TT Gaskets CEO Aleksi and Chairman of the Board Matti Honored as Tampere Chamber of Commerce’s Business Persons of the Year 2024

January 27, 2025

“We are more than a gasket supplier – we are your strategic partner”

August 8, 2024

David Lindgren works as a Key Account Manager for TT Gaskets. He’s located in Munich, taking care of German speaking customers in Europe. The gasket market in Europe is extremely competitive, but David knows why TT Gaskets is a brilliant option for the clients.

David’s previous work experience consists of various purchasing roles in different global organizations. He’s career in automotive and heavy-duty industry, as well as oil and gas industry, led him to TT Gaskets. Strong understanding of customer needs and strategies on a global scale help him in his daily work.

“My job is to help our clients and potential clients. I take care of their needs from the very first phone call through daily business operations, expanding that business, and building strategic partnerships. At the moment I’m a “one-man-show” in Central Europe, but I have the full support of TT Gasket’s sales, management and production teams in Finland”, says David Lindgren.

Why to source gaskets from Finland?

When a customer needs gaskets in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, the help is near. David counts that there are at least a handful of potential suppliers within a 50-kilometer range of any production line. How can TT Gaskets compete with that?

“We are more than your supplier. We’re a partner. There are a lot of suppliers in Europe but not that many strategic partners. We are there for the client the complete lifetime of the gasket, from engineering, prototyping, zero-production to production and spare parts”, promises David.

After less than two years of working for TT Gaskets, David already has numerous success stories in selling gaskets. Business in German speaking Europe is growing, a lot of projects are in progress, and new ones in the horizon. He’s learning the market and working closely with the team in Finland.

“I couldn’t do anything without the team in Tampere. They support my role and understand what customers require and what they want from the partnership. But expanding business in German speaking Europe also teaches new insights to the team in Finland. Whether it’s co-engineering or co-designing or help with their applications need, TT Gaskets can help. We know the gaskets.”

Sustainable future is built now

Just like in Finland, Germany is big on green values, circular economy and sustainability. David sees sustainability as a unique selling proposition for TT Gaskets as a supplier.

“Sustainability will only grow in the future. At some point, clients won’t source from suppliers that aren’t sustainable. TT Gaskets is one step ahead. We’ll be CO2 neutral in 2024, which is a huge advantage and an additional benefit to our clients and their purchasing organizations. It’s great to work for a company, that constantly invests in the future.”

David thinks that TT Gaskets is a great as an employer too. According to him, TT Gaskets is like big family where the owners take care of everybody. He’s job takes him on the road to see clients and of course visiting the headquarters in Finland.

“It’s our team, the flexibility and freedom in the job that I enjoy. We have an opportunity to innovate something great together. I’m excited to be a part of building the future for TT Gaskets in German speaking Europe. Of course there are challenges, but that’s what we do, manage and overcome challenges, David says.”

How to improve work-life balance

David’s job is never done. There’s always something left in the evening for the next morning. To balance it all out, he enjoys nature, skiing, hiking, and cycling among other things. When he’s staying at a hotel, he always takes he’s sport equipment with him.

“I’m here to support every aspect of the relationship between TT Gaskets and our clients. To keep my work-life in balance, I take the time for my hobbies. I can go to the gym at a hotel or go for a run. If you do sports, you need recover time. The same goes for work. I believe if you only concentrate on work 24/7, you won’t be successful. It’s about keeping your balance.”

Milestones from 2023 provide a platform for future growth – Our focus is on exports and sustainability

March 5, 2024

TT Gaskets’ recent development work and new ventures gained recognition and provided insight into the international demand for our products and services.

Golden Gavel competition highlighted TT Gaskets’ great board work

Independent board members are vital in developing a family business. Participating in the Finnish Golden Gavel competition gave us a chance to reflect on our learnings from recent years and compare our board status with the top boards of today’s SME companies.

TT Gaskets’ executive team members have a pronounced focus within our board work.  Executives participate in every meeting, providing insight into our future through the lens of their own position.

