Ruukki Construction has inaugurated a new roof profile production line in Vimpeli, Finland.
This line, dedicated to producing Ruukki Classic, the low-emission Ruukki Classic LowCarbon standing seam roofing, and Ruukki Trendic profiles, represents the most significant single machine investment from the December 2021 project announcement.
The launch is set to deliver improved and more sustainable roofing solutions to installation partners, house builders, and renovators.
The residential roofing range, marketed under the Plannja brand in Scandinavia, will benefit from the €8m ($8.4m) investment in the Vimpeli plant.
This investment is part of a multi-year programme aimed at enhancing product properties, streamlining material flows, and increasing production capacity and automation. The plant has also seen upgrades to production lines and improvements to social and civil defence shelter facilities.
The new profiling line, nearly 100 metres (m) in length, is expected to double the plant's snap lock roofing production capacity.
Customers will benefit from the dual advantage of receiving both new and upgraded products with efficiency and reduced waste.
Ruukki Construction Roofing Finland business director Jorma Korhonen said: “The new, more automated production line will increase the plant's efficiency, which will be reflected in delivery speed and reliability all the way to the customer. In addition, it enables new, lower-emission products.”
The plant's sustainability credentials are further bolstered by energy efficiency improvements, including the transition to fossil-free electricity and the adoption of recycled packaging materials.
The profiles' maximum length will now extend to 14m, and new features have been introduced to facilitate installation and enhance aesthetics.
Notably, the fastening strip structure in the standing seam roofing has been refined to accommodate smoother movement, particularly on wooden battens, and to better manage the thermal expansion of the profile.
A new microprofiled version of the roofing will also be introduced to mitigate thermal expansion deformation. These innovations, along with improvements to seam structure and eave bending, will simplify profile installation, especially in renovation projects where eaves may not be perfectly straight.
Ruukki Classic stands out as the only standing seam roofing in the Finnish market with a Eurofins certificate for seam waterproofness. Its seam structure has been verified as completely watertight up to a roof pitch of 1:9, making it uniquely suited for low pitched roofs.
