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Sandvik’s SEK260 million ($27 million) investment program to increase rock drill production capacity at its Tampere manufacturing site, in Finland, has reached an important milestone, with the factory expansion, new machine tools and automation systems now in place and production ramp-up underway, the OEM confirmed this week.
Launched in 2023 to strengthen Sandvik’s position as a leading rock drill manufacturer, the investment program has now been implemented in its full scope, according to the company. A 1,600-sq.m extension to the Tampere factory was completed in 2024, followed by the installation of new machine tools in 2025. During 2026, the focus has shifted to the installation and ramp-up of advanced automation systems, with production volumes set to continue increasing during 2027.
Strong customer demand has supported an expedited investment schedule, while production volumes have continued to increase throughout the expansion, the company explained. The development also represents a significant step forward in automation and digitalisation across manufacturing and the supply chain, incorporating numerous innovations and purpose-built solutions designed to further improve both quality and speed, it reported.
“Rock drills are a vital part of our customers’ processes, and Sandvik’s leadership in the market requires us to continuously improve while growing fast,” Eerikki Virtanen, Director, Rock Drills Technology Unit at Sandvik Mining, said. “This investment has demonstrated not only our commitment to invest, but also the passion and ambition within Sandvik to continuously improve the world’s leading rock drills through innovation.”
A key factor in the successful implementation has been close collaboration with leading technology and manufacturing partners, Sandvik said. The investment has also drawn on expertise and synergies across Sandvik business areas, contributing to the development of a modern factory in high-precision manufacturing.
The expanded facility builds on more than 50 years of rock drill manufacturing expertise in Tampere. “Sandvik rock drills have long been recognised for their quality, endurance and reliability, and the new production technology is designed to support those attributes while enabling the company to respond to continued demand growth,” the company said.
The original expansion plan was designed to increase production capacity in phases, with an initial 25% increase and the potential for a further 20%. With the new building, machine tools and automation infrastructure now installed, Sandvik says it is now entering the next phase of the program, ramping up production volumes through 2026 and into 2027.
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