Parmaco Group, etusivu

What does sustainability mean to us and how is it reflected in our daily work?

Sustainability and the circular economy are reflected in our strategy and in our day-to-day operations. The management agenda includes ensuring that all our employees can work in a safe and respectful environment, and that we listen to our customers’ needs and wishes – for example, by choosing more sustainable materials and optimising our facilities.

There is still much to be done to make industrial production more sustainable. That’s why we invest in regular product development and CO2 reduction in our daily work. We also work closely with our partners and customers to make more responsible material choices. We invest in recyclable and high quality materials and aim to minimise wasted space at the design stage of a building.

We want to create public buildings that meet the needs of today’s world. Ecology is one of the most important factors. Environmental values have also become increasingly important to clients, so we aim to minimise waste, optimise energy efficiency and use more environmentally friendly materials. The whole public building stock and its management should be thought of in a more flexible and innovative way, as every square metre built unnecessarily is a waste of energy. It is therefore important that we pay more attention to environmental values in addition to the quality of buildings, says Jukka Joutsenkoski, CEO of Parmaco.

Here are our key sustainability actions from the past year:

Recycling and product development 

We regularly conduct research and product development to find new technologies and more ecological materials. In our factories, we and our employees take care to reduce waste during production and recycle all possible materials. We also comply with local waste management regulations and guidelines. 

Reducing waste requires planning and a long-term commitment. We will continue to sort waste from our operations so that valuable materials can be recycled. However, not all waste management emissions can be completely avoided. The carbon footprint of our waste management is measured and our remaining emissions are offset annually through Gold Standard certified reforestation projects. In selecting these projects, we consider not only reducing emissions but also employing people.

We use environmentally friendly and durable materials in our manufacturing processes and source materials from responsible suppliers – giving priority to materials with a lower environmental impact. So it pays to reduce wear and tear and repair costs by choosing high quality materials. Examples include aluminium-framed windows and doors, durable facade and roof coatings, and easy-to-maintain ventilation systems. At the end of the lifecycle, we reduce the impact on the climate by reusing and recycling materials, components and modules.

Energy efficient buildings

We design and build dynamic modular buildings with energy efficiency in mind, and are constantly looking for innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency. For example, we invest in sustainable insulation materials and energy-efficient lighting, and we pay attention to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 

At best, our buildings are currently below the requirements of Energy Class A, and let’s not forget that energy efficiency is also affected by wasted space. Modular construction is therefore the optimal option when designing a building to maximise the use of space and minimise waste. Our FIXCEL®️ steel cell modules are highly airtight, which means less energy than usual is needed for heating. Our steel supplier is SSAB, which is also continuously working towards carbon neutrality. Our goal is to build the first fully carbon neutral steel frame building in 2026.

Environmental Awareness

We promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to adopt sustainable practices in their daily work. We encourage training to inform employees about sustainability and to enable them to participate in sustainability initiatives. For example, our own Hämeenlinna factory has been carbon neutral for the second year in a row, and we have our own solar park on the roof of the factory to provide us with electricity.  

Although Parmaco has made progress in the area of sustainability, there is always room for improvement. Ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, increase the use of renewable energy sources and improve the recycling of materials are constantly on our agenda.

Change does not happen overnight, or alone. So let’s build a more sustainable tomorrow together, in a modular and responsible way, says Jukka Joutsenkoski.

 

New appointments to Parmaco’s Board of Directors and Management

Parmaco brings Maria Vallejo and Rikard Nyhrén on board as part of a continued commitment to the growth and expansion of the business.

Parmaco, the leading provider of high-quality modular buildings for social infrastructure, is pleased to announce the appointments of Maria Vallejo and Rikard Nyhrén to the Board of Directors and CEO Sweden position, respectively. The expansion of the board and the appointment of a new CEO for Sweden are part of Parmaco’s commitment to growing their business in the Nordics and expanding into other geographies to meet the increasing demand of dynamic buildings at a time when customers value flexibility more than ever due to constantly changing demographics.

Maria brings extensive experience to the board, having worked as an advisor and investor supporting unlisted companies in their growth journey with a focus on aligning financial reporting to business strategy, realizing cash, and improving business and financial processes. She has worked in international contexts as CFO and has led several acquisitions, integrations, and IPO projects. She also spent 8 years ad PwC and KPMG as a Consultant, working with private equity firms and corporates in various Operational DDand post-deal improvement projects.

