Scienta Oy – From Nerve Research to Industrial Instrumentation
Last year Scienta Oy merged into Tasowheel, expanding our Paper QCS portfolio. Scienta brought 70 years of technology expertise, here is the first part of their journey.
The story of Scienta begins with Kaj Stenius, a recent engineering school graduate and army veteran, who found himself at work at a Helsinki hospital in the 1950s. At the hospital, he operated under the guidance of Mr. Gåsström, who recognized the commercial potential of medical electronics, an emerging field in the budding electronics industry of that era.
Together, they co-founded Scienta Oy, a start-up that became the Finnish subsidiary of Scienta AB, with affiliated branches in Norway and Denmark.
However, a mysterious anecdote surrounds Mr. Gåsström’s sudden disappearance in 1959, as he was last seen stepping into a black limousine and never heard from again. Rumors swirled about his involvement in espionage.
The company’s early focus was on electronic instruments for various industries, where the use of radiation and digital electronics was of significant interest. Kaj Stenius gained recognition for his innovative use of operational amplifiers (op-amps), integrated amplifier circuits that could be employed in versatile ways and laid the foundation for electronic machinery in the 1970s.
In 1974, faced with the acquisition of their principal, Echo Electronics, Scienta took matters into their own hands. Unable to represent them any longer, they seized the opportunity to design their own measurement frame scanners for the paper industry.
Throughout its journey, Scienta remained committed to designing products according to customer needs, exemplified by the development of scanner frames and sensors to suit specific processes.
The company’s adaptability and dedication to innovative electronic solutions allowed it to thrive, emerging as the sole survivor among the branches of Scienta. The journey, encapsulated in the evolution from nerve research to industrial instrumentation, highlights Scienta Oy’s enduring presence and impact on the pulp, paper, and nonwoven industries.
