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High technology for sauna heaters

August 25, 2004

Narvi Oy, a manufacturer of sauna heaters, stoves and smokers, is developing a wireless electronic control system for its latest design electronic sauna heaters.

Jari Valtonen, Managing Director of Narvi, says that the popularity of saunas continues to grow all around the world. The sauna cultures of different countries may differ considerably from the Finnish one. Some people like to read in sauna, others enjoy flashing lights or a steam bath. Narvi manufactures, for example, design electric heaters for the new markets.

"We acquired a new laser cutting machine from Switzerland in June and are currently preparing to expand our production premises. We also focus on product development and our latest invention is an electronic control unit located outside the sauna. The control system is also being developed to function wirelessly using a device the size of a mobile phone."

"Thanks to the tubular construction under sauna rocks, our continuous-burning heater model is economical and efficient. Research is currently being carried out at the Tampere University of Technology under the guidance of Professor Risto Raiko on a combustion technique that is cleaner than before and in accordance with the future EU directives. The National Technology Agency is also involved in the project. We are going to use the research results in Narvi heaters this year."

Australia, China, Kazakhstan...

Now the Narvi heaters and other products of the company are exported, in addition to Scandinavia, the Baltic Countries, Central Europe, and Russia, all over the world, as far as Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and Kazakhstan. Narvi has become one of the three biggest manufacturers of sauna products in Finland and employs about 45 people at the moment. Its turnover is approximately 5 million euros and continues to grow.

"Besides product development, we also invest in export and aim to double our turnover in the near future. Our growth strategy puts a lot of strain on the production and financial resources, thus emphasising the importance of partners."

Jari Valtonen points out that the rapid growth of Narvi would not have been possible without the extensive support from the Employment and Economic Centre of Satakunta. The latest cooperation project is setting up a laser cutting line.

"We have participated in the international building trade fair in Europe as a part of the Finpro stand. For a company this size, cooperation has brought great advantages and given further boost to exports."

The heating properties of traditional wood-burning fireboxes are also being improved in cooperation with the National Technology Agency of Finland and the Tampere University of Technology.

Narvi Oy is situated near the city of Rauma in the municipality of Lappi. The company utilises electronics and the latest laser technology in its manufacturing processes but has roots deep in the blacksmith tradition of the Satakunta region.

At the end of the 1940's, the Rautavuori brothers made the first sauna heater equipped with a firebox containing a unique tubular construction. The heater was successfully tested on the shores of the nearby Narvijaervi lake. This resulted in the legendary Narvi sauna heater - a brand that is the flagship of the company even today.



Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation