– We originally got to know Mäkelä Alu as a profile supplier through the Door and Window Section of the Wood Industry Entrepreneurs’ Association. Over the years, we have manufactured dozens of different profiles to meet our customers’ window and door needs, says Karelia Ikkuna’s Managing Director Otto Ahtonen.

The company was founded over 30 years ago by Kauko Ahtonen and his business partner Vesa Silvennoinen. Through a generational shift, responsibility for the company’s operational activities has been transferred to the next generation of the founders.

The company’s production facilities are located in Hammaslahti near Joensuu, as well as in Kerimäki and Hartola, but its area of operation covers all of Finland.

– Our customers include private consumers, construction companies, hardware stores, house manufacturers, and housing cooperatives. The projects vary greatly, and we always deliver windows tailored to the customer’s building, says Otto Ahtonen.

A sustainable approach to manufacturing has supported the company’s growth. Currently, Karelia Ikkuna employs about 70 people across its three production facilities.

– The production of wood-aluminium windows is concentrated at the Hammaslahti factory. Fixed windows are manufactured at the Kerimäki factory, and balcony doors are produced in Hartola, summarises Otto Ahtonen.

Powder-coated aluminium profiles in the final product

All Karelia Ikkuna products use aluminium profiles, which are typically powder-coated as part of the surface treatment.

– Aluminium profiles are mainly used in the exterior cladding of windows and doors. We receive the profiles from Mäkelä Alu in six-metre lengths, already powder-coated and partially machined. However, we carry out most of the machining ourselves, such as fitting hardware and cutting, says Juuso Ahtonen.

Over the years, the company has accumulated dozens of profile tools, and every year there is a need to design new profiles.

– We draft the initial designs, but the final aluminium profiles are developed in close collaboration with Mäkelä Alu’s design department. This process has always worked very well, says Juuso Ahtonen.

Karelia Ikkuna does not stock finished windows, but it makes sense to keep certain profiles readily available.

– White, brown, and black are the most commonly used colours, so we always have a stock quota of certain profiles in these colours. Of course, customers can get window frames in any colour they need, says Otto Ahtonen.

– Recently, two-tone painting has also become more popular, meaning that customers want different colours for the inner and outer surfaces of the frame, he adds.

AluBasket® as part of production

Karelia Ikkuna uses the AluBasket® service, a weather-resistant and environmentally friendly aluminium basket solution for transporting, handling, and storing long aluminium profiles. The baskets are stackable and easy to handle with a forklift. Thanks to these baskets, handling profiles is faster, and since they can be reused repeatedly, packaging waste remains minimal.

– AluBasket® is an extremely good solution. The baskets protect the profiles very well during transport, preventing any dents or damage, says Otto Ahtonen.

At Karelia Ikkuna, the use of AluBasket® has been fully integrated into the production process.

– We store aluminium profiles in AluBasket® baskets in our warehouse. The forklift picks up the baskets from the storage and takes them directly to the machining equipment, which automatically retrieves the profiles from the basket, explains Otto Ahtonen.

Reliable deliveries, top quality, and durability

Karelia Ikkuna’s products require aluminium profiles that are weather-resistant and have a high-quality surface treatment.

– We have been extremely satisfied with this. Windows have been in use for decades, and the aluminium profiles have proven to be highly durable over time, says Otto Ahtonen.

– An aluminium-framed window or balcony door is practically maintenance-free. Just wiping it with a cloth is enough to keep it looking like new, says Juuso Ahtonen.

– Mäkelä’s reliability in deliveries and product quality has been excellent, he praises.

Confident about the future

Although the construction industry has faced challenges in recent years, Karelia Ikkuna has performed well in the renovation sector. The company has consistently invested in the development of its production.

– Our situation currently looks quite good. Our intention is to continue developing our products and operations, says Otto Ahtonen.

– We make smaller investments every year, and a few years ago, we made a larger investment in the Hartola factory. Similarly, we have recently invested in automation in production at the Hammaslahti factory, says Juuso Ahtonen.

For its successful business operations, Karelia Ikkuna Oy was awarded the national entrepreneur prize in Finland in 2024.

Artikkeli High-quality and durable aluminium profiles as part of a window factory’s production julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

“We manufacture doors for various industries operating in demanding environments. The door must be wear-resistant, impact-resistant, fire-resistant, hygienic, moisture and water-resistant, and resistant to chemicals and corrosion,” says Juha-Matti Aho, the company’s Vice President.

