North Savo Machine Technology Cluster

The aim of the project is to establish a company-driven machine technology cluster in North Savo to support the growth, renewal and long-term development of the region’s manufacturing companies. The cluster will bring together machine technology companies, educational institutions and RDI actors as well as public sector, creating a permanent structure that is currently missing in North Savo. It will offer companies a new way to organise collaboration, utilise research and innovation environments, and access information that supports strategic decision-making. The project aligns with the objectives of the North Savo regional programme and strengthens the region’s industrial growth, investment capacity and ability to manage technological transformation.

The project will define the cluster’s operating model and services. A core network of companies will be formed, and the cluster will be positioned as part of national and European networks. During the start-up phase, workshops will be organised where companies and other stakeholders jointly define the cluster’s goals, operating methods and service package. In addition, events will be held around various different themes identified through company needs.

A central component of the project is the industrial foresight radar, which collects and analyses company-driven foresight data as well as national and international signals related to technological transformation, the twin transition and market developments. This foresight information will be disseminated to companies and educational institutions through workshops, analyses and reports. The insights will support the cluster’s decision-making, companies’ strategic planning and the direction of education and training.

The project will produce a regional analysis of industrial competence needs and develop a new operating model that improves the match between companies’ needs and students’ internship, thesis and recruitment opportunities. Information on both short- and long-term competence needs will be gathered, forming the basis for a reactive training model that enables faster launch of training in response to company demand.

As a result of the project, a functional mechanical engineering cluster model will be created, along with an operating model that improves the matching of companies and educational institutions, and strengthened RDI cooperation. In the long term, the project will have impacts on industrial productivity, the availability of skilled labor, and the ability to respond to technological changes. The cluster and the developed operating models will remain in permanent use after the project ends and will form the foundation for the long-term development of the machine technology sector in North Savo.