Industrial NEXUS targets industrial work transformation
Valmet’s Industrial NEXUS program is about making Finnish industry a better place to work and innovate by combining human expertise with data and automation in new, practical ways. The core of the five-year Industrial NEXUS program is to create a fundamental shift in ways of working and the skills future industry requires, in close collaboration with the ecosystem.
Resilient industry powered by people, technology and data
Labor shortages and skills gaps are already challenging the industry, slowing down growth and investments in Finland. At the same time, experienced experts are retiring, skills requirements are evolving, and tacit knowledge must be better transferred into systems and shared across teams.
To respond to these challenges, future industrial work will depend on diverse teams, adaptable skills, and rapidly evolving technologies. Instead of just doing less harm, sustainability is now about actively restoring and building resilience. As industries face growing pressure due to geopolitical uncertainty, environmental challenges, and accelerating technological change, companies must rethink how work is designed and how to empower people through transformation.
Securing attractive jobs and closing the skills gap requires investment in people‑centered industry, continuous skills development, and collaboration across sectors.
Valmet has unique expertise in both automation and process technologies, which provides an excellent foundation to lead industrial transformation in Finland. Through the previous Beyond Circularity Veturi program, Valmet has already built and led a strong innovation ecosystem boosting Finland’s competitiveness and green transition in Valmet’s customer industries. Strong partnerships and existing ways to operate build solid foundation for Industrial NEXUS, an initiative designed to renew industrial work through a diverse ecosystem.
The program is partly funded by Business Finland as part of its Leading companies (Veturi) initiative to address societal challenges and strengthen R&D investments in Finland.
Ecosystem
Industrial NEXUS aims to lead the transformation of industrial work through advanced technology and human-centered innovation. Finland will be a global front-runner in adaptive, attractive, resilient and regenerative industry.
The Industrial NEXUS ecosystem combines economic growth, societal impact, advanced technology, human-centered design, and environmental responsibility. Led by Valmet, Industrial NEXUS connects AI, data, and human‑machine collaboration to build safer, more productive, and people‑centered industrial environments for the future.
Through joint RDI initiatives, ecosystem partners can accelerate industrial renewal, strengthen competitiveness, and unlock new global business and export opportunities in rapidly evolving markets.
Industrial NEXUS roadmap 2026–2030
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1 Connected and self-operating mills
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2 Self-learning processes and full lifecycle
Connected and self-operating mills
Automation technology is a key enabler in moving production towards self-operation:
- Developing solutions for connected and intelligent operations
- Production optimization and fleet management
- Data-driven decision-making, user experience improvement and AI engineering
Self-learning processes and full lifecycle
Renewing the industrial work by:
- Developing solutions to industrial electrification powered by fossil-free sources
- Collaborative and self-learning training processes
- Advanced services aligned with circular economy
Streams
The focus areas of the Industrial NEXUS program are self-operating processes, seamless service solutions, and the factory networks they form. Solving today’s challenges in these key areas requires digital operating models, in which automation and data support skills development and industrial work in evolving production environments.
Industrial Nexus operates through two streams with six substreams in both. Stream one addresses mill-level challenges by developing solutions for connected and intelligent operations, from production optimization and fleet management to data-driven decision-making, improved user experience and AI engineering.
Stream two focuses on renewing industrial work, developing solutions from industrial electrification powered by fossil-free sources to collaborative and self-learning training processes, and advanced services aligned with circular economy.
Stream 1: Connected and self-operating mills
Automation technology is a key enabler in moving production towards self-operation.
- Data –the common asset
- Connected, intelligent process
- Towards resilient and safe quality management
- Optimized asset performance and reliability
- Self-operating mills solutions
- Orchestrated, intelligent production
Stream 2: Self-learning processes and full lifecycle
The stream focuses renewal of industrial work.
- Circular performance & lifecycle intelligence
- Proactive maintenance services
- Seamless digital customer experience
- Learning solutions
- Industrial electrification
- Intelligent resilient process solutions
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