Oulu-based FocalSpec Oy has received funding of €3.5 million for development work and to grow the business. Laser is currently the most widely used measuring technology in quality control. FocalSpec Oy, which specialises in roughness measurement, has successfully challenged laser’s position with its proprietary Line Confocal Imaging (LCI) technology, which is both more accurate and versatile than a laser in 3D measurement.
FocalSpec’s significant €3.5 million funding was granted by VTT Ventures, Nordic Option, Veritas Pension Insurance, and a group of private investors from Finland and China. This financing will enable FocalSpec to scale up its operations from the present level of one million euros to dozens of millions of euros. The company’s current customers include global corporations in consumer and mobile electronics, as well as the plastic and pharmaceutical industries, where the ability to measure all surfaces with ever greater accuracy is more important than ever before.
“For a small start-up, such significant funding enables us to scale up and grow our operation. First and foremost, this funding is a sign of FocalSpec’s international credibility. We have crucial expertise in our industry on the roughness measurement of transparent surfaces, for example. This funding will allow us to double the number of our employees within a year. Fortunately for us, Oulu has especially competent people in product development, design and production,” says Sauli Törmälä, President of FocalSpec.
With LCI technology, which is capable of detecting differences down to one micron and measuring 2048 points at a time, product lines can scan the most demanding surfaces and contours all the way to multi-layer, transparent surfaces. This is why LCI technology is more versatile than laser in manufacturing processes.
In more and more industries, measuring the roughness of cables and flat surfaces and efficient quality control of the manufacturing process are key aspects in modern production processes. Optical LCI measurement is utilised in, for instance, quality control in the electronics industry and medical devices technology.
FocalSpec Oy is a privately-owned growth company based in Oulu, Finland. Established in 2009, the company has business operations in Europe, Asia and the United States.
