Above: VaskiCAM is an easy-to-use program designed to aide automation of busbar production
March, 2025- The adage “sometimes you have to stir up the water” describes the disruption an individual or organization sometimes creates to bring about change. While not considered a traditional proverb, neither is the company the phrase describes. Vaski Group Oy, a relative newcomer to the metalworking industry, manufactures fl at bar processing and sheet metal handling, punching and bending machinery.
In a market most consider flat, Vaski is expanding. The company announced the acquisition of Ursviken Technology in January. The Swedish manufacturer specializes in advanced press brake and shear solutions. The addition follows Vaski’s 2024 purchase of Pivatic Oy, an automatic sheet metal fabrication systems supplier.
“Adaptability is crucial in today’s fast-paced industrial environment where the ability to pivot and respond to new challenges can set a business apart from its competitors,” says Michael Mansour, CEO of Vaski Group. “These acquisitions represent a significant step forward in our mission to drive industrial innovation and support sustainable growth across the Nordic region and the U.S.”
Vaski was recognized as the fastest growing industrial company in Finland for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. The pioneer in multi-coil technology offers the fastest material changeover for blanking and slitting processes. The VaskiBEND series offers the only all-electric bender for high production efficiency. In 2024, the manufacturer reached nearly 50 million in sales.
GROWING PAINS
“Vaski has historically been strong in flat bar punching,” says Mansour, “but it’s a process that has been dominated by sheet metal and often substituted by laser cutting. If you are running mass production though, punching is more economical. We see a lot of growth potential for mass production punching, so we have made high-speed automation one of our initiatives. We have also connected punching with bending and automated the line so that a customer buys just one machine.” High-growth applications for copper and aluminum flat bar include switch gears, transformers, power generation, electric vehicles, charging stations and data centers. To shorten lead times Vaski’s development of VaskiPUNCH, an all-electric punching machine capable of processing aluminum, copper and steel fl at bar, combines precision with environmental sustainability.
“Other punching machines on the market are hydraulic,” says Sales Manager Adrien Saulais. “While there is a place for hydraulic machines, if electric options are available, they should always be considered. Our VaskiPUNCH machines save up to 80 percent of energy costs, maintenance expenses are significantly reduced, no oil leaks to worry about, and it is a faster and quieter machine.”
Nerkoon Metalli CEO Hannu Yli-Kärkelä examines part produced by the company’s newly acquired VaskiPUNCH machine.
Vaski has implemented advanced new software, upgraded machine features and increased speed to make its machines the fastest on the market. The future-ready fl at bar punching machines are available in the Prodigy, Inspiration and Legacy models. Servo-controlled CNC axes and progressive stroke control supports high speed and tonnage while an automatically controlled punch ram allows use of multitools with the option of a rotating unit. VaskiCAM is a dedicated CAM package for processing flat bar in a real time 3D environment. The system allows the operator to create programs for both punching and bending operations at the machine or remotely from the office. Standard 3D and 2D CAD files can be imported but the software can also be customized with modules to meet customers’ unique needs.
The all-electric VaskiPUNCH can process aluminum, copper and steel flat bar with precision and environmental stability.
INNOVATION
The manufacturer continues to grow its team to give customers direct access to technical support.
“We have a North American subsidiary we are building to keep up with the growth and give customers support with a manufacturer at a local level,” Saulais says. “We are not a distributor. We have factory-trained technicians across North America as well as operations in Elgin, Illinois, where we stock parts, have sales support and a showroom for anyone who wants to see our machines in operation.
“Our internal infrastructure is globally connected with the factory in Finland. This allows us to use all our resources and expertise to help customers even with the most challenging applications,” he adds.
Vaski’s technology advances coupled with its software systems make equipment operation user friendly.
Vaski is also carving a fast-growing niche in blanking and slitting, another established market segment. Nonstop production from coil to coil is drawing widespread interest.
“In the past, you had to stop production to load the next coil,” says Saulais. “With our technology, the operator doesn’t have to stop the machine. Automatic coil changes take about 30 seconds. We also can integrate our multicoil lines and connect them to many other sheet metal machines.”
In 2023, Vaski invested more than 18 percent of its revenue in research and development. The activity underscores the company’s drive to develop technological advancements in industrial equipment.
“We can step outside the box and custom build to a customer’s unique applications,” says Mansour. “We have the expertise and the appetite to go after one-off machines.”
With its recent acquisitions and plans to release new innovations annually, the company expects to grow sales to $200 million by 2030. “We have the best technology and we’re always trying to improve,” Mansour says. “We also have a skilled team that takes care of our customers. Because of that we’re constantly winning orders and we’ve never lost a follow-up order. We’re new guys in an old school industry. We’re going to shake things up a bit.”
Vaski, 281/202-3771, vaski.com
