In February 2025, Kaptas Oy began change negotiations at its Liperi business unit, which concerned the possible closure of the Liperi unit. The Liperi unit has been responsible for automation projects, particularly for Finnish companies in the technology industry.
Outcome of the change negotiations: Liperi unit to be closed
The change negotiations have now been concluded, and it has been decided that the Liperi unit will be closed by the end of 2025. Operations at the unit will be gradually wound down as ongoing projects are completed. All current customer projects at the Liperi unit will be finalized according to the agreed schedules.
In recent years, the Liperi unit has employed around 20 automation professionals. About half of the personnel have voluntarily resigned during the negotiation period, and some of the remaining employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to the Turku business unit. If some choose to relocate to Turku, the final number of redundancies in Liperi is currently estimated to remain below 10.
Downturn in the technology sector behind the closure
The decision to close the Liperi unit is driven by the downturn in the Finnish technology sector, which has reduced investment activity and, in turn, demand for automation projects. This has resulted in fewer orders and a long-term decline in the unit’s profitability.
The prolonged weak performance of the Liperi unit has created a need to safeguard the sustainability of Kaptas’s operations both financially and operationally. As a result, we are consolidating all business activities to our Turku unit moving forward.
Operations in Turku will continue as normal
Our Turku unit will continue operating as usual. It currently employs around 20 automation professionals and has performed well despite challenging economic times. With over 30 years of experience in demanding automation implementations – particularly in cleanroom automation for the pharmaceutical industry – the unit has remained a top player in the automation field. This expertise continues to be in demand despite the recent difficulties in the technology sector.
Kaptas services will continue uninterrupted
The closure of the Liperi unit will not impact the services we provide or our customer support. Kaptas will continue to offer automation design, machine building, and after-sales services both domestically and internationally.
However, the reallocation of our resources may temporarily limit our capacity to accept new orders. Our goal is to significantly grow the Turku unit in the coming years, invest in developing its services, and recruit additional automation professionals in the future.
Our commitment to our customers remains strong
Consolidating our business into a single unit will help us adapt to the changing market landscape. The goal of the change negotiations has been to ensure that we can continue to provide high-quality automation expertise and develop our operations in a financially sustainable way.
We are grateful for your continued trust in our expertise and are committed to ensuring that our collaboration proceeds smoothly despite the changes.
We will personally contact all customers with ongoing projects at the Liperi unit to discuss how these projects will be completed.
Contact and inquiries:
Markku Noroaho, CEO, Kaptas Oy
+358 400 330 620
markku.noroaho@kaptas.fi