The story of Consolis Parma in Vihti began in 1992, when the precast concrete businesses of Lohja and Partek were merged. Partek Betonila was born, with its headquarters located in Hiidenmäki in Nummela. After acquisitions in the 1990s, the company's name was changed to Parma Betonila and later to Parma. Today the company, which specialises in residential, commercial and infrastructure construction, is part of the international Consolis Group and is the largest manufacturer of precast concrete elements in Finland. The company operates in 13 locations and employs more than 650 people.
According to Hannu Tuukkala, CEO of Parma, the years have proven Vihti a good place for the company. The municipality's location has been excellent for stone builders, as Vihti is close to both raw materials and the markets. Concrete elements weigh a lot and it is not cost-effective to transport them very far.
Hannu Tuukkala and Petri Kähkönen, Marketing Manager at Parma, thank Vihti municipality for always engaging in active dialogue. They say the municipality is interested in how companies are doing. Regular contact is being kept, and there are meetings with the municipality once or twice a year. "At national level, environmental licensing in Vihti has also been practical and convenient," Tuukkala adds.
Hannu Tuukkala also praises the municipality for its understanding of the concrete industry. "During the summer, the Hiidenmäentie road leading to the Nummela factory had received new asphalt. It may sound like a small thing, but when you are transporting heavy loads, the condition of the road is of great importance.
Nature and the rhythm of life attract people to Vihti
Labour supply has always worked well in Vihti. In recent years, the Parma factory has employed 60-80 people. There are about fifty employees working in management, finance, planning and sales. Most of the employees live within cycling distance of the Parma factory, and the company has introduced benefit bikes. On the other hand, in office work, the distance to work is not as important as it used to be. For Parma at least, the hybrid model of working part-time in the office and part-time remotely is here to stay.
Hannu Tuukkala and Petri Kähkönen speculate that the One-Hour Turku Rail Link between Helsinki and Turku, when completed, will further enhance the value of Vihti. At the moment, the attraction of the municipality is based on its nature and a more relaxed pace of life than in the capital. People are looking for a counterbalance to hectic working life. With young families and a committed workforce settling in the municipality, businesses will also become more stable and will be able to develop their activities in the municipality in the long term.
