Ab Solving Oy’s Dick Edström: “Thanks to the collaboration, we can undertake larger projects”

Ab Solving Oy is a family-owned company founded in 1977 in Pietarsaari, Finland, specializing in manufacturing heavy load handling systems. The company’s products include automated guided vehicles, air film movers, forklifts, and other transfer systems. Solving’s products are used in various industries such as paper, automotive, aerospace, metal, and rail, and are distributed to over 60 countries worldwide.

Escarmat supplies automation cabinets and wired base plates to Solving. The collaboration between the two companies began in 2022 when Solving was searching for a reliable partner for cabinet manufacturing.

– We wanted a partner with expertise and experience. From our very first conversation, I realized that we understood each other in technical matters. Escarmat understands our criteria and quality requirements, says Dick Edström, Production Manager at Solving.

Staying on schedule despite component shortages

Solving has experienced rapid growth in recent years, leading to increased quantities of products for their projects. Solving requires a partner for cabinet manufacturing due to the company’s limited capacity to handle all the work internally.

In the first project, Escarmat manufactured automation cabinets for 31 automated forklifts, which were delivered to a customer in Germany. The project was executed using components ordered by Solving. However, the project faced challenges due to component shortages.

– We reached an understanding with Escarmat on how to stay on schedule despite the component shortages. Escarmat provided excellent service, and they always responded to us promptly. The end result was exactly what we wanted, Edström adds.

The collaboration has continued beyond the German project.

– Now, Solving has the opportunity to undertake larger projects because we know we can purchase specific products from Escarmat. This partnership is a significant advantage for us, Edström states.

Continued collaboration and mutual understanding

In cabinet manufacturing, Edström emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing challenges promptly.

– Escarmat has met all our quality requirements. Handling uncertainties is also crucial, and Escarmat has managed that well. Post-production troubleshooting would be costly once the product is with the customer.

Edström also appreciates the proximity of Escarmat, located just over an hour’s drive from Solving in Pohjanmaa. When Escarmat manufactured the first cabinets for Solving, Solving’s experts visited Escarmat. This visit helped determine the necessary product specifications right away.

– The work must be done properly because safety is paramount in Solving’s transfer systems. Additionally, we want to maintain our good reputation among customers, Edström adds.

Solving’s future looks promising, with orders already booked until the summer of 2024. Edström believes that the collaboration with Escarmat is worth continuing.

– We speak the same technical language with Escarmat, Edström concludes.