– High-quality aluminium profiles and smooth cooperation are clear strengths at Mäkelä, says Kari Salonsaari, CEO of Alutec Oy.

– There is always time for the customer. This is especially helpful in product development. The storage service, in turn, speeds up our own production chain, summarises Purchasing Manager Jarkko Somero.

From steel to aluminium

Alutec is a family business whose operations began in 1979 as part-time production of steel doors in the Salonsaari family’s garage. The business was started by Kari Salonsaari’s father. Over the years, the operations became full-time, the raw material of the doors changed to aluminium, and the product range began to expand. The company has grown steadily over the decades and today employs around 80 people.

– Our customers are mainly large and medium-sized construction companies, although there are also smaller ones. Our operations are divided into project business and terrace and balcony glazing solutions sold and installed through our reseller network. In project business, the focus is mainly on apartment and commercial construction, largely concentrated in the Helsinki metropolitan area, where we supply aluminium doors, windows and façade solutions such as various glass walls and roofs. Recently, projects have been located more widely across Finland, from Hanko to Levi, Kari Salonsaari continues.

Alutec’s production facilities and headquarters are located in Ylivieska, where there are two separate factories: one produces doors, windows and façade solutions for project business, and the other focuses on terrace and balcony glazing solutions. In addition, the company has offices in Vantaa, Oulu, Tampere and Turku.

– Our reseller network includes around 40 resellers across Finland. These are typically smaller glass installation companies or similar, who resell and install our terrace and balcony products. Mäkelä Alu produces aluminium profiles for us specifically for this market, Kari Salonsaari explains.

Appearance and fast deliveries matter

Alutec has invested in the digitalisation of its operations and is already highly digitalised for its size. Orders to Mäkelä Alu are also transmitted via an electronic interface.

– This significantly improves efficiency for both parties, as people do not need to manually enter data anywhere, which also eliminates typing errors. Order confirmations always arrive quickly from Mäkelä, within the same day, says Jarkko Somero.

Delivery time has been minimised thanks to the storage service.

– This clearly benefits us. The storage service speeds up our own production chain: we receive profiles quickly and can serve our customers smoothly. Especially with international customers, there may be a wide variety of colours, and we cannot anticipate these orders. But any colour can be delivered quickly from Mäkelä, Jarkko Somero notes.

Another important factor is the quality of the profiles. The profiles are delivered to Alutec already powder coated.

– The quality has been good. Of course, there are occasional issues, but considering the volume we receive, there are relatively few, Jarkko Somero says.

– The surface must be perfect, as the products are installed in visible places on terraces and balconies. They are often viewed from very close distances, and there must not be even the smallest defect, he adds.

Services that improve efficiency

In addition to the AluStorage® storage service, Alutec uses the AluBasket® logistics solution.

– We constantly have a large number of baskets in circulation. Some are in use and partially filled, others are empty. They can be stored compactly and are easy to handle with a forklift. The solution also reduces transport costs and improves occupational safety. The baskets also physically save space in the hall, says Jarkko Somero.

– In addition to speeding up our production chain, the storage service also saves money. Our own warehouse would require significant storage costs and tie up a lot of capital, Jarkko Somero reflects.

– Profiles arrive very quickly and go almost directly into production. This is another reason why quality must be top-class, as any quality issues would slow down our production, notes Kari Salonsaari.

Support in product development has also been an important advantage for Alutec.

– If we have any product development challenges, they are resolved quickly together with Mäkelä. Communication works smoothly, which helps move things forward quickly, Jarkko Somero adds.

– There is a lot of variation in our profiles, and we have a large number of tools: very small profiles as well as large ones. It is important that we can rely on the profile supplier when designing new tools, says Kari Salonsaari.

Architects usually aim to minimise the visible aluminium in their designs.

– In this context, usability of the profiles is also emphasised, and of course design plays a key role in achieving the best possible end result for the customer, Jarkko Somero states.

New potential in decorative coating

In some projects, Alutec has used the Decoral decorative coating. According to Jarkko Somero, it has even more potential.

– Decoral is a very striking and maintenance-free solution. It is suitable, for example, for balcony handrails in more visually demanding projects where a wood-like appearance is desired. In some projects, we have used a Decoral coating that imitates white oak, he says.

Looking ahead with confidence

Although the downturn in construction has also slowed Alutec’s growth figures, the company remains optimistic about the future. Responsible operations are also an important core value.

