Highlights for 2004

New clean room in Vantaa taken into operation

The new facility in Vaisala's Vantaa office replaced the old Vaisala clean room which was in operation for 20 years. The construction work was completed in summer 2004 and sensor manufacturing started during the fall. The new clean room ensures that Vaisala's humidity, barometric pressure, and carbon dioxide sensors are manufactured under strictly regulated conditions. The total investment was EUR 6.5 million.

New office in Houston, Sunnyvale operations discontinued

In May, Vaisala established a new office in Houston, Texas. The office strengthens the Vaisala Instruments division’s presence in the United States. The Vaisala Solutions division's Aviation Weather business unit decided to close the Columbus office and move the operations to Boulder, Colorado, where the division's other units operate. The move enables the Vaisala Solutions division to increase efficiency.

Merger of two divisions and one sales channel

In September, it was decided that the Vaisala Sounding Systems and Vaisala Remote Sensing divisions, as well as the Vaisala Measurement Systems sales channel, will be integrated into a single division from the beginning of 2005. Since both divisions’ customers, processes and technologies are almost the same, it is possible to further increase efficiency by distributing resources among these businesses. The name of the new division is Vaisala Measurement Systems (VMS). For more information please refer to the stock exchange release: Vaisala Oyj's two divisions and one sales channel to be merged.

Additional dividend

In December, the Extraordinary General Meeting approved the Board of Directors' proposal for an additional dividend of EUR 0.50 per share, totalling EUR 8,739,500, to be paid, in addition to the dividend approved by the Annual General Meeting on 18 March 2004 (EUR 0,75), on the basis of the Balance Sheet for the financial year that ended on 31 December, 2003. For more information please refer to the stock exchange release:

Decisions made by Vaisala Oyj's Extraordinary General Meeting 14 December, 2004.

Sales of meteorological instruments centralized in Vaisala Instruments division

As Vaisala's operations are carried out by divisions applying different operating logics, the Vaisala Instruments division will serve the end-users and system integrators of meteorological measurement equipment when their requirements only cover a particular piece/pieces of equipment. In 2004, the division established a sales and marketing team catering for these segments' requirements for meteorological measurement instruments.

Vaisala's lightning detection networks destined for space centers in France and the United States

During 2004, Vaisala’s Remote Sensing business unit was awarded contracts for the delivery of total lightning detection networks to the European spacecraft Ariane's launch site in Guayana, France, and to the Kennedy Space Center's space shuttle base in the United States. Both systems will be delivered during the first half of 2005.

Vaisala's largest ever airport meteorological system delivered

The contract won in 2002 from a long-standing Vaisala customer for the supply, commission and maintenance of an automated airport weather observation solution was fulfilled succesfully. The customer approved the system in December. The maintenance contract is valid for four years. For more information, please refer to the stock exchange release published in 2002: Vaisala has received its largest ever airport meteorological system order.

Vaisala Road Weather - focus on service business

Vaisala Road Weather business unit continued to develop its North American business, with the emphasis on expanding service opportunities. An important service contract was won with Virginia Department of Transport to improve and manage the State’s existing network of road weather stations. Vaisala collects, manages and displays the data, as well as maintains the weather stations. The new service concept enables the state road authorities to benefit from the entire data network.

Ammonia measurement business discontinued

In March, the decision was taken to discontinue the ammonia measurement business. Its future outlook had turned out to be less attractive than expected. In 2003, the turnover for the ammonia business was 0,5 MEUR. The changes did not decrease the number of personnel. For more information please refer to the stock exchange release: Vaisala Oyj is discontinuing its ammonia measurement business.