I am excited to join Parmaco’s board at this crucial time for the company as it continues to grow and expand both locally and internationally,” said Maria Vallejo. “I look forward to working with the talented team at Parmaco and contributing my knowledge and expertise to support the company’s strategic objectives.


Maria Vallejo

Rikard joins Parmaco as CEO of the Swedish entity and will lead operations in the growing Swedish market. He brings many years of experience in the construction industry, having held senior executive roles in leading real estate companies. His most recent role was as COO at Newsec, with responsibility for the Nordic and Baltic regions. Prior to that, he was in charge of the Swedish real estate portfolio for Hemsö.

There are distinct business opportunities here to help the public sector and meet demographic variations. Parmaco offers a high-quality, customizable product that can adjust in both size and scope according to the customer’s needs, as well as move location over time. With my background in social infrastructure, I have seen new needs emerge. Parmaco offers a unique model where the public sector retains ownership of the property. Our products embody the very definition of dynamic building. Parmaco’s position is unique and we are establishing ourselves in a market with enormous potential. With strong financiers behind us, we should have very strong growth. We want new business, says Rikard Nyhrén.


Rikard Nyhrén

As Parmaco is strengthening its European presence, we are pleased to welcome Maria Vallejo and Rikard Nyhrén,” said Leif Gustafsson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Parmaco. “Both Maria and Rikard bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the company. With their leadership and guidance, we are confident that Parmaco will continue to thrive and grow as a leading European company in the years ahead.

We are delighted to have Rikard in our team. We appreciate his long experience in the real estate industry and his proven track record of growing businesses. He also has years of leadership experience that will be a valuable asset in implementing our growth strategy. His skills and experience fit well with the current Parmaco team, comments Jukka Joutsenkoski, the CEO of Parmaco.

The additions to the board and to the management team are part of a period of aggressive recruitment of industry leaders for Parmaco as they continue with their extensive growth plans. At the end of 2022, the company has further expanded its board of directors with the appointment of Torborg Chetkovich to focus on complementary growth markets and capitalize on Parmaco’s sustainability features.

Torborg has more than 30 years of experience from the transport, real estate and infrastructure sector holding several Senior Executive Management and Board positions and currently holds the position of Managing Director, Private Infrastructure Europe at Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm and majority owner of Parmaco, on behalf of its clients.


Torborg Chetkovich

Press contact

Jukka Joutsenkoski
jukka.joutsenkoski@parmaco.fi

Rikard Nyhrén
rikard.nyhren@parmaco.se

Milaja Aronen
milaja.aronen@parmaco.fi

Parmaco’s board member Torborg Chetkovich joins atNorth’s Board of Directors

atNorth brings sustainable infrastructure expert Torborg Chetkovich on board as part of a continued commitment to the growth and expansion of the business.

Stockholm, Sweden – May 30th, 2023 – atNorth, the leading Nordic colocation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence service provider, has announced the appointment of Torborg Chetkovich to its Board of Directors. The expansion of the board is part of atNorth’s commitment to grow their business in the Nordics to meet the increasing needs of global businesses at a time when cost efficient sustainable infrastructure is in more demand than ever.

“Torborg Chetkovich has 30 years of experience working and investing in next generation infrastructure”, says Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth. “As we continue to scale our business, we are committed to engaging with the right people to support our growth in the most intelligent and environmentally conscious way. Torborg’s strategic knowledge and commitment to best in class technology, coupled with her proven track record of building great organizations from the ground up, will allow us to meet the increasing demand for our services with agility whilst remaining true to our sustainable ethos.”

Torborg has held several Senior Executive Management and Board positions within the transport, real estate and infrastructure sector and currently holds the position of Managing Director, Private Infrastructure Europe at Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm and majority owner of atNorth, on behalf of its clients. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the firm’s current portfolio company Parmaco and energy infrastructure company CapeOmega. Prior to joining Partners Group, she served as Partner at CapMan Infra, Group CEO of Swedavia (Swedish airports) and MTR Nordics and Deputy CEO at Veolia Transport Sweden.

