodynamics. In is career, Kuivala worked for a long time at Greenfield Consulting, first as a consultant and later as a partner and CEO. Kuivala says that he quickly gained responsibility in consulting as well as interesting international experience. The subject of his thesis, which he completed as a consulting assignment, became his specialty. District cooling was still new to Finland, so he quickly became a specialist in it. Kuivala has also worked for Granlund Oy, where he was the Regional Energy Solutions team leader. At the time, a significant part of his job involved energy solutions specifically tailored to the needs of end users. Motivated by growth goals and new challenges The transition to Fimpec is natural for Kuivala. He says his work quickly became interesting and felt right. Fimpec’s focus on energy industry projects, strong growth targets in the energy sector, internationalization opportunities and familiar faces convinced Kuivala. “The fact that Fimpec had identified the energy sector as a strong growth sector sparked confidence. We are not yet a very well-known player in the energy sector, but we have a strong capacity to succeed. The company’s international experience was also impressive. The company also has some familiar faces, which was a nice addition”, explains Kuivala. Kuivala says that he is already excited about working with the goals and challenges of the energy sector. “I already anticipate that we reach our goals and it’s great to be a part of the growth development. A good challenge for us is to increase Fimpec’s name and visibility in the energy sector, which will be interesting”.
Welcome to our Swedish website 8.10.2021 We published the Swedish version of the Fimpec website on 5. October 2021. The site gives Swedish introduction to Fimpec, which is a project consultant for challenging industrial and energy projects and an expert in the real estate and infrastructure sectors. Fimpec aims at strong international growth in an industry where flexible problem-solving in project management significantly reduces project risks and costs. The website has been developed in co-operation with Avidly from Finland. Project implementation took place in spring 2021. During the first stage, the Finnish version of the new website was published on May 25th. Our English website was published in August. » Swedish website » Read more
Fimpec is expanding operations in Western Finland by purchasing Focusplan Oy’s entire share stock 7.10.2021 Founded in 1988, Focusplan Oy is a Turku-based engineering agency that offers high-quality technical engineering, project management, and consulting services to several different industries. The company employs 30 people and its turnover for 2020 was EUR 2.7 million. Focusplan has been involved in projects such as the investment project for Vihervakka’s ThermoSeed plant, where it was responsible for the project’s cost estimate and project management, and in several Chemigate projects, where it was responsible for technical engineering and supervision. The cornerstones of the company’s success and long-term customer relationships are reliability and customer-oriented approach. Focusplan’s owners wanted to procure a strong owner base to enable the growth and continuous development of the company, and to retain its high level of customer satisfaction. Fimpec, which seeks strong domestic and international growth, took over as owner when it purchased Focusplan’s entire share stock in a transaction that took place on 30.9.2021. The aim of the purchase was to strengthen Fimpec’s technical engineering and competence, particularly in the foodstuff, construction supply and pharmaceutical industries. In the near future, Focusplan will be merged into Fimpec Engineering Oy, which is part of the Fimpec Group, and the company will form the Turku region’s engineering unit. The company’s owners Vesa Ranta and Kyösti Meriläinen will continue to work for the company and will become Fimpec shareholders. Vesa Ranta will continue as CEO of Focusplan until the merge, after which he will take on a role as senior expert at Fimpec. Focusplan’s current deputy CEO Joni Heino will become regional manager of Fimpec’s Turku engineering unit. The corporate acquisition will have no other effects on personnel and the unit’s staff and business will grow in the future. “Long-term customer relationships have formed the backbone of our operations, but due to our current size we’ve been unable to meet demand for larger projects. The corporate acquisition means that as Fimpec, we’re able to provide our customers with more extensive project management services and offer more comprehensive resources for larger engineering projects,” sums up Focusplan’s CEO Vesa Ranta. “Focusplan’s corporate acquisition is part of our domestic growth strategy and a step towards our more expansive international commissions. The corporate acquisition will also strengthen our regional growth goals in West Finland, together with our existing local units,” explains Timo Hyvönen, Chair of the Board at Fimpec Group Oy. Fimpec Group’s CEO Antti Lukka says the corporate acquisition will further strengthen Fimpec’s engineering services and act as a growth platform for expansion into new industries, which aligns with the Group’s strategy. “We have followed Focusplan’s positive development in recent years, and the company’s committed staff have shown solid competence in industries that are interesting to us. The corporate acquisition will provide both Fimpec and Focusplan customers with