Heureka Overseas Productions Oy Ltd (HOP), a subsidiary of the Finnish Science Centre Heureka, is partnering with Fantasia Works Oy, a subsidiary of Lappset Group, to increase the export of exhibits produced by Heureka.
The new cooperation agreement is based on previous joint projects which have taken exhibits designed by Heureka to places like Macao, Norway, Ireland and Estonia since the collaboration began in 2016. Until now, HOP made agreements to export single exhibits, while Fantasia Works was responsible for copying them and installing them at the destination in accordance with Heureka’s instructions. In the newly expanded arrangement, Fantasia Works can use its own extensive sales channels more independently to sell the exhibits further while retaining Heureka’s signature look, as well as the interactive nature and high quality of the exhibits.
There are more than 3,000 science centres in the world today. The services and exhibits purchased by these centres each year constitute a market of almost a billion euros. China in particular is a hotspot for new science centres. HOP has been operating in this growing market for more than 25 years, renting or selling science centre exhibitions and exhibits to approximately 80 different centres in over 30 countries. Heureka is itself a well-known frontrunner in the field and has also received several international commendations. The growing demand among science centres is accompanied by a positive outlook for growth in the field of museums and various experience centres, where the current trend is to incorporate elements of learning and science.
Fantasia Works Oy belongs to the Lappset Group, which employs a total of 400 people. Fantasia Works is a company that focuses on special production, offering experience creation services on a turnkey basis. Customers include science centres, theme parks and tourist destinations.
“Heureka is renowned for its expertise in science centres all around the world. This collaboration with Fantasia Works will enable us to spread that expertise much further due to our partner’s expanding capacity. We are not looking to expand Heureka’s production capacity; instead, we will continue to be the source of ideas and design innovations behind new science experiences. Fantasia Works, in turn, will be the driving force that makes things happen on a larger scale. Finland is a small country, so when an opportunity like this presents itself, different actors need to work together and combine their strengths to succeed,” says Heureka CEO Tapio Koivu.
“Our collaboration with Heureka has been successful so far, and I’m very happy and proud to see it expanding further. Fantasia Works’ experience creation plant has seen rapid development and growth in recent years. Our investments in a new factory, machinery and skilled staff are opening up new opportunities for us and Heureka in the global market,” says Fantasia Works CEO Jari Partanen, explaining the background of the partnership.
Further information:
Heureka: Tapio Koivu, CEO, firstaname.lastname@heureka.fi, tel. +358 (0)50 516 0664
Fantasia Works Oy: Jari Partanen, CEO, firstaname.lastname@fantasiaworks.com, tel. +358 (0)44 722 0380