Innohome Oy strengthens its presence in the North American market
Innohome Oy, the leading developer and manufacturer of Stove Guards, is happy to announce a partnership and agreement reached with TM Sales & Marketing Inc to distribute the innovative and patented Stove Guard products in the North American market. Innohome Oy has been founded 2005 and volume production of Stove Guards started 2011. So far more than 500.000 Innohome Stove Guards have been installed in homes worldwide.
According to studies conducted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) cooking was the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries during 2017-2021. Ranges or cooktops were involved in 88 % of the reported cooking fire deaths and in 74 % of cooking fire injuries. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 158,400 home structure fires per year started by cooking activities in 2017-2021, or an average of 470 home cooking fires per day. These fires caused an average of 470 civilian deaths, 4,150 reported civilian fire injuries, and $1.15 billion in direct property damage per year.
Innohome Stove Guard products have been available in the North American market since 2019 and now this new collaboration with TM Sales & Marketing Inc is strengthening Innohome’s position in the North American market and making our fire prevention products more available to customers.
Main Innohome products are Stove Guards, Smart Smoke Alarms and EV Charger Charlie. Innohome development center and main office is in Espoo Finland. Key markets for Innohome products are Norway, UK, Germany, North America, Finland and Sweden.
For further enquiries:
Mr. Jan Henriksson, Sales Director Innohome Oy
jan.henriksson@innohome.com
Innohome renews the distribution agreement with Firechief Global for the UK market
Finland-based technology company Innohome is to continue to work in close cooperation with its UK distributor, Firechief Global. The partnership began in 2018 and the common interest of ‘making the world a safer place’ has led to a successful collaboration.
This has now been enhanced with a renewed distribution agreement. “We are very pleased that we were able to continue with Firechief Global in the UK market,” states Innohome’s Sales Director Jan Henriksson.
Firechief Global originally chose the Stove Guard by Innohome, because of its perfect fit into the Firechief Global product portfolio, which consists of high-quality fire prevention, detection and suppression devices and systems.
“In the UK, as in many other countries, the overall knowledge of the magnitude of kitchen fires and especially of devices designed to prevent them, is limited. Although the people working within the fire safety industry are well aware of the overall problem, the building owners and inhabitants still need a lot of educating in the area,” says Ian Poole, Head of Sales at Firechief Global.
Firechief has worked consistently and successfully in increasing the awareness and will continue to do so in the future. “There is a lot of potential in the UK market and Firechief has done a tremendous job in the past 5 years to increase the awareness of fire safety in general and the benefits of Stove Guards in particular”, comments Jan Henriksson.
Firechief Global is the UK’s fastest growing fire safety brand. The growth potential for Stove Guard sales comes from social housing, student accommodation and high-rise buildings. “We are very happy with our co-operation with Innohome. There are more people involved on both sides regarding the UK Stove Guard business and the way of working is flexible and informal. Any issues are addressed and the collaboration has become stronger. It all adds up to more people living more safely in their homes, which makes this work so meaningful,” Ian Poole concludes.
Fire prevention just got easier: Innohome and Malmbergs to partner in Sweden
Award-winning Innohome Stove Guards are now more readily available in Sweden as Malmbergs, a leading electric product supplier in the Nordics, broadens their selection with smart fire safety.
We are glad to announce that Innohome has started cooperation with Malmbergs. The cooperation will strengthen Innohome’s position in the Swedish market and make preventive fire solutions more accessible in the Nordic countries.
Malmbergs is a Sweden-based company with the focus on distribution and wholesale of electrical items. The company has subsidiaries in Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
“Product safety and quality are of utmost importance to us. We are happy to have a like-minded company on board,” says Magnus Johansson, product manager at Malmbergs. “An innovative product that helps to keep home safer is a great addition to our selection.”
“Product safety and quality are of utmost importance to us. We are happy to have a like-minded company on board.”
Innohome is a pioneer in fire prevention and a global market leader in stove safety products. More than 50 % of home fires start from the kitchen, and most of those fires could be prevented with the Innohome Stove Guard.