better-quality services and specialist expertise in demanding projects and major commissions,” says Lukka. For more information, please contact: Antti Lukka, CEO, Fimpec Group Oy tel. +358 40 535 0626 e-mail: antti.lukka@fimpec.com Timo Hyvönen, Chair of the Board, Fimpec Group Oy tel. +358 400 975 838 e-mail: timo.hyvonen@helmetcapital.fi Vesa Ranta, CEO, Focusplan Oy tel. +358 400 783 329 e-mail: vesa.ranta@focusplan.fi Fimpec is a leading specialist in the field of project management and engineering. We act as project consultants in major investment projects in the industrial and energy industries, and as experts in the real estate and infrastructure sectors. In 2020, our turnover was EUR 25.7 million and we employ more than 260 top experts in Finland and abroad. Focusplan Oy is a Turku-based engineering agency founded in 1988. We offer high-quality services for several different industries. We work in close collaboration with our customers and focus on finding solutions that will last long into the future.
Internship at Fimpec has brought Emilia Timonen confidence, new lessons, and versatile experiences 2.9.2021 I am studying civil engineering at Xamk, in Kotka and I am oriented in the field of construction design. Construction has always interested me, and I know that the sector employs well. During my studies however, my interest towards construction design has only increased. Design interests me in particular because I know that in the end it will become something concrete, and I get to think what would be the best option at each stage of the work. In design I get to see the end result, the mark of my own hands. At Fimpec I work in the construction design and technical calculation unit. Especially during the past summer I’ve gotten to do practically the design assignments I’m studying. During this and last summer I have designed steel structures and maintenance levels as well as done foundation design and footing sizing. My work tasks during my second internship summer have been more versatile, which has been motivating. I have been able to develop, and it feels nice that at Fimpec people trust my competence. Last summer I learned a lot and this summer I have been able to utilize the knowledge I learned then. It was natural for me to come back to Fimpec after last summer. I applied here again because the job description is meaningful, and colleagues are nice. It felt good to return and I have not regretted it at all! In summer 2020 I found CTS Engtec, which today is Fimpec, through a classmate. When my friend told me about CTS Engtec I was interested right away. I sent an application and got a response quickly. When you are a student and looking for work, you often notice that employers don’t answer at all or you might get an automatic reply. From CTS Engtec I got a reply quickly and immediately got an interview, and in the end got the job! I’m very happy with the recruitment process because everything went smoothly and conveniently. Versatile assignments and self-confidence in work One of the highlights during my internship has been a visit to the UPM Kymi factory. There I was able to see in practice two places for which I did design work. For one place I designed a lifting rail and for another I started to design a maintenance level. It was great to see what the places look like in “real life”, it helps to better perceive for example distances. And the factory environment is otherwise interesting as well. As a whole, the visit to UPM was a good experience. When I said I was interested in going there, it felt good to notice that my whish was taken into account and the visit was carried out quickly My work at Fimpec has been very versatile overall, at times I have had smaller jobs and sometimes larger entities. Each project and assignment is different, which keeps the work interesting. During these two summers I have actually learned much more than during my studies. Now I have been able to do in practice the things that we go through in theory while studying. My confidence has also increased, because here the intern is listened to. For example, the factory visit was carried out quickly when I said I was interested. At Fimpec people are also interested in the intern’s opinion and help, so it is really good to be here. The so-called intern status has not affected the attitudes of other employees and the work environment is positive and fun. Fimpec is a good place for an employee Fimpec is a good and flexible employer. I can express my opinions to superiors, and I can ask them anything. Everything has been effortless ever since the internship application. I feel that operations at Fimpec are open and communication between employees is fast, not forgetting the relaxed environment and humor. I have also recommended Fimpec to my classmates and this summer I have gotten to work with a friend who got an internship at Fimpec. I would also gladly continue working at Fimpec. These assignments interest me and I would like to see what the future has in store for Fimpec. I want to emphasize that if you are interested in Fimpec, you should apply, because here they are truly interested in interns and their work. From Fimpec you won’t receive any automatic replies, but things will be handled flexibly and quickly. I don’t want to sound like a cliché when I say that Fimpec is a good place to work, because it’s true. It is really nice to be here, everything is effortless, the work community is relaxed and positive and most importantly you get to do truly interesting work here.
