FIMA boosting innovations
The existence of a strong Finnish work machine cluster is a significant part of our national economy and will continue to be so. Changes in global competition are evident at all levels. Because globalisation no longer occurs by industrial sector but rather by business area, it is not a question of the location of sectors or companies, but of the different areas of business. Where is manufacturing located? What about R&D and innovation functions? Where does finance come from? Where and how is the customer interface managed? What about sales and marketing? Where is the head office located? When you add to this the fact that companies are increasingly operating in networks with each other, from a perspective of national policy you end up considering what kind of operating environment an individual country or region can offer to the different areas of business. The location of the work machinery cluster in Finland largely in Tampere region and North Karelia, but also elsewhere in Finland, has reflected the competitive edge of these regions.
FIMA has been a noteworthy organisation in the innovation environment for the manufacture of work machines. Since its small and modest, even unsure beginnings, the size of projects has grown and the investment of shareholders in project implementation has multiplied eight-fold. The most significant places where shareholders can have an impact are the theme groups, whose meetings have been well attended. Through these meetings it has been possible to make the areas of emphasis of the important fields more company-centred, and the work of the theme groups is also evident in the FIMECC project proposal.
Along the way, the relationship between the considerably larger innovation company FIMECC Oy and FIMA has caused some confusion. FIMA is a shareholder of FIMECC Oy, so a reciprocal relationship exists. Even the similarity of the names, however, has got companies thinking about what the benefits are of belonging to both or just to one of the organisations. The roles of these two organisations are, however, completely different. FIMA can produce product development-related research data targeted at the work machine sector, the direct utilisation of which is close to the daily business of companies. FIMECC Oy is, on the other hand, in a class of its own in the Finnish innovation system from a project and allocation point of view. At its most significant, FIMA’s role is to be a driver of the industry’s joint road map and, for example, of FIMECC’s project preparations. A good example of a significant and extensive project, the compilation of which FIMA has actively participated in, is FAMOUS. Members would be advised to follow its progress closely.
FIMA’s need for reform is clear. Direct feedback from its members has communicated this need strongly. It is a matter for serious consideration how the interests of the members can become more visible for all participants than they are now. It is essential to ensure that the input of companies in FIMA seems more profitable in the future than it is now.
Risto Kuivanen
Member of the FIMA Board 2009-2011
Vice President R&D, Professor
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
