The Association for Finnish Work has awarded the Key flag symbol to the new vessel Aurora Botnia recognition of a product made in Finland. Aurora Botnia started its traffic between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden in August 2021. It was built by Rauma Marine Contructions in Finland and is over 80% domestic made.

The Key Flag is a sign of Finnish work. The symbol can be awarded to a product that has been made in Finland. In addition, the right to use Key Flag Symbol can be awarded to products with a minimum domestic content of 50 per cent of its break-even cost. The calculation takes into consideration all costs related to the product.

“Aurora Botnia was built in Finland. We are also proud that many Vaasa-based companies have been involved in the construction, such as Wärtsilä, Danfoss, ABB and WeTech. It is important for us to emphasize that the ship is Finnish, so we wanted to apply for the Key Flag so that it would also be visible in our marketing”, says Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.

The Key Flag symbol is very well known in Finland. According to a study conducted by the Association for Finnish Work, practically all Finnish consumers and business executives know the Key Flag symbol. The majority of Finns (75%) also state that the Key Flag symbol has a positive impact on their purchasing decisions. Approximately half of the Finnish population associate the symbol with responsibility.

Marketing Manager Reetta Mentu of the Association for Finnish Work states that people regard buying domestic products as a way of influencing society and a responsible value choice that contributes to Finnish competitiveness and prosperity.

“Consumers associate the Key Flag symbol with a positive image of domestic quality, reliability, safety, responsibility and employment. With the Key Flag symbol, companies can communicate important values to their customers and other stakeholders. 92 per cent of companies that have been awarded the Key Flag symbol state that the symbol supports the sales of products and services,” explains Reetta Mentu.

Further information

Catarina Fant, Director, Brand & Communications, tel. +358 46 921 5811, [email protected]

Reetta Mentu, Marketing Manager, the Association for Finnish Work, tel. +358 50 561 5030, [email protected]

Wasaline is the northernmost shipping company that transports passengers and cargo daily between Vaasa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden. Wasaline’s new vessel, Aurora Botnia, is the most environmentally friendly passenger ferry in the world. For more information: www.wasaline.com

The Key Flag symbol is a mark of origin awarded to products made in Finland and services produced in Finland. The Key Flag symbol is carried by around 5,000 different products, product groups and services. https://suomalainentyo.fi/en/services/key-flag/

The Association for Finnish Work endeavours to increase the appreciation of Finnish work and to further the success of Finnish work. Our duty is to promote employment in Finland. www.suomalainentyo.fi/en/