– We regularly measure employee satisfaction, and it has remained at a good level. We continuously invest in developing and improving our operations. Customer satisfaction is also at a good level, Kari Salonsaari says.

The company is also planning to expand its production facilities when the market improves.

– Investment decisions are somewhat difficult at the moment, but despite that, we acquired the Swedish company Balkongrutan Mälardalen AB at the turn of the year. Our goal is to strengthen our position in Sweden, says Kari Salonsaari.

– Despite the downturn, we aim to return to our previous growth levels and have set growth targets accordingly for the coming years, he adds.

The main image of the article features Veikko Nurkkala, who has extensive experience in aluminium construction.

Artikkeli The quality of aluminium profiles affects the final result of terrace and balcony glazing julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Lighting columns made of galvanised steel or wood are a familiar sight in Finland. Sähkö-Jokinen Oy, a company specialising in the development and manufacture of outdoor lighting products, wanted to bring something new to the traditional products: a pattern-coated steel column that would be both durable and attractive.

“We had taken a liking to Decoral and wanted to finish our new column model with this solution. We started discussing the solution with Mäkelä Alu years ago,” says Ville Nieminen, Sales Director at Sähkö-Jokinen Oy.

“We came up with some solutions that could work, but the Decoral coating is not the best and most cost-effective solution for use with steel. However, the customer was determined to use Decoral,” says Mäkelä Alu’s Sales Specialist Janne Kohonen.

“We then asked if the column profile could be made of aluminium. This was the starting point for the development of column models made from aluminium profiles,” he adds.

A solution developed together with the customer

The lighting contract for the Loviisa Housing Fair area was awarded to Sähkö-Jokinen through a public tender organised by the City of Loviisa.

“Their aim was to build an attractive area featuring wood or a similar material. They also had an idea of the colours they wanted for the area. Together with Janne, we started to plan possible solutions. We drew sketches, thought about materials, and specified dimensions. In the end, we came up with the solution we set out to offer,” says Ville Nieminen.

The smaller columns illuminating the pedestrian walkways in the area are made entirely of aluminium and are also coated with Decoral.

“If you look at urban areas and coastal roads, for example, there are a lot of stress factors such as humid, salty sea air, traffic, exhaust fumes, and dogs, all of which contribute to the performance of the coatings and appearance of the columns. The materials and solutions must be of the highest quality to withstand the stresses and strains of the outdoors,” says Ville Nieminen.

Aluminium: A sustainable and environmentally friendly choice

Wood is a traditional material for lighting columns, but its life-cycle cost is often higher than that of other materials.

“In public buildings, the best solution is to use weather-resistant materials that are virtually maintenance-free. This frees up resources for maintenance. Aluminium is an excellent material for these applications,” says Ville Nieminen.

Lighting columns made of aluminium have had a bad reputation in Finland due to the common assumption that aluminium is not durable. In the past, the best solutions were not available, but alloys, techniques and knowledge have evolved considerably since the 1970s or 1980s.

“Aluminium is used in the manufacture of lighting columns in other Nordic countries as well,” says Janne Kohonen.

“Mäkelä Alu has extensive expertise in aluminium products. They have found alloys that are sure to last on lighting columns. We have a great deal of confidence in the use of aluminium in these products,” says Ville Nieminen.

Both companies strongly believe in this joint innovation and look forward to continuing the cooperation.

“We plan to expand this into a product family in the near future,” says Ville Nieminen, contemplating Sähkö-Jokinen’s future plans.

INFO Sähkö-Jokinen Oy

• 55-year-old family business in Noormarkku, Pori
• 26 employees
• Exports around 20% of turnover, mainly to the Nordic countries, England, and the Baltic countries
• Notable innovations, including collision-resistant KAPU® poles, which either bring vehicles to a stop in a controlled manner or give way to vehicles safely in the event of a collision.

Artikkeli Innovation: Aluminium lighting columns developed through collaboration julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

“Our head office and our warehouse in Southern Finland are located in Tuusula. Our logistics centre is located in Tampere. From there, we send our supplies all over Finland and also for export. Exports are growing, and Finnish suppliers are attracting interest. Currently, our products are mainly exported to the Nordic countries, and exports to Estonia are growing,” says Arto Kurtti, Business Director at Wisol Oy.

Smooth and efficient services

Mäkelä Alu manufactures panel fixings and mounting rails for Wisol for both rooftop power plants and solar farms. In total, five different aluminium profiles are in production. In addition, Wisol uses the AluCoating® surface treatment service, which means that the aluminium profiles ordered are finished as requested by the customer; in this case, with a black powder coating.

