VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and KCL (Oy Keskuslaboratorio -
Centrallaboratorium Ab) have signed a letter of intent to combine their
research and laboratory operations. The letter of intent includes a review of
the possibilities of integrating the research and laboratory functions of KCL
into VTT's research and service operations. For KCL, the letter of intent
applies to approximately 160 employees, 110 of which work in research and
development and 50 in laboratory operations. The objective is that the
personnel transfer to VTT as existing employees. The final agreement will be
signed in May 2009.
The intended reorganisation relates to the development of the research
organisation of the entire forest industry. The integration aims at creating a
strong, efficiently networked innovation centre for the new forest industry.
The solid knowledge of the forest industry that KCL already possesses will be
extended to new areas of growth, such as bioenergy and biorefineries, printed
intelligent products and new material technologies. VTT's extensive
technological know-how and the ability to combine various competencies create
excellent prerequisites for expanding operations.
Integration of the KCL research operations and laboratory services into VTT
will also strengthen VTT's research and service resources on areas of
strategic importance, as well as create an opportunity for growth.
The rest of KCL will remain an independent company, continuing operations as
the owner of its Otaniemi facilities and pilot plant as well as the owner of
Kymen Laboratorio Oy. Approximately 90 people will continue to be employed by
KCL.
The full implementation of the project will require funding from the Finnish
government and the approval of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy as
well as VTT's Board of Directors.
”The objectives recorded in the letter of intent are consistent with VTT's
strategic objectives of creating competitive advantage for the customers in
the forest industry through more efficient and focused research operations,”
says CEO and President Erkki KM Leppävuori of VTT. ”It is essential that
various competencies and technologies be combined to discover brand new
applications and innovations. VTT has made good progress towards meeting this
strategic objective. KCL's know-how will expand and strengthen VTT's current
resources in this area, bringing a new range of resources into the
organisation. The intended organisation will form a top competence centre of a
global scale, with efficient cooperation with universities, industry and
commerce, and research funding organisations all over the world.”
”The combining of VTT and KCL research resources will create a truly unique
competence centre for the forest industry,” says Pauli Hänninen, Chairman of
KCL's Board of Directors. ”The reorganisation is a part of a structural change
in the research organisations of the Finnish forest industry. The strategic
know-how centre ForestCluster Ltd is an earlier result of the same process.”
In autumn 2006, ForestCluster defined its most important research focus
points, aiming at doubling the value of the sector’s products and services by
the year 2030.
For more information, please contact:
Erkki KM Leppävuori, CEO and President, VTT
tel. +358 20
722 4100
Petri Kalliokoski, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business
Development, VTT
tel. +358 40 526 7122
Pauli Hänninen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, KCL
tel.
+358 40 581 4720
Susanna Nieminen, Acting President, KCL
tel. +358 40 769 6571
VTT is the third largest applied research organisation in Europe. VTT
provides a wide range of technology and research services for both domestic
and international clients, privately owned companies and the public sector.
With its expertise and through new innovations VTT aims to increase the
technological and economic competitiveness of its owner and its clients, as
well as social welfare. www.vtt.fi
KCL is a research facility owned by companies from the Finnish forest
industry, offering a wide range of laboratory, piloting and information
services. www.kcl.fi
