Industrial Construction Completed Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget – get to know the story of Prysmian Sky Project

As Finland's leading construction company, YIT harnesses over a century of expertise to deliver industrial and production facilities tailored for the energy and process industries, as well as logistics demands. Beyond traditional industrial construction, YIT’s portfolio includes cutting-edge logistics hubs and data centers, and innovative green transition industrial plants. 

“Building industrial, production, and energy facilities requires meticulous planning and strong project management. Our work is performed in challenging environments, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations. We partner with our clients from the feasibility study and planning stages right through to the commissioning of the production facility. Additionally, we offer comprehensive maintenance services throughout the property's lifecycle to ensure continued excellence,” says Janne Salmenoja, Head of the Energy and Industrial Construction Unit.

Pre-planning: Maximizing Efficiency and Reducing Costs 

YIT’s extensive project experience demonstrates that meticulous pre-planning is crucial for ensuring the success of construction projects. The pre-planning phase demands in-depth expertise to accurately define the project's scope, timeline, and budget, including all construction-related aspects. Importantly, effective pre-planning in the earliest stages of cooperation aligns the installation of process technology with the overall construction schedule. This in turn achieves significant savings in both time and costs, leading to more efficient project execution. 

In the feasibility study phase, YIT assists its customers in defining their project's scope as well as functional, technical, and quality goals while meticulously planning the schedule and budget from a construction viewpoint. During this stage, preliminary construction programs, schedules, and cost-benefit analyses are prepared. 

In transitioning to the project planning phase, YIT ensures the project’s feasibility, conducts essential studies, and secures regulatory and permit approvals. Based on these insights, preliminary project and spatial plans along with design guidelines are prepared. Additionally, the project timeline, target price estimates, and established quality assurance protocols are refined. 

YIT is the first Finnish construction company to commit to set emissions reduction targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Through YIT’s commitment and expertise in sustainability, it integrates the necessary sustainability expertise into the project considering energy and material efficiency, biodiversity, and taxonomy-compliant construction perspectives. Additionally, employee safety is a priority for YIT, and particular focus is being put on foresight and intervention practices to create a safe and efficient working environment. 

“We leverage both local and specialized expertise for all our industrial projects, ensuring the best service for our customers. With our extensive network of experts across Finland and our standing as the largest construction company in the country, we offer unparalleled expertise from civil engineering to complex commercial construction”, describes Salmenoja.

   

The Sky Project – a unique project that requires close cooperation and strong customer insight

Constructed for YIT’s client, the globally operating Prysmian Group, the Sky Tower stands as the tallest building in Finland at 185 meters. The tower has now reached its maximum height, and finishing touches are being applied at the project site. Once completed, it will be used to manufacture vulcanized submarine cables, particularly for offshore wind power needs. The project is notable for its technical execution and project management.

The tower was built using slip-casting technology and consists of 23 floors, with different phases of work occurring simultaneously on various levels. The smooth progress of the project has been facilitated by effective coordination of construction, building technology, and process installations. As a member of the project alliance, YIT has overseen the construction and coordination of the process supplier's installations according to the timetable.

Photo: Ville Hakala

In a challenging project such as the Sky Project, the alliance model, which unites all project partners, has once again proven its effectiveness. This model is ideal for projects where significant benefits and improved risk management can be achieved through close collaboration. It offers transparency in cost management and ensures the project is completed on time, making it suitable for complex construction projects that require diverse expertise. In industrial construction, scheduling is typically the most critical factor, and the alliance model enables efficient scheduling and risk management.

The alliance model has demonstrated its value in the Sky Project, where work under the original agreement was completed approximately six months ahead of schedule. This early completion allowed for the customer's request to expand the project scope and finish these additional tasks within the original timeline.

Successful collaboration and the establishment of a shared understanding from the project's inception have been key to its success. YIT has shown its strengths in technical expertise, cost management, scheduling, and robust project management, exemplified by the precise coordination of work phases. YIT's commitment to industrial construction is always to find ways to accelerate construction and offer more cost-effective and sustainable solutions to customers.