Mikkeli medical plant halts production for summer break after decades of continuous operation

A Mölnlycke Health Care factory in Mikkeli, Finland, will shut down for two weeks in July—a first in decades—after efficiency investments reduced the need for continuous production, the company announced Wednesday.

The plant, which employs around 600 workers and manufactures wound care products, has not paused operations in summer for over 20 years, plant manager Timo Saahko told public broadcaster Yle. The break, enabled by recent upgrades, will allow synchronized staff vacations during peak holiday season.

Production will not stop for Midsummer either, reversing an earlier plan to close for the holiday. Saahko cited unpredictable global market shifts for the change.

The factory, one of Mikkeli’s largest industrial employers, has also scaled back seasonal hiring. No summer workers were recruited this year, down from roughly 140 in 2025. Instead, about 30 fixed-term staff will support operations, alongside 15 teenagers in a two-week internship program.

Personnel chief Hanna-Leena Hone suggested the reduced summer hiring and shutdown could become permanent if capacity allows. “If everything aligns, we may continue with fewer summer jobs next year,” she said.

The plant recently completed a €36 million expansion, doubling sterilization capacity and boosting wound dressing output. Saahko, who leaves in June after a decade as manager, called it one of the site’s largest investments. A search for his replacement is underway.

Mölnlycke has operated in Mikkeli since the 1970s, originally as a cotton spinning mill before transitioning to medical products.