“Digia has been working with organisations like the Finnish Defence Forces for a long time, which has allowed us to build up extensive expertise in digital services for the defence industry. We wanted to put all of this expertise together in one unit. Now, we have gotten that unit’s business activities and customer relationships to a place where everything is running smoothly, and we are generating added value for the whole sector”, says head of the Defence unit, Jussi Tammelin.
In the defence industry, IT services emphasise industry expertise, long-term partnerships and round-the-clock operation of both services and infrastructure. Data security and continuous technological innovation are critical. Digia’s special expertise and the Digia Group’s expansive service offering allow it to respond to the needs and requirements of the defence sector, and the Defence unit can bring together the necessary skills and other prerequisites in a structured manner. The centralisation and development of operations have also benefitted existing customer relationships, which have been deepened and expanded.
“There is demand for expertise and solutions like ours. Security and preparedness have come to the forefront more broadly in the past year. As a software and service company, we have been able to respond to the increased demand, both on a strategic level and with real, practical solutions”, Tammelin explains.
The Defence business unit has achieved all its early objectives but focuses squarely on the future. Its operations will continue to be expanded and developed in close collaboration with customers and other businesses. The unit aims to work more closely with industry networks and organisations abroad.
“In our first year, we started working with players such as the Danish Arbit Cyber Defence Systems, together with whom we also won a contract in January 2023 for an information exchange gateway product to enable secure data communications for the Finnish Defence Forces. Working with international players like Arbit strengthens the capabilities of our services in places like NATO member countries. International collaboration improves our competitiveness regarding defence industry contracts and increases exports for the whole industry”, Tammelin says.
Finland’s accession to NATO also creates new international cooperation and business opportunities.
“Joining NATO opens up new opportunities with much potential in a larger market. In an international framework, our strengths are our extensive expertise and excellent partnerships with other Finnish companies. We feel that approaching international markets more widely is easier from Finland”, Tammelin says.
NATO also offers new opportunities for developing Digia’s expertise. The professionals of the Defence unit have already participated in several international seminars and training events.
“We also want to provide for our customers’ needs on the international stage. This is a challenging and painstaking task in the NATO framework, but it is also highly rewarding and motivating. Thanks to our extensive expertise, we have already been able to bring new perspectives and approaches to applying various best practices in the international defence industry through technology and different operational models and frameworks”, says Digia’s Account Executive Matti Laine.
Roughly 150 Digia experts are involved in the Defence unit’s customer relationships and projects. In line with its original concept, the unit wants to act as an integrator that brings together the right experts and solutions for developing customers’ operations, as well as reliable Finnish service production support. The unit’s greatest strength is its professionals’ strong desire to work together for the customer's benefit.
“Cooperation is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with the rest of the organisation, our customers and partners. When you add to this operational model our extensive experience in different sectors and solution areas and our defence industry knowledge, you arrive at an outstanding ability to function as a widely capable partner to customers who are looking to develop their operations”, says Digia’s Chief Digital Evangelist Veikko Nokkala.
Key partners have recognised this capability. Digia is a trusted partner of the Finnish Defence Forces, and the company received national facility security clearance from the Defence Forces at the end of 2022.
“We are particularly widely known for our comprehensive security expertise and high-security solutions, but what gives us our competitive edge is our comprehensive digital business development. We are capable of harnessing data, smart solutions and the right expertise to fuel sustainable growth and continuous improvement”, Matti Laine says.
The team recognises that good operating practices and wide-ranging expertise have made the unit’s growth and development possible.
“For us, the customer always comes first. We can help customers develop their operations and identify new opportunities. This allows us to drive growth and development for our customers and ourselves. The grander vision we share with them is a safer Finland”, Tammelin concludes.
Further information:
Jussi Tammelin
Director, Defence, Digia Plc
tel. +358 (0)50 574 6570, jussi.tammelin(a)digia.com