Muovilami’s product guarantees are not just empty words. This is proven by the fact that the first LAMI door, manufactured in 1966, is still in use. The products last for decades. Under normal use, LAMI door panels and frames are guaranteed for 25 years against water and moisture.

“It is very important in demanding environments that the product lasts,” adds Jaana Aho, Managing Director.

The door frames are manufactured at Mäkelä Alu’s Luoma-aho factory. There are dozens of different extrusion tools available at Muovilami.

“The profiles delivered to us are anodized and sometimes powder coated. We surface treat very small batches of less than eight pieces here in Ähtäri, in a smaller paint shop next door to our factory,” says Juha-Matti Aho.

A long partnership

Muovilami Oy is one of Mäkelä Alu’s longest standing customers. When Mäkelä Alu was about to order its first extrusion line from Germany in the late 1980s, it was breaking new ground. It was a big investment: the new machines cost around FIM 35 million. Of course, Mäkelä Alu had to find customers for its new production.

“Before the extrusion plant was even up and running, Mäkelä Alu contacted us and asked if we would buy their products if the company started manufacturing aluminium profiles. And of course we promised to buy, especially since the factory was planned so close,” says Jaana Aho.

The first aluminium profiles were extruded at Mäkelä Alu on 16 December 1990.

“Indeed, our cooperation started with the design of profiles in 1990, and the first extrusion tools were ordered in spring 1991. The cooperation has been quite smooth on both sides,” says Asko Perälampi from Mäkelä Alu.

High quality, timely deliveries and excellent service

One of Muovilami’s requirements for aluminium profiles is uniformity.

“Of course, the surface treatments must also be of high quality. The delivery times must be very accurate. We are very satisfied with Mäkelä Alu’s service in these areas,” Juha-Matti Aho says.

Muovilami uses Mäkelä Alu’s AluStorage® warehousing service, which helps them with fast deliveries.

“Certain profiles are always in stock at Mäkelä Alu. When we order these profiles, stock levels are replenished to the agreed level,” says Plant Manager Jussi Pöyhölä.

Untreated, anodized and powder-coated profiles are available from stock as required. The machining is done by Muovilami itself.

“Our batches are small, and each door can be a little different. This is why it makes more sense to carry out the machining in-house,” explains Jussi Pöyhölä.

The company also relies on Mäkelä Alu’s expertise in designing aluminium profiles and ensuring that they are just right.

“We need new tools from time to time. Mäkelä Alu helps us in our development projects or in the design of new products. We first sketch the profile shape ourselves, and then Mäkelä Alu’s designers draw it the way it should be,” Pöyhölä laughs.

“We work very closely with Mäkelä Alu. We have known the office staff for a long time. Doing business is easy and comfortable,” adds Juha-Matti Aho.

Doors around the world

LAMI doors are used in the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals and nursing homes, food industry, supermarkets, industrial kitchens, spas and swimming pools, and various production facilities. All premises where hygiene, sanitation and durability are important. The main reason to choose LAMI doors is the long life cycle of the products.

“Around half of our production is exported. We have subsidiaries in the UK and Sweden, but all our products are manufactured in Ähtäri, Finland. The Nordic countries are an important region for us, as are England, Ireland, the Baltic States and Poland. There are also important export countries in Central Europe. As a rule, our products are sent to ten to twelve countries,” says Jaana Aho.

“But we have also delivered doors to more distant locations, such as a hospital laboratory in Australia and Myanmar. We delivered several hundred doors to a clinic in Nigeria; two sea containers in total,” Jussi Pöyhölä adds.

Recently, Muovilami was involved in a major project, the refurbishment of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in England.

“The site required water and moisture-resistant doors that are easy to clean. The project included the delivery of 106 doors for dog rehoming facilities and 16 doors for cat rehoming facilities, as well as doors for the utility rooms, staff rooms and lobby areas,” says Jussi Pöyhölä.

“We are not consciously looking for customers from the ends of the earth. Usually it’s because someone has seen our products, for example on a hospital visit in England, and finds us through that. We focus on our main export countries in Europe, where we are actively involved in sales and marketing,” says Jaana Aho.

In the main photo of the article there is plant manager Jussi Pöyhölä (left) with packer Eino Tuhkio.

Artikkeli Decades-lasting products and partnership 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.

