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Sales Director Paavo Käkelä has started in his new post as CEO of EID Robotics. Jari Helminen, who has served as the CEO of the company that was founded in 2009 for the past ten years, will become the new Chief Technology Officer. The tasks of the founding partners will be specified in more detail in order for Käkelä to focus on managing growth and Helminen to focus on developing innovative automation solutions and related services.

“This change has been in the works for the past year now, and it just happened to coincide with our company’s tenth anniversary.  Maybe this means that it is now my turn to be the CEO for the next ten years after Jari,” Käkelä says jokingly. He accepted his CEO post from the Board of Directors on April 10th, 2019.

Käkelä will continue to strengthen sales in the international market as per EID Robotics’ strategy. There is plenty of potential for the ANT Plant manufacturing concept developed by EID Robotics, particularly in the United States, as ANT Plants enable cost-efficient and easy local manufacturing.

“In addition to enhancing sales, our focus is on securing funding to boost our international growth. We are currently in the process of negotiating the start of our first pilot site for the ANT Plant microfactory concept in the US”, Käkelä says.

US pilot to pave the way for growth

The first pilot site in the United States is a target that EID Robotics believes will clear the way for conquering the new market. The fully functional ANT Plant microfactory can be used to prove the benefits of the concept: high-quality products, short return on investment and the ease of manufacturing.

We will also be able to prove the benefits of our concept through constant cloud-based optimization and production processes developed based on the client’s product development needs. The company marketing the end product will hardly need any production competence of its own, because EID Robotics is in charge of material acquisition, microfactory maintenance and life cycle services through partner contracts.

“Our challenge is that we are a pioneer introducing a completely new type of manufacturing concept to the market. We will show that local manufacturing of products can once again be cost-efficient, even if most companies continue to offshore their manufacturing to countries with lower labor costs,” Käkelä says.

Continued improvement of processes, patents and international projects

In his new post, Jari Helminen will be focusing on managing the development of innovative automation solutions. The company has applied for patents for its most recent robotics innovations, which are part of the ANT Plant manufacturing concept. At the same time, the company is continuing constant improvement of its processes: the quality system is going to be introduced within a year.

“We are also working on international automation projects, as well as several demanding development projects. We need Jari’s top skills as a chief technology officer, he is like the guru who is able to master various technologies as a whole,” Käkelä says.

These projects have increased the number of staff at EID Robotics significantly, which requires more time for the operative management of work on the one hand, and strategic leadership on the other.

“We have been able to grow from five people to a fantastic team of 18 in a short period of time. Thanks to our long history together and similar way of thinking, Jari and I understand each other almost instinctively. Now, with the larger team, driving issues will naturally take more time,” Käkelä says about the quick rate of growth at EID Robotics.

More information:
Paavo Käkelä
CEO
+358 50 361 3945
paavo.kakela@eidrobotics.com

 

EID ROBOTICS OY, founded in 2009, is a developer of automation solutions and a revolutionizer of the production industry. Their ANT Plant manufacturing concept is an industry innovation. The company is located in Kuopio, Finland. The company has long-time experience with client-focused industrial automation, especially in the fields of electronics, electrical work and lighting.