A competent workforce and good connections gravitate to the Tampere Region

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When the different regions of Finland compete for the attention of companies envisaging expansion and new facilities, the trump cards of the Tampere Region include competence, smooth transport connections and a positive image. The Tampere Region Economic Development Agency Tredea paves the way for companies that are interested in locating in the region.

Elisa’s IT business unit Elisa Appelsiini has a strong presence in the capital region of Finland. It has set as a goal to expand its operations to other cities. It did not take a long look at the map of Finland for them to head to Tampere.

– The Tampere Region is the strongest financial area in Finland after the capital region and so it was a natural choice to expand here, says Erno Suomi who co-ordinates Elisa Appelsiini’s Tampere operations.

In practice, Elisa Appelsiini has been in operation in Tampere for a few years already. Tampere-based customers have provided footing in the new city.

– We want to be close to our customers, even if modern tools enable flexible working from any corner of Finland, says Suomi.

Machine tool giant became interested in Tampere

Finland’s map was also carefully studied when DMG MORI Finland searched for a location. Two of the world’s leading machine tool manufacturer groups merging their operations are at the background of the company.

– They have production facilities around the world and their combined turnover is BEUR 3.5. It is wonderful that the owners are interested in investing in Finland, says DMG MORI Finland’s Managing Director Juha Pihlajamaa.

The Tampere Region stands out on the map of Finland as the centre of the mechanical engineering industry and so coming to the Tampere Region was a logical choice for the company. Looking for facilities had its challenges, since DMG MORI Finland needed both exhibition and office facilities under the same roof. A suitable new site was found in Pirkkala and work has started while the building is being completed.

– We already have a sizeable DMG MORI machine stock in Finland so that we could begin spare part sales and maintenance right away at the beginning of February. Now we are starting sales and launching the organisation of the Baltic countries, says Pihlajamaa.

Smooth transport connections, skilled professionals

The central location and smooth transport connections also impacted DMG MORI Finland’s decision to locate in the Tampere Region. The company’s sales and maintenance personnel move around Finland and the parent company’s experts get to visit easily by plane. Travelling is part of the modern-day machine tool business.

– Technology is so highly developed that only a few customers are equipped to deal with all the operation and maintenance conditions of the machines by themselves. Therefore, it is vital that we are able to send someone quickly to the site when necessary, says Pihlajamaa.

The availability of a competent workforce is also a matter of interest to companies. Elisa Appelsiini recruits all the time and its goal is to see significant growth in Tampere. According to the company’s experience, there are plenty of motivated IT professionals in the region and recruiting reaches professionals from a larger area.

– We have seen in practice that when we look for employees in Helsinki, the applicants are generally from within the Ring III (the outermost beltway of Helsinki). Then again, when we look for people  to work in Tampere, the rest of the country is interested from Southern Finland to northernmost Lapland, says Suomi.

 

Tredea’s actions

• – In spring 2013, Tredea presented to Elisa Appelsiini the business possibilities of the Tampere City Region, among other things the availability of professionals and facilities, so that they could make an informed decision.
• – Tredea organised a recruitment event with Elisa Appelsiini at the Tampere Hall where the capital region company and over a hundred IT professionals of the Tampere Region were introduced to each other.
• – Tredea mapped extensively suitable facilities for DMG MORI Finland from within Tampere and its neighbouring municipalities. A total of six locations of different types were presented to the company, and the list in question included both the new building that the company chose as its facilities to be used after its completion as well as the temporary facilities to be used until then.

Translation: Lingoneer