“We have been able to reduce the plant’s annual consumption of around 300 tonnes of LPG to less than a tenth. At the same time, the plant’s CO2 emissions have also dropped dramatically: by around 800 tonnes per year, and the plant’s operational reliability has improved,” says Tomi Pilbacka, Development Director at Mäkelä Alu.

“With this annual emissions reduction, each of our 280 employees would drive about 20,000 kilometres per year in an internal combustion engine car,” adds Päivi Venesoja, EHSQ Manager at Mäkelä Alu.

Aiming to phase out LPG

LPG consumption has been pushed down to the point where it will be possible to switch from gas energy to biogas within one to two years. With the switch to biogas, the anodizing plant’s energy system will become completely carbon neutral.

“The plant’s energy consumption per tonne produced has fallen by around 40%. In addition to the reduction in gas use, energy efficiency has also improved significantly. Improved efficiency means that this investment, which cost around EUR 1.1 million, will pay for itself in six to seven years,” Pilbacka continues.

The project has received funding from Business Finland.

The technical implementation of the new energy system is based on a system built around heat pumps and heat recovery.

“The project was carried out in cooperation with Finnish technology companies, and our local partners and staff have played a major role in the project. Thanks to the knowledge generated by the project, we have already identified many new areas for reducing emissions from our production. Together with a network of partners, we have launched a new energy efficiency project at our Voikkaa powder-coating paint shop, and planning is already well underway for further projects,” Pilbacka says.

Low carbon footprint anodizing

We are now able to offer our customers anodizing of aluminium profiles with a very low carbon footprint.

“Environmental issues and the pursuit of carbon-neutral production are important themes for us. Our efforts to enhance energy efficiency in anodizing processes is a concrete demonstration of this,” says Päivi Venesoja.

We have invested in sustainable production and environmentally friendly solutions for years – and the work continues! Our production will be completely carbon neutral by the end of 2025.

“In addition to the energy efficiency project that has just started in Voikkaa, we have similar projects coming up in Luoma-aho. We will reach our goal by electrifying new production sites and increasing heat recovery,” Venesoja says.

Artikkeli Our anodizing plant has taken a big step towards carbon neutrality 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.

At Mäkelä Alu, we have developed our surface treatment services in such a way that even small batches and individual pieces can be coated cost-effectively.

“As many as 34 percent of the orders received at the powder-coating paint shop are single-piece orders. This staggering figure shows that we are able to meet all customer needs: even a single piece can be painted in any colour,” says production manager Vesa Saarenlaita.

We have already used more than 850 paint colours this year

Powder coating is an ideal aluminium surface treatment solution that is based on the use of electrical charges and heat. The powder paint adheres to the aluminium surface through electrostatic attraction, after which it is melted into a smooth and durable coating in a furnace. This gives the product an extremely hard surface that protects it against UV radiation, corrosion, abrasion, and impact.

“The colour options are endless, as there are thousands of shades available. This year alone, we have coated aluminium profiles in more than 850 different colours. The most popular colours are white, and various shades of grey and black. After these, the spread is rather large. In our powder-coating paint shop, you can find all the colours of the colour palette and see how boldly designers use colours today,” says Saarenlaita.

The paints are mainly supplied by Teknos, Axalta, and AkzoNobel. We also use three smaller suppliers according to the needs and wishes of the customers. This way, we can ensure that the customer gets exactly the right colour, as different manufacturers may sometimes have slight differences in shades.

Daily quality control

We have maintained the GSB certificate for 20 years. It sets strict requirements for the paints and pretreatment methods we use. They are the key to ensuring that the coating of the aluminium profiles can withstand demanding conditions – from strong sunlight to heavy rain.

In addition to regular external audits, quality tests are carried out daily at the powder-coating paint shop: coated test pieces are boiled in boiling water and subjected to raster tests, bending tests, deep drawing tests, drop-weight impact tests, and gloss measurement tests. The test pieces are stored for five years for possible later inspections.

Quality control also includes monitoring the thickness of the coating. The right thickness ensures a good surface quality for the profiles. Taking coating thickness measurements also helps us minimise our powder consumption.

Vertical powder-coating lines are perfectly suited for coating small batches

Investing in the efficient coating of small batches is a conscious and unusual choice.

“Our vertical powder-coating lines enable the effective coating of small batches. Our powder-coating paint shop in Voikkaa has been specially developed for handling small batches. At the paint shop, individual pieces can be guided along a separate line to another paint booth while the other paint booth is painting another colour. In this way, colour changes are possible without any loss in line capacity. Our vertical powder-coating line in Alajärvi also has two powder booths, so the colour change can already be started while the other powder booth is still painting the previous colour,” says Saarenlaita.

