Companies are vying to do business with Russia, but very few can succeed without help. The Jyväskylä Region can act as a gateway to the attractive Russian markets not only for companies based in the local area but also for businesses from other parts of Finland and abroad.
The Russian market offers great opportunities and poses major challenges at one and the same time. In the Jyväskylä Region companies seeking to do business in Russia are in a better position than their counterparts elsewhere because partners are available with the necessary knowledge, experience and contacts.
Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd has had an office in Saint Petersburg for the last 15 years. The offices most important functions have included assisting companies from Central Finland to enter the Russian market, promoting trade and establishing new business contacts. The office has also organized trips for groups of business people to attend exhibitions or visit companies. At the same time the Jykes representatives have promoted within Russia the opportunities offered by the Jyväskylä region.
Minna Haapala, Manager, Russian Operations at Jykes, says that of Finlands regions, Jyväskylä has had the longest continuous presence in the Saint Petersburg area. This continuity has helped the region become known as a reliable and desirable partner. The Jyväskylä Region is well known in Saint Petersburg, both among business people and the citys leaders, Minna Haapala says.
She has many years of experience in her field, and this experience is available to companies that are seeking to do business with Russia or have already been operating there for some time, as well as to Russian players interested in Central Finland. As Minna Haapala states, close contacts can also open doors to Russia for companies and investors from outside Finland.
According to Minna Haapala, at present the main areas of interest for Russian companies in the Jyväskylä Region are skills and competence in the environmental, bioenergy, architecture and construction sectors.
Nowadays Russian companies look for competence and innovations, whereas they previously wanted to purchase finished products, she explains. She goes on to say that at the moment operating in the Russian market does not mean exporting consumer goods Russian interests are focused on attracting foreign investment. Companies have to spend time and money to enter the Russian market. They have to know how to manage their risks, find the right partners and embrace international business practices.
Companies interested in Saint Petersburg can get more information from the Saint Petersburg Centre hosted by Jykes in Jyväskylä. The Centre, which is owned by the City of Saint Petersburg, opened in late 2005 and serves people interested in doing business with Saint Petersburg or travelling there.
Efforts to market the Jyväskylä Region as a travel destination have produced clear results, because more and more Russian tourists are choosing to travel to Central Finland. In 2007 Russian tourists accounted for almost 20 000 overnight stays in the Jyväskylä Region. This is an increase of more than 12% from the previous year.
In addition to business, the Jyväskylä Region has also established close contacts with Russia in the field of education and training. Jyväskylä Polytechnic has been operating in the Kaluga region for some time. Demand in Russia has been concentrated in areas such as business training, corporate business development programmes, and technology development projects. Jyväskylä Polytechnic is also planning to organize company development coaching in the Kaluga region for people intending to set up a business or whose business is just starting to operate.
The University of Jyväskylä, for its part, has longstanding research and student exchange arrangements with universities in Saint Petersburg and elsewhere in Russia. Jyväskylä Educational Consortium has organized training related to the construction and mechanical wood processing sectors in Russia.
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Sun Sauna, which specializes in fixtures and fittings for saunas, has succeeded in finding partners in Russia. Raimo Huusko, Sun Saunas Managing Director, says that the door is now open to a new market. The market for sauna fittings is growing in Russia. The Russian middle class, in particular, is interested in sauna products, he explains.
He says that companies wanting to enter the Russian market not only need to find the right partners but also need plenty of determination and staff with the appropriate language skills.
By Tommi Salo Photo by Minna Haapala