Juha Sivonen, Chair of the Board of Hallituspartnerit Itä-Suomi; Joni Karhinen, Managing Director and Board Member of Pro-Tot; Timo Rask, Chair of the Board of Pro-Tot, and Kari Voutila, Executive Director of Hallituspartnerit Itä-Suomi.
Pro-Tot Oy has been awarded the Koivunuija 2025 award, which is presented annually by Hallituspartnerit Itä-Suomi to an SME in Eastern Finland where the work of the board of directors has played a significant role in the company’s development and success. Pro-Tot has achieved this honour thanks to its determined strategic work and the visionary guidance of its board. The Koivunuija Award was presented to Pro-Tot’s board on 26 March 2025 in Kuopio by Kari Voutila, Executive Director of Hallituspartnerit Itä-Suomi, and Juha Sivonen, Chairman of the Board. The award was accepted by Timo Rask, Chair of Pro-Tot’s Board, and Joni Karhinen, Board Member and Chief Executive Officer.
A growth story full of courage and renewal
Founded in 2008, Pro-Tot has developed into an expert in industrial maintenance and overall availability, with a mission to drive the Finnish manufacturing industry forward. “We need change and the courage to rethink things and ways of working, as well as the courage to change ourselves,” Karhinen explains. Courage has also been a key factor in the expansion of the company’s operations and the rapid growth of its turnover. The company’s current turnover stands at 12 million euros, and it employs around 80 people at its sites in Pieksämäki, Kuopio, Mikkeli and Savonlinna.
Pro-Tot is known for its ambitious growth strategy, which centres on smart industrial solutions and continuous development. The company’s CEO and founder, Joni Karhinen, explains that joining the board in 2022 was a natural progression in the company’s development. “For years, we have been purposefully building our business and have steadily grown into a larger player. When the company’s growth exceeded a certain point, we realised that we needed external expertise and support to implement our strategy,” says Karhinen.
The importance of board work in growth and development
In 2023, a number of experienced experts with strong business expertise were appointed to Pro-Tot’s board of directors. The Board is chaired by Timo Rask, a well-known international business developer who has previously served as CEO of Normet Oy and Voimatel, amongst others. In addition to Pro-Tot’s CEO, Joni Karhinen, Antti Lipsanen, CEO of Rakennusliike U. Lipsanen, and Tomi Vuorinen, Head of Production and Supply Chain at Olvi, were elected as members of the Board.
Chairman Timo Rask can already see the changes brought about by the board’s work at Pro-Tot, although it is only realistic to assess the wider impact in five years’ time. He praises the company’s exceptional willingness to move forward. “Pro-Tot has progressive operating models and structures that few even larger companies possess,” says Rask. Rask also appreciates how CEO Joni Karhinen has succeeded in securing the commitment of the entire workforce to the implementation of the strategy.
The organisation’s capacity for renewal as the key to success
Pro-Tot’s growth story has not been a straightforward journey; rather, it has required the courage to look at things from new perspectives and to make decisions that have not always been easy. The Board has played a significant role, particularly in ensuring that the company has had the courage to move away from old ways of working and has been able to adapt to the demands of a changing market.
Supporting managed growth will remain at the heart of the board’s work going forward. “Control, development and change,” Karhinen sums up. Supporting development work has been the board’s core task, but engaging staff in the change process has been equally important. The company’s CEO, Joni Karhinen, emphasises that without the staff’s strong contribution and openness to development work, the Board’s work would not have been as effective.
Working together towards the future
Pro-Tot aims to continue to be a pioneer in the development of the industry. The company constantly strives to find new ways to add value for its customers and to develop its operations through technology and partnerships. The aim for the future is to strengthen the company’s position both in the domestic and international markets.
Karhinen has a clear vision for the future: in three years’ time, Pro-Tot will be a company with a turnover of 16 million, well-positioned for further international expansion. We make extensive use of partnerships and have expanded both along the value chain and geographically. We make extensive use of technology and data in our service provision. “We want to be pioneers,” Karhinen sums up.
The Koivunuija Award is a prestigious recognition of the work that has been carried out with long-term dedication and commitment. However, the award is not merely a testament to our successes, but also an incentive to continue our bold and innovative development. “This award is not just a milestone; it is proof that we are on the right track. We will continue our determined efforts and lead Pro-Tot towards new challenges and opportunities,” Joni Karhinen sums up.
Pro-Tot would like to thank all its partners and customers for their trust and their willingness to move forward together.
The background material for this article is based on the feature ‘Pro-Tot, based in Pieksämäki and led by Joni Karhinen, recognised for its board work’, published in Savon Sanomat on 27 March 2025.
