Planmeca invests in in-house production in Finland

 During the 2020s, Planmeca has invested heavily in modernising its in-house production in Helsinki, Finland. The newly inaugurated machining centre and the modernised painting line have also enabled increasing production capacity. In addition, the company prepares to open new production lines for new products.

Planmeca, a leading manufacturer of dental technology and software, has recently made significant investments to modernise its in-house production in Helsinki, Finland, where its headquarters and production facilities are located. A new state-of-the-art machining centre, the latest in a series of multi-million-euro investments, was inaugurated on 10 December 2024.

The new machining centre with a pallet system guarantees uninterrupted operations and increases the capacity of the machining department. The new centre also allows for the future use of robotics, enabling the automation of certain functions. This centre follows recent investments in turning centres made in 2023 and 2019, marking another step in the modernisation of Planmeca’s machining facilities.

“We have been honoured to be Planmeca’s main partner as a machine tool supplier for several decades. The high-quality horizontal machining center Mazak HCN-6800 NEO with an attached pallet system increases Planmeca’s productivity in machinery. Wihuri and Mazak thank Planmeca for a long-term partnership and wish good luck for the new investment,“ Wihuri’s Sales Director Jani Pulkkinen states.

In addition to its machinery, Planmeca has also invested in modernising its painting line in the past few years. The company’s products comprise mainly aluminium, which is powder-coated in house. Through investments in the painting line, Planmeca has successfully minimised service interruptions, improved painting quality, and boosted sustainability. For example, a newly installed ultrasonic sieve for handling paint powder has facilitated its recycling. The sieve, along with other measures to enhance the efficiency of the painting line, has significantly reduced powder usage by up to several tens of percent.

Furthermore, a reverse osmosis device has been acquired for the washing process of the painting line, improving the production of clean water during the pre-treatment phase. This investment allowed eliminating the use of lye and hydrochloric acid, thereby improving occupational safety as well as quality. Most recently, the automatic paint guns used in the pulverisation process of the painting line were replaced, and their number was increased to improve operational efficiency and enhance the utilisation rate of powder.

In addition to these investments, Planmeca's production is preparing to manufacture new products for the upcoming International Dental Show 2025, which will take place in March. The event is the largest in the dental industry, where several new Planmeca products will be unveiled for the first time. Additionally, initial customer deliveries of the highly anticipated Planmeca Pro50™dental unit are set to begin early next year, pending the necessary regulatory approvals.

Planmeca also continues to invest in the development of digital technologies and will begin manufacturing its CAD/CAM solutions in Finland alongside other products. As a result, scanning tips for intraoral scanners, chairside milling machines, 3D printers, and intraoral scanners will soon be labelled “Made in Finland” and delivered to customers worldwide from Helsinki.