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X-ray screening of flight cargo and cargo containers is
increasing rapidly. Sales of X-ray screening equipment for
containers are expected to increase ten-fold in the next few
years. This trend suits Detection Technology, which already
holds a strong position in this field.
The market for the equipment is increasing by 20 per cent
a year, boosted by the change in the need for screening: whereas
previously containers and trucks were examined chiefly to
check smuggling, the emphasis after 9/11 has now moved to
the prevention of terrorism.
"Detection Technology's growth is 30 per cent and expectations
are for the growth to continue," says Mikko Nuutinen,
the CEO of the company, which invests heavily in product development.
Many mistakes, few checks
The X-ray screening market needs new, more effective and
precise systems. Nuutinen says there are two main problems
associated with X-ray screening.
"There are too many false alarms; more than 90 per cent
of the suspect items turn out to be totally innocuous. On
the other hand, not all dangerous items are found with the
present systems"
"The big problem is that air and sea freight, which
moves a gigantic amount of goods from one country to another,
falls almost entirely outside the security checks. At this
moment less than two per cent of air freight undergoes X-ray
screening, which is a clear security threat."
"The situation isn't much better with sea freight, although
containers transported by sea form the bulk of the world's
goods traffic. For example, about six million containers arrive
in the United States every year and only a few per cent are
checked."
China the global growth base
Detection Technology, which was set up in 1992, produces
and markets X-ray sensors that are used in important products
for improving security and health. The company delivers its
products to large-scale producers of X-ray screening equipment
and to all the major manufacturers of computed tomography
equipment in various parts of the world.
The head office and largest production plants are located
in Finland, with subsidiaries in Beijing and Hong Kong and
a sales office in the USA. "China offers a good growth
base for global operations and for the Asian market in particular,"
Nuutinen states.
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Prize winner
Detection Technology Oy is one of three winners
of the President of the Republic's internationalization
award for 2006. The aim of the award, which is
organized by Finpro, is to promote corporate activity
on all fronts in an international environment,
develop a company's capability and apply new operating
models.
This time the choice of winner took into consideration
in particular promising newcomers in the corporate
sector and international growth companies that
had already displayed their competitiveness.
Besides Detection Technology, the award was also
made to the ALMACO Group, which specializes in
modernizing hotel and restaurant facilities on
passenger ships and to Movial Oy, which develops
software for the multimedia in mobile phones.
The award-winning companies share in particular
an innovative approach and boldness.
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