Welcome to our new website 11.8.2021 We published the English version of the website of Fimpec on 10 August 2021. The site will introduce the new Fimpec Group, which is a project consultant for challenging industrial and energy sites and an expert in the real estate and infrastructure sectors. Fimpec aims at strong international growth in an industry where flexible problem-solving in project management significantly reduces project risks and costs. The website has been developed in co-operation with fully integrated martech service partner Avidly from Finland. Project implementation took place in spring 2021. During the first stage, the Finnish version of the new website was published on May 25th. » Read more
Finnish Fimpec has grown on an international scale – modern project management requires a bold attitude to collaboration 26.5.2021 Fimpec is a project consultant for challenging industrial and energy industry sites and an expert in the property and infrastructure sectors, and it wishes to further distinguish itself as a modern leader in a traditional industry. In investment projects, this means the deconstruction of familiar roles on open and interactive problem-solving terms. “We must be ready and genuinely willing to listen, collaborate, and discuss,” explains Antti Lukka, CEO of Fimpec Group Oy. “Traditional projects always involve certain roles, but we believe that better results are achieved by approaching problem-solving from a shared project perspective rather than a role-oriented one. Our business comes from projects that are by nature complex and challenging,” Lukka adds. “But we have the passion to succeed.” In practice, service packages must always be adapted to meet the needs of the project and the customer. Flexibility applies to processes, the search for construction solutions, and a schedule that takes economic cycles into account. Lukka believes that the interface between packages and the willingness to collaborate set project management companies apart: there is often a fear that anyone proposing a new kind of solution will end up footing the bill. Everyone benefits from Fimpec’s integrated project delivery method, which also works with smaller packages – the operating method is key. “All projects are always full of problems and challenges. One actor can create many problems, but no single actor can solve any problem alone,” explains Lukka. “Challenges are best solved by coming together around the same table, rather than shouting across from another.” Aiming at a turnover of EUR 50 million and the best talent in the industry in the next few years Fimpec has its roots in Finnish companies whose owners have been involved in operations right from the start. Committed ownership has provided a stable funding base and has strengthened Fimpec’s wide range of skills. “Our growth strategy has fallen into place naturally as a result of corporate acquisitions and business development. Thanks to the uniform Fimpec brand, our outer appearance now corresponds to our daily service provision. We are already very close to what we were aiming for a few years ago,” says Lukka. “Growth through corporate acquisitions supports organic growth if the strengths of the different companies complement one another. Fimpec’s roots are in our different companies, which have very few overlaps: our range of services naturally cover both a project’s life cycle and the services required for the project. Now we’re seeking strength from a unified and common goal, and we are also providing added value to existing services.” Having tripled its turnover in three years, the Group is now aiming at a turnover of EUR 50 million and international growth in the next few