Wisol has its own storage space, but Mäkelä Alu’s AluStorage® warehousing service is a good addition for storing certain profiles.

“We keep the customer’s most popular rail in our warehouse in a ready-to-use package. This allows the customer to get the products quickly and efficiently. The idea is that by having a buffer in place, we can respond to Wisol’s unexpected needs. The concept is very flexible; this way we ensure that they can also serve their own customers as well as possible,” says Olli Korkia-aho from Mäkelä Alu’s sales team.

“The warehousing service is great for unexpected needs. Sometimes our products are ordered on short notice. For example, if a customer company has not made an order on time, they may suddenly need 3,000 rails in two weeks. On the solar farm side, we don’t keep much of the rails we need in our own stock, as the need for them is always project-specific. Occasionally, we may be offered the opportunity to install smaller power plants on short notice. In situations like these, Mäkelä Alu’s warehousing service has worked extremely well,” says Arto Kurtti.

More than a profile manufacturer

Although Wisol Oy was established only last year, the actual business of developing mounting products for photovoltaic systems started more than six years ago.

“We originally started developing these products at Sadex Oy, which has a long experience in various roofing and ladder products as well as rainwater systems. Mäkelä Alu has long been our partner also in Sadex’s operations, and the aluminium profiles used in the company’s products are still supplied from Mäkelä,” Arto Kurtti says.

It was therefore natural that Mäkelä Alu was also chosen as the profile supplier for Wisol Oy’s mounting products.

“The cooperation has always been constructive and smooth, which made it easy to continue. I didn’t feel the need to seek other suppliers,” he says.

“We received good help from Mäkelä Alu in designing the profiles. I had drawn a profile model on graph paper to see if it would be good, and that’s where it all started,” Arto says.

What the whole Wisol team appreciates about Mäkelä Alu is that they are not just a manufacturer.

“Mäkelä’s service concept is very similar to ours: Wisol is not just a supplier either, our service range is much broader. When we deal with Olli or Viljo Sivula, we see that they have a genuine desire to be our partner and, for example, to develop and make a product even better together,” Arto says.

Optimistic about the future

Effective and close cooperation is in the interest of both companies and ensures a successful and long-lasting partnership.

“Mäkelä Alu has an active team that is always happy to talk to us. There’s even a project going on right now where they’ve been involved in discussions and thinking about whether we could make a certain product out of aluminium. This gives a very positive signal to us that the whole Mäkelä Alu team wants to participate and go over these things together,” Arto says happily.

“We believe that the next step in the cooperation could be a profile made from recycled AluPure, which would create added value for both sides by achieving emission reductions. It is great to cooperate with a customer that shares the same values of environmental responsibility with us through its own operations,” says Viljo Sivula, Sales Manager at Mäkelä Alu.

The construction of solar farms is now growing strongly both in Finland and abroad. Wisol aims to target more export markets, once the domestic market is up and running.

“The whole market is still very much in its infancy in Finland. We want to strengthen our foothold in Finland first, before we really start to invest in exports. Of course, Europeans and Chinese are rushing into the same markets, but our strength is our specialised knowledge of northern conditions, which we have years of experience in. In Norway, for example, snow loads are slightly different from, say, the Netherlands. With our specialised expertise, we’ve been able to secure a fairly significant installation company in Norway,” he continues.

Artikkeli Wisol Oy: An aluminium profile supplier is an important partner in the photovoltaic sector julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

“When someone has an idea for a product, they present it to the supplier, and our job is to design the aluminium profile needed in the product so well that it fits perfectly with the other parts and that the final product is cost-effective, durable, and ready for the market. This is also the part we play in the story of Subsoccer®,” says Product Manager Pasi Korhonen from Mäkelä Alu.

An idea born by chance

The developer of Subsoccer®, Jarno Saarinen, came up with the idea for the product by chance.

“I was on a summer holiday in Spain with my family, and the European Football Championship was taking place at the same time. I was watching a game between Russia and Spain on the balcony of the hotel when my daughter Emma wanted to play with me. We sat opposite each other on chairs and had a plastic ball that we kicked at each other. Emma kicked the ball under my chair and shouted SCORE,” says Jarno Saarinen, the man behind the Subsoccer® idea and the founder of 4 Feet Under, the company behind the brand.

