Rondelles for kitchen pots and pans, as well as other "flat rotating parts", can now be produced in a more flexible and cost efficient way. The widely patented technology is introduced by Finnish Rondex Ltd., a wholly owned company in the stock exchange listed Hackman Group.

Nokian Renkaat, a leading producer of tyres for northern conditions,broke new ground in spring 1998 in choosing ABB's ACS 600 MultiDrivesystem to control the speed and torque of the motors driving thelatest batch mixer at the company's production facility in Nokia,Finland. According to factory service manager Timo Ylikoski, an ACsystem was chosen instead of the customary DC solution with a view toassessing the options for future investments.

Two new series of cylinders from Bimba Manufacturing Company solve interchangeability problems by conforming to internationally recognized ISO 6431 and 6432 standards. The ISO 6431 cylinder also conforms to VDMA 24562 dimensional specifications. Designed around a lightweight extruded aluminum profile body, the ISO 6431 cylinder resists corrosion and wear and has an expected service life of 3000km the company reports. 

Power stations can improve their profit levels by using a new productivityimprovement programme. The programme, PIP, has been developed by Ramse Consulting Ltd, a Finnish-based firm. It believes that individual power plants can make increased profits from more efficient operation.

Clothes that can stand up to the worst of the weather are now being introduced by Snickers, the Swedish manufacturer of workwear. "These are our most advanced garments so far, with lots of details that facilitate demanding outdoor work", says Per-Henrik Magnusson, product development manager of the company. "These have had five years of testing and development."

Fiber Pac, packaging made totally from cellulose is enabling AssiDomän to compete with plastic packaging in the packaging market. 'Our new packaging has similar properties, but is much easier on the environment', says Poul Fitzsimons of AssiDomän. Several major companies such as Motorola and Bosch Telecom have already discovered the environmental and economic advantages, and demand is very high.

SCA is the first company in the world to equip its entire fleet of vessels with catalytic converter cleaning. For an investment of SEK 20 million (around $2.5 million) they claim to be able to reduce NOX (oxides of nitrogen) emissions by 90%, 1400 tonnes per year in all. "That's equivalent to the NOX emissions for all our truck haulage operations, both of timber and of finished products", says Rolf Johannesson, CEO at SCA Transforest.

Conventional X-ray imaging equipment can now be upgraded to produce more advanced 3D images. Instrumentarium Imaging, a Finland-based specialist in X-ray imaging technology, is demonstrating new possibilities with its proprietary TACT technology. This technique is applicable in medical diagnosis as well as dental imaging applications.

Pubs, restaurant and bars are facing increased safety requirements relating to carbon dioxide emissions in premises. AGA, the international industrial gases group, is launching a carbon dioxide detection system to help them deal with this problem.