Finnish merino wool brand North Outdoor is investing in industrial batteries and partnering with Elisa Industriq’s Gridle energy flexibility service to improve the efficiency and profitability of its production and logistics centre in Oulu.
Three 108kW batteries combined with Gridle’s smart optimization will significantly cut the facility’s electricity costs and open new revenue streams by enabling it to participate in balancing and wholesale electricity markets. These savings, along with the additional income, ensure a rapid payback on the battery investment.
In recent years, the energy crisis, inflation, and rising interest rates have presented challenges to many Finnish apparel companies. Despite the tough times, North Outdoor has continued to invest in developing its operations, building a multimillion-euro logistics centre and Finland’s largest knitting facility in Rusko, Oulu. The 5,000 m² property consumes around 400 MWh of electricity a year with annual energy bills of about €35,000. With this battery investment, North Outdoor is aiming to transform its energy costs into a competitive advantage and financial benefit.
“This investment improves both the profitability and value of our property. We ran the numbers carefully, and even conservative estimates show that the investment is cash-flow positive from day one. That’s why we’ve decided to purchase three batteries. Elisa’s reliability and Gridle’s optimization expertise were the factors that convinced us,” says Lauri Pyykönen, CEO of North Outdoor.
Specializing in merino wool clothing, North Outdoor is part of PYKA Oy, owned by former Olympic skiers Lauri Pyykönen and Teemu Kattilakoski. For these entrepreneurs, producing their clothing in Finland is a key part of responsible and sustainable business – and sustainability also lies behind the battery investment. Thanks to Gridle, North Outdoor now uses greener electricity, charging batteries automatically during low-cost periods when power is generated from renewable sources. When the batteries are not needed for internal use, the company can sell the capacity to help balance the grid. In case of a power outage, the batteries will keep production running.
“North Outdoor’s example highlights the strengths of combining battery capacity with Gridle. We offer entrepreneurs an effortless way to improve the profitability and energy efficiency of their properties. They can focus on their core business, while we handle energy optimization. And supporting Finland’s electricity grid means that everyone benefits,” says Jukka-Pekka Salmenkaita, Managing Director of Gridle and Head of AI at Elisa Industriq.