“I also wanted to watch the game while I was playing with Emma, so we used wet towels and swimsuits to build sides around the chairs so that the ball wouldn’t roll away. We had a lot of fun and suddenly I realised that we had come up with a whole new game,” he continues.

The story of Subsoccer® began from that moment, and within a few years, the product gained immense popularity among the world’s most famous football stars, leagues, sports circles and brands.

From vision to production

The idea for Subsoccer® sat in a drawer for a few years before it was taken forward with the help of 4 Feet Under, a company founded in 2016.

“At first, we didn’t really know whether the product was intended for children or adults. We also had no plans for internationalisation. We started looking for Finnish manufacturers who could deliver parts for the assembly as a turnkey solution,” says Markus Toivanen, partner and Head of Product Development and Production at 4 Feet Under.

The product consists of aluminium profiles and an injection-moulded corner piece that bind the structure together.

“This was our first challenge: how to make the relatively soft plastic part and the aluminium profiles stick together. We had to find suitable experts that could work together to solve this problem. We wanted to find the best people for the project, because the product had to be of high quality and durable,” says Jarno Saarinen.

Turnkey delivery

The successful solution was developed in cooperation with Mäkelä Alu and North Karelian plastic product manufacturer Vesuto. In total, the product receives components from 11 Finnish suppliers.

“The design work together with Mäkelä Alu went well. We received plans for parts from 4 Feet Under. We had to improve the original plans to some extent to ensure the quality and usability of the parts,” says Veikko Viitanen from Vesuto.

“When designing the profiles, it was important to find the right dimensions to fit the plastic and aluminium parts, within their respective tolerances. Aluminium profiles can be extruded into all kinds of shapes, the possibilities are endless. Another option for an edge profile is a profile with LED lights,” Pasi Korhonen adds.

“We often cooperate with other suppliers as well. This highlights Mäkelä Alu’s service promise: we can provide various services to our customers on a turnkey basis, from an idea to a finished product. We can take care of the profile design, tool manufacturing, extrusion of aluminium profiles, surface treatments, the necessary machining on the profiles and, of course, the delivery,” says Sales Specialist Antti Lesonen from Mäkelä Alu.

“We deliver two different profiles for Subsoccer®. They are pre-sawn to the right dimensions and surface treated. What makes the product particularly interesting is when it is made with the colours of different brands and it is exciting to see where the product ends up,” he adds.

Viral videos boosted success

The first Subsoccer® games were delivered to Superpark in Vantaa in 2019. This was just before the coronavirus pandemic. Shortly after, it became clear that the market in Finland would not be large enough.

“We had a product worth 2,500 euros that we wanted to sell to the world. In the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, we sold the product to more than 50 countries. Of course, in the beginning we had trouble getting notable references. Soon, however, football stars began to take an interest in the product, and soon our videos had millions of views on various social media channels,” says Saarinen.

Subsoccer® games for the world’s biggest brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Puma, Heineken and Ajax are currently on the production queue.

According to Saarinen, the Subsoccer® game’s popularity is based on a very simple thing: in addition to being fun, the game also looks fun on social media. There is often an increase in orders and contacts after social media posts gain high visibility.

“The videos that have gone viral have also caught the attention of sports media, and we have gained visibility in prime time even on Fox News. All thanks to social media,” says Saarinen.

International business from Finland

95 percent of the company’s revenue comes from exports. The product has not become a hit in Finland, at least not yet – this is likely due to the fact that Finland does not have a similar football culture as the big football countries abroad.

“Our first Finnish sports club partner is HIFK Football. Even though we have important partners around the world, everything is run from Finland. Of course, we also have warehouses and production lines abroad.”

“We have yet to conquer the consumer market. Our modest goal is to make our product the biggest table game of the century,” Saarinen concludes.

Artikkeli The aluminium profiles in the world’s most popular table football game are manufactured at Mäkelä Alu julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

The company began operations by installing solar panels on the roofs of summer cottages in the 1970s. In the 21st century, the company started importing solar panels to Finland, which was soon followed by their production.

Solar Finland Oy is a family business and a leading company in its field. The company’s closest competitor is found in Lithuania.

“Our goal is to be a leading global player in the solar energy sector,” says the company’s CEO Esa Areva.

“Solar energy is the cheapest form of energy in the world, which is reflected in the high level of interest in it. Various countries also strongly support solar energy investments,” says Areva, describing the market.

Solar Finland only accepts environmentally friendly raw material

Solar Finland always wants to ensure that the equipment they use for environmentally friendly energy production is manufactured in an environmentally friendly way.