“I am delighted to join the atNorth Board of Directors at this time of significant growth for the business and the industry as a whole,” says Chetkovich. “As the demand for high performance data center solutions continues to grow, it is essential that businesses are met with scalable offerings that are truly sustainable and future proof. I look forward to collaborating with atNorth’s leadership team and my board colleagues to guide the success of the business at this pivotal time”.

The addition to the board is part of a period of aggressive recruitment of industry leaders for atNorth as they continue with their extensive growth plans. The business has significantly expanded its board of directors in the last year with the appointments of Anders Svensson, Mats Hultin and Peter Gross.

About atNorth

atNorth is a leading Pan-Nordic data center services company that offers sustainable, cost-effective,  scalable colocation and high-performance computing services across Iceland, Sweden and Finland. The company operates five data centers in strategic locations across the Nordics, with a sixth site to open in Akureyri, Iceland in Q2, 2023 and a seventh site to open in Finland in 2024.

With sustainability at its core, atNorth’s data centers run on renewable energy resources and support circular economy principles. All atNorth sites leverage innovative design, power efficiency, and intelligent operations to provide long-term infrastructure and flexible colocation deployments. The tailor-made solutions enable businesses to calculate, simulate, train and visualize data workloads in an efficient, cost-optimized way.

atNorth is headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, and is trusted by industry-leading organizations to operate their most critical workloads. The business was founded in 2009 and acquired by Partners Group in 2022.

Circular construction – what does it mean?

Circular economy in construction means, among other things, that new buildings are designed and built to be flexible and, if necessary, relocatable if space requirements change during the life of the building. One of the strengths of modular construction is that adding or subtracting modules allows efficient use of space even in permanent buildings.

It is best to avoid temporary facilities, as at worst they alone can cost millions.  With modern modular construction, a permanent building can be built in the same time and for the same money. The buildings of the future are designed and built to last for more than 100 years, regardless of need. Modular construction can ensure the life-cycle ecology of buildings by cost-effectively constructing energy-efficient and durable buildings.

Our modular building solution is based on the FIXCEL® steel cell, which rigid structure allows large spatial elements to be manufactured under factory conditions and modules to be moved to the building site without the risk of structural deterioration or moulding. From a circular economy perspective, this is an environmentally friendly construction method with exceptionally low energy consumption and recyclable, carefully selected building materials.

In addition to energy efficiency, we reduce the carbon footprint of the building during its operation, for example through flexibility and adaptability and the use of long-lasting building materials. It is therefore worthwhile to reduce wear and tear and repair costs during use by choosing high quality materials. Examples include aluminium-framed windows and doors, durable facade and roof coatings, and easy-to-maintain ventilation systems. At the end of the lifecycle, we reduce the impact on the climate by reusing and recycling materials and components.

WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT – OUR WASTE MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN CARBON NEUTRAL SINCE 2020

Reducing waste requires planning and a long-term commitment. Emissions from waste management are mainly caused by the transport and treatment of waste. Our partner L&T has made long-term efforts and taken active measures to reduce emissions from its transport operations, including optimising routes and switching to the lowest emission vehicles. In addition, L&T’s own recycling facilities use green electricity, reducing the carbon footprint of waste handling.

Sustainable waste management is an example of our sustainability work. Since 2020, with the help of L&T, we have completely zeroed the CO2 load of our waste management and our production processes are optimised to minimise waste.

We will continue to sort waste from our operations to recycle valuable materials. However, not all waste management emissions can be completely avoided. The carbon footprint of our waste management is measured, and our remaining emissions are offset annually through Gold Standard certified reforestation projects. In selecting these projects, we are concerned not only with reducing emissions, but also with providing employment for the population.

Read more about how we invest in sustainability and the circular economy.

We built a day care centre during the summer holidays

In Vantaa’s Vapaala, a day care centre was built over the summer, carefully designed to meet the wishes of the users in terms of functionality and safety. The frame of the building is made of steel cell modules that were transported from the factory ready made.

In mid August, some finishing work was underway and the yard was asphalted. “This building went up very quickly during the summer. When we went on holiday, the new building only had a gravel base and foundations on the site,” says Nina Palenius, the director of the day care centre.

When the new building was being designed, the opinions of the future users were also sought. “We had the opportunity to comment on the colour scheme, for example, and we wanted the building to have a nature-oriented look and a multi-purpose use of the facilities. In the new building, the children’s groups have their own living areas with their own colours and furniture in the same colour. We also got carpet mats, which are nice for the children to play on. They are easy to clean now,” says Palenius.

