’Manufacturing is the driver of wellbeing in Finland and the EU’ – the atmosphere is full of anticipation as Finland’s largest industry event MPD begins

Press Release 5.6.2019

Europe, as well as the rest of the world, is undergoing major changes. Competition is getting tougher in every way and is creating a situation in which the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry demands increased understanding and investments by politicians in Finland and the entire EU.

’Finland is gaining a new government, which we genuinely wish all the best. Success is needed in Finland as much as it is needed in the EU, which the future government will soon be leading. The most important thing to understand is that the significance of manufacturing in building welfare has not decreased. It is quite the opposite – the significance has only increased. It is specifically the digitalizing industry that can increase our competitiveness in a world where only brave innovation efforts can secure our future’, states Tomas Hedenborg, the Chair of the MPD Organisation Committee, who kicked off the MPD with a ceremonial opening.

‘The Presidency of the Council of the European Union provides visibility for Finland’s own efforts in supporting innovation. The Government Programme includes good clauses on the importance of innovation, but these thoughts need to be reflected in concrete decisions. The situation is the same in the EU: the new Commission and the Parliament, together with the Member States, have a key role in ensuring that innovation-based competitiveness is the starting point when developing integral policies. This is of great importance for the climate also. Clean manufacturing and cleaner technology are the most efficient weapons for fighting climate change’, reminds Hedenborg.

Innovation is in a key position

The Director General of Enterprise and Innovation Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland Ilona Lundström and the President of the recently merged Tampere University Mari Walls also shed light on future outlooks in the MPD opening program.

In the event’s opening Lundström thanked the MPD on behalf of the Finnish Government for its important work and simultaneously reminded of the importance of research.

‘Europe produces 30% of the entire world’s research. That is an amazing result, but it is not enough. Research results need to be applied and scaled to business and scaled up in any case’, Lundström emphasizes.

"Tampere is a strong advancer of open innovation, and diversified cooperation between researchers and the appliers of research is necessary’, President Mari Walls emphasized in her opening speech, simultaneously welcoming the MPD participants to Tampere on her behalf.

Manufacturing event with many new records

The conditions for Finland’s largest industry event at Tampere’s TähtiAreena are fit for the event’s high-class participants. Almost half of the participants represent the top management of large organizations and the other half represent the best research and industrial expertise otherwise. All in all, the total number of participants, almost 1000, has reached a new all-time record. A record was also achieved in regard to the MPD community: 70 partner companies and organizations, representing top-class expertise in industrial and innovation expertise, have been building the event together.

‘We can only be satisfied with the MPD’s record high numbers. I can predict with absolute certainty that this is the place where many new joint business ventures which contribute to Finnish wellbeing will be born’, rejoices Harri Kulmala, the CEO of DIMECC Ltd. DIMECC is the Finnish industry’s and research organizations’ most significant innovation ecosystem and the main organizer of MPD. 

The entire MPD program can be found here: http://www.mpdays.com/

MPD strategic partners are:

ALSO Finland Ltd., Beckhoff Oy, Business Finland, DIMECC Ltd., Etteplan PLC, Fastems Ltd., Intelligent Industry, McKinsey & Company, Siemens Finland, Technology Industries of Finland, Tampere University, VTT, Wapice Ltd.

 

Additional information:

Tomas Hedenborg, Chair, MPD Organisation Committee, +358 50 310 1999, tomas.hedenborg@fastems.com  

Harri Kulmala, CEO, DIMECC Ltd, +358 40 840 6380, harri.kulmala@dimecc.com

Media registration for MPD event, additional info for media, interview requests

Jussi Seppälä, +358 50 529 4562, jussi.seppala@hopiasepat.fi, Janina Granholm, +358 40 934 8540, janina.granholm@hopiasepat.fi tai Mikko Norros, +358 40 547 6280, mikko.norros@hopiasepat.fi

Follow on social media: #MPDAYS, #MPIDEA