The family-owned Finnish company Koja Oy has expanded its operations in the town of Jalasjärvi, Western Finland. The new factory building represents carbon-neutral construction and utilises renewable energy sources, as well as the Koja Group’s new automation system, centred around an intelligent energy station. Additionally, several million euros have been invested in machinery, equipment, and production automation. The upgrades are sustainably designed with the aim to better meet customer needs. The Jalasjärvi production facility focuses on energy-efficient air handling solutions for ships and buildings, supporting customers in achieving their carbon-neutrality and responsibility goals.

SMART ENERGY SOLUTIONS WITH NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY

The use of renewable energy has been central to the construction idea of the new factory from the start. The goal is a completely carbon-neutral building with key components from Koja Group’s own technology solutions. The sustainable system comprises emission-free electricity, a solar panel system, geothermal heating and cooling, and an intelligent, fully automated energy recycling system. Reliable functionality is ensured through real-time remote monitoring and analytics, enabling comparisons with the manufacturer’s data.

The new factory draws from next-generation technology in building services, featuring the Wave system solution that combines ventilation with cooling and heating. The equipment is developed and manufactured in Finland by Koja Group companies Koja and Chiller.

”The carbon-neutral air handling and energy recycling system is developed by Koja Group. It is based on an automation system centred around an intelligent energy station, which manages the building’s entire heating and cooling needs. Wave is our answer to carbon-neutral construction”, says Joonas Lius, Business Director of Properties at Koja Oy and CEO of Chiller Oy.

Improving the energy-efficiency in our own production cycle has been a key focus. The functionality and consumption of the new facility and production machinery are constantly monitored.

“We’ve invested a lot in the supervision of energy consumption, with individual measurement points for each significant production unit. Energy efficiency is the key criterion for decision-making and investment allocation”, says Timo Sepponen, Factory Manager at Jalasjärvi.

HIGHER AUTOMATION LEVEL THROUGH MACHINERY INVESTMENTS

The new Jalasjärvi factory hosts Koja’s heat exchanger production, while ventilation units continue to be made at the existing facilities. The decision to build a new factory stemmed from the product range evolving – from traditional modular units to ready-made units with electrical and automation equipment – which simply required more floor space. The expansion lays the foundation for new growth and allows further development of both areas. Koja’s growth strategy for 2025 is to increase production volumes at Jalasjärvi by 20–30 % from 2023 levels.

“With new investments in machinery, the level of automation increases, allowing us to more easily scale the production in accordance with fluctuations in demand”, says Sepponen.

Automation investments are also part of the company’s commitment to work ergonomics and comfort, significantly easing certain demanding work phases.

“By automating some strenuous tasks and providing spacious, cooled production and break areas, we can offer a higher standard of comfort at work. The new factory will also include a gym open for all employees”, Sepponen adds.

OPENING CEREMONY IN JANUARY 2024

The factory inauguration was celebrated on January 30th, 2024, with the Jalasjärvi staff attending a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony and handover of the new premises. The valuable contribution and commitment of the staff have been key drivers in realising the construction project.

For the family business, investing in domestic production has been a long-term strategic decision. Overall, Koja has in recent years made investment programmes worth tens of millions of euros in support of the company’s technological leadership status. The Jalasjärvi expansion was also preceded by investments in the fan factory and the R&D Centre in Tampere.

The new facilities in Jalasjärvi include roughly 5,300 m² of production area, 700 m² of warehouse space, and 1,000 m² of office space. The construction was finished on schedule, and cooperation with the builder ViiSaa Oy was smooth. Koja will be leasing the premises under a long-term agreement.

For more information:

Joonas Lius, Business Director, Properties at Koja Oy & CEO, Chiller Oy

+358 50 5454 969, joonas.lius(at)koja.fi