Metal constructions and machinery designer -manufacturer Ilmarine is not a start-up, more like a re-start-up . It has decided not to abandon its 150 years of history,  but to bring the best of it to 21. century and evolve to become a modern turn-key solutions provider.

Years ago after the collaps of Soviet Union Ilmarine found itself being confined in a small Estonian market. Nobody really needed its pots, pans, pioneer-stoves and other cheap stuff. And because of the Soviet legacy it wasn’t ready to compete in western markets either. 

Successful turnaround

In 2009 the company has gone through a successful turnaround, export presents 80 percent of its turnover. 

Ilmarine has built variety of infrastructure solutions for the port of Tallinn – passenger galleries, ramps etc – and uses the reference to eye up other ports, such as Stockholm and St.Petersburg. Company is paying close attention on what’s happening in all major Baltic Sea ports, but also in the Russian ports of Sochi – place where the next Olympics are being held.

Be brave!

Managing Director of Ilmraine, Karel Saar highlights the work with clients. You just have to push the right buttons, right time (Or like fishermen would say: you never know, when a fish will take your bait). Be brave and have a chat with your potential customer when a chance is given to you!

From Saar’s experience: it was just a coincidence that he met a boss from Swiss-based Allseas Group S.A, one of major offshore pipelay and subsea construction companies in the world, currently building the world’s biggest vessel (382 meters) called Pieter Schelte. He took an interest in Ilmarine and cooperation was established. Just like that.

New factory in mind

There’s only one problem for Ilmarine. Its production facilities are so undepreciated that they look as if we would still be living in 1975.
“We are working our butts off with marketing and finding clients, but at the same time our backyard looks really poor,” Saar says.

The company is preparing to  establish a brand new production space in Muuga, near Tallinn. That will meet all the needs, enable rise in production hierarchy-  produce more sophisticated products for more demanding clients. And more expensively, of course.

If only in time of crisis the banks would have faith in the new plant and they would finance it. I wish good luck for the company.

The post was made in cooperation with Estonian Development Fund.