Uudenmaan Ohutlevy, the desire to grow and develop prompted investment

The company was founded in 1992, under the name NS-Ohutlevy Oy. The operating field was from the beginning in subcontracting. A significant portion of the company's customer base still originates from these early years. A long customer relationship indicates mutual trust and the right development; customers have been properly served and the company has been able to meet their needs. Over the years, the range of manufacturing methods and tools has grown from edging to various sheet metal workshop operations.

"We subcontract, so the specifications of the manufactured products come from our customers already well-prepared. Of course, we are involved in the steps that are necessary and related to manufacturing technology. The design of sheet metal products has really developed over the decades in terms of CAD and other software and controls. By utilizing them, all parts are coordinated before the actual manufacturing" says the company's CEO, Janne Jääskeläinen.

Jääskeläinen owns half of Uudenmaan Ohutlevy Oy together with Production Manager Pasi Haverinen. Haverinen started working for the company while still a student in the summer of 1995 when the company bought the first turret punch press. The task was to draw pictures with CAD and program the turret punch press.

"Since then, I have done about ten thousand turret punch press software programs, but not in the past ten years, says Haverinen."

Jääskeläinen reveals that the company's trump cards include flexible service and strong expertise in demanding sheet metal work, especially in edging.

"We strive to be nice guys who are easy to work with. Speed, quality, reliability of delivery and price are more like threshold terms for customers. These must be in order. Competition is intense and competitors are active especially when it comes to acquiring new customers. We are grateful that our already existing customers know us and value our work."

“Company's trump cards include flexible service and strong expertise in demanding sheet metal work.”

PRIMA POWER’S COMBINED TECHNOLOGY WAS CONVINCING

Uudenmaan Ohutlevy Oy has only recently acquired the first Prima Power machine. Interest in the Combi Genius 1530 machine, which combines laser cutting and punching, was awakened during the open door days organized by Prima Power in Seinäjoki in early 2020.

"At the time, we were thinking about sheet storage for 2D laser, because we had a shortage of cutting capacity. Then came the coronavirus pandemic and the issue was left on the table. Until last winter, when we were struggling again with the shearing capacity. At that point, we already knew that the effects of the pandemic were not long-term for us and there was enough work to do,” Jääskeläinen says.

The choice of Prima Power's Combi Genius 1530 combined machine was greatly influenced by its compact size. The company already had a 2D laser and a turret punch press with sheet automation and the third machine would not have fit into the premises, Jääskeläinen maps the background of the investment decision.

"We first thought of investing in tower storage that could be connected to the laser, but we found that if our only laser machine had to be taken out of operation during the warehouse installation, then in terms of scheduling, the only suitable time would have been the summer of last year. It did not fit and the matter was postponed. We also knew that our 15 year old turret punch press was coming to the end of its lifecycle, and we couldn't manage without it either.

"In a combined machine, we got two birds with one stone that is, punching and laser capacity. Before making the decision, we asked other sheet metal manufacturers about their experience with the Prima Combi machine, and of course the price is also an important factor when investing."

Life with the new machine is still at the beginning, but you can already see the benefits and advantages it brings.

 "Such products which previously require laser cutting, punching with an eccentric press and threading to manufacture them, can now be produced faster and more efficiently with a combined machine. In these respects, the product is finished with one machine and more cost-effectively than before", Jääskeläinen comments.