The Board of Directors of Business Joensuu decided to establish Photonics Center Oy at the end of May. The company has now published its first appointed experts. Photonics business is one of the key strategic sectors in the Joensuu region. The sector is expected to bring strong growth which is accelerated by Photonics Center.

Simo Valling takes the role of Sales and Business Development Manager of Photonics Center. He will be responsible for the management and implementation of the sales, marketing and productisation of the company’s services and for their high-quality delivery to customers. He will also participate in the development of the photonics ecosystem in the Joensuu region.

The second expert, Joni Andersin, starts in the position of Photonics Center’s technical expert. He will be responsible for the development and production of hardware and infrastructure services for customers as well as for the maintenance of the hardware and training related to the services. He will also act as a versatile technical and service expert for customers.  Both Valling and Anders will start on 1 October.

Simo Valling brings in experience from the world of international growth business

Valling studied laser physics and graduated from the University of Helsinki in 2003. After postgraduate studies and a doctorate thesis, he worked at Gasmet Technologies in export, sales and product development tasks from 2006. In 2013, Valling switched gears to start on the IT sector and was one of the co-founders of Futusome Oy. Futusome, which at that point had 15 experts working in the company, was acquired by Mohawk Analytics in 2018.

Valling continued working with the company after the acquisition to help Futusome merge with Mohawk. At the beginning of the corona pandemic, he moved with his family from Espoo to Polvijärvi where he is originally from.

‘My wife worked remotely and I was on sabbatical,’ Valling says. ‘We noticed that we liked living there. When the vacancy at Photonics Center opened, it felt like it was made for me and it was perfect for my situation.

I know the photonics sector well through my education and work background. My years in growth business, on the other hand, helped me understand the questions the companies supported by Photonics Center were working with: the joy and challenges of growth, internationalisation goals and intensive business development. I am very excited to get to be a part of developing a sector with strong growth potential and even better, in a region that is close to my heart.’

Joni Anders expects to see future innovations in the present

After graduating in 2016 as a mechanical engineer from Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Andersin continued as a project engineer at the institution. He worked as the main operator of the Savonia laser machining station and, among other things, in the field of sales and marketing of laser equipment, multi-robot cell and 3D measurement services as well as research.

Andersin is currently studying a Master’s degree and expects to finish it by the end of the year. He says that he is looking forward to being able to promote the activities of companies in the sector with his work at the Photonics Center.

‘It is really interesting to get to know different companies and their projects more closely. I have a lot of experience in laser equipment through my education and work but it’s just a small sector in the field of photonics. At Savonia, I was able to explore many possible future technologies in the laser industry; through the Photonics Center, I think I will see future innovations in the wider spectrum of photonics!´

Photonics Center supports the growth of photonics business in the Joensuu region

Photonics Center is a centre of expertise and service in the photonics industry which makes key services available to photonics operators, such as shared devices and versatile facilities. Photonics Center will focus on equipment services such as a unique service in Finland that offers active alignment, assembly and testing of camera and LIDAR modules which enables experimental production.

‘Photonics Center is now switching into a new gear to produce an internationally unique service package. I’m glad we found such competent and motivated experts to work at Photonics Center. Simo’s international sales and service expertise, growth entrepreneurship experience and Joni’s technical skills will be put into good use to grow the photonics business in the Joensuu region,’ says Harri Palviainen, Chairman of Photonics Center Oy’s Board of Directors.

The premises of the Center will be introduced in phases. They are located on the Joensuu campus of the University of Eastern Finland, next to the Institute of Photonics. The premises are owned by Suomen Yliopistokiinteistöt Oy. Other partners and service providers of Photonics Center are the University of Eastern Finland, the Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Riveria.

Photonics Center Oy is the company responsible for marketing, selling and operating the centre and a wholly owned subsidiary of Business Joensuu.

 

Additional information:

Harri Palviainen, Chief Executive Officer, Business Joensuu Oy
, +358 500 967 744

Simo Valling, Sales and Business Development Manager, Photonics Center Oy
+358503818829

Joni Andersin, Technical Specialist, Photonics Center Oy
+358405170486