Lamor’s hands-on approach boosts sustainability globally
Global environmental issues impact everyone. Endless plastic-filled oceans and polluted metropolitan rivers narrate a cruel story of how we treat the planet. The Finnish listed company Lamor is one of the world’s leading providers of environmental solutions – fighting for fragile ecosystems globally yet locally.
Innovative technologies and services are the very cornerstones of Lamor’s operations. When it comes to preventing oil spills, for example, Lamor has 40 years of experience from seas and rivers as well as ports and terminals.
Our networks encompass over 100 countries, and our operations vary from preventing oil spills to different clean-up operations, and from waste management to water treatment.
Lamor CEO Mika Pirneskoski explains that the company solves global environmental challenges locally through its partnership network.
“Our networks encompass over 100 countries, and our operations vary from preventing oil spills to different clean-up operations, and from waste management to water treatment.”
In addition to Lamor itself, the company’s affiliates are also engaged in “fighting on the frontlines”.
RiverRecycle’s team in India completing the installation on the Mithi river of the recovery unit designed in collaboration with Lamor
Photo: RiverRecycle
Platform model emerging
The networking model has been used by the company since the 1980s – but lately, there has been a transition towards a platform operative model.
“Environmental challenges are too great for any single operator, so we are developing different ecosystem models,” says Pirneskoski. The CEO talks about an ecosystem with an annual turnover of EUR 1 billion euro, coming together in Finland.
“We’re welcoming all players into the ecosystem to solve our common challenges,” he adds.
Wanted: Hands-on approach
Mauri Marjaniemi from Business Finland points out that Lamor stands out in the cleantech industry thanks to its very practical take on issues: shorelines and bodies of water are actually cleaned up in real life, and not only in PowerPoint presentations.
“Lamor is an experienced operator in the field of oil spill prevention and waste management, and it’s constantly refining its operative model. At the moment, the company is definitely on the cutting edge of sustainability business, also globally speaking,” Marjaniemi says.
Firing on all cylinders
Lamor is one of Business Finland’s key Growth Engine customers, with an industry “umbrella” to accommodate smaller cleantech operators. Business Finland has granted funding for Lamor’s global efforts to deal with plastic pollution in oceans and rivers via a new, sustainable operating model.
“Global plastic pollution is a massive issue, and we want to help solve it in a comprehensive, systems-level way,” Pirneskoski says.
Mauri Marjaniemi appreciates especially the way Lamor shares its knowledge with the members of the ecosystem.
“Many smaller Finnish players have gotten to utilise Lamor’s operative model and long experience,” he says.
When river is the sewer
Lamor’s projects have taken the company all over the world. In Mumbai, India, there is currently an ongoing clean-up of the Mithi River spearheaded by a fellow member of the ecosystem, the Finnish startup Riverrecycle Oy.
“The goal is to get the plastic out of the river – and we’re working in the role of a technology supplier,” Pirneskoski explains.
The Mumbai project is about developing and utilising the entire value chain, not just collecting the plastic. The sponsor for the project is Huhtamäki Oyj.
Circular economy flows
Antti Mikola, CEO of Riverrecycle, reports that the Mithi River project is in full swing:
“Each day, 3-15 tonnes of waste is pulled from the river, and after sorting the plastic is taken into our pyrolysis facility to be processed. Next year, our objective is to use pyrolysis oil as raw material for making plastic. That way, the river plastic becomes part of the circular economy,” Mikola says.
Another river project is currently getting started in Bandung, Indonesia. With Coca-Cola Foundation as the sponsor, Lamor and Riverrecycle meet another major environmental challenge there.
“The local Citarum River was the world’s most polluted river at some point,” Mikola says.
RiverRecycle’s collector, currently removing plastic waste from the waters of the Mithi river in Mumbai
Photo: RiverRecycle