The best thing about the finished building, according to Palenius, are the open windows. “I’m sure we couldn’t have hoped for that. We have already received a lot of positive feedback from the staff about the windows and the good acoustics.

From the outset, building with steel cells seemed a modern option to Palenius. “They are the way of the future. We had great confidence from the start that Vantaa’s builders would be able to choose professional contractors. When we saw the plans, the exterior immediately looked good and the safety aspects had also been taken into account.

Steel and air

Fixcel’s standard module is an all-steel cell. “The cells are made of steel and air. This is a factor in energy efficiency, air is a good insulator,” says Tomi Vittaniemi, Fixcel’s Business Development Director.

The modules are finished at the factory and can then be easily lifted and transported to the construction site. “For example, a standard five-hundred-tonne crane can lift the cell to a height of about 45 metres. This gives flexibility to the installation work because you don’t have to be right next to it. The module is really strong, so you can stack them in many layers”.

In general, Vittaniemi says, it is often very challenging to assemble modules in several layers. “There are also fire classification issues to consider. For us, these are always built into the modules. In our standard solution, two 15.5 millimetre fire-resistant gypsum boards are installed inside the steel cell, both on the walls and on the roof. And on the floor there is a plaster moulding with a water-cooled underfloor heating system. This will enable the structure to be built to fire class P1.

Durable, healthy buildings

The benefits of steel-framed buildings are clear when you take a long-term view of construction. In general, steel construction makes it easier to achieve adaptability. Steel cell modules offer even greater ease of modification over the life cycle. Buildings that quickly appear on site are often temporary solutions. Instead, Fixcel steel cell modules are also used to create permanent buildings that offer the same quality to the user as those built on site.

Vittaniemi points out that if a building has a planned lifespan of at least 100 years, it is likely to have many different uses. “That’s the whole idea of what we do. We can deliver the right type of building, in the right place, at the right time. And we can change its use and location as needs change.

Jukka Joutsenkoski appointed as CEO of Parmaco Group

The board of Parmaco Group has appointed Jukka Joutsenkoski (M.Sc) as the CEO of the company. He will be joining Parmaco 1st of September 2022 and assuming the role of CEO officially on the 1st of November. The current interim CEO Ari Lehtoranta will leave his operational position and continue in his permanent role in the board of the company. Juha Antola will act as interim CEO from 1st of August until end of October and as deputy CEO until the end of the year.

Mr. Joutsenkoski has an extensive background in sales & management development positions in KONE Corporation in Europe as well as in the United States. Previously he held the position of Region Director North in Germany. He has also experience in business consulting with McKinsey & Company.

”Parmaco´s extraordinary growth story and it´s motivated, professional team convinced me to join the company. I believe my international experience and views on building an open, supportive company culture and accelerating growth will help Parmaco take the next step in its journey” says Mr. Joutsenkoski.

“We are very satisfied that Jukka will join our company”, says Leif Gustafsson, Chairman of the Board of Parmaco Group. “Jukka has extensive experience from the project, service and maintenance businesses. He also has several years of international experience which will support our strategy forward. His expertise and experience together with the existing team in Parmaco is exactly what the Board of Directors have been searching for. On behalf of the board, I would also like to thank Ari for his great contribution as interim CEO for the past months and look forward to continuing our cooperation.”

For additional information please contact

Satu Huuhtanen, Executive Assistant

+358 40 576 2246, satu.huuhtanen@parmaco.fi

Parmaco acquires Fixcel, an innovative Finnish modular builder

Parmaco Group Oy, the leading Finnish rental school and day care provider, acquires Fixcel Group Oy, an innovative Finnish modular builder specialized in advanced steel cell structures.

The acquisition of Fixcel provides Parmaco the opportunity to further increase its market leading presence in the Nordic social infrastructure market and facilitates an entry into the healthcare segment. The merged companies will be the largest supplier of modular social infrastructure rental spaces in Finland.

