Tobias Häggblom works as a Business Director responsible for our Energy team. In his daily work, he enjoys rising to a challenge instead of giving up and finds meaning in working for a company with sound values.

The global challenges posed by the climate crisis, Covid-19 and the drop in oil prices are spurring innovation. Pharmaceutical companies are striving to produce vaccines and new medicines, while natural refrigerants and cold recovery through LNG are becoming increasingly energy-efficient solutions.

Versatile and easy to transport, LNG is an increasingly popular fuel both in marine and onshore applications. Besides energy, LNG is used as a raw material in chemical processes, and its full potential is being unleashed through heat transfer and cold recovery.

Vahterus is currently undertaking an interesting series of tests. Previously, we have focused on high temperatures, phase-changing phenomena and fluid hydraulics. This time, Vahterus test lab personnel are conducting a larger series of cryogenic tests.

Founded by Mauri and Sinikka Kontu, Vahterus is proud to be a family business. The company also employs three members of the Ahola family.

Vahterus’ LNG journey began in 2005. Through extensive R&D work and with over 300 heat exchangers delivered to cryogenic LNG applications, we’re now leaders in the field.

Low temperatures and widely varying temperature differences in cryogenic applications can cause high stresses to the constructions. Practical testing of constructions is often complicated and time consuming, which is why modelling and simulation tools have become an important part of the development process.

Laser-cutter Ilari Pietilä believes that a little stress improves concentration and performance. He thrives on decision-making, positive feedback and meeting seemingly impossible deadlines.

Vahterus tests its products at a steam laboratory installed in the Naantali power plant of Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto (TSE), an energy production company in the Turku region. The test laboratory, which has exceptionally high capacity, is used to study the qualities of Vahterus steam condensers for product development purposes.

The Vahterus R&D team comprises six people whose goal is to identify potential problems in existing heat-exchanger solutions and find ways to improve products. Successful product development requires perseverance, an understanding of product properties and a curiosity regarding new experiments.