Innohome Stove Guards have been installed in over 400,000 kitchens worldwide. Through the cooperation, Innohome’s patented fire prevention technology will be available in Malmbergs’ stores across Sweden.
We welcome Malmbergs as our Swedish representative with excitement and look forward to working together to serve our customers.
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EV charging made easy
Separate RFID tags? Connecting to wi-fi? There’s no need for any of that hassle. Innohome Charlie charging station is your reliable partner for everyday charging.
Plug in and charge. It really is that simple. Innohome Charlie charging stations are designed to make charging your EV easy while keeping it fast and safe.
“Our vision was to make a charging station that truly benefits the user. It should be very simple and easy to use but allow room for some customisation too, all while maintaining high standards and affordable prices,” says R&D director Riku Roine from Innohome.
The simple charging station is always ready for use and although it can be managed with different applications, it isn’t dependent on any kind of network. We all know how much the tiniest connection errors affect todays world. No bank access, no streaming your favourite series, and the list goes on. Innohome Charlie charges your car regardless of the network conditions.
Seamless cooperation for maximum ease
For the sake of simplicity, you can use the charger as is. It’s perfect for busy life: Just like you’d charge your phone or wireless earbuds, no need to worry about anything. Just plug in and charge. That’s all you really need.
For those who like having options, it is easy to manage the important functions like charging rate and time or utilise cheaper electricity using the app from your EV manufacturer, electricity company, or a third party like Tibber or Gridio. Innohome Charlie goes seamlessly together with different vehicles and applications.
Safe charging with Innohome Charlie
EVs need high power to charge, which makes safety a big factor in their charging and charging products. Innohome Charlie charging stations have been designed with safety in mind, and you can charge worry-free at any time of day.
“Our background is in fire safety and specifically in preventive solutions against electrical fires, so we really know how to make it safe,” says Roine.
Innohome Charlie charging stations have a built-in 6mA DC residual-current monitor, which in addition requires a Type-A residual-current device on the supply side, as described in our installation instructions. Together, these both cover the safety requirements for DC and AC residual-current protection.
Fatal electrical fires start from the stove
Misuse of stoves and cooktops is the leading cause of deaths in electrical home fires. The improved fire analysis process in Sweden allows the authorities to dig deeper into the root causes of fires.
According to The Swedish National Electrical Safety Board, a total of 14-18 people died in electrical home fires in Sweden during 2020. 9-11 of the cases were due to improper use of stoves and cooktops, and majority of the deceased were in their 70s or older.
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) introduced a new analysis process and a new register of fire deaths in 2020. The new register gives us a better understanding about the reasons behind fatal fires. The recent findings by The Swedish National Electrical Safety Board show that misuse of stove is the leading cause of fire deaths in electrical home fires.
Fires by faulty equipment are something that can be reduced through supervision and market control. Misuse, on the other hand, needs different measures.
Nordic fire safety
Other Nordic countries have very similar problems. In Finland, for example, carelessness while cooking has been the leading cause of home fires for years. To protect the most vulnerable, Finland now requires stove guards to be installed to all new stoves and cooktops in senior and service housing, as well as in apartments for special groups.
Norway is a pioneer in fire safety, and stove guards have been mandatory there to all new residential buildings since 2010. Stove guards, electric smoke alarms, and better cooperation between different instances have reduced fire deaths by almost a third during the past ten years.
Innohome invests in product development: a senior mechanical engineer joins the company
High-quality and innovative products are at the core of Innohome’s business. To support the rapid growth of the past years, we are now welcoming a skilled product development professional to our team. Jari Pyrä started at Innohome as a senior mechanical engineer in February 2023.
In recent years, Innohome has invested heavily in product development and introduced new products to the market. With the company growing, there was a need to further strengthen our research and development team. We are pleased to welcome senior mechanical engineer Jari Pyrä to Innohome’s energetic team. Jari is a skilled product development professional with over 30 years of experience working with various technologies, materials, and software.
