Technological Tandem & Transcontinental Transformation

In a strategic step towards global network resilience, Finnish telecommunications major Elisa has extended its alliance with stainless steel giant Outokumpu. The expanded partnership, now global in scope, sees Elisa collaborating with Vodafone Business to deliver seamless internet & network management solutions for Outokumpu’s facilities spanning five continents. The collaboration builds upon the successful implementation of a next-gen SD-WAN solution last year, which already established a high-performance digital infrastructure for the steelmaker.

Stainless Synergy & Seamless Signal Systems

Outokumpu, renowned for producing sustainable stainless steel, depends heavily on uninterrupted connectivity for its production operations, including its underground mining activities. The upgraded partnership ensures that Elisa, with Vodafone Business, will oversee critical aspects of network traffic, change management, & fault resolution across Outokumpu’s local area networks globally. The focus remains on operational continuity, safety, and system agility, especially essential in manufacturing where downtime translates to direct economic loss.

Architectural Agility & Automated Assurance

Elisa’s solution is built upon three foundational pillars: advanced network automation, reliable architecture, & a vast international partner network. By migrating Outokumpu’s infrastructure to an internet-based secure architecture, Elisa aims to reduce complexity, enhance network performance, and increase digital agility. This approach also aligns with industrial digitisation trends, offering scalability, simplified network governance, and higher fault tolerance across geographies.

Corporate Continuity & Critical Connectivity

Risto Mikola, Vice President, IT Platform at Outokumpu, stressed the indispensable nature of resilient connectivity: “For Outokumpu, critical connections are essential across our production facilities and in our underground mine around the clock.” With Elisa as the centralised network partner, the steelmaker can now prioritise its core operations while ensuring robust digital infrastructure. The partnership safeguards business continuity across time zones & terrains.

Vodafone’s Vastness & Value-Added Vision

Vodafone Business plays a pivotal role in amplifying Elisa’s service delivery capabilities. According to Fanan Henriques, Product & International Business Director at Vodafone Business, the alliance provides Elisa access to Vodafone’s global infrastructure, enabling tailored services for multinational enterprises like Outokumpu. This collaboration highlights how global telecom alliances are critical to delivering comprehensive digital solutions to industrial giants.

Strategic Scalability & Sustainable Solutions

The reinforced partnership not only secures digital consistency for Outokumpu but also enhances its capacity to adopt emerging technologies, such as IoT-driven monitoring & AI-assisted process control. These upgrades are critical as the company navigates stricter environmental standards, leaner production cycles, and dynamic global demand. By managing network complexities proactively, Elisa helps Outokumpu focus on innovation, sustainability, and market expansion.

Industry Integration & Infrastructure Innovation

Jorma Niemelä, VP of Connectivity at Elisa’s corporate business, noted that “Industries are rapidly Technological Tandem & Transcontinental Transformation

In a strategic step towards global network resilience, Finnish telecommunications major Elisa has extended its alliance with stainless steel giant Outokumpu. The expanded partnership, now global in scope, sees Elisa collaborating with Vodafone Business to deliver seamless internet & network management solutions for Outokumpu’s facilities spanning five continents. The collaboration builds upon the successful implementation of a next-gen SD-WAN solution last year, which already established a high-performance digital infrastructure for the steelmaker.

Stainless Synergy & Seamless Signal Systems

Outokumpu, renowned for producing sustainable stainless steel, depends heavily on uninterrupted connectivity for its production operations, including its underground mining activities. The upgraded partnership ensures that Elisa, with Vodafone Business, will oversee critical aspects of network traffic, change management, & fault resolution across Outokumpu’s local area networks globally. The focus remains on operational continuity, safety, and system agility, especially essential in manufacturing where downtime translates to direct economic loss.

Architectural Agility & Automated Assurance

Elisa’s solution is built upon three foundational pillars: advanced network automation, reliable architecture, & a vast international partner network. By migrating Outokumpu’s infrastructure to an internet-based secure architecture, Elisa aims to reduce complexity, enhance network performance, and increase digital agility. This approach also aligns with industrial digitisation trends, offering scalability, simplified network governance, and higher fault tolerance across geographies.

Corporate Continuity & Critical Connectivity

Risto Mikola, Vice President, IT Platform at Outokumpu, stressed the indispensable nature of resilient connectivity: “For Outokumpu, critical connections are essential across our production facilities and in our underground mine around the clock.” With Elisa as the centralised network partner, the steelmaker can now prioritise its core operations while ensuring robust digital infrastructure. The partnership safeguards business continuity across time zones & terrains.

Vodafone’s Vastness & Value-Added Vision

Vodafone Business plays a pivotal role in amplifying Elisa’s service delivery capabilities. According to Fanan Henriques, Product & International Business Director at Vodafone Business, the alliance provides Elisa access to Vodafone’s global infrastructure, enabling tailored services for multinational enterprises like Outokumpu. This collaboration highlights how global telecom alliances are critical to delivering comprehensive digital solutions to industrial giants.

Strategic Scalability & Sustainable Solutions

The reinforced partnership not only secures digital consistency for Outokumpu but also enhances its capacity to adopt emerging technologies, such as IoT-driven monitoring & AI-assisted process control. These upgrades are critical as the company navigates stricter environmental standards, leaner production cycles, and dynamic global demand. By managing network complexities proactively, Elisa helps Outokumpu focus on innovation, sustainability, and market expansion.

Industry Integration & Infrastructure Innovation

Jorma Niemelä, VP of Connectivity at Elisa’s corporate business, noted that “Industries are rapidly digitising, and secure, high-performance connectivity is more critical than ever.” This philosophy underscores the industry-wide push toward cloud-first operations, digital twins, predictive analytics, and decentralised monitoring, all of which require stable, scalable, and smart connectivity solutions.

Partnership Perseverance & Platform Progress

Elisa’s enduring relationship with Outokumpu reflects a shared vision for resilient digital ecosystems in heavy industry. As the company assumes greater responsibility for network management, its role evolves from service provider to strategic digital partner. This transition embodies the convergence of telecommunications and manufacturing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where data integrity, uptime assurance, and operational flexibility define competitiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Elisa, in partnership with Vodafone Business, will manage internet & network operations for Outokumpu across five continents.

• The service includes proactive monitoring, fault resolution & secure global connectivity for manufacturing & mining sites.

• The collaboration supports Outokumpu’s broader push for industrial digitisation & sustainable operations.digitising, and secure, high-performance connectivity is more critical than ever.” This philosophy underscores the industry-wide push toward cloud-first operations, digital twins, predictive analytics, and decentralised monitoring, all of which require stable, scalable, and smart connectivity solutions.

Partnership Perseverance & Platform Progress

Elisa’s enduring relationship with Outokumpu reflects a shared vision for resilient digital ecosystems in heavy industry. As the company assumes greater responsibility for network management, its role evolves from service provider to strategic digital partner. This transition embodies the convergence of telecommunications and manufacturing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where data integrity, uptime assurance, and operational flexibility define competitiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Elisa, in partnership with Vodafone Business, will manage internet & network operations for Outokumpu across five continents.

• The service includes proactive monitoring, fault resolution & secure global connectivity for manufacturing & mining sites.

• The collaboration supports Outokumpu’s broader push for industrial digitisation & sustainable operations.