“This is why we have chosen Mäkelä Alu as our aluminium supplier,” says Areva.

Solar Finland uses aluminium in the frames and mounts of its solar panels.

“Mäkelä Alu’s fully recycled aluminium allows us to use the Nordic Swan Ecolabel in our products. That is our number one criterion when choosing a supplier, so we don’t want to acquire our aluminium from anywhere else. In addition, our aluminium scrap can be recycled back to Mäkelä Alu.”

Solar Finland has given a lot of thought to environmental issues in its product development, and the company also collaborates with universities.

The company aims to implement solar panel installations in the most energy-efficient way, and aluminium has proven to be a better solution than iron or plastic.

Solar Finland’s fully automated solar panel production line consists of approximately 30 different machines.

“We want to know where the aluminium we use comes from and the amount of emissions it generates”

In addition to recycling, Mäkelä Alu also shares Solar Finland’s other values, which include the quality, purity and traceability of raw materials, and responsible production.

“We find it important that our raw material supplier actively manages their emissions. We want to know how the aluminium smelting process is carried out, what type of energy is used, and where the raw material comes from. Mäkelä Alu’s profiles have all possible certificates, from certificates of origin to emissions certificates. Therefore, we do not need to wonder whether actors throughout the supply chain have acted responsibly in terms of the environment and human rights.”

Correspondingly, Solar Finland issues an energy certificate for its customers, which specifies how long it takes for the solar panel to generate the same amount of energy used to manufacture it, and under what conditions.

Pekka Hannula from Mäkelä Alu (on the left) and Anu Areva and Pasi Areva from Solar Finland are very pleased with the smooth cooperation.

Customers value environmental friendliness

Areva emphasises that environmental friendliness is not just important to Solar Finland.

“It is also important to our customers, and ultimately to their customers, and people are willing to pay for it. Besides, even if the price were a few per cent higher, it is still a 50-year investment. That is how long we plan for our solar panels to serve our customers, without maintenance. After that, we hope our products are recycled back to us.”

Areva says that when investing in solar energy, people rarely think about whether the solar panels were actually manufactured in an energy-friendly and environmentally friendly way. Even consumers don’t think to question it when investing in a good form of energy.

“The fact is that during their lifetime, many solar panels do not produce the amount of energy that would compensate for the energy used and emissions generated in their manufacture. There are so many differences between different manufacturing processes and raw material suppliers.”

High-quality raw materials help avoid problems in the future

Areva admits that when they started production, using cheap aluminium from Asia seemed like an attractive option. However, the idea was quickly dismissed due to inconsistencies in the quality of the raw material.

“In the global market, it is not at all self-evident that aluminium is pure aluminium and that no cheap metal has been added to the alloy, which could cause the product to start to rust over the years. We don’t want these kinds of problems, as we provide a 25-year guarantee for our product. When we work with Mäkelä Alu, we know exactly what we get. Being able to trust our partner is important to us.”

“Of course, we also believe that it is important that the aluminium profiles are manufactured nearby, so that their transport does not require much energy. I think it’s a similar case to locally sourced food.”

Production lines around the world

Solar Finland’s latest undertaking is to begin building solar panel production lines all across the world. This also creates a new need for the use of aluminium. The company’s goal is to set up two new production lines a year.

“Exporting our know-how and production lines to other parts of the world is more sensible and environmentally friendly than exporting the actual solar panels. The idea is to find a local partner and share our know-how with them. In this way, we will also have the opportunity to employ locals.”

Areva also sees new opportunities in using solar energy in Finland, for example with the development of storage solutions.

Solar panels can also be used in façades. Even in Finland, there is great potential in covering south-facing façades with solar panels.

Demand for recycled aluminium is increasing

Pekka Hannula from Mäkelä Alu, who coordinates the partnership with Solar Finland, states that the cooperation between the companies is diverse. Mäkelä Alu manufactures about twenty different aluminium profiles for Solar Finland. Most of the profiles are delivered anodized. Some of the profiles are further processed by Mäkelä Alu’s partners, and some are stored using Mäkelä Alu’s warehousing service.

The recycled aluminium used by Solar Finland is produced in Mäkelä Alu’s own foundry. Any raw material left over from Solar Finland’s production is recycled back to the foundry.

“In April 2019, we received a certificate for our recycled aluminium, and demand for this aluminium is increasing,” says Hannula.

When ordering aluminium profiles, the customer can choose Mäkelä Alu’s recycled aluminium as the raw material.

