Fazer Selects ITI Group to Deliver MES for €400m ‘Factory of the Future’ in Finland

Fazer, Finland’s foremost confectionery and food manufacturer, has appointed ITI Group to design and implement the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for its new €400 million factory in Lahti. This facility represents the largest food manufacturing investment in Northern Europe in over seven decades.

ITI Group, an international systems integrator, has been involved with Fazer’s project for the past two years, providing consulting services that ranged from initial concept development and business strategy formulation to defining technical specifications. Following a competitive four-way pitch, ITI Group secured the contract to develop, build, and deploy the MES solution.

The MES will utilise Parsec Automation’s TrakSYSTM software to fully automate all factory operations. Key functionalities include recipe and material handling, which will offer comprehensive oversight of ingredients across all product lines from entry to dispatch. This system will also integrate with Fazer’s SAP invoicing platform to manage the broader supplier chain, ensuring quality and consistency.

Performance monitoring will be conducted in real time, tracking all assets to verify that newly commissioned production equipment operates as intended while safeguarding legacy system investments. Continuous monitoring will support factory optimisation and maximise productivity.

Quality management features will provide complete track and trace capabilities and product genealogy, enhancing compliance auditing. The system will measure every minute, machine, and material to prevent production delays caused by batch quality deviations.

Oliver Stone, Digital Solutions Director at ITI Group, said: “Working on the consultation element of the initial phase of the project right through to be awarded the contract for the MES design and implementation has been extremely rewarding for ITI Group. This deal highlights the heritage and deep domain expertise ITI Group has in the manufacturing sector and we are delighted to have been selected for this flagship European food manufacturing MES implementation. It is testament to the capability of the team that ITI Group has been entrusted to deliver on one of the largest food manufacturing investments in decades.”

Construction of the 33,300 square metre factory began in summer 2025. It is scheduled to be fully operational by 2027 and reach full production capacity by 2028. The facility will feature high levels of automation and incorporate comprehensive energy recycling systems to achieve zero emissions.

Harri Ahlroth, Head of Business ICT at Fazer Confectionery, commented: “ITI Group was chosen as our partner on MES implementation in the largest investment in the company’s history. The team at ITI Group was able to prove their expertise and customer focused approach in the predesign and prototyping phases. With these experiences it was natural to select ITI Group as the MES supplier.”

Fazer leads Finland’s chocolate and confectionery sector, contributing 15% of the nation’s food exports. Its product range serves primarily the Nordic and Baltic markets, with exports to over 40 countries. The company is also expanding rapidly in global travel retail. Well-known brands under Fazer include Karl Fazer milk chocolate, Dumle, Geisha, and Fazermint. The new factory investment supports the company’s planned international growth.