The superfactory lives up to its name

Grano is building a modern factory in Vantaa that will become the most versatile concentration of printing industry know-how in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The factory will improve security of supply, make production more efficient, shorten delivery times and make some great new products available. This is good news for all customers.

– The superfactory, which will be completed at the turn of the year, is great for both customers and our employees. We strongly believe in the future of Finnish labour, which is why we are investing approximately EUR 10 million in new production facilities. As proof of our domestic production, we were recently granted the right to use the Key Flag Symbol, says Production Director Markus Jensen-Eriksen.

The new factory and its modern machinery will improve security of supply, make production more efficient and shorten delivery times. It will also expand Grano’s range of products. Opportunities for personalisation and the production of different versions will improve, in particular.

– As far as I know, the factory will be the most versatile concentration of printing industry know-how in the Nordic and Baltic countries once completed. There are some larger printing houses out there, but no factories with such versatile production capabilities, Jensen-Eriksen says.

The new factory is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, as one of Grano’s objectives is to be the most environment-friendly operator in its industry. The new technologies used in the factory make production more efficient and improve recycling and material choices to significantly reduce material loss. Energy consumption in relation to the services and products produced will also improve, as the new building has been designed with energy efficiency in mind and the modern machinery naturally consumes less energy.

Great opportunities

The new factory will approximately double the size of Grano’s production facilities in Koivuhaka to 15,000 square metres. The factory will house packaging and label production, offest and digital printing, finishing, large format printing (boards, rolls, decals), premedia, packaging and structural design and logistics, in addition to featuring a showroom. 

With the new factory, Grano is investing in new printing technology, printing plate production systems and new and efficient large format printers the likes of which have never before been seen in Finland, offering a new way of producing POS materials and packaging, for example. With new high-performance printers, automatic cutters and gluing machines, the printing house can produce more comprehensive in-store experiences for customers in a significantly more efficient and versatile manner.

Multi-skilled employees

Up until now, Grano’s production facilities in the Helsinki region have been scattered across multiple locations. Now was the right time to reduce the number of production facilities and concentrate operations to the same space.

Whereas previously Grano operated out of several small units in the Helsinki region, now operations are being centralised to Koivuhaka in Vantaa. This centralisation will facilitate production planning and management work, increase employees' opportunities to develop multiple skills, contribute to community spirit and a better working atmosphere and improve occupational safety. For Grano employees who are passionate about their work, this is a great opportunity, and the benefits will naturally also be reflected in customer service.

Packaging and label production expanding

In accordance with its strategy, Grano is focusing on expanding its packaging, label and POS material production. These areas are becoming increasingly digital, which is reflected in increased automation, versatile, mutually supporting solutions and better customer service. The packaging business is currently experiencing strong growth despite the fact that packaging itself cannot be digitalised. That being said, packaging as an element visible to customers in-store can support marketing messages delivered via digital channels; after all, purchase decisions are often made in-store. On a related note, in-store visibility and store interior design are also areas that more and more customers are expressing an interest in.

The fight against climate change and corporate social responsibility are important considerations in the printing business.

– We offer carbon neutral services and products. Our objective is to double our volume of ecolabelled products each year. Despite the world becoming increasingly digital, the value of print products has remained undiminished or even increased, with many people preferring to read printed magazines instead of digital ones, for example. In other words, print products are not going anywhere, which is why we are investing heavily in new opportunities, Jensen-Eriksen states.

This text was originally published in the customer magazine Grano Magazine in 2021. Text by Pirkko Soininen and images by iStockphoto/Grafner