“What adds to its environmental value is the fact that the production of recycled aluminium reduces the need for cargo transportation,” says Hannula.

Artikkeli Mäkelä Alu’s recycled aluminium meets Solar Finland’s values julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Decoral coating is mainly done to the customers’ own products. Various wood patterns have been particularly popular.

“The Decoral-coated aluminium is at its best when it’s used to bring flamboyance in a structure that needs to be lighter and more fire-safe than wood, for example. Cruise ships have been our key customers,” says Sales Specialist Janne Kohonen.

Now Decoral is finding its way into the construction industry.

“I just came across the first hospital where the architect had chosen Decoral coating for the aluminium profiles in their space dividers,” Kohonen says.

Warmth and cosyness for a shopping centre’s corridors

Supplier of corporate visual identities and illuminated signage projects Neontekniikka Oy SNT and its partner JC-Tekniikka Oy were given the challenge of creating a new visual identity for the interior design of the Columbus shopping centre in Vuosaari, Helsinki. The assignment was to create a stylish and eye-catching look for the white fascias of the shop windows to which illuminated signage was attached.

The architect who had designed the refurbishment had originally chosen wooden grates above the shop windows. However, Juha Craelius from JC-Tekniikka Oy recommended the client a cost-effective and more fire-safe option, Decoral-coated aluminium. The client decided to replace the wooden elements with aluminium.

“I had already seen Decoral samples at Mäkelä Alu’s partner some years previously,” says Mika Vehmas, Product Development Manager at Neontekniikka Oy.

2,500 pieces to coat

In total, Mäkelä Alu was sent 2,500 pieces to be treated. After receiving Decoral coating, the pieces were sent back to Neontekniikka Oy, where the structures were assembled and they were integrated with LED lighting. There is a white base metal sheet that peeks between the grate openings.

Oak-patterned illuminated grates bring atmosphere to the shopping centre’s corridors.

“The look is warm and cosy,” says Vehmas.

Stone pattern has potential in apartment building renovations

Mika Vehmas thinks that the solution is not only eye-catching but also cost-effective and fire-safe.

“Because of fire load, a similar structure made of real wood could probably not have been made without having a fire-retardant treatment as well.”

Vehmas believes that the Decoral coating will become more and more common in construction. The coating’s varied possibilities are bound to attract interest.

“Stone patterns have particular potential in apartment buildings’ facades, both in new buildings and old ones that are to be renovated,” Vehmas says.

The denim pattern also caught Vehmas’ eye.

Decoral-coated aluminium grates add liveliness to entrances

When work began to decorate the facade of the shopping centre Elo in Ylöjärvi, the side entrances were a topic of discussion. They needed to be made more prominent somehow so that customers would use more than just the main entrance. The tasks to design the enhancement and manage the project were assigned to Bolder Development Oy.

“The purpose was to make the walls surrounding the side entrances look like wooden grates that had been used for the suspended ceiling of the canopy. However, the weather conditions and snow have their toll on the materials, so real wood would have required a lot of maintenance,” says Project Manager Weera Brown.

According to Brown, Decoral-coated aluminium was the only sensible solution.

Lai-Teräs Mäkinen Ky, a facade construction company, was responsible for the grates with horizontal pieces, and they ordered the surface treatment from Mäkelä Alu.

“The pieces are 50 x 60 millimetres in thickness and six metres long at maximum,” says Lai-Teräs Oy’s Project Manager Markku Sumuvuori.

A wide range of options to choose from

Weera Brown compliments Mäkelä Alu for their pattern range. They chose the Acasia pattern for their project.

The installation itself took only a day. Pieces were sawn to the right length on site and finished off with an aluminium end strip.

“I was on the fence about how Decoral would act when sawn or exposed to the cold, but it withstood it very well and there were no problems at all,” says Sumuvuori.

The same ball-shaped decorations used elsewhere in the shopping centre will also decorate the grates as well.

True to life and maintenance-free

Both Brown and Sumuvuori are very pleased with the eye-catching end-result.

“The grate imitates wood really well. In addition, it is maintenance-free, durable and washable. It was an economical solution as well,” Brown says.

“We had a positive experience with Decoral. The price was right for us , too. The coating can imitate various materials, and it is nearly completely maintenance-free. You just have to dust it. We will definitely suggest this option to our clients in the future,” says Sumuvuori.

A researched and certified product

Mäkelä Alu is the only manufacturer of Decoral coating in Scandinavia and the Baltic region.

