Roima Intelligence: Sustainable growth through innovative software solutions

Based in Espoo, Finland, Roima Intelligence is a leading provider of supply chain and manufacturing software solutions. The company offers a wide range of solutions that enable its customers to manage and optimise their production and supply chain, and improve operational efficiency. Through its innovative solutions and by helping its customers reach sustainable results through digitalisation, Roima has grown to become a major player internationally.

The company’s origins go back many years, but Roima, as we know it today, was established in 2014.

Roima’s products and solutions were developed to address the specific needs of more complex manufacturing operations and supply chains that traditional ERP systems could no longer meet. Roima’s solutions provide accurate, real-time information, allowing companies to gain better visibility and control over their supply chains and production processes. With these tools, organisations can automate information flows, reduce manual errors, and achieve more efficient operations.

What sets Roima apart from its competitors is its specialised and competitive product offering tailored to the specific needs of its customers’ manufacturing and logistics sub-sectors, alongside its deep expertise of complex production and delivery processes, which ensures efficient software deployment. Focus on the customer and on adding value is central to Roima’s approach and are the key factors in building trust and making investments successful.

“Our customers can rely on us to deliver value through our products that directly benefits their business,” comments Markus Kalalahti, CEO of Roima.

Roima is also committed to sustainability in its operations: the company’s mission is “sustainable results”, and its products are designed to improve customers’ businesses in a way that supports long-term sustainability. Roima’s solutions, such as product lifecycle management, manufacturing operations management or inventory management systems, help companies optimise resources and reduce waste. In this way, Roima supports its customers in improving efficiency, meeting sustainability requirements and contributing to a more sustainable future.

A new phase of growth

Roima’s growth story took a new direction in 2018, when Intera Partners, a private equity firm focused on growing and internationalising of Finnish and Swedish companies, stepped into the picture. Prior to this, Roima was owned by private equity firm Korona Invest alongside Roima’s management, and in spring 2018 Intera became the company’s new majority shareholder. Intera’s involvement brought a new level of strategic guidance and financial support, and aimed to accelerate international growth.

“We were convinced that the market Roima was targeting would grow rapidly. The company was still at an early stage of its development but given the company’s offering and the expertise of the team, its growth potential was clear,” says Christoffer Zilliacus, partner at Intera Partners and member of Roima’s board.

Roima operates in a multi-dimensional, rapidly evolving market worth billions of euros in the Nordic countries alone. This large market offers significant opportunities for growth, but its fragmentation also provides room for an innovative, specialised player like Roima to thrive.

The role of the Intera has been essential to Roima’s growth strategy, and cooperation with the management has been exceptionally good. Kalalahti emphasises how important it has been to have a clear direction and a shared vision between the board and management:

“We have built growth with a long-term perspective, systematically implementing everything we have planned together. This approach has been a key factor in our success.”

Cooperation with Intera has been straightforward, transparent and based on strong data-driven decision-making. On Intera’s side, Christoffer Zilliacus has been responsible for the Roima investment since the beginning, which has created continuity and built trust.

Key drivers of growth

Strategic guidance and financial support have enabled Roima to expand rapidly and develop its product portfolio, partly through targeted acquisitions in which Intera has played a crucial role. Under Intera’s ownership, Roima has made five significant acquisitions, including, for example, the purchase of Part Trap in Sweden, which opened the door to the US market, where Part Trap’s strong local references and business channels laid the foundation for Roima’s expansion. Today, Roima has a local presence not only in Finland but also in Sweden, Denmark, the US, and India, serving customers globally.

Roima’s growth during Intera’s involvement has been significant, with turnover rising from approximately €18 million in 2017 to a forecasted €57 million this year. It is noteworthy that the company has always remained profitable while growing – despite the investments made in its organisation and offerings, the company’s relative profitability has continued to increase steadily year by year.

Roima’s success is the result of the extensive efforts by Kalalahti and his team since 2019. Originally a collection of separate companies under a single brand, Roima has evolved into one group organisation with operations integrated around a common strategy and objectives. Kalalahti notes that this transformation has been critical to Roima’s growth story:

“None of this would have been possible without the tremendous work we have done to build the organisation, processes and governance. We have succeeded in creating a coherent company where all employees work together towards a common vision.”

Employee well-being and engagement has been a crucial part of the success, with the company’s employee satisfaction now higher than ever.

“At the end of the day, success is built by people who are aligned and want to help the business succeed. When a company is growing rapidly and making multiple acquisitions, it is important to keep the direction clear and to make people feel part of the overall entity,” says Kalalahti.

Roima has also strengthened its unity through ownership spread among its employees, with nearly 100 individual shareholders in addition to the majority shareholder.

The next steps for Roima’s growth

Roima’s success and growth have attracted international interest, and in July 2024, Intera Partners signed an agreement to sell Roima Intelligence to Corten Capital, an international private equity firm specialising in B2B software.

“We prepared this exit process for over a year to ensure that everything would go as smoothly as possible,” says Zilliacus. “It was clear that with Corten, Roima would get an excellent new owner who understands the specifics of this sector and who will be able to support Roima in further accelerating its international growth.”

Under the new agreement, Corten Capital will become the majority owner of Roima, while Intera will continue as a minority owner through Intera Fund IV.

Roima will continue its strong growth and development with a continued focus on providing innovative software solutions to the manufacturing industry and supply chains internationally.

Roima’s growth story demonstrates how a strategic vision, systematic strategy implementation, continuous innovation and a commitment to employee unity can create a strong foundation for long-term success. Looking ahead, Roima will continue to build sustainable growth that benefits both customers and society while maintaining its position as an industry leader.

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The article is part of the Finnish Venture Capital Association’s and PwC’s Building Growth Competition 2024 blog series, where we present the stories of the competition finalists. You can find more information about the competition on our website! The competition’s winner will be awarded at the Finnish Venture Capital Association’s main event of the year: the Finnish PE-VC Summit on 3.10.