Auroora Group Plc, Press Release, October 27, 2026, at 09:00 a.m. EET
AUROORA GROUP PLC ACQUIRES THE LABKO BUSINESS - A LEADING NORDIC PLAYER IN SEPARATOR SYSTEMS AND WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS IS CREATED IN FINLAND
Auroora Group Plc has signed an agreement to acquire the Labko business from Wavin Finland Oy, part of the Orbia Group. The business will become part of Auroora’s Clean Water and Environmental Technology segment through a newly established company. The acquisition brings Labko back into Finnish ownership after more than two decades. The transaction expands the offering of Auroora’s Clean Water and Environmental Technology segment across the water treatment and environmental technology value chain and further strengthens the foundation for the segment’s long-term, profitable growth.
Labko is a leading provider of separator systems in Finland and a well-known brand in wastewater solutions for areas outside municipal sewer networks. Its products include oil, grease and sand separators, septic and holding tanks, and wastewater treatment plants. The use of separator systems is required by law wherever stormwater or wastewater may contain oil, grease, other environmentally harmful substances or solids. Such sites include gas stations, car washes, repair shops, schools, restaurants, logistics terminals, parking facilities, industrial properties, and data centers.
Labko’s strong market position is built on technical expertise and Finnish manufacturing
Labko’s customers include wholesalers, contractors, industrial companies, and municipalities. Its products are designed for Nordic conditions, and their durability and technical quality, combined with Labko’s technical expertise, have made the brand an established choice among engineers and technical designers. The business generates approximately EUR 10.5 million in revenue and employs 40 people.
Production will continue at the company’s existing manufacturing locations in Kangasala and Joutsa. In Kangasala, polyethylene products are manufactured using rotational molding, while in Joutsa, large fiberglass-reinforced plastic tanks and separator solutions are manufactured using filament winding and injection molding technologies. These complementary manufacturing technologies enable a broad product range, from standard products to project-specific custom solutions.
Labko’s roots date back to 1964, when Aate A. Virtanen founded Oy Labko Ab in Kangasala. The company grew into a Finnish pioneer in environmental technology and has developed several patented innovations before the family-owned company was sold to the international Wavin Group in 2003.
A center of expertise unique in the Nordic market strengthens Auroora’s position in clean water and environmental technology
“Labko is exactly the kind of business that meets our strict investment criteria and that we seek as a permanent owner: a strong brand, a leading position in its specialist field and a high level of technical expertise. Together with Vestelli and Avalon Nordic, the existing companies in our segment, Labko forms the leading Nordic player in separator systems and decentralized wastewater treatment. The complementary expertise and offering of these companies currently have no direct equivalent in the Nordic countries,” says Joona Linna, Business Director at Auroora Group Plc.
“The use of separator systems is governed by statutory requirements, and demand is growing. The EU’s new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive extends regulation to stormwater for the first time, and requirements are tightening across Europe. In this industry, Finnish manufacturing and technical expertise are genuine competitive advantages,” Linna continues.
Labko will continue as an independent company with its existing employees – production will remain in Kangasala and Joutsa
Tony Äijö, who previously served as Managing Director of Wavin Finland Oy, will become Managing Director of the new company.
“Our strengths have always been our technical expertise and specialist knowledge in tanks and separator products, our high-quality and reliable products, and our commitment to serving our customers in the best possible way. These core strengths will continue to form the foundation of our operations. From our customers’ perspective, business will continue as usual: production will remain at the current locations, the product portfolio will remain unchanged, and customers will continue to work with the same familiar contacts. We can now develop our business as an independent company, close to our customers and with the support of a long-term owner. Auroora provides us with a strong foundation for growth and is committed to the continuity of manufacturing in Finland,” says Tony Äijö.
‘’We’re delighted Auroora is acquiring the Labko, Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin) Finnish manufacturing business. This transaction will complement very well Auroora’s other water and wastewater companies. We’re particularly pleased the purchase will ensure continuity for the business and those employees who will transfer to the new owner as part of this transaction. We look forward to work in partnership with Auroora for the joint benefit of both parties and our customers,” commented Dan Scott, VP Northern Europe, Wavin (part of Orbia Group).
The employees will transfer to the new company as existing employees in connection with the transfer of the business. The transaction will also transfer to the buyer for the customer relationships associated with the business, the Labko trademark and intellectual property rights related to the products, as well as the production property in Kangasala.
Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026.
Further information:
Joona Linna, Business Director, Auroora Group Plc, +358 46 6000 421
Tony Äijö, designated Managing Director, Labko business, +358 40 7229 319
Auroora Group
Auroora Group Plc is a Finnish serial acquirer and industrial owner that builds long-term, profitable growth through acquisitions and operational development. Auroora acts as a permanent owner and develops its Group companies as part of a decentralized and entrepreneurial group structure.
Auroora operates in three segments: Electrification and Automation, Industrial Products and Services, and Clean Water and Environmental Technology. The Group executes a repeatable acquisition strategy in selected markets and allocates capital to growth that supports sustainable value creation.
The Group comprises more than 20 SMEs employing over 850 people. In 2025, Auroora’s net sales amounted to EUR 205.2 million and adjusted EBITA to EUR 13.5 million. Auroora operates in Finland, and its companies conduct international business, with subsidiaries in Finland, Sweden, and Poland.
Auroora Group Plc's shares are listed on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.
Labko
Founded in Kangasala in 1964, Labko is a Finnish manufacturer of separator systems and wastewater solutions. Its product range includes oil and sand separators, septic and holding tanks, and wastewater treatment systems for areas outside municipal sewer networks. Labko has production operations in Kangasala and Joutsa. The business generates approximately EUR 10.5 million in revenue and employs 40 people.
Orbia
Orbia Advance Corporation, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ORBIA*) is a company driven by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia operates in the Polymer Solutions (Vestolit and Alphagary), Building & Infrastructure (Wavin), Precision Agriculture (Netafim), Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) and Fluor & Energy Materials sectors.
The five Orbia business groups have a collective focus on expanding access to health and well-being, reinventing the future of cities and homes, ensuring food, water and sanitation security, connecting communities to information and enabling the energy transition with basic and advanced materials, specialty products and innovative solutions.
Orbia has a global team of over 22,000 employees, commercial activities in more than 100 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Boston, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. The company generated $7,619 million in revenue in 2025.