Tampere University establishes a new professorship in sales of tailored industrial solutions and technology services with industry support
Finnish universities currently devote little effort to teaching or conducting research on the sales of tailored investment products and related technology services. Tampere University is responding to this challenge by launching an education and research initiative in industrial sales, supported by funding from industry, foundations and individuals.
The first step will be to invite applications to a fixed-term professor of practice. Later, an assistant or associate professor specialising in industrial sales will be hired on the University’s tenure track, with the opportunity to advance to a full professorship. Through this initiative, the University and its network of industry partners aim to strengthen industrial sales expertise in Finnish companies by training engineering students in sales and marketing.
The industrial sales initiative has been prepared in close collaboration with Tampere Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Technology-based companies that are looking to grow and establish a global presence rely on industrial sales. As reported by Technology Industries of Finland, the annual export value of the domestic technology industry exceeds €40 billion.
“The societal significance of this initiative lies in Tampere University’s collaboration with industry partners to enhance sales expertise within companies, thereby promoting their success and growth. What makes this initiative so exceptional is the broad support it has received from numerous companies and other industrial stakeholders. The level of backing highlights the importance of these efforts,” says President of Tampere University Keijo Hämäläinen.
TT Gaskets designs, manufactures and sells smart industrial gasket solutions, serving customers in 50 countries worldwide. Aleksi Arpiainen, the third-generation CEO of the family business, emphasises that the collaboration between Tampere University and companies significantly contributes to industrial success in Finland, particularly in the Tampere region. However, the international growth and competitiveness of Finnish industrial companies are hindered by their varying ability to rethink industrial sales strategies and to anticipate and respond to changing customer needs and the evolving business landscape.
“For instance, digitalisation is advancing rapidly and transforming not only sales operations but also their management. At the same time, industrial sales are becoming increasingly challenging due to large-scale product deliveries and the introduction of new service innovations. Sales have shifted from being an individual achievement to a collaborative team effort. Consequently, we need new capabilities to also develop sales management in our increasingly global business environment,” Arpiainen says.
“The establishment of the new professorship in sales of industrial solutions and related technology services, along with the broader consortium, is an excellent and necessary step to transform the evolving sales landscape into an opportunity for growth,” CEO Arpiainen says.
The new Industrial Sales research group will be committed to building an international reputation for excellence
The new initiative includes providing education to engineering students, particularly by the Industrial Engineering and Management Unit within the Faculty of Management and Business (MAB), as well as on a broader scale. Continuing education will be offered to working professionals in collaboration with companies.
Industrial sales require technological expertise, business acumen and an understanding of the added value that industrial investments or technological solutions can deliver to customers. Whether the products are industrial systems, software or specialist services, they are always tailored to meet specific customer needs, which also requires strong communication and negotiation skills.
“We are tackling a fundamental issue affecting Finnish industry. While our engineering professionals possess in-depth technological expertise, they often lack proficiency in sales. The business community has shown great interest in this initiative and has widely committed to providing financial support,” says Professor Tuomas Ahola, Head of the Industrial Engineering and Management Unit at Tampere University.
“Although education is a central component of this initiative, we will also prioritise world-class research in industrial sales,” Ahola points out.
Consequently, Tampere University will establish a new research group specialising in industrial sales. The University aims to create group with an international presence that will ultimately support the majority of its activities through grant funding for research projects.
Teaching in this field will be provided from the academic year 2025-2026 onwards, with a new major subject in industrial sales due to become available in 2027. In addition, a new BSc-level course featuring industry specialists as guest speakers will be launched to provide students with real-world insights.
Join the network to support the growth of Finnish industry
Since last year, the University has been actively raising funding and building a robust network of partners for the industrial sales initiative. To date, the project has secured over €1 million in donations from the following partners:
Ata-Gears Oy, Comatec, City of Tampere, Despro Engineering Oy, Dynaset Oy, Esko Ollilan säätiö, Fastems Oy Ab, Ilkka Kaikuvuo, Industrial Research Fund at Tampere University of Technology, Janne Viinikkala, Linjateräs Oy, Metso, OP Tampere, Purso Group Oy, Sacometal Oy, Sandvik, Tampereen Kauppayhdistyksen Säätiö sr, Tampereen Konepajat Oy, Tasowheel Oy, Teknikum, TT Gaskets, and Würth, along with others who have pledged their support.
The network of partners will continue to expand in the spring of 2025, and new supporters and partners are welcome to join.
“As change is a collective endeavour, I encourage everyone interested in the success of Finnish industry to join this initiative, which is making excellent progress and holds great significance for our society,” Aleksi Arpiainen says.
Inquiries:
Tuomas Ahola
Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management (with a special focus on the renewal of project business)
tuomas.ahola [at] tuni.fi (tuomas[dot]ahola[at]tuni[dot]fi), tel. +358 50 3016 203
Antti Lönnqvist
Dean, Faculty of Management and Business
antti.lonnqvist [at] tuni.fi (antti[dot]lonnqvist[at]tuni[dot]fi), tel. +358 40 544 6288