The steel cell frame used in Fixcel’s buildings enable good fire protection, clean indoor air, and unprecedented modular multistorey applications of up to 8 stories high. Fixcel has so far built over 30,000m2 of public spaces, including the largest modular building in Finland, the 8,500m2 Maatulli elementary school in Helsinki, and the pediatric hospital in Seinäjoki. Fixcel’s buildings are recyclable and have low energy consumption rates and long lifespans. The carbon footprint of its buildings will be lowered even further when carbon-free steel hits the market, which is expected in 2026.

Parmaco aims to provide municipalities across the Nordics with the flexibility to adapt to changing demographic demands by providing high-quality, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective buildings. Parmaco was acquired by Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, acting on behalf of its clients, in 2021.

Ari Lehtoranta, acting CEO, Parmaco Group:
“I’m very happy to welcome Fixcel as part of the Parmaco family. Together we can broaden our offering to our clients in the social and healthcare sector. Fixcel’s steel cell technology opens new opportunities for international expansion as steel is a more common building material in central Europe than wood.”

Pekka Inkinen, CEO, Fixcel Group:
“This transaction represents an important milestone for FixCel. Parmaco is the market leader for high quality, modular rental solutions and we are pleased that our technology will allow them to further enhance their offering. We will provide Parmaco with a foothold in the healthcare sector and look forward to helping more customers in this area of the social infrastructure market.”

Florian Trapp, Member of Management, Private Infrastructure Europe, Partners Group:
“The acquisition of Fixcel not only broadens Parmaco’s product range into new sectors but also further reinforces its strong sustainability credentials. The new combined company is well positioned to continue delivering positive stakeholder impact over the long term.”

For further information

Ari Lehtoranta, acting CEO, Parmaco Group
+358 40 725 29 83

Pekka Inkinen, CEO, Fixcel Group
+358 40 778 42 61

 

Parmaco Factory puts a stop to material waste

The construction industry is one of the largest producers of waste in Finland. At Parmaco, we want to do our part responsibly. Reducing waste takes planning and long-term commitment, but the positive environmental impact of the changes makes it all worthwhile.

Since 2020, we have completely zeroed the CO2 load of our waste management with L&T, and our production processes are optimised to minimise waste. Through L&T’s Carbon Neutral Waste Management service, we have been able to offset our waste emissions through Gold Standard certified reforestation projects.

In 2021, our goal was to increase recycling rates and further reduce waste volumes and material waste. In addition, the overall cleanliness of our factory, the systematic sorting of goods and the safety of our staff were at the top of the priority list. We achieved this last year with the introduction of lean construction in our factory in the summer.

By moving to lean construction, we have significantly improved our control of materials, resources and production throughput. During the first project, we increased daily module production by around 40%. With the current lean construction model, we can double our current production just by increasing human resources,” says Mika Järvinen, Factory Manager.

Lean construction allows us to minimise material waste because the materials for each job are predetermined and the materials needed for each job are delivered to the right place, close to the job, daily. Another positive effect of lean construction is that every employee and contractor know the daily workload throughout the project, making resource requirements predictable and manageable.

INDUSTRIAL MODULAR CONSTRUCTION AT THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS

Our patented FIXCEL®️ steel cell uses fewer raw materials than steel beam buildings. As a result, the main benefits of our steel modules are the lightness, strength, and rigidity of our frame material. Thanks to the dense structure, less energy is used to heat our buildings than usual, resulting in very low overall energy consumption in our buildings. This makes our buildings’ life-cycle ecological.

At our factory in Hämeenlinna, we manufacture all modules from start to finish with industrial efficiency. This enables us to ensure that the modules are protected from the weather throughout the construction project, and we can hand over the finished building to the customer in perfect indoor climate conditions.

Read more about our industrial construction method and the steel cell.

Ari Lehtoranta selected as interim CEO of Parmaco Group

Parmaco Group has appointed Ari Lehtoranta as an interim CEO of the company. Currently, Mr. Lehtoranta serves as a member of Parmaco’s Board. The current CEO, Sami Laine, will step down from his position on 25 November by mutual agreement with the Board.

“The Board thanks Sami for his contribution to Parmaco. He has succeeded in several key areas in a particularly challenging environment, leading the company through recent change of ownership. We wish him all the best for his future activities,” says Leif Gustafsson, Chairman of the Board.

The recruitment process to find a permanent CEO will start immediately.

More information:
Leif Gustafsson
Tel. +46 706 772 777