Photo: Joel Haapamäki
Gaining Momentum
The versatile Turku Region is a hotbed of innovative industries – both old and new
S hips, ahoy! The Turku shipyard has
made a new record with as many as ten vessels in the orderbook. Reborn as Meyer Turku, the shipyard is investing in new technology and hiring more and more“ metal heads” to build the world’ s finest cruise ships. Jouko Turto, Director of Turku Municipal Property Corporation, says that the Turku shipyard is a fine example of the local industrial prowess – but it is not the only success story around here.
“ If you look at the region’ s pharmaceutical industry, for example, you see that growth is on an unprecedented level there, too.” To name but one company, Bayer, the world’ s third largest pharmaceutical company, has a cutting-edge production plant in Turku which serves as one of the company’ s global pharmaceutical supply centers.
Similarly, trending sectors include biotech and ICT which both have a great track record with decades of innovation. But what is that secret ingredient that makes all this
46 Nordicum local success possible? Jouko Turto believes he has some sense of the answer:
“ While everybody talks about the importance of networks, Turku industries have been able to build networks that truly work. Recognising that nobody can do everything all by themselves is the starting point in all of this,” he says, pointing out that an atmosphere of trust may take years to develop – but as soon as companies embrace collaboration, great things are likely to happen.
Lifting All Boats
According to Turto, the new orders from the shipyard drive the success of subcontractor companies of the Turku Region and beyond.“ Pretty soon everybody’ s hiring new people,” Turto says, adding that the view to the horizon supports smooth sailing for quite some time – the shipyard’ s orderbook extends to 2024.
“ It’ s all about the ecosystem that is being created and developed onwards. In this type of scenario, all actors are able to reap the rewards.”
The influx of workers into the area means increasing demands on residential construction. One executive of a big construction company hit the nail right on the head as he remarked that“ Turku is glowing” – and that is no overnight sensation. Pekka Sundman, Director for the City Development Group, points out that over the past decade Turku’ s population has been growing faster, proportionately speaking, than any other city in the land. Currently, there are about 187,000 inhabitants in town( 317,000 in the Turku Region).
“ We are seeing a situation where traditional, labour-intensive industries are keeping the momentum going. The present dynamic in the Turku Region has great balance, with all types of top-level expertise in the mix,” says Sundman.