On January 8, 2025, 36 representatives from industrial and service companies gathered at Alholmen Industrial Park (AIP) for a networking lunch at Järviseututalo in Jakobstad. The event, organized by Jakobstad Region Development Company Concordia Ab and AIP as part of the ACEP project, offered a range of interesting news and presentations.
Informationboost from Concordia
Pia Holkkola-Löf, project manager at Concordia, provided an overview of the development company’s business services, regional development services, and project activities. The focus areas for project activities in the coming years will be strongly on research, development and innovation, energy, circular economy, sustainability, and ownership transfers.
In a growing region with over 50,000 inhabitants and a diversified, export-strong business sector, the future outlook is good. Despite challenging times, companies in the Jakobstad region are doing well, although they are exercising greater caution, and some are forced to temporarily lay off employees.
-The signs are that the need for labour remains high since the region’s unemployment rates still are among the lowest in mainland Finland, says Pia Holkkola-Löf, who also informed that the development company is conducting a new Attract survey, which will soon provide fresh rates on companies’ labour needs now and in the coming years.
AIP and the ACEP Project
Åsa Björkman, project manager for the Alholmen Circular Economy Platform (ACEP), presented the measures the project is working on. The project aims to strengthen the circular economy and cooperation between industries in the Alholmen area. Last year, material flows were in focus and this will continue partly this year. Energy issues will be highlighted in 2025 and the project will continue to work actively on recruitment issues in the form of visibility and marketing. An important goal of the project is to promote cooperation between industries and service companies.
-Of the region’s total export value of 2 billion euros, companies in the AIP area account for more than half of the value. Companies in AIP employ 2,000 people, who in turn also bring tax revenue and prosperity to the region, says Åsa Björkman.
Johanna Heinoja, secretary of AIP, presented the structure of the association and how the activities work at both board and team levels. Heinoja works daily as technical manager at Port of Pietarsaari. The strategic goals were also presented.
-AIP is to be the most attractive eco-industrial park in Finland by 2030 and a role model for circular working methods. To achieve this, AIP works with five teams, each responsible for different thematic issues. This way, AIP develops common goals and working methods for the issues that member companies consider important, says Johanna Heinoja. Cooperation is important and strengthens the sense of community at Alholmen, continues Heinoja.
New Partnership Model for Service Companies
Juha Hakala, chairman of AIP rf, introduced the association’s new membership model for subcontractors and service companies. Juha Hakala works daily as CEO of Jakobstad Port Ab. AIP’s new partnership model, approved at the association’s member meeting on December 9, 2024, aims to promote cooperation and create added value for both industrial companies and partner members.
Partner members are approved by the association’s board after application and are entitled to participate in the following parts of the association’s activities:
- Partner members can appoint a representative to the safety team
- Right to participate in paid courses, such as occupational safety and other courses
- Right to participate in After Work meetings with the managements and teams of the industries
- Access to the current information updates
- Right to use AIP’s trademark in their own marketing
The annual fee for partner members is set at 500 euros.
-In addition to the activities organized within AIP, access to the network and exchange of experiences are the most important benefits of partner membership, says Juha Hakala.
Companies interested in becoming a partner member of Alholmen Industrial Park are to contact the chairman of the AIP service team, Tapio Uusitalo, at 0405852244 or tapio.uusitalo@billerud.com or the chairman of the AIP board, Juha Hakala, at 0405852332 or juha.hakala@portofpietarsaari.fi.
Path for Research, Development, and Innovation
Johanna Hautamäki, project manager at Centria, presented the PK-yritysten TKI-polku project (TKI=RDI – research, development and innovation), which offers companies in AIP a tailored path to encourage development and innovation in companies. The path is developed with the needs of the companies in mind. Mapping discussions with participating companies will take place from March 10-21, 2025, and the path will be implemented in April-May 2025.
The structure of the path is preliminarily as follows:
- Kick-off: What is RDI? Company examples of RDI activities and introduction to the topic.
- Strategy: Developing the company’s strategy based on the development of the industrial park, the area’s ecosystem, and cooperation.
- Lecture: circular economy and business
- RDI funding: ELY and Business Finland as well as Centria’s and Concordia’s funding experts help companies with funding applications for development projects
- Lab days: Visits to Centria’s laboratories in Kokkola and Ylivieska, opportunity to discuss own development needs with experts
The final content of the RDI path will be specified together with the participants in a workshop. If necessary, continued mentoring can be added to the listed workshops.
Are you interested in developing your company’s innovation capacity and operations? Contact Johanna Hautamäki at 040 631 6754 or johanna.hautamaki@centria.fi. More information at https://net.centria.fi/hanke/pk-yritysten-tki-polku/.
Lunch and Networking
After the presentations salmon soup and coffee was served by Endivo. It was a partner lunch filled with networking, exchanging ideas, and new contacts. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Links:
Presentation Pia Holkkola-Löf: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:55a53b02-4e05-4020-ae35-900afb0c50fa
Presentation Åsa Björkman och Johanna Heinoja: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:d2bc854e-c545-4f5e-b057-74869ecc065e
Presentation Juha Hakala: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:b565c729-7c0f-4cf7-a35d-9171b463bfbb
Presentation Johanna Hautamäki: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:590d9105-0626-480c-938e-3dd92ea3a5d3