Jari moved to Innohome from Etteplan, where he also held the role of senior mechanical engineer. He has a long background in product development and project management at companies such as Etteplan and Nokia. To Innohome, Jari brings his valuable mechanical know-how and vision, and will drive our product development forward.
“People here are motivated to develop, and it has become clear already in this short time.”
Innohome is known for smart and award-winning technology solutions with which we have improved the safety of kitchens and homes since 2005. “People here are motivated to develop, and it has become clear already in this short time,” says Jari. Innohome is devoted to product development, too. “The design tool is, of course, absolutely essential in my work, but we are also considering all kinds of procurements related to it, which will increase efficiency,” states Jari.
Home safety is the future
As befits a product development expert, Jari is particularly enthusiastic about Innohome’s products. A considerable amount of technology and innovative solutions are hidden behind the simple exterior of home charging stations and fire prevention products.
“I’m quite an innovative guy myself, and I like to try out new things. We shouldn’t always do things the way we’ve been doing them before. Instead, we should be asking if there is a better or smarter way to do them”, says Jari.
Jari believes that home safety is a growing trend. The number of electric cars is increasing rapidly, which means safe EV charging solutions are needed in more and more homes. On the other hand, fire safety regulations are developing too. The most recent example is from Finland, where stove guards became obligatory to new stoves in senior and service housing starting from January 2023. “Stove guards are already mandatory in all new buildings in Norway, and it may well be that in few years the rest of the Europe will follow suit,” estimates Jari.
Newly appointed Innohome’s Sales Director Jan Henriksson: ”It’s motivating and meaningful to work with products that can save lives”
Innohome is strengthening its position as a provider of fire prevention and safe home charging for EV’s. The company has grown and invested in new product development also during the globally challenging couple of years. We are boosting our sales with a new sales leader. M.Sc. (BA) Jan Henriksson started as a Sales Director in January at Innohome.
”We are delighted that Innohome’s and Jan’s paths crossed. Jan has a versatile background of leading sales in international companies especially in the medical technology industry. We are convinced that Jan’s experience is of benefit also in growing the sales of our products and services. Our mission is to prevent as many domestic fires as possible and thus decrease the human suffering related to fires. Jan plays a big role in fulfilling that promise” says Juha Mört, CEO of Innohome.
Jan has a proven track record of increasing sales in both established companies, such as iCare Finland Oy, as well as start-ups.
“I had a good impression of the company and people in it already beforehand. I am thrilled to become part of this team in a growing Finnish company, which operates with life saving products already internationally. The growth potential is huge, and every device sold is helping to keep people safer in their homes” comments Jan.
”It’s motivating and meaningful to work with products that can save lives” – Jan Henriksson
Jan’s strengths are in building and maintaining a partner network which supports Innohome’s strategy of close partnership with its key customers. His expertise benefits also Innohome’s Management team to which he is appointed of. Jan reports to CEO Juha Mört and leads the Innohome sales team.
We wish Jan warmly welcome to Innohome!
Several new experts to strengthen Innohome’s growth
The last couple of years have been a time of rapid growth for Innohome, and to support it, several people have been hired for different functions of the organisation.
A long-term professional in quality and process development, Juha Vehkamäki has started as Quality Manager at Innohome in October 2021. He came to Innohome looking for versatile tasks, and those together with the work community and company culture have convinced him to stay.
“You can see people’s cooperation and solid community whenever we gather. People support and help each other. For example, when having questions, you’ll get not only the answers, but also some background information,” Juha says.
At Innohome, Juha is primarily responsible for quality assurance and audits across the business lines and has already further strengthened Innohome’s processes. He has a long background at Nokia in various tasks regarding developing quality, products and processes. Juha moved to Innohome from project lead position at Vyaire Medical.
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“I wanted to work with tasks that create value”
Antti Lehtola joined Innohome operations team in May 2022 as Production Controller. Like Juha, Antti too was interested in diverse tasks. “I’ve been to both big and small organisations and I knew I’d be able to do all sorts of things here. We have freedom and momentum,” Antti says. The change from the bureaucracy of a big house to Innohome has met the expectations, and Antti enjoys working with customers and core processes.
