Above: A one-word description of Finland and its people, the Finnish word Sisu personifies extraordinary determination, courage and tenacity in the face of extreme adversity. It describes a deep inner strength to persevere even when one’s reserves are depleted, a stoic resolve to push through challenges and the ability to act with integrity and calmness, regardless of the outcome.
January, 2026- Otherworldly landscapes rich with color, remarkable space/weather events like the Northern Lights and a serene lifestyle that is pervasive have made Finland the “great travel frontier.” The nation was ranked the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year by the World Happiness Report 2025, which is published by the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Bordered by Sweden, Norway and Russia by land and Estonia by sea, Finland is home to the world’s largest archipelago, a network of more than 70,000 islands. According to the World Health Organization, Finland has the cleanest tap water and the lowest level of airborne particles, making its air quality superior to that of other countries. Each year, roughly 71 million tulip bulbs begin to bloom before Christmas, reaching their peak in the spring. During the summer, some regions experience the midnight sun, where it is perpetually daylight. Other areas see polar night, where the sun remains below the horizon.
Finland is a country of connections. The link forged between people and land stems from a deep respect for nature as a source of tranquility. It is also rooted in a legal tradition called Everyman’s Right, which allows people to freely access and enjoy nature (including private lands) with the caveat that others are not disturbed and the environment is not damaged.
Aside from the nation’s strong ties to the natural world, Finnish culture is anchored by such core values as honesty, freedom and resilience. Some of the building blocks include a high standard of living, pride in everything from sports to technology and perhaps surprising to non-natives: the sauna. An integral part of daily life, the sauna serves as a social equalizer where rank and hierarchies disappear to foster honest dialogue and a sense of community. Saunas outnumber cars.
Finland consistently ranks high in social trust and the belief that people can depend on each other in times of trouble. Ryan O’Connor, marketing manager for Prima Power North America, uses the noun sisu to describe the country and its people. Sisu is a Finnish concept that doesn’t have a direct English translation but personifies extraordinary determination, courage and tenacity in the face of extreme adversity. It describes a deep inner strength to persevere even when one’s reserves are depleted, a stoic resolve to push through challenges and the ability to act with integrity and calmness, regardless of the outcome.
A uniquely Finnish tradition, the sauna is an integral part of daily life. Prima Power’s factory sauna demonstrates how seriously the team takes personal mental health and well-being.
ARCTIC PUNCH
In 2019, Prima Power opened a new manufacturing plant and technology center in Seinäjoki, the regional capital of South Ostrobothnia and located roughly 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The modern complex includes a 20,000-square-meter production facility and a 1,550-square-meter showroom and demonstration center designed to host customers, partners, and training events.
The Seinäjoki plant serves as a major production hub for Prima Power’s punching, combined punch/shearing and punch/ laser product lines. It also manufactures and integrates automation equipment for these systems, as well as for the company’s panel benders and laser platforms. With two additional Italian facilities dedicated to bending and laser technologies, Prima Power follows a modular engineering approach that allows it to design flexible, customized manufacturing systems tailored to customer needs.
As President Jarmo Mursula explains, the move to Seinäjoki (relocating from the original plant roughly 40 kilometers away) significantly expanded operational capability. The new plant delivered a 30 percent increase in available production space, which in turn enabled a 40 percent boost in overall manufacturing capacity.
Aligned with the company’s long-running “Green Means” design philosophy, the products developed and assembled in Seinäjoki combine sustainability, energy efficiency and highproductivity performance, reflecting Prima Power’s commitment to both environmental responsibility and advanced manufacturing innovation.
Finn-Power Oy main lobby. Visitors see demonstrations at Prima Power’s Technology Center.
ICY TRADITION
In September 2025, Prima Power hosted an immersive eight-day tour for a small group of media professionals-an opportunity to see the company’s technology up close, meet the teams behind it, and experience a blend of Finnish culture and the heritage of the company’s Italian plants.
O’Connor says that even though he’s based more than 4,000 miles from Finland, the company’s culture has a way of pulling him in every time he visits.
