If MSK Group is a company you are familiar with, you will probably think of Junkkari’s agricultural machinery or Valtra cabins, both of which are manufactured at our factories in Ylihärmä. There are also many more operations within MSK Group. MSK Group is a multi-industry family group whose high-technology production consists of both its own products and contract manufacturing. The best-known products are Junkkari seeding drills, trailers and chippers, as well as forest harvesters and forest trailers. The company’s Juncar and Muuli trailers and boat trailers are made at the Lapua factory.

MSK’s contract manufacturing expertise is world-class. MSK Cabins manufactures Valtra safety cabins in its modern and efficient factory specialised in mass tailoring. MSK Plast, meanwhile, produces demanding plastic products for the electrical and electronics industry and for health technology companies and engine builders. MSK Plast’s unique RIM process is developed for the production of high-quality large plastic parts, such as engine hoods for Metso, Valtra, and Volvo CE.

The goal that we have set in our strategy is to become, by 2025, Europe’s leading supplier of plastic and metal parts for agricultural and off-road vehicle manufacturers. By making the best possible use of the synergies between the companies, and supplementing these with the expertise of our current partner network, we have all the technology and know-how needed to meet this goal. In the coming years, we will invest heavily in sales and marketing to gain new international customer relationships.

The invitation to be a partner for the 2017 Alihankinta Subcontracting Fair Finland was one that MSK Group had no hesitation in accepting. The annual subcontracting fairs have always been an important forum for meeting our customers. And this year’s theme, partnership network, is an essential part of our business operations. After all, there are very few companies that have more experience of long-term partnerships than MSK. MSK Cabins has been delivering reliable and high-quality safety cabins for Valtra since the early 1960s. MSK Plast continues to be highly flexible in providing its long-standing customers with its state-of-the-art technological expertise. The Group’s key values are honesty, fairness, openness, and reliability. This winning combination is coupled with our constant desire to develop operations for the benefit of our customers. Thanks to these strengths, our customers are our long-term partners, and we make every effort to serve them reliably and to the very best of our ability.

A viable and trustworthy supplier network is vital to MSK. We are a customer of more than 400 suppliers, and our purchases from them amount to a total of about EUR 60 million per year. Although our network is global, nearly 60 % of them are still Finnish subcontractors. We greatly appreciate the technological know-how and top-class service capabilities of all these domestic companies. We also believe firmly that in Finland too it is possible to succeed. Our own goal is to rise to the forefront of the Finnish manufacturing industry, and to lead by example.

It´s clear that competitiveness and cost-effectiveness are essential in the subcontracting business. Our operating environment has changed dramatically over the last few years, and it takes great effort to remain competitive. This can only be achieved and sustained by continually developing processes and investing in technology. I firmly believe that it is the companies with the wisdom and foresight to invest in developing operations in these quiet years that will reap the benefits of the upcoming boom.

It is in the spirit of these endeavours that we expect the same competitive drive and performance from our own suppliers as we demand from ourselves. On the other hand, however, we work hard in our partnerships to highlight and embody other values in addition to cost-effectiveness. Now in particular, as we prepare for the approaching upswing, it is essential to demonstrate our continuing appreciation for the flexibility and impressive capability of our supplier network. This will benefit us all when the orders start to roll in. And when it comes to flexibility and capability, Finnish companies are well ahead of the crowd.

I strongly believe that open and enduring personal relationships make a major contribution to well-working partnerships. See you at the fair!

Timo Lehtioja
CEO
MSK Group

Timo Lehtioja works as a CEO of MSK Group.

MSK Group is a multi-industry family group whose high-technology production consists of both its own products and contract manufacturing. Even after 60 years of operation the MSK family corporation has managed to maintain the desire to develop its business, the courage to evolve and the ability to stay close to the customer. The corporation employs over 400 professionals and is formed of the parent company MSK Group and its four subsidiaries whose HR, communication and financial services are operated by the parent company. The four subsidiaries are all experts in their own field. The group as a whole forms a diversified, powerful and stable manufacturing corporation, valuing the success of its customers and the constant development of skills, efficiency, quality and flexibility.

www.mskgroup.com