Finland, Jokioinen

Suomen Sokeri Oy
Jokioisten tehdas
PL 23
FIN-31601
Jokioinen

Phone: +358 10 431 010
E-mail:sugarinfo@danisco.com

Contact

Juha Kinos, Factory Manager    
Juho Hirsimäki, Technical Manager

The site

At the Jokioinen facility we produce isoglucose and glucose syrups refined from barley, which is supplied by local farmers in the surrounding area. Jokioinen produces all the Finnish quota isoglucose and supplies the Nordic markets with glucose syrups. An important co-product of barley refining is a ß-amylase enzyme, which is extracted and processed from barley using a patented process and another co-product is Barley Protein Feed.

Isoglucose and protein feed are mostly sold to our domestic markets while the ß-amylase enzyme is exported to more that 40 countries.

The site produces annually (approximately):

• 15,000 tonnes (dry solid) of isoglucose
• 50 000 tonnes of Barley Protein Feed

The site employs around 51 people but the workforce is expanded during the summer to 60 people. Most of the employees work in production, e.g. as process operators, in three shifts throughout the year. Our laboratory also works in three shifts and three people work in administration.
Further reading about the Sugar division.

History

The Jokioinen factory was founded in 1898 by the local lord of the manor and was the first facility for refining glucose syrup in Finland. The facility was built to refine the potatoes grown at the manor into glucose syrup for industrial use (confectionary) and produce feed for the farm's own cows. Also, imported maize was used as a raw material.

Due to changes in agricultural policy over the century, barley was chosen as the raw material in 1980. At the same time intensive research resulted in the first patent and a pilot-scale production of barley ß-amylase. Since then, the ß-amylase production has been expanded several times.

Local community & environment

Jokioinen is a small village located in the province of Kanta-Häme approximately 120 km north-west of Helsinki where you also find our international airport. The municipality has 5,500 inhabitants. Danisco is the second-largest industrial employer in Jokioinen and is located next to the state-owned research centre MTT Agrifood Research Finland about 1 km from the centre of Jokioinen. We are committed to maintaining good relations with the local community and other local stakeholders.

We are in continuous dialogue with local stakeholders with regard to issues of common concern. This includes communicating with the local politicians and committees on environmental and technical matters. It also involves interaction with the local residents.

If you are interested in visiting the Jokioinen facility and studying our production process please send a request via e-mail or give us a call.

Jokioinen offers

Child care and education
The community offers child-care facilities like nurseries and kindergartens. Jokioinen has several primary schools. High schools and other schools of education are offered in co-operation with neighbouring municipalities and are mainly located in the nearby town of Forssa, about 15 km from Jokioinen. For a complete guide of services please refer to the link below (in Finnish only).

Leisure and culture
The municipality of Jokioinen is a small and beautiful community in the main agricultural area of Finland. Jokioinen offers e.g. a museum railway with tapered rail and steam locomotive and a castle from 1793, including a historical area with several service buildings, which are now used as MTT Agrifood Research's administrative buildings.

The beautiful 17th century wooden church should also be mentioned. You find more museums in Forssa near Jokioinen.

Find your way

Links

Factory web site
MTT Argifood research
Forssa municipality
Forssa city
Public transport facilities to and from Jokioinen (in Finnish).