Rautaruukki Company Overview and History

Rautaruukki is a Finnish steel company with a rich history dating back to 1928. The company was founded as a steel mill in Raahe, Finland.

Rautaruukki has undergone significant changes over the years. In 2017, the company was acquired by SSAB, a Swedish steel company.

Today, Rautaruukki operates as a subsidiary of SSAB, but its legacy continues to shape the steel industry.

For more insights, see: SSAB

Rautaruukki was founded in 1960 as a state-owned company to secure domestic raw materials for the shipbuilding and metal industries. It started by utilizing domestic ore reserves.

The company's first production site was established in Saloisten, a municipality south of Raahen, where it began producing steel using a continuous casting method, a more cost-effective alternative to the traditional open-hearth method. The first CEO was Helge Haavisto, who served from 1960 to 1982 and later as chairman of the board until 1985.

Rautaruukki's workforce grew rapidly from six employees in its first year to over 1,700 by the end of the decade. The company expanded its operations by acquiring Otanmäki Oy in 1968, which had mining operations in Vuolijoen Otanmäessä and Kemijärven mlk's Kärväsvaarassa and Raajärvellä.

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Rautaruukki was founded in 1960 as a state-owned company to secure raw materials for the domestic shipbuilding and metal industries.

The company's first western-style steel mill was established in Saloisten, near Raahen, where they began producing steel using a new cost-effective continuous casting method.

Helge Haavisto, a future vuorineuvos, was the company's first CEO and led the company until 1982.

Toivo Härkönen, who would later become a teollisuusneuvos, was the construction manager of the Raahen rautatehtaan from 1961 and its first manager from 1964 to 1976.

The company started with just six employees but grew to over 1,700 people by the end of the decade.

Rautaruukki Oy absorbed Otanmäki Oy in 1968, which had mining operations in Vuolijoen Otanmäessä and Kemijärven mlk's Kärväsvaarassa and Raajärvellä.

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In the 1970s, Rautaruukki's production expanded to include thin slab and pipe production in Hämeenlinna, where cold rolling and pipe production also started.

The company's workforce in Finland grew significantly, exceeding 7,000 employees by the end of the decade.

Rautaruukki's production continued to diversify, with the launch of a second rolling mill in Raahessa in 1976.

By the end of the 1970s, Rautaruukki had become a major employer in Finland.

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In the 1980s, Rautaruukki began to expand its operations in Europe through the acquisition of several companies, including Metalcolour A/S in Denmark and CCB-Gruppen in Norway.

The company's growth was rapid, and by the end of the decade, Rautaruukki had nearly 10,000 employees.

Rautaruukki became a publicly traded company in 1989.

The company started importing iron pellets by train from Neuvosto-Karjala to Raahe in 1983.

The initial import volumes were around 0.5 million tons, but eventually grew to 1 million tons.

Rautaruukki is a Nordic and US-based steel company with employees in over 50 countries. SSAB, the parent company of Rautaruukki, is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and has a secondary listing on Nasdaq Helsinki.

Rautaruukki's parent company is a global player, with a presence in multiple stock exchanges.

Ruukki Metals is a significant part of the Ruukki company, employing over 5,000 people in 2010 and generating a revenue of 1.581 billion euros. The company's liikevoitto was 126 million euros in 2010.

Ruukki Metals is the largest business area of the company, accounting for a significant portion of the company's revenue. Erikoisterästen osuus teräsliiketoiminnasta was around one-third in 2012.

The company has made significant investments in research and development, allocating over 200 million euros to erikoisteräksen tuotekehitykseen in 2010. This investment has led to the development of innovative products such as Flex-palvelukonseptin, which allows customers to receive ruostumatonta terästä and alumiinia in exact quantities.

Ruukki Metals produces a range of erikoisterästuotteita, including erikoislujat, kulutusta kestävät tuotteet, and kulutusteräs Raex. The company's products are used in various industries, including construction and manufacturing.

Here are some examples of Ruukki Metals' products and their applications:

Ruukki Metals' products are used in a variety of applications, including nostokalustossa, arvokuljetusautoissa, and in the production of valssatut terästuotteet and metalli- ja maalipinnoitetut teräkset.

SSAB is a Nordic and US-based steel company with employees in over 50 countries.

The company is listed on two stock exchanges: Nasdaq Stockholm and Nasdaq Helsinki.

You can find more information about SSAB on their official website, www.ssab.com.

The company's official records can be found in the Patentti- ja rekisterihallituksen kaupparekisteriote.

Rautaruukki has received several awards and recognitions for its outstanding work in the industry.

The company was awarded the Teräsrakennepalkinto (Steel Construction Prize) in 2011 for its work on the Kilden Teatteri- ja konserttitallo in Kristiansandin, Norway. Ruukki Construction was responsible for designing, manufacturing, and installing the steel structure.

Ruukki has also been recognized for its commitment to sustainable development.

One notable example is the Suomalainen insinööripalkinto (Finnish Engineer's Prize), which was awarded to a team of engineers from Ruukki in 2012 for their work on suorasammutusteknologian (straight-shrinking technology).

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The Finnish Metalworkers' Union is urging companies to protect workers' jobs during the fusion process. Rautaruukki workers have been doing their jobs in difficult circumstances over the past few years.

Chair Riku Aalto believes that workers shouldn't be held accountable for the company's problems. He thinks they should be spared from job cuts as a result of the fusion.

Aalto sees a silver lining in the merger, as it brings an end to the long period of uncertainty faced by workers. The fusion also ensures the continuity of the Finnish steel industry and preserves jobs in the sector.

In 2011, Rautaruukki Oyj was restructured into separate subsidiaries focused on different business areas: Ruukki Construction, Ruukki Engineering, and Ruukki Metals.

This significant change allowed the company to better concentrate on its core operations and improve efficiency.

Rautaruukki introduced a new energy-efficient product, the energiapaneeli, in 2011, which was sold to various clients, including Itella's logistics center in Orimattila and Kesko's supermarket in Kiiminki.

The energiapaneeli was designed to reduce energy consumption and was seen as a promising innovation in the industry.

The company continued to invest in new technologies, as seen in the installation of a second laser cutting line in Seinäjoki in 2012.

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The Metalworkers Union is speaking out against potential job cuts as a result of the fusion between companies. Riku Aalto, the chair of the Finnish Metalworkers' Union, is calling on companies to safeguard workers' jobs.

Aalto believes that Rautaruukki workers have done their jobs in difficult circumstances and shouldn't be blamed for the company's problems. He thinks they should be protected from job shedding.

The merger between companies will bring an end to the long period of uncertainty faced by workers. This is a positive outcome according to Aalto.

The fusion will also ensure the continuity of the Finnish steel industry and preserve jobs in the sector.

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At Rautaruukki, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We strive to exceed customer expectations by offering a unique customer experience.

We understand that real estate investors value our optimized product offering, support, and calculations on life-cycle cost when using our products. This is a game-changer for them.

For construction and installation companies, we aim to be a reliable supplier, creating confidence and on-site efficiency that leads to project success. Service, trust, and accuracy are highly valued by them.

We're not just a supplier, but an innovative and long-term partner that constantly develops knowhow and digitalization in our business to make customers' daily work easier and more efficient.