– Our board and executive team function as sparring partners for each other. Our goals regarding board work are to continue to enable advisor roles for board members. We’ll also be increasing board work diversity which will create added value for our executive team, CEO Aleksi Arpiainen sums up.

Pirkanmaa Exports Award is a recognition for our dauntless export expansion

The award jury described TT Gaskets as an international growth company with intrepid intentions to increase the share of exports within our turnover. The jury gave special thanks for emphasizing exports in our strategy. We are targeting Scandinavia, German-speaking Europe and North America in our coming export efforts.

–  Customer orientation and proximity are crucial in exports, and in this regard, we are preparing to take entirely new steps. We have already started a model in Sweden where we are easily accessible to our customers, and we intend to replicate the same pattern in new areas. Larger launches are coming soon, Business Director Petri Lehtinen promises.

Collaboration with top university opens up new avenues for exports

The United States has become our fastest-growing market area in the 2020s. Conquering this highly competitive market requires a profound understanding, which is why we have conducted thorough market research in collaboration with UCLA, one of the top universities in the US.

– We have gained a clear understanding of who our potential customers are, what are our most viable geographical locations, and who the right stakeholders are for us. We need to approach the market “boots on the ground.” Increasing our customer base requires having several local agents on the continent.

EcoVadis assessment yielded top results for TT Gaskets

Ranking among the top seven percent in the international EcoVadis sustainability assessment proved that our long-term investments in sustainability are paying off. Sustainability and responsibility permeate our operations on environmental, social, and governance levels. Sustainable choices strengthen our competitiveness.

Corporate responsibility is not just empty rhetoric for us but significant actions towards a brighter future. Our goal is to achieve full carbon neutrality by 2027. Sustainability is also emphasized in our international growth strategy.

– We aspire to be sustainability pioneers and advocates within certain markets where issues related to responsibility are not yet at the forefront. We want to promote best practices and spread the message for a good cause on our own scale, says Quality, Lean and IT Director Matti Järvinen.

Micaseal Suniflex is our first proprietary gasket material

TT Gaskets’ first private label gasket material Micaseal Suniflex has gotten a great reception among our customers. Suniflex has proved to be a successful material, and gaskets made from it perform very well even in demanding conditions.

– Suniflex is designed to withstand extremely hot temperatures of nearly 1000 degrees centigrade, and it performs reliably in different chemical environments. Experiences of its appliances have been highly positive. The mica-based material’s name is a tribute to late Key Account Director Jukka Sunila, Petri Lehtinen says.

The year 2023 was significant for us in many ways. We achieved significant milestones and recognitions that reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and responsibility. Considering these achievements, our focus is already on the future and new ventures. This is a good starting point for moving forward!

TT Gaskets explores US market opportunities together with UCLA

October 3, 2023

Exports play an increasingly crucial role in TT Gaskets’ business, and the United States has become the fastest-growing market for the traditional gasket manufacturer in recent years. Positive experiences and insights gained from the Scandinavian and German-speaking European markets have reinforced the notion that there is a broad international demand for the company’s products, innovations, and service model.

”The United States is a natural extension of this development, but operating there effectively requires a profound understanding. This is why we have decided to conduct a thorough market study before making significant investments,” TT Gaskets’ Business Development Director Petri Lehtinen says.

TT Gaskets applied for the University of California, Los Angeles’s (UCLA) Global Access Program in late 2022. The collaboration initiated this summer is currently investigating possibilities for the innovative gasket company within the challenging North American market.

Close collaboration on two continents

The project’s guidelines and objectives have been refined in close collaboration through meetings on both sides of the Atlantic, with the most recent visit being the UCLA team traveling to Tampere in late September.

“The study started immediately after July’s kick-off meeting in California. UCLA’s five-member team is currently conducting customer, supplier, and expert interviews in the United States, which will form the basis for our export development plan by the end of the year,” Lehtinen says.

