Olmar Pori Oy, a logistics company that has been part of the core group of the Pori Offshore Wind Hub since it began, is responsible for logistics in the port areas in Pori. The company operates in warehousing, stevedoring, cargo handling and crane services in both Mäntyluoto and Tahkoluoto. Olmar has several dozen warehouses in the Port of Pori area and one of the most efficient crane fleets in Finland.
Dutch-owned Olmar came to Pori in 2022 after acquiring Hacklin’s logistics operations in Pori and crane business in the Port of Pori. At the heart of our operations are skilled employees, many of whom have decades of experience. Olmar’s Commercial Director Juhana Köykkä joined Hacklin at the beginning of the millennium.
“Our strengths are our skilled personnel and modern equipment. We have already cooperated with Suomen Hyötytuuli with regard to onshore wind turbines, and our personnel have also visited European offshore wind farms to study logistics solutions specifically for the smooth handling of offshore wind turbine components,” says Köykkä.
“We are used to handling very heavy items, lifting them from ships, assembling and storing them. For decades, we have been handling machines and equipment for the heavy engineering industry in Pori,” says Tuomas Tuomela, Managing Director of Olmar Finland Oy.
Strong belief in Pori’s potential
The strong industrial tradition of the Pori region was a key factor behind Olmar’s investment decision. The international operator has believed in the region’s future growth opportunities.
“Satakunta has strong expertise in metal refining and green energy projects. In terms of offshore wind power, Pori was already home to the world’s first offshore wind farm that operates in frozen sea conditions. The wind farm is operated by Suomen Hyötytuuli. At that time, there was already a vision for the future, and this has certainly contributed to Olmar’s willingness to invest. The City of Pori was also closely involved in the negotiations, and they have a good dialogue with the owners of Olmar,” says Köykkä.
Olmar is owned by the Dutch pension fund company PGGM, which manages investments in Europe, the United States and Australia, among other regions.
In Finland, Olmar has port logistics operations not only in Pori but also in the ports of Hamina and Kotka. The company employs approximately one hundred people in Pori.
Concentrating offshore wind operations is sensible
According to Tuomela, Olmar is at the forefront of heavy crane operations in Finland. However, the largest components of offshore wind turbines are so large that more extensive operations require investments in even larger cranes.
“The port areas and quays can be utilized for all business, but multi-million euro crane investments are made easier by a longer-term outlook on the future development of offshore wind power. This also helps to keep the domestic nature of projects high,” Tuomela continues.
The launch of offshore wind power investments would also be facilitated, for example, by the state’s clearer vision for the development of the sector’s infrastructure.
“Since the investments needed in port infrastructure are large, it is quite clear that there cannot be so many ports in Finland focused on the construction of offshore wind turbines. Therefore, all possible efforts should be directed where there is already existing capacity and expertise. This would allow us to remain ahead of the curve and better expand the offshore wind hub’s operations to Sweden, for example,” says Köykkä.
Olmar has been actively involved in the operations of the Pori Offshore Wind Hub since it began.
“We want to be active and thereby contribute to moving things forward. We want to be involved in developing exports and imports in Satakunta so that the region thrives,” says Tuomela.