‘Research and great people are at the heart of our achievements’ says provider of the world’s only ‘in memory’ supply chain software.
RELEX, the pioneer of ‘in-memory’ demand forecasting and automatic replenishment technology, has recruited 40 new staff members in the last 12 months alone, bringing the total to 100.
It follows a momentous 2014, a year in which Deloitte named RELEX as one of Europe’s fastest growing tech companies, and the fastest in its field, for the fourth year in a row. Gartner meanwhile gave RELEX its coveted ‘Cool Vendor in In-Memory Computing Technologies 2014’ accolade for its technology. Recommended by clients from the UK to Estonia, RELEX is aiming for explosive growth over the coming years.
RELEX now has five offices across Europe, including Stockholm and Oslo, but most of its 100 people are based at its headquarters in Finland.
“One reason for our fast expansion are retailers and wholesalers across Europe, who are looking for ways to use technology to increase their profit. The economic squeeze of recent years has fuelled the drive to increase efficiency.” says RELEX’s CEO Mikko Kärkkäinen. “There is a data revolution underway and we are at its leading edge. Businesses are generating vast quantities of information from across their operations, and by offering a low-risk, well-priced SaaS solution that helps deliver data in an easy-to-access form, we’re making it ever more valuable to a wide range of clients, including many smaller companies.”
“Businesses are generating vast quantities of information from across their operations, and by offering a low-risk, well-priced SaaS solution that helps deliver data in an easy-to-access form, we’re making it ever more valuable to a wide range of clients, including many smaller companies.”
Kärkkäinen says that RELEX’s success owes a great deal to local Universities that both provided the inspiration to RELEX’s technology and that keep producing high quality graduate recruits.
“My co-founders Johanna Småros, Michael Falck and I all met at Aalto University. We were doing ground-breaking research in retail supply chain management. It led directly to our earliest innovations and ultimately to where we are now. It’s a great example of how investment in education and research pays real dividends.”
“Moreover I think the combination of a traditional Finnish work ethic and the self-starting, flexible and collaborative attitude of the people we employ, typical of many 20- and 30-somethings, is very powerful. There’s lots of latitude for people to use their initiative. It’s a bit of a novelty in the world of supply chain but our clients seem to like it.”
“We have far more in common with technology start ups than with most traditional employers,” says co-founder Johanna Småros. “Yes we’re serious about what we do; our people work at the leading edge of technology, with plenty of scope for initiative, personal development and international travel.”
“But we also aim to maintain a relaxed, non-hierarchical environment with a good work-life balance. It’s a very 21st Century workplace.”