years, especially in the Baltic countries, Sweden, Germany, and South America. In addition to project exports, the company is seeking growth directly from foreign customers. Around one third of business currently comes from abroad, and in 3-5 years the aim is for that share to be around 50 per cent. In Finland, project management is under way on the construction of MetsäFibre’s new bioproduct mill in Kemi, where Fimpec has been involved in seeing the project through right from the early engineering phase. The availability of experts in a growing industry has forced Fimpec to think about how to replace retiring aging groups with the best talent using a job description that attracts today’s experts. So far, Fimpec has managed well, which Lukka puts down to Fimpec’s flexible culture, its rapid pace of development, and the company’s status as an industry challenger. Nevertheless, a growth company continuously needs new people. “Growth and a major shake-up of working life have required a clear change to how experts are individually managed and motivated. There’s a lot more to it than simply working long hours with your nose to the grindstone. Fortunately, those times are behind us. Work should be interesting, and tasks must involve the same modernity and agility as the company,” Lukka explains. For more information and interviews, please contact: Antti Lukka, tel. +358 (0)40 535 0626 CEO, Fimpec Group Oy More information: The Fimpec Group comprises Fimpec Engineering Oy (CTS Engtec Oy), Fimpec PMO Oy (Fimpec Oy), Fimpec Energy Oy (Fundacon Oy), Fimpec Energy AB (Fundacon AB), FimpecDeutschlandGmbH, Fimpec Uruguay S.A, Fimpec Chile SpA, SystemTest OÜ and Fimpec Group Oy (Smaragdus Oy). The name changes will not result in any direct changes to the companies’ operations or customer relationships. Fimpec is a top specialist in the field of project management and engineering. We act as project consultants in major investment projects in the industrial and energy industries, and as experts in the property and infrastructure sectors. We employ 260 professionals in 7 countries, and our turnover in 2020 was €25.7 million. We can lead your project to complete success Read more at: www.fimpec.com
Sami Nissinen to become sales manager for energy operations 12.1.2021 CTS Engtec Oy strengthened its sales organisation in mid-December when Sami Nissinen started work as a sales manager for energy operations. Nissinen’s tasks include strengthening the sales of energy operations and the development of project activities. He works in the Helsinki office. Sami Nissinen graduated as a mechanical and production technology engineer in Jyväskylä in 2007, and has 15 years of extensive experience with engineering, supervision and sales tasks in the construction industry. His tasks have mostly related to the energy industry, but he has also worked with plant and process engineering. He came to CTS Engtec from Elomatic Oy, where he worked as a group manager. “CTS Engtec offered me the opportunity to focus on sales, which I had hoped for. I have also seen how CTS Engtec has developed over the years. It has grown, consolidated its position, and become more international. It is interesting to participate in building the company in this phase and to have an influence on the kind of company it will become in the future. CTS Engtec is also a nice size for an organisation; large enough to take on big projects, but still flexible and agile, valuing employee input,” explains Nissinen “Sami Nissinen will bring strength to the core of CTS Engtec’s energy operations, where he can use his diverse range of skills to utilise the entire Group’s competence in energy,” says EPCM operations manager Frans Jokinen.
