Nammo Vihtavuori doubles waste heat recovery with new cooling plant

“Adven is our long-term partner. The solutions previously implemented by Adven for energy production and waste heat utilization have been successful. The experiences from earlier cooling plant projects, which reduced water consumption, have been positive, so it was clear that we would continue our good cooperation with Adven for the new plant as well. The concept presented by Adven is convincing,” says Ilkka Heikkilä, CEO of Nammo Vihtavuori.

Nammo Vihtavuori’s propellant plant, over a century old, manufactures propellants for both military and civilian use. As part of the international Nammo Group, Nammo Vihtavuori is Finland’s oldest and only propellant plant. Employing around 150 people, the factory has seen a sharp rise in production volumes in recent years due to an increase in orders. Nammo Vihtavuori is currently investing in expanding its production capacity.

The growth in production will also double the factory’s need for cooling energy. The industrial cooling provided by Adven is an essential part of cooling the production processes. Waste heat generated from the factory’s processes is captured and efficiently utilized to heat both the factory buildings and other properties in the area. The new cooling plant will utilize more powerful heat recovery units and heat pumps.

“Currently, waste heat meets 40% of the property heating. As energy production increases, more surplus heat will become available. Thanks to the new cooling plant and modern technology, the amount of recovery heat will double and be directed entirely to property heating. The use of renewable electricity and waste heat at the plant will also reduce the usage of fossil fuels at the Vihtavuori factory,” says Jari Ojala, Account Manager at Adven.

Nammo Vihtavuori is strongly committed to sustainability. “Our goal is to significantly reduce the factory’s carbon footprint. Adven’s investment supports Nammo Vihtavuori’s objectives to improve energy efficiency in production. Previously, Adven implemented two closed water cycle projects for us, cutting cooling water usage by half. At the same time, substantial energy savings were achieved by using heat pump solutions in heat recovery. This new project is a continuation of previous initiatives and will significantly reduce our carbon dioxide emissions in the future. The cooling plants eliminate the need to use lake water for process cooling, which is of utmost importance to us,” says Ilkka Heikkilä.

Adven supplies all the energy required by Nammo Vihtavuori as a service. Annually, Adven produces over 20 gigawatt-hours of process steam and facility heating for Nammo Vihtavuori using a biofuel-powered steam boiler plant. Adven is also fully responsible for the design and investment of the new energy plant, as well as the daily maintenance and continuous development of energy production. The new cooling energy production plant is scheduled to be operational in spring 2026.

More information

Jari Ojala, Account Manager, Adven, tel. +358 50 452 5664
Ilkka Heikkilä, CEO, Nammo Vihtavuori, tel. +358 40 866 9145

Nammo Vihtavuori

Nammo Vihtavuori is part of the Nammo Group, an international aerospace and defense company headquartered in Norway. The company operates in 11 countries, employs over 3,500 people and has 27 production sites. Today, Nammo is one of the world’s leading suppliers of specialty ammunition and rocket motors for both military and civilian customers. In Finland, the company employs approximately 500 people.

Adven

Adven is a dynamic energy group, driving the energy transition by developing sustainable and competitive solutions in partnership with customers, municipalities, and suppliers. Together, our 580 employees provide households and businesses with heating based on district heating and geoenergy, and industries with steam, heating, cooling and infrastructure services that improve resource efficiency. We have a long and solid track record with more than 50 years of experience within the field. Today we operate over 350 sites in Europe with a total energy volume of 5,6 TWh. Our annual turnover is EUR 383 million, and our total balance sheet EUR 1455 million. Coming together for a future of possibilities, adven.com