Currently, new coating lines are being planned for the Alajärvi horizontal powder-coating paint shop, which will take into account the need for quick colour changes.

Batching production by colour brings cost-savings

In order to make the coating process as cost-effective as possible, we aim to process profiles ordered in the same colour on the same day, because colour changes always generate some paint waste.

Last year, more than 40,000 colour changes were made in our powder-coating paint shops, which means an average of more than 3,300 colour changes per month.

“Reducing colour changes is important in terms of costs, especially since the rise in the price of materials is also reflected in paints and pretreatment materials. From this point of view, it would be beneficial if the customer could sequence their orders by colour. This would bring some cost savings,” says Saarenlaita.

FIGURES

• This year, the average batch size in our powder-coating paint shops has been 13 pcs and 53 kg: 7 pcs and 34 kg in Voikkaa, and 18 pcs and 69 kg in Luoma-aho.
• Out of all the different colours, our three most popular colours cover 24 percent of all painted profiles.
• This year, we have coated profiles in 853 different colours.
• On average, 5 kg of waste paint is generated per colour change.

In addition to powder-coating, our AluCoating® surface treatment services include anodizing, which is used, for example, in the furniture industry. It gives the product an attractive appearance and protects it against corrosion. Our anodizing line produces natural-coloured aluminium profiles. With the help of our partners, we can also provide coloured profiles. You can also finish your profiles with our decorative Decoral coating.

Artikkeli Mäkelä Alu’s GSB-certified powder-coating lines can also handle small batches julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Surface treatment of aluminium profiles – all services under one roof and on one invoice        

• Our AluCoating® surface treatment service offers a wide range of finishing options for aluminium profiles. The profiles can be finished by powder coating, anodising, or our decorative Decoral coating. Our powder coating paint shop, anodising plant, and extrusion plant are all located on the same site. Buying everything you need in one place and on a single order and invoice will save you time and money. 

Outsource your warehousing activities to us to free up space and capital  

• You can use our AluStorage® warehousing service to outsource some or all of your warehousing activities to us. In this way, our high bay warehouse will always have the agreed number of aluminium profiles waiting for you. We can deliver profiles quickly, even if your choice of colour varies, and we can customise the order-delivery-chain to meet your specific needs. 
• With the outsourcing service, you do not need to commit your own space or tie up your capital in warehousing. We ensure that the agreed number of aluminium profiles is always in stock, but you only pay for the profiles once you’ve received them. 

Watch the video

Automated replenishment   

• The AluCallOff® service enables the automation of inventory management and replenishment. We will make sure that the required number of aluminium profiles is always in stock, and the profiles will be delivered and invoiced when you need them for production. 
• The stock levels can be adjusted as needed. 

Watch the video

Order your aluminium profiles in protective baskets – which also serve as convenient temporary storage       

• AluBasket® baskets facilitate the handling of the aluminium profiles and protect them from dents and scratches during transport. The baskets can also be used to store the profiles in the customer’s facilities.
• We can provide a separate basket for each production batch so that they are easy to handle and transport throughout the customer’s production process. 
• The baskets will be transported back to Mäkelä Alu on our delivery truck’s return trip. Thousands of baskets are constantly travelling back and forth between Mäkelä Alu and our customer sites. 

Watch the video

Automation and order tracking application  

• AluVendor® is an application that enables automated order tracking and stock management. As a registered customer, you can check your stock levels and track the progress of your orders in real time. Please contact our sales team for registration information. 
• You can download he Aluvendor® mobile app on your phone so that you can check your order status conveniently anywhere, anytime. 

Artikkeli AluServices in a nutshell julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

These are things that Mäkelä Alu’s customers do not have to worry about when purchasing aluminium profiles.  

“This type of operating model does not meet current needs, and it does not allow us to respond to individual orders, especially those that contain profiles in customised colours,” says Mäkelä Alu’s Export Manager Janne Lager.  

Cost-effectiveness over cheapness   

Mäkelä Alu’s AluServices® concept is a customer-oriented solution that has been developed based on customer needs. We aim to ensure that our customers get the aluminium profiles they need as easily as possible and exactly when they need them.  

“Our goal is not always to sell the product at the lowest price, but to offer the most cost-effective solution for the customer. After all, the final price is not solely determined by the price of raw materials, but by the efficiency of the entire production process. That is where our customised service packages bring added value. The overall benefits should be assessed by looking at the process as a whole, not just focusing on the time of purchase,” says Lager. 