TT Gaskets is seeking export growth from within the company’s traditional customer sectors. The rapidly accelerating energy revolution is also creating new opportunities for the innovative Finnish sealing company.

“We hope that this market study will generate approaches that help us gain an even stronger foothold in the United States. If and when effective operational models emerge, they can then be applied in Europe as well,” Lehtinen sums up.

Behind the Gaskets | Expert interview: People are the best part of Customer Service Manager Sonja’s work

September 14, 2023

TT Gaskets’ Customer Service Manager Sonja Karne delights our customers by solving even their trickiest challenges.

There will soon be cause for celebration as Sonja celebrates her 20^th work anniversary with TT Gaskets. Originally starting out in our water cutting department, Sonja has been a permanent fixture of our sales department since the turn of the decade.

Interested in engineering since her youth, Sonja has studied multiple degrees at different schools, the latest of which is a degree in mechanical automation from the Tampere University of Applied Sciences. She has also developed her expertise while working at different companies. The opportunity to advance her career at TT Gaskets has resulted from her own initiative. Sonja’s greatest source of motivation in work is learning new things.

“My goal has been to learn as much as possible in every job I have done. I’ve only been in my current role for a couple of years, but I feel that the future holds a lot for me,” Sonja says.

Sonja’s work consists of drafting offers, receiving orders, and supporting the sales department in addition to her own team. Variation ensures that the work remains challenging, but Sonja is known for her positive attitude in any situation.

“When you’re juggling several things at once, it’s important to remain calm. Even though I’m often receiving multiple inquiries from different directions simultaneously, the work gets done swiftly and systematically.”

Immediate atmosphere makes work meaningful

Customers rely on Sonja with many issues relating to orders, delivery times and our products’ technical properties. She has succeeded in gaining our customers’ trust and has built lengthy relationships by helping them through tricky situations.

“I am warmed when I’m able to brighten up our customers’ days. It doesn’t have to be something big, but the knowledge that I have made someone’s day better is rewarding. Over the years, many customers have become good acquaintances, and we’ll talk about a lot of non-work-related matters.”

In Sonja’s role, collaboration is close with both customers and her own colleagues across departmental boundaries. In her opinion, the best part of the job is quite simply the people.

“Our workplace, with fewer than a hundred employees, is truly close-knit. Everyone knows each other and has become close over the years. TT Gaskets is flexible as an employer, and the overall atmosphere is one where employees are well taken care of.”

Sonja warmly recommends her field and current job to anyone who wants to learn new things and challenge themselves.

“This is the right job if you want to develop yourself. It’s inspiring to work in a company that constantly strives to move forward and stay ahead of development. The attitude of moving forward rubs off on the employees as well.”

In her free time, Sonja recharges her batteries at her summer cottage and enjoys spending time with her dogs. You can also run into her at concerts and summer festivals.

“My spouse and dogs ensure a balance between work and leisure. Cottage life is also important, as thoughts easily detach from work matters at the summer cottage.”

80-year-old agile family business forges a safer industrial tomorrow

September 8, 2023

The year 2023 marks a milestone at TT Gaskets as our family business celebrates its 80^th birthday. With innovation, curiosity, and learning new things having always been at our core, we are looking towards the future on our anniversary – while respecting and valuing our roots.

The months leading up to our celebration have been interesting thanks to the many messages I’ve received from our former employees. It has been great to learn about our significance for people over the years – either as a first working life experience or a later springboard for career development. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories! You have taught me new things about both our business and my family.

These, in turn, are some comments we’ve received from our customers:

“The best kept secret in Janka.”

“Things are really happening in Tampere.”

“We really appreciate the fact that we are more than just a number for you.”

I am truly elated that we have been able to establish an excellent ecosystem among our Finnish partners as well as a growing number of international partners over the years. Together we can tackle even broader and trickier sealing challenges.

Our determination to overcome challenges stems from within. Throughout the years, we’ve had the chance to create innovative solutions around the world. The feeling of shared success, as well as the gratitude and relief of our customers, continue to motivate and inspire us. At the same time, we get to challenge our expertise and learn new things.

