Hydroline’s CEO Mikko Laakkonen takes over the position as Chairman of the Board

Hydroline’s CEO Mikko Laakkonen takes over the position as Chairman of the Board

From the company’s point of view, this is a historic change

The family-owned company Hydroline, is getting a new CEO. Mikko Laakkonen, who has held the position from 2014, will take over as Hydroline’s Chairman of the Board on 1^st November. Jussi Maksimainen, 42, Master of science in Production technology, will start as the company’s new CEO. Previous Chairman of the Board, Jukka Laakkonen, will continue as a member of the Board.

This organizational change has been prepared for a long time and from Hydroline’s point of view this is a historic moment, as the company founded by Helge Laakkonen in 1962 has never before had a CEO outside the Laakkonen family.

”This is an extremely positive step in our story and this change will accelerate our operations even further”, says Mikko Laakkonen, who will take over the position as Chairman of the Board. “We have updated the company’s strategy where sustainability, digitalization and operational excellence are going to play even bigger role. Right now is an extremely good moment to implement changes in the company’s operational management and board.”

During it’s almost sixty-year long history, Hydroline has grown to be one the most internationally developed and innovative company in its own field and is now doing a leap from a traditional mechanical engineering company to a digital services providing company and solution provider. In recent years, the company has grown its revenue from 32 million euros to almost 50 million euros. In 2019, the annual turnover was 46 million euros of which direct exports accounted for almost 40%.

”The growth potential at the market is still great even though the current coronavirus situation has brought challenges to some of our plans. We are investing in sustainable growth and keeping the long-term development of our family business as our cornerstone, despite the current COVID-19 related market challenges”, Mikko Laakkonen notes.

Jussi Maksimainen, who will now step in as the new CEO, has worked as the company’s VP Production and Executive Vice President from 2019. Previously, Maksimainen has worked, for example, in management positions at Sandvik group.

”I’m very excited to be part of this growth and development oriented family company and I’m gladly taking over my new position”, says Jussi Maksimainen who soon starts as the new CEO. “We’ve got clear guidelines and goals to move towards to. The company’s agility and the active participation of the family make it possible for us to grow from a traditional mechanical engineering company to a more modern and international partner, while always keeping in mind the family company’s values and localness.”