Fintos, a Vaasa-based company specialising in hydraulics, pneumatics and liquid cooling solutions, is evolving into a small company by boldly drawing on external expertise and projects. The stage of the life cycle and the need for change determine the additional expertise to be acquired. After a fixed-term CEO, the 15-year-old family business is ready for the next phase, which includes a new CEO and chairman of the board, and its first external board member.
In 2020, Fintos’ Board of Directors hired Lasse Hyny as CEO on a fixed-term contract. The project-based collaboration was decided upon because Hyny had a solution to improve profitability by streamlining processes and procedures. The transformation project, implemented in line with the Murros concept, was completed and the two-year term as CEO ended at the end of 2022.
At the beginning of January 2023, Tuuli Prinkkilä, co-owner and former Chairman of the Board, was appointed as the new CEO. Ms Prinkkilä, who has been with the company since 2009, is well qualified for the role, having held a long and varied career in operational and board positions.
During his tenure as CEO of Hyny, Prinkkilä served as Chairman of the Board and as a close advisor to the CEO and the steering group. Prinkkilä’s growth into the CEO role started in practice already after years of following the work of the first CEO, Markku Halkola, the founder of Fintos Oy and his father. Prinkkilä will soon graduate with a degree in International Trade and has also completed the Specialist Qualification in Business Management in 2017 and the Chamber of Commerce’s Approved Board Member exams.
“I have a humble enthusiasm for the CEO position.Lasse Hyny gave us good foundations and we see the direction of Fintos as bright.Our operations are stable and we have all the prerequisites for profitable growth in the future. Fintos turns 15 this year, so it’s a good time to turn a new page,” says CEO Prinkkilä.
Around the turn of the year, Fintos also made two new additions to its organisation.
Around the turn of the year, Fintos also added two new members to its organisation: in December 2022, Roope Ranta started as a service technician, and Ida Prinkkilä, who had previously worked as a summer employee, was appointed as a logistics assistant on 1 January 2023.
The year 2023 brought changes to Fintos’ Board of Directors: in January 2023, Ville Halmesmäki, who, like Prinkkilä, is a long-term co-owner and employee of the company, took over as the new Chairman. Mr Halmesmäki will work as a technical manager, with his main responsibilities being the development of technological solutions, projects and partnerships. He also has a long experience in Fintos’ board work and a recent Qualified Board Member degree.
“We continue to build on the strong start of Fintos’ Board work. The first task is to clarify the strategy to all employees of the company. One of the dreams would be to create a network of board chairmen for companies in the region,” says Halmesmäki.
At the beginning of 2023, Fintos’ owners also invited the first external member, Riikka Autio, an entrepreneur from the Viuleva Group Oy, a marketing agency in Vaasa, to join the board. Autio brings to the board expertise in strategy, marketing, communications and internationalisation, combined with an understanding of business and processes and industry knowledge. Autio’s extensive networks will also be an asset. Prinkkilä and Autio are members of the Board of Vaasa Entrepreneurs.
“Based on the introductory period, the cooperation seemed meaningful for both parties. Riikka Autio has strong expertise and a proven track record in strategic marketing and communications, which are among Fintos’ areas of development,” says Halmesmäki.
In addition to Halmesmäki, Prinkkilä and Autio, Fintos’ Board members are Markku Halkola and Marjo-Riitta Mäki-Halkola.
For more information, please contact:
Tuuli Prinkkilä, CEO, Fintos Oy, tuuli.prinkkila@fintos.fi, +358 40 482 4994
Ville Halmesmäki, Chairman of the Board, Fintos Oy, ville.halmesmaki@fintos.fi, +358 40 482 4097
Riikka Autio, Member of the Board, Fintos Oy; CEO, Viuleva Group Oy, riikka.autio@viuleva.fi, +358 50 573 2468
Fintos Oy is a family-owned company founded in 2008 in Vaasa, Finland, that develops innovative hydraulic and pneumatic systems and liquid cooling applications for the manufacturing industry. Services range from design to assembly, testing and maintenance. In fiscal year 2022, the company had a turnover of 2 million euros and six employees.