New film captures the stories, breakthroughs, and spirit behind five decades of automation excellence
Cimcorp has released a 30-minute feature documentary to commemorate its 5oth anniversary and its impact on the global automation industry. Titled “The Future of Automation,” the documentary charts Cimcorp’s evolution from a Finnish tool factory to a global system integrator serving clients across the tire, grocery retail, and battery industries. The final chapter looks to the future, exploring emerging technologies that are poised to redefine automation in the years to come.
Audiences get a behind-the-scenes look at the people, technologies, and defining moments that have shaped Cimcorp. The story is told through reflections of past and present employees, rare archival footage, and commentary from Erik Rosenlew, son of the company’s founder, Gustav Rosenlew. Leading robotics academic Mirka Leino also shares expert insights into Cimcorp’s legacy.
The film retraces Cimcorp’s pioneering role in automation, beginning with its founding in the 1970s as the Rosenlew Corporation’s internal tool factory in Pori, Finland. The company sold its first commercial robot in 1975, branching out from industrial tool production. Since then, Cimcorp has consistently pioneered new applications of robotics, from dominating picture tube manufacturing automation in the 1980s and 1990s to delivering breakthrough technologies in the automotive, tire, grocery retail, and lithium-ion battery sectors.
“The first robots in Finland were made at Rosenlew. They took things forward. They played a significant role,” said Mirka Leino, Principal Lecturer at the RoboAI Research Center at Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK).
“The Future of Automation” highlights key aspects of Cimcorp’s journey, including:
- Resilience and versatility: Despite market shifts and challenges over the decades, the company’s commitment to innovation has enabled it to diversify and thrive in new industries.
- International expansion: Growth throughout the 1980s and 1990s established Cimcorp as a truly global company. Cimcorp continues to focus on global expansion, now operating offices in the United States, Canada, Finland, Germany, Spain, the UK, India, and Australia.
- Core technologies: Robotic innovations first developed in the 1990s now form the backbone of Cimcorp’s portfolio. Today, its modular robotic systems provide tire manufacturers with flexibility and scalability. Its automated storage and retrieval systems and order-picking robots have transformed warehouse operations, particularly in the food and beverage industries.
- Partnership: In 2014, Cimcorp was acquired by Murata Machinery, a large, Japanese, family-owned leader in logistics automation. This has opened new opportunities and strengthened the company’s global reach.
“This documentary is a tribute not only to the innovation and perseverance of Cimcorp, but to the evolution of automation itself,” said Veli-Matti Hakala, CEO, Cimcorp. “It also captures what has truly powered our journey for 50 years: our Cimcorp spirit, the collaborative approach of colleagues to the goal of continual improvement.”
The documentary wraps up with a look at Cimcorp’s vision for the future and how advancements in emerging technologies, such as AI, will redefine automation.
Leino said, “The automation sector is no longer seen as an industry of its own; automation is everywhere. It has been integrated into everything we do.”