Antti transferred to Innohome from Hartwall where he led the financial department. He has multifaceted experience in the chemical industry in the supply chain side, from warehouse worker and managing order delivery traffic all the way to leading a unit, as well as financial expertise in the food industry. At Innohome, Antti is particularly excited about the products. “I like how we’re working for a worthy cause,” he states.
Young energy to sales and marketing team
Innohome sales and marketing team has been strengthened with two new professionals. Andreas Otila, who started as Sales Manager in May 2022, speaks Swedish fluently and is responsible for Innohome’s preventive fire safety product sales in Sweden. To Andreas, one of the best parts of his job is getting to know new people. “The best thing is when you get to learn something new during the conversation too,” he ponders.
You may have seen Andreas already at different events, as he has represented Innohome at quite a few fairs during the last months, including FinnBuild fair and Good Age -exhibition.
The newest addition to the Innohome team is Linda Mäkinen, who started as Marketing Coordinator in the beginning of October 2022. As a strong writer, Linda brings Innohome especially her content production skills, and she has versatile experience in other areas of marketing as well.
“I got excited by the interesting job description and good team spirit, which was clearly visible already during the interview stage,” Linda says.
Warm welcome to Juha, Antti, Andreas and Linda to Innohome’s energetic team.
New Board Members of Innohome Group Oy
We are pleased to announce that Mr Siamäk Naghian D. Sc. (Tech.) and Mr. Magnus Lengdell M.Sc, MBA have joined the Innohome Group Oy board in May 2022.
Both Siamäk and Magnus will bring on extensive experience in technology and international business. We at Innohome are very happy to get both onboard.
Mr. Siamäk Naghian is currently working as a CEO of Genelec Oy and holds various other positions of trust.
Genelec Oy has for over forty years developed the finest active loudspeakers and monitoring solutions for professional audio applications, worldwide. Designed and manufactured in Finland, the company’s products have received numerous amount of international awards throughout the years for their innovative technologies and design.
“Innohome offers the state-of-the-art safety technology solutions that make people lives more secure and safer at home and residential environments. The company’s high-quality and innovative safety technology solutions have already been proven by users around the world in demanding environments. The need for the standard safety and security solutions that people can trust will continue increasing in the future. I am very happy to be part of Innohome’s highly professional and committed team to support the company’s mission becoming a reality in the future.” states Siamäk.
Mr. Magnus Lengdell is currently the Group CTO at Addsecure.
AddSecure serves over 100 000 customers and partners around Europe with premium solutions for secure critical communications and data.
AddSecure has also specialized in providing end-to-end safety solutions for elderly living at home. The company’s annual turnover is around 160 M€ and it employs around 1000 employees.
”Innohome is an entreprenural driven high-quality product company, with great potential to expand in the residential safety and security markets. The customer need for increased safety in the residential homes is a global trend, which will open up new product and service opportunities for Innohome. I am exited to join the board of directors to grow the business as the market expand” says Magnus.
Innohome settles the IPR dispute
Innohome’s core, as also included in the company name, is in innovation and providing fire safety to homes. Since 2005 we have invented devices to prevent the kitchen fires and electrical fires at homes. The significant number of patents granted for our products throughout the years are there to protect our original ideas and product innovations.
Recently, we received another proof of the strength of our IPR as Norwegian Board of Appeal for Industrial Property Rights recognized the validity of Innohome patents in Norway. Norwegian Board of Appeal organization is an independent, court-like, body under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
Innohome has been in litigation process against one of its competitors, Safera Oy, for several years in the market court of Helsinki Finland. Innohome is proud to announce, that the companies have reached a settlement this month and the dispute is over.
We happily continue the work to improve the fire safety of homes with our own products, as well as through licensing. Approximately 50 % of all home fires start in the kitchen and with Stove Guards most of them could be prevented.