We worked with Normi Group to try out the 360° imaging of traffic signs and use the data gained to improve traffic safety, among other purposes. CEO of Normiopaste Mika Nurmi and Senior Consultant of Normi Consulting Laura Riihentupa shared with us what is happening in the company after the pilot project.
1. How would you describe your service?
“Normi Group is a diversified operator that offers a broad range of services and products for various traffic and infrastructure needs. The group comprises four companies that together offer a strong service selection ranging from infrastructure, electrification and lighting projects and contracting, smart traffic and traffic management to rock excavation and expert and planning responsibilities.”
“Normiopaste Oy is Finland’s leading provider of traffic guidance and safety products, also specialising in construction and manufacturing. The company’s products and services cover everything you need for traffic signage, including their installation and design and consultation.”
“Normivalaistus Oy produces outdoor lighting and smart traffic solutions. In addition to road and street lighting, the company’s core business includes the construction, technology deliveries and maintenance of traffic lights, telematics, traffic measurement and information systems and electrical grids.”
“Normilouhinta Oy carries out demanding rock excavation and blasting projects with over 20 years of experience. The company provides services for construction and infrastructure projects that require special expertise and precision, ensuring the project’s success even in challenging conditions.”
”Normi Consulting (formerly Varala Engineering) is an expert company specialised in smart traffic planning and consulting solutions. The company’s core expertise includes traffic monitoring and control systems and ITS and C-ITS solutions.”
2. What kind of cooperation have you engaged in with Forum Virium Helsinki?
“In spring 2023, the Normi Group companies Normiopaste and Normi Consulting joined Forum Virium in a shared pilot project. The pilot yielded data from traffic control devices in the Jätkäsaari district in Helsinki.”
“The aim of the project was to take an inventory of the traffic signs in a select street area. The key goal of the pilot was to compare the actual traffic signs detected on the street to the plans for the area in question. The pilot yielded lessons for the City of Helsinki’s Cityinfra development regarding what the comparison of reality to the plans requires and which opportunities and limitations the comparison involves.”
“The Normi Group employees have also worked with Forum Virium for several years, especially in networks related to smart traffic, and even at this moment there are discussions ongoing about potential new project ideas.”
3. How did the cooperation go, and what insight did you gain?
“The cooperation in the project was excellent and smooth. It was built on open communication and a shared vision of the project’s goals. The project provided an understanding of how the city infrastructure could be developed to better meet both present and future needs.”
“The project yielded significant lessons for the Cityinfra development of the City of Helsinki. We saw that comparing the plans to reality was not just a technical test, but that it required careful planning, interpreting and analysing data and, above all, understanding how different factors influence the use and safety of the street space. The pilot also clarified the potential of the comparison process, including the challenges in data collection and analysis.”
The project cooperation also provided Normi with essential contacts from the Forum Virium network that they have used in other projects after the pilot.
Laura Riihentupa, senior consultant at Normi Consulting
4. How are you doing now, and what are your future plans?
“Our group is currently in a dynamic and growing stage, which we can see in an increase in both employees and projects and quotes. Lately, we have invested substantially in the recruitment of new professionals, which has strengthened our teams and brought new energy and expertise into our organisation. The project cooperation also provided Normi with essential contacts from the Forum Virium network that we have used in other projects after the pilot.”
“We have also worked hard with harmonising our group brand, which has improved our recognisability on the market and made our communication clearer both internally and externally.”
“We will continue our investments in people, technology and processes that support our growth strategy and improve our efficiency. Our special focus area is developing innovations and new service models to meet the changing needs of our customers.”
5. How would you describe your actions for sustainability?
“Responsibility and sustainable development play an increasingly large role in our daily operations and strategy, both in our own business and our stakeholders’ operations.”
“We promote eco-friendly consumption by choosing products and services that are recyclable and reduce the carbon footprint. We recycle our waste and production wastage, and we also reduce the amount of waste by avoiding unnecessary packaging and using durable and reusable products whenever possible. In our fleet purchases, we pay special attention to the emissions from the machinery and vehicles.”
“We consume energy as efficiently as possible and plan energy conservation measures, such as opting for LED lights, switching off equipment while it’s idle, and using renewable energy. When we implement our projects, we always aim for energy-efficient solutions, with regard to the whole lifecycle of our projects.”