PPO-Elektroniikka Oy is a Finnish SME focused on security technology. Our primary solution is the MEV insulation level monitoring system, which improves electrical safety in operating rooms.
Managing Director Timo Ohtonen: “I started the company with two friends in 1981. At the time, I was still working as a purchasing manager for SLO, and in the evenings, I was building electronics. The money initially came from the electronics assembly. My vision was to bring to market equipment that monitors the electrical safety of operating rooms. That is how our operations started, and my vision was realised ‒ we have delivered more than 30,000 insulation level systems to Finnish operating rooms. With the fifth generation, we have also begun our export ‒ we currently have skilled representatives in 17 countries.”
While our primary focus has always been on electrical safety in hospital operating rooms, we do much more. The company needs to have many ‘support legs’, products at different stages of its life cycle, so that operations are not disrupted, and we secure jobs for our staff. Our staff have always had substantial expertise in professional electronics and electrical engineering. In addition to hospital monitoring systems, we have built diverse solutions for both the public and private sectors. Over the years, we have designed, for example, fire detection systems, burglar alarms, lighting and camera surveillance solutions individually for different locations.
We have also listened to consumer wishes and developed sustainable solutions that meet their needs in the past years. We have constantly tested the equipment we import ‒ if the quality does not meet our expectations, we will not sell the product.
The staff’s motivation and competence are a great resource
Staff are a company’s most important resource. I am happy and proud of my team, which is committed to and motivated in their work. Everyone’s skills have grown over the years. We have carried out a wide variety of construction projects and electrical installations in good spirit. Our team has always been ready for new and more challenging projects. In addition to our team, we have ten Finnish subcontractors in the production chain.
Our vision takes us forward
We developed the first analogue MEV-2 in the year of its establishment. The digital version MEV-3 was born a couple of years later, in 1983. The insulation monitoring system became mandatory in Finland in 1983 and in Europe in 2015. Demand for this kind of system has also begun to grow globally as countries have started to emphasise the importance of electrical safety and the level of security of electrical standards.
With our fifth-generation MEV-8 equipment, we have started exporting, and the prospects are excellent. Finland has been a pioneer in electrical safety in operating rooms – our expertise is excellent, with only a handful of significant competitors globally.
Before MEV-8, our most significant export product was fire-extinguishing systems to CIS countries.
In 2020, we combined our expertise with Kiilto Oy to develop an environmentally friendly fire-extinguishing chemical, PPO® ForExt, for extinguishing forest and wildland fires.
Kiilto’s 100 years of expertise in the chemical industry and PPO-Elektroniikka’s more than 30 years of experience in fire-extinguishing technology enabled the development of this unique solution. Kiilto Oy is responsible for manufacturing the product, and PPO-Elektroniikka Oy for its marketing and the development of the spreading technique.
Over 40 years of sustainable development
We have been cooperating with our regular customers and partners for decades. We ensure everything works and are responsible for all after-sales support. We manufacture our equipment in Finland and use high-quality components. We built our equipment to last; some of our customers are still using equipment from the 1980s. It is about life cycle thinking and sustainable development. Our price might not be the cheapest, but we can avoid unnecessary repairs and adjustments. We do not compromise on quality.
From now on, we are placing even more emphasis on sustainable development and environmental friendliness.
We have been providing security and minimising damage for 40 years. I am glad that our team shows enthusiasm and joy in their work, develops our activities, and continues to innovate after all these years. In addition, new team members of different ages and with diverse educational backgrounds, as well as cooperation with academic institutes and networking, always bring new impetus.
Timo Ohtonen
CEO, owner and founder
PPO-Elektroniikka Oy
