Franke Finland’s production plant in Naarajärvi, Finland puts stainless steel through tough tests. The pressing machines shape stainless steel sheets into stylish and complicated forms to make a wide range of products such as stainless steel worktops for kitchens.

Franke Finland is a Franke Group company and supplies products for home kitchens, including sinks, stainless steel worktops, ventilation hoods, waste collection products and washroom products.

Showing accelerating growth since the 1970s, the Franke Group has doubled business in the past five years and today serves customers in 42 countries. The Group is headquartered in Aarburg, Switzerland.

They also serve foodservice systems, washroom systems, coffee systems, and beverage systems. Stainless steel plays a core role in all the fields.

Courtesy of Franke.

The problem

In order to create such complex and quality designs for stainless steel worktops and sinks, it takes a special quality of stainless steel which can be stretched into the desired shape, without tearing.

The promise

Franke Finland manufactures stainless steel worktops to order and promises to deliver within seven days of taking the order.

Although the plant consumes large quantities of stainless steel sheets, the company aims to keep as little stainless in stock at the plant as possible.

Franke Finland’s production philosophy makes the stainless steel supplier an integrated and crucial link in the production process and supply chain. Deliveries of stainless must be frequent and on time in order to keep Franke Finland’s processes running smoothly.

Franke's representative holding the Outokumpu Stainless Sphere, which is a visual expression of Outokumpu’s  customer promise “Activating your ideas.” The Sphere symbolizes the customer’s idea, which is activated and developed by Outokumpu, then pitched back to the customer.

The solution

Outokumpu is the supplier of the majority of stainless steel for the Naarajärvi plant.

Outokumpu seek to reduce stocks, focusing on methods that create value for both parties. This can involve preprocessing and delivery from stock with precise delivery times.

Outokumpu uses a series of its Nordic manufacturing units to optimize delivery schedules and production routes to Naarajärvi.

Deliveries are made from mills and a service center, tailored for Franke Finland’s processes.

Outokumpu’s supply-chain thinking and practices are 100 percent geared towards serving end users and their needs. They strive for short lead times and an on-time delivery performance.

The results

Franke Finland produces a vast range of stainless steel worktops using four different surface finishes. These steel worktops comprise of two kinds of brushed finishes and two decorated finishes.

The sinks are formed from brushed sheets and polished sheets at the Franke plant.

Outokumpu supplies other Franke Group companies throughout Europe with the same products and types of service, as well as the same philosophy of becoming a key supply partner to them.

Induction annealing of sinks at Franke Finland: heat treatment improves the formability of stainless steel.

Worktops ready for packaging and delivery at Franke Finland’s plant. Today’s trend in Franke Finland’s market area is towards all-stainless tops.