Home » Cutting-edge expertise behind Rocsole’s success

Cutting-edge expertise behind Rocsole’s success

30.5.2019

Rocsole specializes on measurement and industrial process monitoring solutions for oil and gas industries. The global success of the company has been boosted by their outstanding technological and business know-how.

The measurement solutions developed by technology company Rocsole are based on tomographic imaging.  Despite having a subsidiary also in Houston, Rocsole relies on the high quality tomography know-how of the University of Eastern Finland. According to Pasi Laakkonen, CEO of the company, their cutting edge expertise was the key that opened doors into the global market.

– We will retain our office in Kuopio even in the future. The imaging know-how available to us here cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Tomography allows high resolution visualization even through deposition and dirt. With help of the software, an image of the desired medium is created enabling the customer to see the amount of wax or other contamination in pipelines or the amount of emulsion in tanks.

Thinning the emulsion layer is an example of how to produce cleaner oil more efficiently. The thinner the emulsion the cleaner the oil output. The company works in close collaboration with energy companies like Shell, Repsol and Equinor.

Innovation untainted by competition

The technology developed by Rocsole can be utilised in several imaging sensors with mechanical differences. The company has a powerful competitive advantage – there is no other product of its kind in the world.

– We apply the so called Blue Ocean strategy in our business activities, striving to stand apart from our competitors, Laakkonen explains.

The latest innovation of Rocsole is to apply the tomographical measurement technology not only to small separators but also to large tanks. Currently the company is in the process of developing module products, which are measurement devices manufactured from standard components, yet individually tailored.

The company operates in North and South America. According to Laakkonen, using just one technology platform for development of diverse applications and products helps logistics.

– We are primarily a software company although we also deal with measurement technology and mechanics.

State aid and capital investments channelled to the company have greatly benefited the company in their efforts in product development and internationalization. Financing secured, the company has been able to focus on their core activity.

Competence at all levels

Rocsole’s business idea was born when CEO Pasi Laakkonen and Chairman of the Board Anssi Lehikoinen realised that although there was clearly a need for measuring contamination in oil and gas pipelines, no such technology existed. In 2012, exploiting the results of a tomography research carried out by the University of Eastern Finland, the company innovated a measurement device enabling optimization of the pipeline cleaning cycle.

– Minimized contamination and extended cleaning cycle of pipelines leading to reduced costs are the greatest advantages of the measurement technology of pipeline contamination to the customer, Laakkonen says.

Laakkonen estimates that the company’s success has been generated by their state-of-the-art expertise at all levels, a quality combination of technological and business know-how.

– Businesses aiming to go global are well-advised to consider the position of their product or service in the context of global competition. Finding your own Blue Ocean untainted by competition facilitates your business and helps avoid price competition, Laakkonen tips.

www.rocsole.com

Text: Minna Akiola (translation in English Tultra)