“We offer other surface treatments as well, but Decoral is the most researched as a product. Its application possibilities in outdoor settings have been tested, and it has been certified, so it is durable and safe,” says Janne Kohonen.

The true likeness of the pattern and durability come from how the treatment penetrates the powder coating beneath and is not just placed on top of it.

First, the pieces to be treated are primed with a polyurethane powder coating. The desired pattern pigment is made on a special transfer film.

The pieces are wrapped by hand in a vacuum bag made of this transfer film. The product is heated in a furnace to 200 degrees Celsius. It sublimates the product, meaning that the pattern transfers to the coating by penetrating it.

From large pieces to small hinges

The furnace sets the maximum size for pieces to be coated. The maximum length is 6.7 metres, width 1.5 metres and height 24 centimetres.  When the sheets are straight, their maximum size is 2.5 x 1.25 metres. The maximum weight of a single item to be coated is 60 kilograms.

In addition to large surfaces, Decoral has been used for hinges and floor drain covers, among other items.

Because it is lightweight, it offers a good alternative to stone and marble. Aluminium is a safe option for wetrooms as well.

“When planning to use a surface treatment, it is worth remembering that Mäkelä Alu has a wide network of processing partners who could provide good options for implementing various other stages of work while the surfaces are being treated. This way the project can be optimised logistically as well,” Janne Kohonen says.

Decoral-coating has the following certificates:

• Quality-system approval, according to Marine Equipment Directive, module D
• EC Type-examination certificate, according to Marine Equipment Directive, module B

Artikkeli Wood or denim pattern for aluminium profiles with Decoral-coating julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Lumon has seen successful growth since the 1970s. The company is a family business, just like Mäkelä Alu. Lumon believes in innovation, technology and cooperation, which has undoubtedly been one of the underlying factors contributing to the successful collaboration with Mäkelä Alu.

“Mäkelä Alu’s development and genuine desire to be a part of our supply chain have been crucial. The will to grow and develop together in a transparent way has also been vital,” says the Head of Procurement Antti Aholainen from Lumon Oy.

“We supply powder coated aluminium profiles to Lumon, but in reality, our cooperation extends well beyond that. In practice, it can be said that we are part of Lumon’s production, as the powder coated profiles are delivered directly to their production lines. Over the years, we have strengthened our cooperation to suit customer needs and to ensure that both of our processes are sufficiently efficient,” says Mäkelä Alu’s Sales Director Mika Korkea-aho.

“When both the owners and the people involved have a genuine desire to develop and challenge current practices, there is a real opportunity to make the cooperation something truly unique,” says Petri Mäkelä, the Chairman of the Board and owner of Mäkelä Alu Oy.

From a self-managed warehouse to a rental warehouse and beyond

Mäkelä Alu’s role in the supply chain is considered significant by Lumon. The cooperation has a direct impact on efficiency and costs.

“We have previously had our own warehouse for profiles, but then we switched to Mäkelä Alu’s CallOff service, which worked very well at that time. But once the volumes began to grow, we were no longer able to store the profiles. However, last year, Mäkelä Alu introduced a solution which, from our point of view, had a very positive effect on profile availability: The company opened a new office with a paint shop and warehouses in Voikkaa, Kuusankoski. Now we have the opportunity to get pre-treated aluminium profiles for each production batch directly from Voikkaa,” says Antti Aholainen.

“The location of the Voikkaa paint shop in proximity to our Kouvola factory and the reforms made to the operating models and processes shortened the delivery time of the profiles by several days,” Antti adds.

High hopes for the future

Lumon is a major company in the European and North American balcony and terrace markets. The company’s main export countries are Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, France, Switzerland and Canada. The group employs more than 1,000 people in total. The company’s production is centralised in Finland, with the exception of one plant in Canada.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Lumon is looking forward to the future and future developments.

“Lumon is continually growing and becoming more international. Strong growth is expected especially in the domestic residential sector and international business. We have not been immune to the effects of the coronavirus, but this year is still going to be successful from a business point of view,” Aholainen says.

Cooperation with Mäkelä Alu will also be continuously developed in the future.

“We hold regular strategy meetings with the owners and key personnel from both companies. We are constantly improving our processes.”

The balconies of the apartments in the Tripla shopping centre in Pasila, Helsinki, have been glazed by Lumon. The railing and balcony glazing products shown in the picture have been designed, manufactured and installed by Lumon.