Finn-Power Oy main lobby. Visitors see demonstrations at Prima Power’s Technology Center.
“Somehow, I’ve become part of the company hockey team,” he laughs. “Even if I’m only there for a short trip, they make sure I get on the ice.” He has also taken part in a uniquely Finnish tradition-the factory sauna-an experience that he says underscores how seriously the team takes personal well-being.
“What strikes me most is how they’ve held onto their heritage while constantly pushing forward with new ideas,” O’Connor adds. “They’re resilient and tenacious. The company has gone through ownership changes twice, yet the same incredible people and the same incredible technology remain. You can see that strength reflected in every machine they build.”
Finn-Power Oy main lobby. Visitors see demonstrations at Prima Power’s Technology Center.
STREAMLINING
Shear Genius EVO, introduced in 2020, is one example of Prima Power’s desire to foster flexible, automated and high-performance sheet-metal processing. This servo-electric system integrates punching and shearing into one streamlined process, automatically producing square and rectangular parts with remarkable speed and accuracy.
By combining multiple steps-hole punching, forming and cutting-into a single automated sequence, the EVO significantly boosts throughput and overall efficiency. Smart features like sheet-edge measurement, energy-saving servo technology, and intelligent nesting further reduce scrap and maximize material usage.
The roots of this innovation run deep. The original Shear Genius was born in the 1990s, created by the pioneering Finn-Power engineering team. After noticing two separate machines performing punching and right-angle shearing side-by-side at an industry trade show, they envisioned something better: a single integrated system that could double productivity without increasing the footprint. That breakthrough became a defining moment for the company long before its acquisition by Prima Industrie in 2009-and the spirit of that original idea continues to evolve with the Shear Genius EVO.
Below Prima Power’s Night Train system enables 24/7, lights-out production by automatically handling material storage, feeding machines (laser cutters, punch presses, benders), and sorting finished parts.
FLEXIBILITY
Prima Power was also a pioneer in recognizing and implementing automation in sheet metal fabrication. The Night Train is a flexible manufacturing system that automates material storage and handling for sheet metal processing centers, which supports unmanned 24/7 production. A robotic crane stores raw metal sheets in a low-profile racking system and then automatically loads the sheets into connected machines like punch presses, laser cutters and press brakes. The system then automatically sorts and stacks finished parts or returns them to storage for later use.
Antti Kuusisaari, director for global systems sales, says the longest Night Train installation to date was nearly 500 feet and incorporated two of the systems along with ancillary equipment such as rails, a crane and storage blocks. “The concept was to help the customer create an intelligent warehouse.”
“Technology is changing rapidly,” he continues. “We have to be aware of what our competitors are doing and what our customers need. We also follow market trends closely and make sure our technology can support our customers.”
Seinäjoki manufacturing plant and Technology Center produce all punch, combination and automation machinery for the Prima Power group.
TREND WATCH
One trend Prima Power is monitoring closely is the data center market, which is projected to expand nearly 25 percent in 2026. Data centers hold strong potential for sheet metal manufacturers that supply components such as enclosures, racks and cooling systems. To support the market, Prima Power is looking at ways it can automate welding, grinding and riveting. As part of its strategic approach, the company acquired robot integrator Sistec AM in 2024.
“We can automate these additional processes, and Sistec gives us the robotic capability to go in that direction,” Kuusisaari says. “Our R&D department is expanding the development of software, and we are looking at ways to integrate all of these components. Communication between systems and machines is crucial,” he adds.
Integrating machines and different technologies remains Prima Power’s objective, but Kuusisaari doesn’t want the company to be pigeonholed as a machine sales company. “We are solution makers,” he says. “We don’t just want to sell a machine. We want to talk with our customers and find out what they are making. We want to know what their production goals are in one year and in five years. We can offer our customers a solution today, but we want to grow with them and give them the best technology for their needs.”
Kuusisaari also points to the importance of teamwork. “We provide solutions, but we do it as a cohesive team,” he continues. “Selling a system is teamwork. And it is what gives our customers the best outcome. That is our goal.
Prima Power North America, 847/952-6500, primapower.com.
