MW Group acquires leading Finnish geodata company Arbonaut
Today, MW Group announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Arbonaut, a leading Finnish geodata company, through its subsidiary MW Forest Sense. The agreement includes a commitment to acquire 100% ownership of Arbonaut in January 2025. As part of this transition, Jari Kinnunen, currently Chief Sales Officer of Arbonaut, will step into the role of CEO and all MW Forest Sense services will be sold under the Arbonaut brand.
MW Group acquires leading Finnish geodata company Arbonaut
Today, MW Group announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Arbonaut, a leading Finnish geodata company, through its subsidiary MW Forest Sense. The agreement includes a commitment to acquire 100% ownership of Arbonaut in January 2025. As part of this transition, Jari Kinnunen, currently Chief Sales Officer of Arbonaut, will step into the role of CEO and all MW Forest Sense services will be sold under the Arbonaut brand.
Mikael Karlsson, CEO and founder of MW Group, comments "We are proud to fully welcome Arbonaut to our family after two years of being a minority owner. Under Tuomo Kauranne’s leadership, Arbonaut has developed into an exceptional leading technology company with strong expertise and innovative solutions. We are inspired by the opportunity to build on Arbonaut's successes alongside its talented management team. This merger will strengthen our combined ability to deliver high-quality services to both MW Group’s and Arbonaut’s clients."
Arbonaut provides world-leading expertise and technology with over 30 years of experience. Through the acquisition, the business will now accelerate its growth within forest management and amplify its dual-use offer. The company’s client base includes prominent organizations such as Metsähallitus (Finland's State Forest Enterprise), the Finnish Forest Center, and, in Sweden, Allmänningsskogarna, Besparingsskogarna, Kopparfors, and Bergvik Skog Öst. Beyond Scandinavia, the company also operates across Europe and other continents, expanding its global reach.
"I am happy to be able to hand over Arbonaut to the new CEO, Jari Kinnunen. Arbonaut’s strong technical competence, global reach, and highly motivated staff will greatly benefit from the solid finances and proven business acumen of its new owners. This transition will empower Arbonaut to take on larger projects and strengthen its presence in the Nordic market. I am also pleased that our new owners are committed to preserving Arbonaut’s brand and its strong, collaborative corporate culture", says Tuomo Kauranne, founder of Arbonaut.
This acquisition aligns with MW Group's strategy to consolidate companies with dual-use capabilities within the total defence, serving both civilian and military customers, within one industry group.
Sixten Sunabacka, Chair of the Arbonaut Board and co-owner of Forest Sense, comments “Arbonaut is a global leader in forest digitalization, delivering added customer value through advanced forest information and customized solutions, what we call forest intelligence. The acquisition of Arbonaut enhances our ability to serve our clients with forest intelligence for sustainable management of a critical natural resource and opens significant opportunities to strengthen other nationally critical sectors with sophisticated geodata solutions.”
About MW Group
MW Group is a Nordic industry group with a shared purpose to serve a stronger society. that together form an important part of the Nordic resilience and defence. The group specializes in delivering advanced solutions and services to both civilian and military customers. For more information, visit www.mw.group.
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