Christmas greetings from the CEO 18.12.2020 The year is coming to an end and it’s time for festive celebrations to begin. The year has certainly been exceptional for all of us. The challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic have been seen extensively in business here in Finland and abroad, and the challenges forced us at short notice to seek new methods of carrying out design work that ensures all of our safety. In March 2020, our company made the transition to telecommuting to slow the spread of coronavirus. We succeeded in effectively creating new operating methods for our work that meant we were able to successfully see our customers’ projects through to completion. Through collaboration, we were able to turn the challenges into strengths. Our personnel’s unwavering perseverance and flexibility have allowed our company to grow and develop its business operations despite the prevailing situation. Our customer relationships have strengthened further over the past year. Our customers’ continuous development work has also guaranteed that our workload remained reasonable even during such an exceptional year. We would like to thank our customers for their trust in our company and in our experts; we were able to end 2020 on a path to growth while improving our result from last year. Our company is part of the Smaragdus Group, which has this year expanded its business operations both in Finland and abroad. In June, Smaragdus expanded operations to Sweden through the corporate acquisition of Fundacon AB, procured expertise in the energy sector through the acquisition of Fundacon Oy, and in late autumn strengthened its foothold in projects in the Baltic region after purchasing the Estonian company Heatconsult OÜ. This expansion has enabled growth and internationalisation for the entire Group. Together we have won tenders that we would not previously have been able to fulfil. In 2021, we will continue our customer-oriented work with new projects. We will continue to develop our services in order to bring more innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers in the future, too. Antti Lukka
Construction work on Jujo Thermal’s Shieldplus packaging material production facilities is complete 16.12.2020 Eura-based Jujo Thermal Oy is introducing its new, environmentally friendly Shieldplus packaging material to the markets. Industrial production at the company’s mill required significant construction and modernisation work, which saw the thermal coating kitchen in the production facilities extended to meet production needs for the new product range. The project was completed on schedule in September 2020. Fimpec (CTS Engtec Oy) participated in the project from the feasibility study phase and was responsible for mechanical, steel structural, process, electrical, automation and HVAC engineering. In addition to engineering services, CTS Engtec offered Jujo Thermal support with project management, participated in procurement, and was responsible for installation supervision for mechanical, steel structural, automation, and HVAC installations during the construction phase, and for commissioning of the process. Documentation management was also organised using CTS Engtec’s system. Completion through good collaboration The project, which has now been implemented, is a continuation of the long-term collaboration between the companies. CTS Engtec has previously been involved in implementing equipment development projects for Jujo Thermal, so it was already familiar with the industry, mill processes, equipment, and piping. “CTS Engtec was a natural choice of partner for us. We had a good experience with the last big project we collaborated on 15 years ago, and since we would be working with the same people this time around, we were confident that the result would be good,” explains project manager Juha-Pekka Kaivola from Jujo Thermal. “Our expectations were also met in practice. Collaboration was smooth, with no problems, and we kept to the schedule. I’d like to thank the people from CTSE who worked on the project for their project and process skills. The project went so smoothly in part because they were already familiar with the mill.” he adds. Harri Soininen, who worked as project manager for the project at CTS Engtec, and Matti Gren, who was responsible for mechanical engineering and site coordination, are also satisfied with the collaboration and project progress. “We collaborated closely throughout the entire project. In the busiest engineering phase, we held meetings once a week, and Matti Gren from CTS Engtec’s Turku office was on site in Kauttua as our contact person throughout the engineering and construction phase. That meant that we could answer the customer’s questions and react quickly to any changes,” Soininen says. “I had the advantage of being involved in previous Jujo Thermal projects, and I took part in this project right from the start. Kai Kuoppa, who works at the Turku office, also played an important role as he is thoroughly familiar with the Kauttua mill from earlier projects. This kind of customer commitment to continuity also motivated us engineers just as much as the end product’s environmental friendliness and its importance to consumers,” adds Gren. Skills from different offices The project made use of skills from CTS Engtec’s different offices. Locally, the Turku office took on main responsibility, and some of the engineering took place in Kouvola. “We’ve noticed that this is a good operating method that offers flexibility when it comes to resources. As work is carried out in the same engineering environment, it doesn’t matter as such where your work desk is,” says Soininen. The SHIELDPLUS® product range is designed especially for food industry packaging. It is manufactured from a paper-based material with properties that provide excellent protection against oxygen, moisture, and fragrances. The fully recyclable material is made from wood-based fibre and coated with a water-based protective coating. Jujo Thermal Oy is a Kauttua-based company that specialises in manufacturing special thermal papers and coated papers for use as tickets, labels, and receipts. It exports the majority of its products. The company was founded in 1992. It employs around 200 people and has an annual turnover of around 100 million euros. Jujo Thermal is owned by the Japanese company Nippon Paper