Skip to main content

Cencorp

Electronics manufacturer Cencorp to raise its profile – the electrification trend increases recruitment needs

From the southwest corner of Salo IoT Campus, a company that few here know about operates. Cencorp Automation Oy, which specialises in production automation for the electronics industry, focuses on export, which has largely kept it hidden in other contexts. That said, the company is constantly in need of experts in the field.

Cencorp

Electronics manufacturer Cencorp to raise its profile – the electrification trend increases recruitment needs

From the southwest corner of Salo IoT Campus, a company that few here know about operates. Cencorp Automation Oy, which specialises in production automation for the electronics industry, focuses on export, which has largely kept it hidden in other contexts. That said, the company is constantly in need of experts in the field.

Cencorp is a global operator in its field. CEO Mats Lillqvist (in the middle), Financial Controller Maija Heinä and Eetu Palomäki, who handles international trade, laughingly point out that most locals are unaware of the company’s existence.

In all likelihood, every single car manufacturer in Europe uses components that have passed through the production automation of the Salo-based technology company. This is the firm belief of Cencorp Automation Oy’s CEO Mats Lillqvist with regard to the company’s products.

“Our primary customers are large global companies with very strict demands. We provide production automation solutions to a variety of segments of the electronics industry. The most prominent among them are manufacturers of automotive electronics, engine and pump control systems, and solar energy and heat pump electronics. Large contract manufacturers also use our machines,” he says.

The last years have been favourable for Cencorp. In 2014, the company was acquired by Chinese investors, which has provided resources for developing operations. The success has served to boost the Chinese investors’ confidence in the expertise of the specialists in Salo.

“The good results have allowed us to develop our operations. Last year was very good for us. Turnover increased by 40% and sales doubled,” Lillqvist says.

A prelude to the growth came in 2017, when the company moved from Satamakatu to larger premises at Salo IoT Campus. In 2019, the company moved from one end of the campus to the current premises in the old Nokia offices at the southwest end.

“We currently have access to about 4,000 square metres. We lacked storage space for quite some time, but last year we gained more with the fortuitous support of Salo IoT Campus.”

Cencorp’s production provision includes a placement cell tailored to each customer, which utilises machine vision to pick large components directly from cardboard boxes and place them on circuit boards.

No margin for error

Even though Cencorp is an important operator in Salo, the company tends to go unnoticed by many. This is specifically due to the fact that most of the demand for the products and services offered by Cencorp is abroad.

“In practice, we supply automation products and suitable equipment. Two of our top products are the circuit board milling cell and the THT component placement machine. They provide our customers with production efficiency. We can supply customers with the machines and necessary feeding equipment. In addition to this, we offer design and component processing for phases before placement on the circuit board,” he explains.

Cencorp’s roots date back to the 1970s. The company has 30 years of experience in the processing of circuit boards and the components used on them. The electrification of the automotive industry and the growing demand for solar energy increase the need for THT component placement machines, in particular. Even though the production volumes are large, there is no margin for error.

“Our customers demand reliability. The traceability of the parts is important especially in the automotive industry, because it needs to be possible to recall products. Another factor is the quality control of the process. You can’t wait beyond production to separate bad parts from good ones, because the end product might be a car airbag, for example. There is no margin for error in terms of its functionality,” Lillqvist says.

A need for automation engineers

On a global scale, Cencorp is known as a leading operator in the field. The company employs about 350 experts in Finland, the United States, Germany, France and China. Just over 80 people currently work at the Salo facility, mostly in production.

At the moment, there is a need for automation and machine engineers like Eetu Palomäki.

Palomäki, a local of Salo, says that he aimed to get a job with a global company immediately after graduation, which is why he was surprised to find one right next door. At Cencorp, he has advanced from a fitter to a sales project lead.

“I originally came in for a summer job as a fitter. I later transitioned to engineering and sales. Now I’m also preparing a master’s thesis for Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology,” he explains.

Palomäki enjoys the atmosphere at the company. He says that Cencorp provides its employees with the freedom and responsibility to influence their own work tasks. Work tasks can also be flexibly changed, where possible.

The CEO refrains from commenting on the company’s image as an employer. That said, Lillqvist recognises that Cencorp has the strengths of a small business but with the added benefit of being able to work with large companies.

“I got involved with the electronics industry in the mid-90s. I wouldn’t switch to any other field, because it is amazing to work with customers that produce state-of-the-art technology and help them solve their problems,” Lillqvist says with appreciation.

Production efficiency is increased by the fact that it is more affordable to first connect circuit boards manufactured in large batches to the same panel and later separate the parts.

Focusing on strengths

The last five years have been a roller coaster for Cencorp, which has not been safe from the difficulties brought on by COVID-19, inflation and delivery issues. In Lillqvist’s opinion, the market situation continues to be challenging, because component delivery times have been long. Despite all this, the company’s future seems bright.

“The only way for us to meet customer demand is to organise our procurement based on forecasts. With careful planning and accurate forecasts, we have actually been able to supply machines at a record rate. This has enabled us to push past some of our competitors,” Lillqvist says.

The developments have also led to customers indicating their needs in advance, which ensures that Cencorp can react to them and focus on its strengths.

“We are currently looking for new customer relationships in Europe and North America. That said, we hope for a moderate growth rate so that we cain maintain quality. Electrification will increase the production of automotive electronics, and we know that we are good in this area. That is why we need to focus on it,” Lillqvist says.

Learn more about the company Cencorp

Cencorp’s open positions