The first half of 2025 has been highly active for Jaakkoo-Taara. CEO Thomas Brusila says that despite the general economic outlook, the momentum from the end of last year has carried into this year.
– We’ve budgeted for growth this year, and the start of the year has been on an upward trajectory. In addition to our revenue targets, we aim for steady production throughout the year. We’re striving to manage our production capacity even better. While part of this is within our control, it also depends on the market, Brusila explains regarding this year’s goals.
Investments continue this year
Jaakkoo-Taara is working to increase production capacity, for example by introducing night shifts. Training employees for these new shifts takes time, but it’s worthwhile, as the company is planning further investments and growth for this year.
– Everything we do aims at more stable and efficient operations, without compromising on quality and sustainable development, Brusila summarizes.
To support efficiency improvements, the company has been using a Lean development project launched last fall, which has brought new perspectives to enhancing practical productivity. The ISO 45001 audit taking place this spring is an important step for Jaakkoo-Taara.
After summer, it’s time to focus on investments.
We are increasing capacity in end-stage automation for enclosures and planning investments in digital production. This year’s investments already reflect next year’s projects, and we’ve had a rapid investment pace, says Brusila.
Responsibility and environmental values play a key role
This year, Jaakkoo-Taara has participated in events such as Bayer’s Earth Day, focusing on the environmental impact of packaging materials. The company has also committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTI), which is founded by international environmental and sustainability organizations.
– Following the SBTI program, we’ve set company-specific goals. For Scope 1 and 2 emissions, we are committed to reaching zero emissions by 2028 and full carbon neutrality by 2050. We are progressing steadily toward this target, Brusila explains.
The EU regulation on deforestation, originally set to take effect at the beginning of the year, has been postponed until the end of 2025. Jaakkoo-Taara has held discussions with the forest industry regarding its supply chains in response.
– We are in close dialogue with our customers. We will fully meet our responsibilities once we receive detailed operational instructions from the EU. This will require action from everyone — ourselves and our suppliers, Brusila concludes.