The past year was labeled by many successful arrangements such as, streamlining of operations, significant investments in the development of production at different plants, and at the end of the year business acquisition of a paint shop to strengthen our company’s supply chain.
Last spring Darekon increased the amount of time staff spent working from home as much as possible. All business travel was reduced to a minimum to ensure the health of our staff. The operations of all manufacturing facilities have continued uninterrupted throughout the year.
Stable organic growth continues
Net sales in 2020 were EUR 53.7 million, an increase of almost six per cent (2019 EUR 51.1 million). Operating profit increased slightly from the previous year and was EUR 3.5 million, or 6.5 per cent. The number of employees at the end of the year was 316, which is one more than the year before. The Darekon Group’s equity ratio was 54.9 per cent.
Last year’s most significant investment was a new and state-of-the-art SMT placement line acquired for the Haapavesi plant in the spring, which almost doubled Haapavesi’s SMT capacity. The investment also included a new solder paste printing machine, a 3D AOI inspection system and a selective soldering machine.
The investment was driven by a strong increase in demand for medical devices in the spring, and the investment was completed on an exceptionally fast schedule.
A new varnishing line was acquired for the Savonlinna plant, which more than doubled the circuit board varnishing capacity and brought new flexibility to the plant’s operations, where many of the manufactured products are meant for particularly demanding conditions.
After years of planning, the investment that most significantly affected the operations of the entire Darekon Group was the introduction of a new ERP, or enterprise resource planning system, at the beginning of last October. The carefully prepared commissioning went ahead without major problems. The new system is a major step forwards, streamlining and helping to develop the company’s operations at all levels.
The paint shop expands Klaukkala’s operations
In recent years, the Klaukkala manufacturing facility has put more focus into automated manufacturing of enclosures and equipment cabinets, by investing in, for example, the manufacturing of seals, welding and grinding using robots. Enclosures and cabinets are central to Darekon’s strategy to provide customers with a complete turnkey delivery from PCB manufacturing to final assembly and logistics.
At the end of December, Darekon entered into an agreement to acquire Ideapaint Oy’s Klaukkala paint shop business. The business includes equipment, the transfer of personnel to Darekon’s service as former employees, and 600 square metres of paint shop space on the same property where Darekon already operates. Darekon has previously been a major customer of the unit. The new surface treatment unit complements and enhances Darekon’s competitiveness in enclosure and cabinet manufacturing.
The surface treatment unit can provide powder coating, liquid painting as well as pre-treatment of components to be painted by abrasive blasting. The completed transaction creates new opportunities for the development and expansion of Klaukkala’s paint shop operations together with Darekon’s current and future customers.