Our path

Sandwich structures have been studied and developed both by specialist companies like Kenno Tech and in joint research projects involving academia and industry for years and a considerable amount of know how and experience has accumulated. More wide spread use of sandwich structures in industry is a fairly recent phenomenon. Now the popularity of thin sheet solutions is rising sharply.

1998-2002

Sandwich structure design and manufacturing techniques were developed in the multi-year "Kenno - kevyet levyt"-technology program run by Tekes (Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation) during 1998-2002.

The steering group of the program included Veli-Pekka Immonen, Managing Director of Laserplus Ltd. (http://www.laserplus.net/laserweb/content.php ?path=en/front) as well as other representatives from the metal industries, the Ship Building Laboratory of Helsinki University of Technology, Tekes and MET (the Finnish Metal Industries Association). At this time Mr Antti Vimpari was a Director on the Board of Laserplus Ltd.

2002

Towards the end of 2002 Antti Vimpari and Veli-Pekka Immonen brainstormed the concept of a company that would focus on laser welding sandwich structures. They persuaded Eero Makkonen (former Managing Director of Skanska construction group and currently Director on numerous Boards of Directors) and Antti Kuivalainen (currently Chairman of the Board of Ahma Insinöörit Ltd.) to join the company as founding share holders. Antti Vimpari was appointed Managing Director and Eero Makkonen Chairman of the Board of the new company, which was named Kenno Tech Ltd. Professor Pentti Kujala from the Helsinki University of Technology acted as scientific advisor to the budding company.

2003-2004

Kenno Tech started operations in May 2003 and first operated as an engineering design office. The elements of the initial sandwich structure application projects were manufactured by a subcontractor. Kenno Tech´s first project was a wood kiln, which was delivered to Finnforest Ltd´s Kolho facilities in September 2003. The following project consisted of sandwich elements for the dump bodies of a gravel lorry (truck and trailer) delivered in January 2004.

Kenno Tech´s first batch product manufactured in quantity was a light-weight balcony element (balcony slab), the prototype of which was completed during 2004.

2005

Production Manager Harri Pekkanen and Production Engineer Ville Nurmela joined the Kenno Tech team in March 2005 and started preparations for the company´s own laser welding production line. Kenno Tech´s production facility in Rihimäki was commissioned in September 2005 and since then Kenno Tech has been a full service subcontractor.

2005 saw the first hatch orders for the process industry. Process industry has since become a very important customer segment for Kenno Tech.

Kenno Tech´s capitalisation was strengthened in 2005, when Finnish Industry Investment (www.industryinvestment.com) and three individual investors - Axel Cedercreutz, Lauri Melamies ja Stefan Eriksson - became shareholders in the company.

In December 2005 Kenno Tech moved to bigger facilities at Riihimäki´s industrial estate. Its current 1300 sq.m production plant allows the manufacture of sandwich elements up to the size of 3 m x 14 m.

2006

In January 2006 Hannu Kainomaa joined Kenno Tech as Project Manager. Hannu has extensive experience in laser welding and sandwich structures dating all the way back to the "Kenno - kevyet levyt"-technology program.

Kenno Tech´s sales started developing favourably and turnover was quadrupled over 2005. A modular ballistic shield system was developed for the Finnish Armed Forces and vehicle elevator floor elements for KONE Plc. (http://www.kennotech.fi/en.php?k=10805)

2007

In April Antti Vimpari became a Non-Executive Director and Jouko Vallikari was appointed Kenno Tech´s Managing Director.

A strong focus was placed on developing key customer relations. Sales continued developing favourably. In the beginning of the year Kenno Tech received its biggest order so far, worth about 120 thousand Euros. Towards the end of 2007 we delivered our biggest aluminium sandwich panel job so far. Interesting new customers were added to our customer register, Espoo based optical measurement chamber manufacturer Mapvision amongst them.

There was also a healthy increase in the demand for our design services.

2008

We implemented a quality system developed following ISO9000 requirements.

We added a course on "Design principles of sandwich elements" to our technology services offering. The course is targeted for the design engineers at engineering offices and our customers as well as develpment managers.

In April 2008 Kenno Tech celebrated its 5th anniversary.

2009

We added laser cutting capability to our workstation, which increses our value creation capability and our ability to better serve our customers.

Kenno Tech was accepted as a member company in Cleantech Finland (www.cleantechfinland.fi).

The Future

Another sandwich element laser welding facility will be established somewhere in Finland close to its customer base. As demand grows further plants will be commissioned.

The first sandwich element laser welding facility will be opened outside Finland. After it has proven its case in its market, further facilities will be built in that market.

Then the concept will migrate to further countries.