The metals have been melted and cast for thousands of years. This skill has been developed and transferred from father to son in a course of hundreds of years. Cast products are constantly needed in our everyday life. Casting is indisputably the most rapid and the least energy consuming production method for demanding and complicated machine components.
The success of the Finnish foundry industry cannot be based only for long production series or on simple castings. The castings must be combined with advanced postprocessing, well organized logistics and global total service. Low foundry emissions, good working conditions, safety and efficient recycling are also in the key factors of competitiveness appreciated by the big users of castings.
The aim of the association is to unite the persons interested in foundry technology. The aim is pursued by organizing meetings and seminars. The basic principle of the activities is to promote the foundry technology and the utilization of castings by using the newest technology and by considering both people and environment.
Establishment of the association
A meeting of 54 foundry engineers and foremen was held in Helsinki on the 15th of June in 1946. The chairman of the meeting, foreman Kalle Kuulas asked whether the audience considered the establishment of an association for foundrymen as a necessary.
In the discussion the idea was supported. In September 1946 a new meeting on the subject was held. The heading of the minutes was written as follows: Minutes of the meeting of engineers and foremen working in Finnish foundries held in Helsinki in the premises of restaurant “Kontu” at Elimäenkatu 13 on the 22nd of September 1946. The meeting was attended by fifty engineers and foremen representing Finnish foundries. In this meeting the establishment of an association was decided. The name given to the association was Suomen Valimomiesten Liitto – Finlands Gjuterimannaförbund (The Association of Finnish Foundrymen). The Ministry of Justice approved the rules of the association on the 17th of March 1947. For this reason, the year 1947 is considered as the year of the establishment of the association.
In 1964 the annual meeting of the association accepted a new name for the association. The name of the association ever since has been: Suomen Valimotekninen Yhdistys – Finlands Gjuteritekniska Förening (The Finnish Foundry Technical Association). In Finnish unofficial abbreviation, SVY, can also be used instead of the full name of the association.
Since beginning, SVY has been independent, non-profitable technical association of personal and company members. It is not an enterprise or a trade union. The association has good prerequisites for its activities, as it is completely independent and not subordinated union.
Today SVY has around 600 personal members and 45 company members. The association works actively in the areas of interest. 2019 SVY donated capital to set up a special fund called Paavo Tennilä Fund, under the authority of Kaute Foundation. This funding has been used to promote the skills of SVY members and on the national basis to enhance the level of foundry technology in Finland.
Internationally the association acts actively in cooperation with the corresponding organizations in other European countries. The contacts with the surrounding world will always bring valuable perspectives to the association and its members.