Aurajoki Oy is the First Carbon Neutral Company in Its Field in Finland
Aurajoki Oy has achieved the goal it set in the fall of 2022 to be a completely carbon neutral company from January 1, 2024. By achieving the goal, the company is the first carbon neutral company in its field in Finland. The calculation has been performed in accordance with the international GHG protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol) and it takes into account the carbon dioxide emissions caused by the company’s own operations (Scope 1) and the carbon dioxide emissions caused by the production of the energy used by the company (Scope 2).
“The carbon neutral goal has been high and a lot of work has been done to achieve it. The forklifts and vehicles used in our factories have been changed from those running on combustion engine oil to electric ones in all cases where an electric option has been available. Our production process has been reviewed and carbon dioxide emission sources have been removed. In addition, the electrical energy and district heating purchased by Aurajoki will be fossil-free as of January 1, 2024,” says Ralf Sohlström, CEO of Aurajoki Oy.
Aurajoki Oy is currently building Europe’s most environmentally friendly hot-dip galvanizing plant in Lieto, near Turku. The plant will start production in July 2024, being the first of its kind in the Northern Europe. “This is an investment that will revolutionize the Finnish hot-dip galvanizing market, which not only renews the way of doing hot-dip galvanizing, but also comprehensively takes into account the various factors of responsibility. Lieto’s hot-dip galvanizing plant will e.g. to produce carbon neutral district heating of approximately 1,200,000 kWh per year,” continues Aurajoki Oy’s Development Manager Mikko Mäkinen.
Aurajoki Oy by no means leaves the development of responsibility to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality, but continues its development work for a cleaner future. As one of the future measures, it has been decided to invest in solar power plants that will be installed to the Turku electrolytic coating plant and the Pirkkala hot-dip galvanizing plant. In addition, the purpose is to implement an emissions calculation for Scope 3, which includes carbon dioxide emissions from the value chain and procurement.
The small part of emissions that Aurajoki Oy cannot remove through its own operations is compensated by preventing a similar amount of emissions from being created elsewhere (certificate of compensation). Residual emission compensation is realized by Verra.org’s certification of Envira Amazonia with the deforestation reduction project in Brazil. The project will protect 39,000 hectares of tropical rainforest along the Jurupari River, in the state of Acre, Brazil. More information about the project: https://registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/1382.
Aurajoki Oy, founded in 1967, is a company specializing in metal surface treatment services and the manufacture of infrastructure steel structures, which is Finland’s leader in its field. The company’s turnover is around 30 million euros and the number of employees is 180. Aurajoki Oy’s factories are located in Aura, Turku, Pirkkala, Lievestuore, Mikkeli and Saarijärvi. In addition, the company has a joint venture in Daugmale, Latvia.
Hot-Dip Galvanizing, Electrolytic Coatings, Steel Structures, Sustainability