Experience carries us through even the hardest challenges

The skill of listening to and caring about our customers is engrained in our corporate culture. When you have an illustrated history and are genuinely interested in others, you can’t help but learn a lot about customers’ technologies and their culture. Our daily success in resolving customer issues is a result of our extensive experience dealing with a wide range of challenges. Experience and enduring partnerships often also bring the benefit of understanding our customer organizations and their operations more deeply than they do themselves in some instances. We understand the kind of solutions our customers are seeking or what adds the most value to their customers.

TT Gaskets’ longevity and experience enable internal sounding boards and the ability to reflect on earlier successes for our employees. We are a known and respected operator within our niche. This gives us pride in our everyday work. Our 80-year track record of delivering on our promises has been an asset, especially during challenging times like the COVID crisis and Russia’s war against Ukraine, where raw material availability was disrupted. Long and trusting partnerships are invaluable in such situations.

Bold innovation since day one

Curiosity and the aspiration to understand everything new is characteristic for us. During my grandfather’s days we developed Finland’s first substitute gasket materials and supported our Defence Forces in their battle for our country’s independence. My father introduced water cutting to the Finnish gasket industry and was a proponent of more efficient toolless manufacturing.

In recent years we have innovated sensor-equipped smart gaskets, new raw materials, anti-counterfeit inking and mobile manufacturing solutions. Looking ahead, we will offer compelling solutions for the global electrification trend, innovations related to hydrogen, and the broader energy revolution. We’ll continue to generate these innovations in close collaboration with our customers, R&D department plus universities and startups. Meanwhile, we will broaden our international operations and establish even closer partnerships with our customers. Our goal is to provide peace of mind and build an even safer industrial tomorrow through our smart sealing solutions.

Share your memories about TT Gaskets

I hope you’ve had the chance to read the trilogy about our three-generation journey from the 1940s to where we are now. If you haven’t, I strongly recommend checking out the series either from our website or LinkedIn. Included are some fun photographs from the past!

We are celebrating our past and planning our future together with our staff and stakeholders at the Laukko Manor on September 8^th. We would also like to get in touch with our customers and share our plans for becoming a 100-year-old family business. Join us at the Finnish Subcontracting Fair in Tampere from September 26^th to 28^th and the Elmia fair in Jönköping from November 14^th to 16^th. Let’s raise a toast for shared success!

Wishing everyone a beautiful autumn and expressing gratitude to all who have contributed to shaping our shared history and a safer industrial future,

Aleksi

Aleksi Arpiainen is the CEO of TT Gaskets in the third generation. According to him, the success of a family business is fueled by continuous development and innovation. In the blog, Aleksi sheds light on his thoughts on where the world of gaskets is going.

A huge achievement in our collaboration with University of Turku!

June 27, 2023

As you might have read from our Smart Blog, we’ve been researching various anti-counterfeiting methods in collaboration with University of Turku for some time now. Now the work continues with even more enthusiasm, as the Post Docs in Companies (PoDoCo) program granted the research group with funding!

“We’ve been researching various anti-counterfeiting methods under the leadership of Smart Product Specialist Jaakko Niukkala for several years. These methods include both physical markings, such as product numbers and serial numbering, on products with laser and ink jet, as well as product identification at the software level, which are based on individual QR codes,” says Aleksi Arpiainen.

The well documented research led to an inspiring collaboration: since summer 2022 the research has been conducted together with PhD Ian Machado and the Intelligent Materials Chemistry Group from the University of Turku.

”I was surprised to get contacted by University of Turku as we have had no connections there. What really got me interested of the collaboration was the fact that they were searching for potential commercial uses for the photochromic material with some very promising properties. After the mandatory paperwork we got things rolling smoothly and with low threshold. Both us and the UTU team are genuinely interested to harness the potential of the material in our applications”, Jaakko sums up.

Through our joint efforts and expertise, a material that is suitable for making markings that are invisible to the eye has been developed, and Machado’s team explores its potential in their own applications.

