Cimcorp celebrates 50 years of innovation

Ulvila, Finland – 2025 marks the 50-year anniversary of Cimcorp’s first commercial robot sale. Thanks to its commitment to innovation, the company that started life as Rosenlew Automation has grown into a global market leader in intralogistics automation.

“As we celebrate 50 years of innovation, we are reminded that success comes from staying curious, embracing change and learning from the challenges of the past,” says Veli-Matti Hakala, CEO of Cimcorp. “These values will guide us into the future.” Veli-Matti Hakala, CEO of Cimcorp.

Over the years, Cimcorp has been agile in applying its evolving technologies to new industries. From its early success in the picture tube (cathode-ray tube) and paint-tinting sectors to major projects in warehousing and tyre manufacturing, Cimcorp has never shied away from breaking into growing industries and adapting to the evolving world of business.

While Cimcorp has covered diverse areas during its five decades, having a sharp focus on selected industries has allowed the company to dive deep into the needs and challenges of each one, ensuring its solutions and services are developed with the client and their business in mind. “We have the humility to approach the client with open eyes and ears,” says Tero Peltomäki, former CEO, who led Cimcorp from 2021 to 2024. “This is something that customers really appreciate.”

Global growth was the only option for Cimcorp. The company’s history is one of steady growth in its product portfolio and expansion into international markets. “Our strategic starting point has always been that whatever we do with automation, the domestic market is too small,” explains Kari Ollila, former CEO (1987-2007). “If we wish to grow, we need to pick a clear focus and take it abroad.”

Cimcorp has been present in North America since the Rosenlew days. Today, the group has subsidiaries in both Canada and the USA, as well as in Germany (opened in 1990 and reopened in 2021 after a few years’ break), India (since 2019), Spain (2020) and the UK (2024). Further supported by representatives in Australia, China, France, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey, Cimcorp has supplied automation solutions for production and distribution environments in over 40 countries across six continents.

The Cimcorp name was adopted in 1986, when the company was bought by the Finnish company, Wärtsilä. A decade later, Cimcorp was acquired by Swisslog and its name was then changed to Swisslog Oy in 2002. However, a management buyout in 2003 meant that the Cimcorp name was reinstated. The organisation was acquired by Murata Machinery Ltd., one of the world’s top ten material handling system suppliers, in 2014. Although the company name has changed several times over its 50-year life, the fact that many people at Cimcorp are long-serving members of the team has provided continuity. Tero Peltomäki, for example, joined Rosenlew in 1983 and now serves on the Board of Directors.

In the 1980s and 90s, Cimcorp was the leading automation provider for the cathode-ray tube industry. Automation in this sector proved highly profitable for Cimcorp, as did its machines for tinting paint.

Acquisition by Swisslog in 1996 gave Cimcorp greater resources and a broader market reach. The company focused, in particular, on order-picking systems for the food and beverage industry. By the new millennium, Cimcorp had solidified its position as a global leader in automation. Its ability to diversify saved the business when the cathode-ray tube industry collapsed virtually overnight.

The 2000s saw Cimcorp also become a leader in intralogistics automation for tyre manufacturing, where its modular robotic systems offered much-needed flexibility and scalability. By 2008, the tyre industry had become the company’s most important sector and Cimcorp has completed projects for all of the world’s top ten tyre manufacturers. Business in the warehouse and distribution sector has continued to grow, however, with Cimcorp’s automation revolutionising the speed and accuracy of storage and fulfilment operations.

“Gaining a strong foothold in our chosen industries has probably involved some luck,” says Kari Ollila, “but, at the end of the day, it’s the result of persistent effort, learning and hard work.”

Cimcorp has continued to enjoy success since it became a member of the Japanese, family-owned Murata Machinery in 2014. As it looks ahead to its next 50 years, Cimcorp retains its focus on innovation and global growth. “To foresee and prepare for the future, we must understand the past,” says Veli-Matti Hakala, CEO. “It is through reflecting on our journey that we find the tools to shape tomorrow.”