The Premix team celebrating the new production line. From left to right: Ville Huhdanpää, Pekka Pylvänäinen, Mika Silventoinen, Niklas Huhtanen, Aleksi Virtanen, Mika Suominen, and Ella Nivalainen.
As demand for electrically conductive plastics grows, customers need more than high-performing materials. Consistent quality, reliable deliveries and the flexibility to respond to changing production needs are equally important.
To support these requirements, Premix has invested in a new compounding line at its Rajamäki production facility in Finland. New production line has been commissioned successfully, and we are currently producing customer samples and training our operators. New line will we fully operational from the January 2027 and will increase our capacity significantly.
We spoke with Mika Silventoinen, Supply Chain Director, and Ville Huhdanpää, Sales & Marketing Director, about the investment and what it means for Premix's customers.
Strengthening our manufacturing capabilities
Mika, what were the main drivers behind the investment in the new compounding line?
"The main driver was growing market demand for electrically conductive plastics. With the new line, we can increase our production capacity across all our key segments: Healthcare, Energy, and Materials and Component Handling / ESD Packaging.
At the same time, the investment is part of our ongoing efforts to modernize production. Increased automation helps us improve efficiency and maintain better control over operational costs."
What does the new production line bring to our manufacturing capabilities, particularly in terms of quality and efficiency?
"The new line gives us more opportunities to optimize formulations and raw material feeding. It also allows us to monitor and control process parameters more accurately.
This is particularly important when producing electrically conductive compounds, where consistent dispersion and tightly controlled production parameters are essential for reliable material performance. With improved process control, we can aim for more uniform quality and minimize variation between production runs."
How will the investment help Premix respond to customer needs, particularly regarding production flexibility and supply reliability?
"One important benefit is that the additional capacity allows us to better organize production between different polymer types. This helps us significantly reduce cross-contamination risks and minimize the material waste generated during purging between production runs.
Reducing these changeovers also means less downtime and shorter lead times for our customers.
The new line also provides additional backup capacity in case of unexpected equipment failures, strengthening our ability to maintain reliable deliveries."
Investing in our customers' future
What does this investment mean from a customer perspective?
“When we invest in our future, we are also investing in our customers’ future.
Our business in electrically conductive plastics continues to grow, and we want to make sure that our production capabilities grow with the needs of our customers. The additional capacity at Rajamäki strengthens our ability to support customers as their businesses develop and as their applications and requirements become more demanding.
At the same time, this is a clear commitment to manufacturing in Europe and to the long-term development of electrically conductive plastics. We are investing because we believe in this business and want to ensure that our customers can continue to rely on Premix as they grow.”
What does the investment say about Premix's ambitions in electrically conductive plastics?
“We have built a strong position in electrically conductive plastics, and our ambition is to keep strengthening it. Customer needs are constantly evolving, and standing still is not an option for us.
The new line builds on the production technology, expertise and know-how we already have. With modern equipment and additional capacity, we can strengthen our ability to serve customers with demanding applications while also creating more room for future growth.
Our ambition is to remain a leading player in electrically conductive plastics. For us, that means continuing to invest in our people, expertise and manufacturing capabilities, and developing together with our customers. Ultimately, our success comes from helping our customers succeed.”
Premix is also expanding its manufacturing presence in the US. How do the investments in Finland and the US fit together?
“They are both part of the same long-term commitment to our customers. Rajamäki remains an important part of our manufacturing capabilities and expertise, and this investment strengthens our ability to serve our customers in Europe. At the same time, our US manufacturing operations bring production closer to our customers in North America.
Together, these investments strengthen our ability to serve customers internationally and support their long-term growth. I think the most important message for our customers is that Premix is continuing to invest, develop and grow. We are building the capabilities we need today, but also preparing for what our customers will need from us in the future.”