“We did development work together with the research group, experimenting with mixing the substance with silicone, which we screen-printed into gaskets to improve their sealing properties. The results were promising, so we decided to continue the collaboration”, says Machado.

Ian Machado and our team will continue the research with the help of PoDoCo. Machado thinks that development of uses for smart photochromic materials is a good example of extending the partnership between the academy and industry.

“Among many challenges, optimizing the markers production and concentration can be cited, together with designing new infrastructures for this new approach”, says Machado.

“Our goal is to find out how photochromic material would be easiest to apply to our own work, what conditions it can withstand and how low concentrations it can still be detected. If successful, the project may not only improve the recognizability and safety of our products, but also to commercialize the material for other companies operating in the spare parts market, for example by means of a license model. At best, this would bring significant growth to our business,” Arpiainen describes.

The PoDoCo program: funded by foundations

The PoDoCo program is led by DIMECC and funded by the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Maa- ja vesitekniikan tuki ry, Svenska Kulturfonden, The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland (SLS), Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, KAUTE Foundation, Foundation for Economic Education, Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, and The Paulo Foundation, investing a total of approximately 800,000 euros every year, which enables over 24 full-year grants each year.  www.podoco.fi

Mobile services enable agile gasket services during industrial maintenance shutdowns

May 29, 2023

What if maintenance shutdowns in the process industry could be done smarter when it comes to gaskets and other essential components? This is now possible thanks to our deep and lengthy collaboration with leading Finnish maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) companies.

Proactive maintenance, planned shutdowns and renovation projects in various process industry sites ensure a continuous supply of raw materials and essential products for our daily lives. In the Nordic countries, this includes the introduction and increasing production of innovative bio-based products. TT Gaskets’ gasket specification review, agile manufacturing and distribution, as well as consulting, are excellent ways to secure and enhance the progress of maintenance shutdowns.

Flexible industrial shutdown services and mobile manufacturing are particularly relevant right now. There are several reasons for this: the safety and documentation requirements for industrial maintenance shutdowns are becoming stricter, the number of new workers in projects is increasing, and operations are evolving into extensive maintenance and investment projects. Additionally, companies are under pressure to make timely decisions to achieve cost targets and ensure a planned restart of production.

Close collaboration yields the best results

Partnership with TT Gaskets enables a flexible operating model during maintenance shutdowns. Our shutdown services address sealing needs on-site, conveniently and without delays. One of our customers utilizing this opportunity is Borealis Polymers Oy, who have previously used our mobile gasket factory previously and are planning to utilize the TTG Smart Container.

Since we operate near our customers’ production lines and listen closely to each other’s needs, we can jointly respond to unexpected changes. Supporting us in this is our modern gasket factory, which is rapidly developing towards carbon neutrality.

Long-term collaboration creates better opportunities for success as we can use the knowledge from previous years’ maintenance shutdowns and deliveries as a basis for planning and anticipation. Open communication guarantees development on both sides. After a shutdown, one of the most fruitful discussions is the project review session focusing on the project’s successes and development areas.

In the future, our various smart services will hopefully also facilitate various smart field verifications when questions arise about the location of gaskets, post-installation operational conditions, and continuous safety and emission monitoring.

80-year-old TT Gaskets celebrates with the extended family

Close collaboration with our extensive network has been and continues to be the key to TT Gaskets’ long and successful operations. I am pleased to announce that we will be celebrating our 80th anniversary this fall. We feel much younger, and of course, age is just a number 😉

At this point, I would like to thank all our partners and other stakeholders for their ongoing co-operation and continuous development. Let’s celebrate our shared journey this fall on LinkedIn and at our birthday events. In the latter part of the year, we will also participate in trade fairs such as Alihankinta and Elmia.

Wishing everyone a wonderful and relaxing summer!

Aleksi

Aleksi Arpiainen is the CEO of TT Gaskets in the third generation. According to him, the success of a family business is fueled by continuous development and innovation. In the blog, Aleksi sheds light on his thoughts on where the world of gaskets is going.

