In Pentinmäki, Jalasjärvi, there is a one-person company specializing in body work for cars, construction machines and motorcycles, J. Rajamäki, Auto and special painting.
- Business activities include various sheet metal work, orthodontics, rust repairs, foundation work and painting. Making pictures and graphics is also possible, says entrepreneur Janne Rajamäki.
Rajamäki, who studied surface treatment and car painting, started working as a part-time entrepreneur in 2013 and became a full-time entrepreneur a couple of years after that. The necessary skills for doing metal work have been accumulated while working.
After a few years of running the business, the premises started to feel too small and Rajamäki started planning to expand the premises. Rajamäki applied for investment support from Liiver.
- I'm not good with numbers, so the most challenging part of the application process was rounding the numbers and, for example, evaluating the turnover for the next few years. However, we managed to make a plan with the accountant.
The new hall was completed in 2018. There were hardly any challenges and everything went as it should. It was possible to do customer work during construction in the old premises. With the expansion, it became easier to do different work phases, as the space can accommodate several projects at the same time.
Turnover increased with the construction of additional space, as the larger hall made it possible to expand the customer base to heavy equipment. Customers come to the company from all over the province.
Development has continued even after the building of the hall. Ceiling filters have been installed in the hall, there is now a table at the back of the hall, and the washer corner has been updated.
- Updates are constantly coming to different areas, says Rajamäki.
According to Rajamäki, the expansion would probably have been done even without Liiver's support, but it was a good help and facilitated the implementation of the project.
- The project left a good feeling, there is nothing bad to say. I would do the application process all over again, even if running the numbers would make me cry, Rajamäki laughs.