Finland, Kantvik (sugar)

Finnsugar Ltd. / Suomen Sokeri Oy
Sokeritehtaantie 20
FIN-02460
Kantvik

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

Contact

Päivi Paakkarinen, Factory Manager

The site

Porkkala is the Head Office of Finnsugar and one of Danisco Sugar’s two speciality sugar facilities and the sole stand-alone cane sugar refinery. Production runs all year round.

The site produces annually (approximately):

• 193,000 tonnes of sugar products (2006) of which
   - 64,000 tonnes of liquid sugars 
   - 13,000 tonnes of syrup
   - 6,400 tonnes of cube sugar
   - 6,400 tonnes of speciality products 
   - 101,000 tonnes of granulated sugar 
   - 2,200 tonnes of molasses

The daily refining capacity is around 650 tonnes of raw sugar. The sugar products are refined primarily from beet raw sugar and industrial grade white beet sugar supplied by Salo/Säkylä. On top of that, about 60,000 tonnes of imported raw cane sugar is used.

In Porkkala we produce sugar for many purposes. Some is used in the confectionary industry and in the food industry for making jams and marmalades, preserves, bread, cakes and soft drinks and some is used in the many speciality sugar products familiar to you from the shops under the Dansukker® brand, such as cube sugar, icing sugar, dry fondants, nibs and coloured nibs, jam sugar, gelling sugar, cinnamon sugars and fillings, a wide selection of syrups as well as cube sugar produced from cane sugar.

We manufacture tailor-made sugar products and sugar solutions for our industrial customers. These products are developed in close collaboration with the customer. The finished sugar solution enables the customers to streamline their process and implement savings. Bulk sugar and sugar solutions are shipped out daily by truck to customers all over Finland. The customer’s requirements make up the basis for the quality standard of our products. In order to ensure the correct quality of our products, we have a quality control department in which approximately 100,000 analyses are carried out annually.

The site employs around 200 people (2004). The majority of our employees work in the production e.g. as machine operators, process operators, service engineers (within electrical maintenance or automation) and in the laboratory. Approximately 25 employees work in the administration. Further reading about the Sugar division.

History

The Porkkala site was built in 1963-1965. The refinery activities were moved from the Töölö refinery in Helsinki to Porkkala and production started in 1965. The company was looking for a new site for the refinery as the area in Helsinki became to tight and Porkkala offered a good solution with its deep see harbour for big raw sugar ships. After the Second World War the Porkkala area was let to the Soviet Union until 1994 but was released from this treaty in 1956. Thus, there was only little industry in the Porkkala area and the refinery was one of the first to establish industrial activities here.

Local community & environment

The Porkkala refinery is situated in the municipality of Kirkkonummi 30 km west of Helsinki, Finland's capital. Kirkkonummi has around 30,000 inhabitants and is growing fast.

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 includes interaction with the local residents, for example by inviting the nearby villages to visit and experience the site from the inside, which we do regularly.

Being a major sugar producing facility there is widespread interest in visiting us and studying our process. During one year we have approximately 120 visitors coming from a range of areas e.g. schools, universities, industry and politicians. If you are interested in visiting Suomen Sokeri Oy Porkkala Sugar Refinery please send a request via e-mail or give us a call.

Kirkkonummi offers
Child care and education
The town offers several kindergartens as well as child care in private homes. Opening hours are from 06.30 am to 5.30 pm. Kirkkonummi has primary and secondary schools as well as high schools for both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking pupils. The town also has vocational schools.
 
Leisure and culture
The town provides sports arenas and halls supporting different kinds of sports such as swimming, ice hockey and football. Fishing and riding are also popular sports in Kirkkonummi. Kirkkonummi offers several cultural activities. There are many museums in the town and the region.

Location
Kirkkonummi is located 30 km west of Helsinki, Finland's capital. The Porkkala refinery is situated 10 min. away from the centre of Kirkkonummi. Kirkkonummi offers good road and railroad connections for goods and commuting people.

Find your way

Links

Kirkkonummi municipality