Autorobot Finland Oy designs, manufactures and markets auto collision repair equipment and measuring systems for repairing collision-damaged vehicles. Over 45 years of innovation, our company has brought several new methods – protected with more than 100 patents – to the collision repair industry.

The current product range includes collision repair systems of various sizes which are suitable for both small and large body shops. Speed of straightening work and high product quality are characteristics to all our models. Autorobot products are used on every continent, in over 70 countries.

Ability to produce innovations has been Autorobot Finland’s competitive advantage for more than 45 years. Among other things, company has launched many car body repair equipment solutions that have later become de facto standard in the industry. Autorobot’s strong brand is trusted all over the world. 

Autorobot’s ability to innovate is a strong sign of pioneering the industry. However, this position has not been a gift, but is the result of hard work which is prerequisite for succeeding in the international market. Company wants to continue pioneering in customer-oriented technology, develop beneficial competitive advantages for customers and take care of a well functioning service.

Basis have not changed at all. In order to stay in business in the future, we are constantly striving to develop ourselves, products and services. Success in the future requires, in particular, increasing investment in R&D and patenting of new innovations, says Jarkko Venäläinen, Technical Manager of Autorobot Finland. In other words, company continues to be influenced by the same values ​​which it pursued in 1969.

Innovations result from a hands-on problem solving ability

From the very beginning, Autorobot’s innovations have been created out of a concrete need and a genuine desire to help mechanics do their job better. This practical need has always been solved right at the body shop premises and with a very practical problem solving way; company’s first prototype was an excellent example of such development work. – We have always faced the problem and produced various prototypes on a practical level, through experimentation and testing, we have found out what works best, says Venäläinen.

 – Also, we have always been first to know what mechanics need in their work, and even today our top priority is to take into account the needs of mechanics and ergonomics of the work in our R&D . Moreover, to sort out, how the work in auto body shops could be more efficient, easier and more economical. Our goal is to increase work efficiency, which contributes to speed up the process, explains Mervi Korhonen, Marketing Manager.

According to Venäläinen, in order to produce successful innovations, development of the industry must be closely monitored and one must be sensitive to the feedback from the customers. – Most of the feedback is coming from our resellers, telling how our customers experience the working methods with our products, this gives us impulses for product improvements and for new products. These customer needs can be responded very quickly, especially in smaller products.

Behind a good reputation is a committed staff and safe to use products

Customers rely on Autorobot’s good reputation. – Customers come and also return to us because our products have solved their needs and also last a little too well, laughs Korhonen to the positive problem of the company’s product quality. High quality is extremely important as in addition to their durability: products must also be safe to use. Autorobot products are designed in accordance with industry standards, to meet the requirements for e.g. CE marking.

– Autorobot helps to make work safer. Our production personnel is committed to the instructions, ensuring high quality of our products and making sure, that working with our products in auto body shops is safe. We need to keep our finger on the pulse just as we did when we started, and our product quality is constantly evolved. Competence and commitment of the staff is a crucial part of the quality assurance process.

Autorobot’s highly motivated and committed staff with long careers means so-called tacit knowledge which is utilized in product development. The fact that most of the employees have been with the company for 30 years or more, speaks for itself. – Yes, you could say that Autorobot is a pleasant place to work, Venäläinen smiles. – People come to stay with us, therefore commitment of staff and retention of expertise in our company is our strength and bedrock. These people and their know-how is precisely the intellectual capital that will ultimately enable a company success!

Excellent service and ability to innovate will also be the key words behind the success in the future

You never know beforehand whether a product will be a bestseller or not, even though there would be a certain indicators for success for the product. New products are often tested in the domestic market, and after succeeding in Finland, it will most likely succeed in the international market as well. – Need for different kind of solutions are similar almost everywhere in the world, but in the end, the price range of the product determines whether a solution is suitable for a certain continent or not, emphasizes Venäläinen.

Right from the beginning, Autorobot has invested in product support and excellent service. In Finland, customer support is easily handled, during normal working hours. Globally, however, challenges are posed by intercontinental time differences. Therefore support for international customers has been resolved with the help of local resellers. High quality of service and satisfied customers are the most important factors behind the success and we wish to continue investing in those as important competitive advantages.

Autorobot still holds more than a hundred internationally accepted patents, 90% of which are related to the automotive industry. However, old products cannot compete indefinitely,
therefore, R&D will play an increasingly important role in the future. Company has recently expanded its customer base from companies to private customers with EasyBoatRoller (shore dock) and EasyPierRoller, the fruits of product R&D work outside the automotive industry.

– Since sector develops rapidly, it is crucial to stay innovative and renewable. This means, for example, that it is not wise to do everything by yourself. Instead you should subcontract all which is neither rational nor possible to do in-house. Although subcontracting will certainly increase in the future, product development will stay in-house, promises Venäläinen.