Artikkeli Powder coated aluminium profiles directly to customer’s production julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

The Vimpeli-based company Tikli Group Oy is the only manufacturer of mass-produced aluminium ladders in Finland. The reason for this dominant market position can be found approximately five kilometres away, in Alajärvi. At Mäkelä Alu.

The production of aluminium ladders was made possible by Mäkelä Alu’s aluminium production, which began in the early 1990s.

“Previously, we would have had to import aluminium profiles from abroad and the production of ladders would not have been profitable,” says Tikli Group’s Sales Manager Timo Mastokangas.

Tikli’s extension ladders, A-ladders and step stools are now classic products that are highly rated by both corporate and private customers.

Full marks for surface treatment

Tikli Group is one of Mäkelä Alu’s longest-standing customers. The companies have collaborated closely right from the start.

“It has been a long-term and solid relationship,” says Timo Mastokangas.

In addition to untreated profiles, Tikli Group also buys surface-treated profiles from Mäkelä Alu through the AluCoating® surface treatment service. The service also enables the application of special coatings required on certain ladders.

According to Mastokangas, Mäkelä Alu is a partner that guarantees high-quality raw materials and a smooth process.

“It’s a great advantage that we can get high-quality profiles delivered quickly from nearby. The strength of profiles is very important in our products,” says Mastokangas.

“Special arrangements can also be made.”

Less packaging waste, less hassle

The delivery of raw materials is smooth and efficient. Tikli Group orders a certain tonnage per week from Mäkelä Alu. Cut-to-size profiles are delivered to Tikli Group’s production line twice a week according to the company’s raw material needs.

According to Mastokangas, efficiency is enhanced by the fact that the profiles delivered to the automated lines do not have to be wrapped in plastic. This saves a lot of effort and reduces packaging waste.

The AluBasket® service facilitates temporary storage

In addition to its own products, Tikli Group also processes aluminium. The company specialises in CNC machining. Mäkelä Alu is an important subcontracting partner. Tikli Group is also part of Mäkelä Alu’s La Alucenter partner network. The network allows the company to offer a wide range of service packages to its customers.

In the deliveries of raw material for further processing, Tikli Group utilises Mäkelä Alu’s environmentally friendly AluBasket® service, where the profiles are delivered in convenient aluminium baskets.

According to Mastokangas, the AluBasket® service facilitates the temporary storage of profiles.

“The profiles can be conveniently stored in the baskets. Also, no extra packaging material is required, since the aluminium basket alone is sufficient.”

Artikkeli A long-term partner appreciates good quality and logistics julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Mäkelä Alu supplies aluminium profiles for the Swedish window manufacturer Svenska Fönster AB’s entire range of windows. The profiles are delivered to an external subcontractor who stores and processes the profiles before the windows are manufactured.

“We started cooperation with Mäkelä Alu on a small scale in 2013. In 2015, our cooperation expanded significantly with the introduction of Mäkelä Alu’s specialty colours. Mäkelä offers specialty colours that can be customised to order. This places high demands on order accuracy and the quality of profiles. The specialty colour segment also includes the surface treatment of plates. Mäkelä Alu also supplies standard colours for some of our windows,” says Stefan Hellgren, Purchasing Planner at Svenska Fönster AB.

“Mäkelä Alu’s operating model helps us to produce our products cost-effectively and enables us to offer our customers an extensive range of windows in different colours. This makes us an attractive window supplier for a wide range of customers. We are very pleased with our cooperation with Mäkelä Alu. We think that Mäkelä Alu is a committed supplier who wants to develop its operations together with Svenska Fönster,” Hellgren adds.

Successful cooperation is based on trust

Mäkelä Alu offers warehousing and surface treatment services to Svenska Fönster.

“Since the beginning of our cooperation, we have earned Svenska Fönster’s trust to supply them with more and more painted aluminium profiles in different colours. The cooperation has been very interesting,” says Anders Bengtsson from Mäkelä Alu AB. Mäkelä Alu AB is Mäkelä Alu Oy’s subsidiary located in Sweden.

“A short delivery time from order to delivery places high demands on the warehousing and management of raw profiles. This requires committed and customer-oriented staff. Our unique logistics model enables the fast delivery of painted profiles. Having our high-bay warehouse and paint shop in the same location brings flexibility to colour modifications in both small and large orders,” says Anders.

Would you like to know more? Contact our sales team and set up an appointment!

Artikkeli A service package for surface-treated aluminium profiles julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.