Success through specialization

In the 1970s, Tauno Juntikka was still working at various power plant construction sites. Back home in the Ylipaakkola village of Tervola, his wife was busy tending to their cows and looking after their nine children. When small-scale farming turned out to be all too demanding in relation to its earnings, Tauno converted the cattle barn into an auto repair shop, and spent the next five or so years repairing the cars of his village neighbours.

The path of one of Tauno’s sons, Tuomo Juntikka, led to Sweden and gradually to the position of project engineer for KOPO-MASKIN LTD in the town of Haaparanta. He spent several years working on the implementation of conveyor projects in Sweden, until he finally decided to approach his brothers with the idea of establishing their own company, Paakkolan Kone ja Metalli Ltd. During the same year, he also decided to further his studies by entering the Luleå University of Technology in Sweden.

On the home front, the brothers continued running their machinery workshop, which manufactured customised products for deliveries as far away as Norway. The barn became too small for the company’s operations already within the first year. As a result, a larger production facility was built in 1980, but the need for more space continued to grow along with the company’s activities, and a new surface finishing annex was built in 1982.

When Tuomo Juntikka graduated in the mid-1980s, he spoke to his brothers about his idea to specialise in the production of conveyors alongside the company’s machining operations. They applied to the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) for a product development grant, which enabled them to manufacture their first conveyor systems. In 1989, the barn was knocked down to make way for the new extension.

Specialisation has truly paid off! The company was handed over to the next generation and Tuomo’s son, Tommi, took his place at the helm. What was once a family business has grown into an international company; a growing employer with a broad customer base throughout the Nordic countries.