Valmet Automotive started engineering and manufacturing battery-powered solutions in 2009 with the trailblazing THINK City and Fisker Karma electric cars. Today the company has three high-volume battery systems manufacturing units, one in Kirchardt, Germany, and two Finnish ones in Uusikaupunki and Salo. 

– The Salo plant is our largest battery manufacturing unit. What started as a 20-person facility in 2019 already employs over 800 people, says Kimmo Suupohja, Director of EV Operations in Salo.

The growth and development of operations have been beyond dynamic. Valmet Automotive now runs three high-volume production lines in Salo, manufacturing batteries for Mercedes-Benz and Volvo. The Salo plant has already completed over one million batteries.

– Everything is based on our tradition and reputation in the automotive industry. A solid base in the business, a strong vision, and a consistent strategy have enabled us to achieve a pioneering position in our field, Kimmo Suupohja states.

An ideal operational domain

A hub-like location between three harbours, Turku, Hanko, and Vuosaari in Helsinki, makes Salo an ideal place for Valmet Automotive. The company operates in the same facilities used once by Nokia and Microsoft. A plant left behind by Microsoft is now a vivid workplace for over 800 people of 36 different nationalities.

– Apart from an excellent geographical location, this is also an inspiring setting, which we share with all the other companies hailing from the IoT Center. Furthermore, the coaction between us and the city has been proficient from day one. Concerning all this, we couldn’t be happier, Kimmo Suupohja says with a smile.