Design and consulting firm Elomatic has been with Aisti almost from the very beginning of the project. The collaboration began with the concept design and cost estimate of the first phase, and expanded to EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) responsibility in 2024. This role covers not only design, but also procurement and coordination of the entire construction site.
Project manager Olli Schemeikan According to the company, the construction of the Aisti production plant, which began in April–May 2025 in the old factory hall in Kitee, has progressed well.
"The construction work has been well ahead of the installations, so it has not delayed the project. Kitee has done its part well in terms of the renovation of the property," Schemeikka states.
Technological leap requires continuous innovation
The biggest technical hurdle has been scaling the foam web process to a new industrial scale. During the project, Elomatic has supported Aisti's fiber expertise and process understanding by bringing in decades of experience in industrial design and demanding factory projects.
"When creating something new, you need to find the ability to develop and innovate solutions along the way. The ability to react to changing needs on the fly has been key when the processing of bio-based raw materials has been taken to industrial production," says Elomatic's CEO. Tom Lind.
Responsibility as a design guideline
Responsibility and circular economy have been emphasized in the design from the beginning. For example, the factory's water circulation has been designed to be as efficient as possible, and the amount of wastewater has been kept to a minimum. Energy efficiency is improved, for example, by a heat recovery unit in the drying process.
The decision to locate the factory in the existing Puhoshall was a sustainable choice in terms of carbon footprint, but it set strict limits for the design. In order to install the massive drying ovens, the hall's ceiling had to be raised by over four meters to accommodate the overhead crane.
“Building in a ready-made space means that the technology must be adapted to the given framework of the building. This has required close cooperation between the different parties to the project. The main equipment suppliers have developed their processes and technologies to adapt to the space requirements, and the developer has simultaneously modified the internal parts of the building to serve Aisti's production,” says Schemeikka.
National export value and local vitality
The Kitee project is a significant demonstration of Elomatic's ability to scale a completely new method into a functioning production facility. Lind also sees extensive export value in it, as Aisti's products are ideally suited to international markets.
"Designers appreciate challenges like this. It has been great to be able to work on a project with new technology that has not been used in this form before. Locally, it is also a hugely great thing that new industry is being brought to Eastern Finland," Lind emphasizes.