However, Lager emphasises that buying a single service, such as the warehouse outsourcing service, is not enough in itself. The company must have a clear overall picture of their operations. In addition, they must be able to identify production bottlenecks and be prepared to change the process as needed. 

The optimisation of deliveries requires an understanding of the big picture   

The optimisation of order and delivery processes requires consideration of the customer’s operating methods, material needs, and customer orders. It also requires the customer to look at the big picture and plan ahead, as well as to form and maintain a good relationship with the aluminium profile supplier that is based on mutual trust.  

“An increasing number of our customers are embracing the ‘Mäkelä model’, which is based on partnership, collaboration, and communication. This model has helped us grow both our customers’ and our own business,” says Lager. 

No tied-up capital and a committed partnership   

Mäkelä Alu started developing its additional services two decades ago based on its customers’ wishes and everyday challenges. Even back then, our goal was to offer solutions that facilitate our customers’ everyday life, ensure reliable and flexible deliveries, provide ways to manage a wide range of profiles, and help our customers grow their business. 

In our model, the customer does not have to tie up large amounts of capital in warehousing activities, but commitment to the partnership is key. It enables completely new ways of working. 

Order and delivery processes can be standardised and optimised on a customer-specific basis and the delivery times of the profiles can be coordinated according to the customer’s production schedule. In this way, Mäkelä Alu is able to reserve the necessary production and storage capacity for the customer’s products, which ensures security of supply. 

“Standardising deliveries ensures that the right profiles are always available when needed. This provides our customers with a significant competitive advantage, as the estimated delivery time for individual orders on the market is currently up to 15–19 weeks,” says Lager. 

Customised service packages     

Aluminium profile orders can be complemented by our additional services, such as surface treatment, warehousing, and automated inventory management services. You can also order the profiles in protective baskets that facilitate the handling, storage, and transport of the profiles. The warehousing and surface treatment solutions provided in connection with profile deliveries make it possible to maintain a buffer that meets your production’s varying material needs throughout the processing chain.

Our e-services make ordering easy and efficient, and allow you to check the status of your orders in real time. If necessary, the ordering process can be fully automated by integrating Mäkelä Alu’s ordering system into your company’s systems. 

Let us know what your needs are, and we will offer you a whole range of options as a turnkey delivery. 

Benefits of our services:   

• One delivery, one invoice – quickly, efficiently, and reliably 
• Quick deliveries also for profiles treated with special colours 
• Recurring purchases enable money to circulate faster and ensure an even cashflow  
• Low warehousing and inventory costs and opportunity to invest your capital in other business areas  
• Waste is minimised 
• Possibility to use your storage space for other purposes 
• Flexible service 
• Continuous monitoring and communication and the possibility to agree on stock level and order changes as necessary 
• Simple claims process 

Read our customer stories  

Riikku Group Oy  

Alavus Ikkunat Oy 

Champion Door Oy 

Artikkeli Citius, altius, fortius – grow your business with the AluServices® concept julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran Mäkelä Alu Oy.

Riikku consists of three subsidiaries: Sakkes in Sweden, Glassy in Norway, and Riikku Koti Oy, which is responsible for consumer sales in Finland. The last two companies joined the group a year ago. 

Mäkelä Alu played a key role in Riikku’s growth        

Cooperation between Riikku and Mäkelä Alu began six years ago, and Mäkelä Alu soon became the main supplier of Riikku’s aluminium profiles. According to Joni Mäkiranta, one of the owners of Riikku, the partnership marked something of a turning point for the company. Since the start of the cooperation, order and material flows have been closely monitored, and common operating methods have been developed in collaboration with Mäkelä Alu. Security of supply and transparency have constantly been improved, and at the same time, Riikku has experienced rapid growth. According to Mäkiranta, Mäkelä Alu’s warehousing services and flexible daily product deliveries have played a key role in this.   

“Our production has nearly doubled during our cooperation. Increasing our production to this extent would not have been possible without Mäkelä Alu,” says Mäkiranta.  

According to Mäkiranta, a steady, predetermined order flow is key when purchasing aluminium profiles. It has allowed the company to reduce its stocks and speed up its processes.  

“If we had to store aluminium profiles for many weeks, we would not be able to keep up with our current production volumes. We would be drowning in unfinished work.”  

