The 45th anniversary of Europress provides a good opportunity to look back at the early days, to a time when the Finnish manufacturer of waste management equipment began to grow into the leading manufacturer of smart waste solutions in Northern Europe – all thanks to our great partners, skilled and committed employees, an open-minded attitude, and a strong and reliable product. From the outset, product development has been at the forefront for Europress, both in Finland and overseas.

Marko Aaltio and Matti Turunen on their way to the Entsorga waste management trade fair in Cologne, Germany. Marko is holding in his hand a Mobira, the smart device of the 1990s!

INTERNATIONAL JOURNEY BEGAN WITH OUR NEIGHBORS

The importance of internationalization was recognized within Europress at a very early stage. The company’s international journey was undertaken systematically by signing agreements with representatives among our western neighbors, first in Sweden and then in Norway already in the early 1990s. The growth of Europress beyond Finland has been made possible by the company’s international business expertise, networks, language skills and familiarity with cultures, not forgetting continuous product development.

Business Development Director Marko Aaltio stresses the importance of a competent team when discussing the international growth of Europress. After joining the Europress sales team in Finland in 1991, he soon took over responsibility for developing the company’s exports. In 1992, Europress signed an agreement with a sales representative in Denmark. This was followed by further sales agreements in Norway.

Three years later, Europress opened its own office in Stockholm, and when the company’s first subsidiary was established there in 1996, Aaltio moved to Sweden for the next five years. The company’s success in exporting its waste management equipment to Sweden led to the establishment of a new subsidiary in Norway. Our current Executive Vice President, Andreas Lemström, previously served as Country Manager for Norway from 2015 to 2018 and before then as International Service Manager.

INTO EUROPE VIA THE EAST
When IKEA expanded into Russia in 1999, bringing with it Europress waste compactors, it was time to find representatives in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

“At the time, our Europress products may well have been the first waste compactors to be seen in Russia,” says Marko Aaltio. In other words, Europress was a forerunner in the true sense of the word.

The company’s internationalization continued in the 2010s, when representation agreements were signed in England, Switzerland, Germany and Australia. Over the past three years, Europress has also set up subsidiaries in Poland and in the Benelux market. Today, Europress operates in seven markets in Europe through our own national subsidiaries, in addition to which Europress products are marketed in ten countries through representatives.

Marko Aaltio, Andreas Lemström and Tommi Rautiainen work closely with our subsidiaries and representatives.

SMART EXPORTS
“The support and expertise of the entire Europress team has been vital to our international growth,” says Marko Aaltio.

A good product, of course, is also required, but even reliable, first-class products do not sell themselves. People are always needed. In addition to language skills, familiarity with a country’s customs and culture helps build trust and broadens one’s own thinking at the same time. During his years as Country Manager for Sweden, Marko Aaltio became acquainted with Swedish culture and language through music, for example.

As a forerunner in the field of environmental technology, Europress will no doubt be looking to enter new countries in the future – as always in a smart and expert way!