Fimpec Thrives Amid the Transformation of the Forest Industry
The major changes currently reshaping the forest industry require both new investment projects and the development of existing production facilities. Fimpec offers services for every phase of a project’s lifecycle: from concept engineering to comprehensive engineering services, project management, construction management, and supervision.
The forest industry is undergoing significant disruption. Paper has given way to packaging materials. Paper machines have been converted for board production, and pulp capacity has been increased. At the same time, the degree of wood processing has risen, and new products are being developed — for example, textile fibers, materials to replace plastics, and solutions that leverage the opportunities offered by the hydrogen economy. Production side streams are also being utilized more efficiently.
Fimpec is closely involved in this transformation. In recent years, the company has, for example, engineered the conversion of Stora Enso’s paper machines to board machines in Oulu, managed the construction of Metsä Group’s bioproduct mill in Kemi, and carried out preliminary engineering for Metsä Board’s board mill in Kaskinen. The company has also strengthened its expertise in various roles across many other projects and in advancing innovations such as wood-based textile fibers and biodegradable packaging in collaboration with different industry players.
Fimpec has solid experience in innovative projects in the forest industry and other industrial sectors. The company has been involved in UPM’s biocomposite projects, the engineering of Woodio’s plant in Lahti, and the design of a partially mobile calcium carbonate grinding unit sized for shipping containers.
One emerging field of particular interest to the forest industry is the hydrogen economy, where biogenic carbon dioxide from forest operations awaits large-scale utilization in synthetic hydrocarbon production. In this area, Fimpec can provide expertise gained from real-world projects, thanks to partnerships with, for example, Nordic Ren-Gas and P2X Solutions. As a partner to the latter, Fimpec has helped deliver Finland’s first industrial-scale hydrogen plant in Harjavalta.
All Services for Engineering and Executing Forest Industry Projects
The references demonstrate that even amid significant change, Fimpec has remained a reliable partner for the forest industry, supporting the execution of diverse types of projects.
“And that is the kind of partner we want to continue to be. We know that this requires continuous development of our operations, learning new things, and the ability and willingness to listen to our customers’ needs. This is work we do every day, as we have always done,” says Harri Soininen, Director of Engineering Services.
According to Soininen, Fimpec’s strength lies in its ability to offer the forest industry end-to-end services covering the entire project lifecycle — from concept engineering and detail engineering to project management, construction management, and supervisory tasks. This versatility and flexibility are also emphasized by Head of Sales Sami Ström, Sales and Project Manager Pasi Varkila, and Construction and Engineering Manager Eelon Lappalainen.
“We have the capability to join projects right from the concept definition, basic dimensioning, and balance calculation phases. Fimpec has decades of experience with forest industry processes and their engineering, as well as extensive expertise in related core process areas such as electrical systems, grid connections, automation, and more. We manage various engineering disciplines, so as the project progresses, we can provide services from preliminary and basic engineering to implementation and maintenance engineering,” Ström and Varkila explain.
“In the same way, our project management and construction management services support every phase of the project, from engineering through implementation — including management and supervision of plant installations and commissioning. Our services in cost management, scheduling, procurement management, and HSE management have also received high praise,” Lappalainen adds.
It is possible to purchase the services as a comprehensive package, with a single contract.
Comprehensive Expertise and Decades of Experience Enable Deep Understanding of Forest Industry Projects
Varkila and Soininen highlight the long shared history between Fimpec and the forest industry. According to them, the extensive experience accumulated since the 1970s, combined with comprehensive expertise, is one of Fimpec’s key strengths.
“This enables us to deeply understand the relationships between different project phases: what needs to be done at each stage to move smoothly to the next. This is how we manage the schedules of even the most complex projects.”
“Our special expertise includes forest industry modernization and conversion projects, which are particularly demanding when new functions are dimensioned and engineered within existing spaces. We also have a long tradition in installation management and supervision, both in the forest industry and other sectors. Our expertise covers both traditional and modern solutions. We know how to ensure that equipment is installed correctly and on schedule,” note Reijo Parkkinen, Head of Plant Engineering, and Saku Virtanen, Installation Management Service Director.
From the forest industry’s perspective, Fimpec’s strong energy expertise is also valuable, particularly regarding clean energy and energy efficiency.
“There are still many opportunities in the forest industry to achieve savings by analyzing and reducing electricity, heat, and water consumption,” say Parkkinen and Ström.
Fimpec Adapts to Project Needs
Fimpec’s deep understanding of the forest industry also enables the company to work in various roles within projects. Varkila and Lappalainen describe a range that spans from full EPCM deliveries to limited individual assignments.
“In project management and construction management, we typically work as an integral part of the client’s organization in both large and smaller forest industry investment projects. Similarly, in engineering, we are used to working in projects where we also contribute to equipment suppliers’ engineering projects. Thanks to our comprehensive expertise, we can also take full responsibility for large EPCM deliveries — an area in which we have extensive experience across sectors.”
“Understanding the big picture adds value even to limited assignments, such as concept creation, specific engineering tasks, maintenance, repairs, process development, or quality improvement. Fimpec has broad expertise in all these areas. In construction management, we can bring a systematic approach even to small projects and provide mentoring,” they say.
“One reason for our broad and deep expertise is that our careers tend to be exceptionally long. This has enabled the accumulation of experience and the systematic transfer of knowledge to new generations. Our flexible approach also means we have the resources and readiness to join projects as needed,” Soininen adds.
The common message from all those interviewed for this article is clear: “Involving us as early as possible in a project is beneficial. That’s when we can provide insights on scheduling and costs based on systematically compiled information.”
Advanced Tools Empower Fimpec Experts to Excel
Fimpec’s most important asset is its skilled and committed people. Equally important is that they have access to high-quality, modern tools for their work. In this respect, Fimpec is at the forefront, leveraging modern tools that support high-quality engineering and help project teams deliver projects on time and on budget.
“In engineering, we operate in advanced environments and have refined commercial software into user-friendly tools that enable fast and high-quality engineering. We also use automated checks to minimize errors,” explain Varkila and Ström.
“In project management and construction management, we have developed methods and practices for cost management, scheduling, procurement management, and quantity calculation. We are pioneers in using 3D engineering and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in industrial projects,” add Lappalainen and Virtanen.
“An essential tool is our advanced document management system. It enables our clients to focus on the core aspects of their projects while leaving document production and management to us. Producing high-quality documentation is a matter of pride for us, and we have the skill to integrate the technical materials from different parties,” Soininen concludes.
The following Fimpec representatives working in forest industry engineering and construction projects have been interviewed for the article: Eelon Lappalainen, Reijo Parkkinen, Harri Soininen, Sami Ström, Pasi Varkila and Saku Virtanen.
