Annual investments maintain competitiveness

Investments are a prerequisite for competitiveness – new production equipment makes production more efficient, improves product quality and delivery reliability.

The continuous development of machines and equipment requires continuous investments from companies in order to maintain the company’s competitiveness in the field. ITA Nordic, which specializes in demanding machined subassemblies and products, spends around 10-20% of its turnover on investments every year.

– Our company’s growth strategy requires an increase in capacity and therefore regular investments. We always want to be one step ahead and offer our customers the best possible quality in demanding products and assemblies, says ITA Nordic’s board chairman Tommi Matikainen.

– In addition, we have always been and are still ready to make investments listening to customers’ needs. By increasing automation, we are able to curb cost pressure and deliver products to customers at a competitive price, even though the surrounding costs are rising, Matikainen continues.

Investment decisions are always made responsibly

Investments are always planned carefully and responsibly at ITA Nordic. Equipment purchases are made from technology countries, where the latest technology is invested in and the quality of the machines is very high. In addition, one of the prerequisites for procurement is that the importer has the ability to supply spare parts if necessary and take care of appropriate maintenance.

– The service life of new machines is about 10 to 15 years, sometimes even longer. However, the rapid development of technology means that new machines are invested earlier than before, before the end of the old machine’s life cycle. In this case, quality productivity and uninterrupted production are ensured. In addition to new machines, we have invested in the automation and robotics of our existing machines, says Matikainen.

Production efficiency and cost savings

With investments, production is made more efficient, cost savings are achieved and thus also a competitive advantage is maintained. In recent years, ITA Nordic’s investments have focused on increasing capacity, and the most recent investments have been multipurpose lathes suitable for versatile turning. The newest of them are the Okuma U4000 multifunction lathe operating in the Puntala unit and the Boehringer VDF-450 suitable for shaft turning in Närpiö.

The competitive advantage of these investments is that with one multifunction device it is possible to carry out several work phases, i.e. in practice the work is completed at once. In this way, there is no need to maintain interim warehouses or buffers, but it is possible to increase production efficiency and reduce total costs.

– We operate in a strongly investment-intensive industry, and in order to remain competitive, regular investments must be made. The latest, and at the same time also the largest investment in the company’s history, is the replacement investment made in the Närpiö unit for axle centering, the total cost of which will be around 1.5 million euros, says Matikainen.

– We don’t usually invest in the most affordable solutions on the market, but we strive to ensure that the equipment we purchase is of high quality and can implement products for our customers’ demanding needs, adds Matikainen. Most of our products are exported, and we have been granted investment support from the European Regional Development Fund. The aim of the support is to develop and support the structure and competitiveness of export companies to the world, Matikainen continues.

More jobs with investments

In addition to the fact that investments increase competitiveness and bring savings, investments have had positive effects on employment. When investments and automation increase competitiveness and the company grows, more labor is also needed.

– Investments in new machines, automation and robotics always also mean the need for staff. However, there is always a person behind the machine. We are constantly looking for more, e.g. competent CNC machinists, advises Matikainen.

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