TT Gaskets scores top result in EcoVadis sustainability assessment

May 22, 2023

TT Gaskets has placed in the world’s top percentile in the global EcoVadis sustainability assessment. We scored higher than 80 percent of our cohorts and placed among the best 7 percent. The ranking equals a silver medal in EcoVadis’s classification system. Our sustainability was evaluated for the second time now, and the result was clearly improved from our first EcoVadis assessment.

”Using the appropriate gasket is an environmental act in itself. We wish to advance our customers’ positive environmental impact through our products. Our mission is to enable smarter sealing one gasket at a time,” TT Gaskets’ LEAN and Quality Manager Matti Järvinen says.

“Something that is great for your process might be detrimental to nature. Our gaskets make sure that dangerous substances stay away from where they don’t belong.”

Long-term sustainability investments are paying off

We at TT Gaskets have chosen to commit to long-term sustainability investments instead of compensating our carbon footprint with quick money. Some of our sustainable solutions are costly ventures that will pay themselves back only after a long period of time.

Our recyclable and user-friendly packaging materials are a great example of such efforts. Rethinking our packaging process was a significant investment. On the other hand, as we are optimizing our packaging, we are not transporting wooden pallets or plastic but our products. We have also implemented two solar panel fields with a third one on the way. During the sunniest summer months up to 100 percent of our electricity comes from the sun.

Sustainability is a key theme at TT Gaskets also on a social and administrative level. Sustainable choices help improve our competitive ability.

”Enhanced material efficiency reduces emissions and waste. Employee wellbeing and good leadership bring fluency to work. Our established financial situation ensures that we don’t have to make hasty decisions.”

“We are well of aware of international developments and the changes in our customers’ needs. We are constantly learning and tackling new challenges head-on as we recognize opportunities for doing things in a smarter way.”

Regulation will only expand in the future – we are one step ahead

The EU corporate sustainability reporting requirements are expanding, and the new reporting directive will come into effect in 2025. Some of our partners already require detailed reporting. TT Gaskets wishes to be a responsible company and a trendsetter before the legislature even affects us.

Companies partaking in the EcoVadis assessment receive a comprehensive list of development targets that enable critical evaluation of the company’s operations. Järvinen emphasizes that despite the great results, corporate responsibility is a continuing process. We are determined to become a completely carbon-neutral business by 2027. The goal is ambitious but entirely achievable with yearly interim targets.

“Our first target is to reduce the emissions of our own operations to zero and minimize energy and heating emissions by producing our own energy. Some emissions cannot be eliminated, but we will start by addressing everything we can directly affect. Then we will think about how we can minimize indirect emissions.”

What is EcoVadis?

• Leading global sustainability ratings provider
• Provides assessment for environmental, social, and ethical performance
• Ranks businesses in relation to other companies within the same industry
• Scores companies on a scale from 0 to 100
• Has provided assessments for over 90,000 companies globally

Markku Jormanainen joins our sales team – ”TT Gaskets’ product development is on a level of its own”

March 20, 2023

The TT Gaskets sales team received a welcome addition when industrial trade veteran Markku Jormanainen started in the role of Key Account Manager in February. Markku has been working with the sales of compressed air and welding products as well as gaskets for over 30 years.

“I have been working in industrial sales since 1993, and I consider TT Gaskets a kind of culmination for my career. This is an awesome company; I think our product development capabilities and green thinking are on a level of their own.”

Markku will be focusing on our wholesale operations and serving process industry customers in the Finnish market. The familial culture at TT Gaskets made an impression on him already on his first workday.

”There’s a relaxed atmosphere at TT Gaskets. Everybody has made me feel extremely welcome, and orientation has been exceptionally thorough. The close-knit team really feels like a family.”

Hailing from the city of Joensuu, Markku divides his free time between different nature and sport hobbies.

”I’ve got so many hobbies that I don’t even have time for all of them. Spending time in nature is my greatest passion,” Markku sums up.