Finnish companies sell security technology in USA
TEKES organises Finnish pavilion for security exhibition
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"In Finland many police have said that this product should be at every precinct. Imagine, here in America they say that there are 187,000 police stations or sheriffs’ offices!"
Jörn Edgren, Chairman of the Board of the Kuopio-based company Suojasauma Oy, is truly excited.
"There aren’t many people, but we have been told that more people stop at our exhibit than anywhere else."
Suojasauma produces coated fabrics with high-frequency welding.
Edgren is referring to his company’s part of the Finnish pavilion at the exhibition of the annual Homeland and Global Security Summit in the new Washington Convention Centre. Finland is the only country to have a national section at the exhibition.
Six Finnish companies are exhibiting their goods.
Many of the products are unfamiliar to ordinary Finnish consumers. In addition to Suojasauma, five other companies are exhibiting their products at the fair.
At its booth Suojasauma has set up an L-shaped plastic wall. Next to it, a video shows how a grenade explodes right next to a plastic wall; not a single fragment penetrates the protective wall filled with a special gel and water.
Edgren says that the product is of special interest to police, who may have to detonate terrorist bombs.
"It is very efficient, and cheap - about 5,000 euros", he says.
Next door, Jaakko Barsk, CEO of FY Composites, shows a different kind of protective equipment. The company has manufactured more than more than 60,000 helmets for the Finnish military out of lightweight fibre. At the exhibition it is especially promoting armour plates made of fibre.
The main market for the products is with the military, but Barsk sees possible applications in civilian crises as well. The company has a manufacturer in Canada, which produces its goods under licence. With its help, Barsk hopes to reach the NATO market. However, the lack of a NATO code number for the products has made this difficult.
Homeland security is a new and rapidly expanding market in the United States, ever since the 9/11 attacks. In addition to defence, it is the only sector of the US Federal Government that is growing.
The Tampere-based Instrumentointi offers computer-based crisis management systems, both for local operators, as well as large peacekeeping organisations, such as the United Nations.
Finland’s reputation helps: the company’s deputy CEO Risto Ojanperä often mentions the activities of former President Martti Ahtisaari in his speeches.
"The total market for our products is about a billion euros", says Vesa Mäkipää, CEO of Lifa Air, which manufactures air filters that can save lives in chemical or biological terror attacks.
The arrangements for the Finnish pavilion at the exhibition were made by the National Technology Agency of Finland (TEKES). The concentrating of efforts led to a cheaper price per exhibitor. Each company paid just EUR 4,000 to take part in the show.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 4.3.2005 - TODAY |
 Finnish companies sell security technology in USA |
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