Ruukki Construction, part of SSAB, is today celebrating the opening of the new roof profile production line in Vimpeli, Finland. The production line for Ruukki Classic®, Ruukki Classic® LowCarbon and Ruukki® Trendic profiles is the largest single machine investment in the project announced in December 2021. The improvements will result in new, better and more sustainable roofing products more efficiently for Ruukki's installation partners as well as for house builders and renovators. In Scandinavia, the residential roofing range is marketed under the Plannja brand.

Recent years have seen Ruukki invest a total of EUR 8 million in the Vimpeli plant as part of its multi-year investment program. In Vimpeli, the company has further improved product properties, streamlined material flows, increased production capacity and the degree of automation, upgraded production lines and improved social and civil defence shelter facilities at the plant. New equipment investments and layout changes will also improve the safety of processes and the whole plant.

"Our multi-year investment program is nearing completion. We can be proud of the long-term work we are doing to accelerate the green transition in construction by developing both our operations and our product portfolio. Sustainability is a choice. Together with our customers, we can reduce construction industry emissions - one roof at a time," says Sami Eronen, President, Ruukki Construction.

The almost 100-meter profiling line completed in Vimpeli is one of the most advanced in the world and will double production capacity of the plant’s snap lock roofing. Customers will receive both new and upgraded products more efficiently and there will be less waste. Product sustainability will also increase as a result of energy efficiency improvements at the plant. These include switching to fossil-free electricity and using recycled packaging materials as part of production.

"We are now ready to serve our customers even better. The new, more automated production line will increase the plant's efficiency, which will be reflected in delivery speed and reliability all the way to the customer. In addition, it enables new, lower-emission products," says Jorma Korhonen, Business Director, Roofing Finland at Ruukki Construction.

In addition to the technically and visually premium Ruukki Classic and low-emission Ruukki Classic LowCarbon standing seam roofing, the production line will also produce new types of Ruukki Trendic roofing with a more affordable coating. The maximum length of the profiles manufactured will increase to up to 14 meters. In addition, new features have been introduced to make product installation easier and improve the appearance.

In standing seam roofing, the structure of the fastening strip has been improved to make the profile move more smoothly, especially on wooden battens, and to better control the thermal expansion properties of the profile. A new microprofiled version of the roofing will be launched. This new product will also help to curb the deformation caused by thermal expansion. Improvements made to both the seam structure and eave bending, on the other hand, will make it easier to install the profile, especially in renovation projects where the eaves may not always be straight. Ruukki Classic is the only standing seam roofing on the Finnish market that has a Eurofins certificate for the waterproofness of the seam. Ruukki Classic’s seam structure has been proven to be one hundred percent watertight up to a roof pitch of 1:9. It is therefore the only snap lock roofing on the market that can be successfully installed on low pitched roofs.

For more information: 
Jorma Korhonen, Business Director, Roofing Finland, Ruukki Construction, jorma.korhonen@ruukki.com