No more organising orders by urgency       

Every profile order placed by Riikku is unique in terms of dimensions, colour, and type. The right kind of aluminium profiles must be available at the right time in order for the company’s production to run as planned.   

Mäkelä Alu delivers raw materials to Riikku on a daily basis. The companies have agreed on a certain framework with regard to delivery quantities, and the details of daily orders can be confirmed at short notice within that framework.  

“As a result, the number of open orders is small and there is no need to constantly rearrange orders according to the degree of urgency. Each order is completed in its turn,” says Mäkiranta.   

Fast deliveries to end customers     

At the same time, the waiting time for orders has been shortened, which has also enabled faster deliveries.

“This is a huge advantage for the end customer. We are able to serve our customers quickly when we receive the materials we need for their orders within days instead of months,” says Mäkiranta.   

“We can count on Mäkelä Alu’s delivery reliability”    

Now that Riikku can rely on Mäkelä Alu’s quick deliveries, the company only has to hold a few days’ stock of aluminium profiles in its own warehouse. The rest of the stock is stored at Mäkelä Alu through the AluStorage® warehousing service. Mäkelä Alu’s warehouse houses about a hundred aluminium profiles of different sizes that have been manufactured in accordance with Riikku’s specifications.

The profiles are only surface treated at Mäkelä Alu once an order is placed by Riikku.  

“Outsourcing our warehousing activities to Mäkelä Alu means that we have less unfinished work in our production hall and less things lying around in the yard. This arrangement would not work if we could not rely on the quality of the products and security of supply. However, this arrangement works well with Mäkelä Alu. We always get what we order,” says Mäkiranta.

This has also allowed Riikku to minimise waste.   

“When we talk about waste, we don’t just mean aluminium left over from machining. Waste can also refer to work carried out at the wrong time or products that are just lying around waiting to be delivered.”   

Continuous development based on customer needs      

Although the profile orders are handled electronically, Mäkelä Alu and Riikku interact very closely. Both companies are constantly striving to develop their operations and improve their productivity. When bottlenecks are identified, appropriate solutions are immediately sought.   

“Our goal is to further shorten our delivery times,” says Mäkiranta.   

Mäkiranta praises Mäkelä Alu’s development-oriented attitude.   

“The fact that Mäkelä Alu is easy to work with is also important to us. We feel they are happy to serve us and see us as a valuable partner, despite our occasional rivalry on the baseball field.”   

A steady order flow benefits both parties      

Sales Specialist Janne Kohonen from Mäkelä Alu is also happy with the cooperation.   

“Riikku has truly grasped the idea of ​​our service and understood the benefits of our strategy for the customer,” says Kohonen.   

He emphasises the importance of continuous monitoring and communication in this type of operating model. According to Kohonen, Riikku is easy to work with as a partner, which is important because, in the end, partnership is all about cooperation.   

Customers can outsource their warehousing activities to Mäkelä Alu    

This operating model is also beneficial to Mäkelä Alu as steady daily deliveries spread out the work. When a certain capacity can be reserved in advance for the customer’s orders, the customer has the opportunity to change the content of the order right up until the last moment.   

According to Kohonen, the main advantage of Mäkelä Alu’s warehousing service is that the customer does not have to tie up any capital in a warehouse.   

“Our customers in the window and terrace industry are already familiar with this concept, but some customers from other industries may still be surprised by the fact that warehousing can be outsourced to us and that they do not have to order the raw materials to their own warehouse,” says Kohonen.  

Circulating baskets facilitate transport and storage    

Riikku also uses Mäkelä Alu’s AluBasket® service. This means that the customer’s aluminium profiles are delivered in protective aluminium baskets that travel back and forth between the customer’s facilities and Mäkelä Alu. The baskets can be easily moved and stacked with a forklift.

The baskets protect the aluminium profiles from dents and also serve as convenient, short-term intermediate storage for the profiles.   

Riikku in a nutshell:

• Implements projects from planning to installation  
• Specialises in custom-made balcony glazing and railings   
• Main customers: construction companies (new buildings and renovation projects) 
• Head office and factory in Alavus, regional offices in Jyväskylä, Tampere, Oulu, Helsinki, and Raisio
• Subsidiaries in Sweden and Norway
• Consumer sales under the name Riikku Koti Oy  
• Turnover of 34 million euros, employs more than 200 balcony industry professionals     

Artikkeli Partnership with Mäkelä Alu enabled Riikku’s rapid growth         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.