Professionals Q2 2017

PROFESSIONALS FINLAND 100 YEARS EDITION

Professionals is a commercial supplement produced by Editor Helsinki | May–June 2017 | www.editori.fi

UPM DEVELOPS CLEANER WAYS

TO RUN PAPER MILLS page 3

Algol: Providing value since 1894 | page 4

Handelsbanken: Eyes fixed on China’s consumer space | page 8

Luxurious sauna & spa experience with Harvia | page 15

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 10 11 12

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A Cup Of Refreshment And Joy UPM Develops Cleaner Ways To Run Paper Mills Algol: Providing Value Since 1894 Added Value Through High-Quality Engineering Services Escarmat Is The Place For Reliable Automation Know-How Ramismart: The Smart Way To Manage Work Sites Eyes Fixed On China’s Consumer Space BDO Is Passionate About Exceptional Client Service The Port Of Kokkola – Growing And Successful Turnkey Suppliers For Cruise Ships Are Living In A Period Of Growth Delivers Facts For Optimal Process Improvement From A Packaging Company To A Leading Producer Of Technical Laminates Lillbacka Powerco, A Family Business, Is Bringing Crimping Technology Into The Digital Age Port Traffic Is Booming In The Port Of Hanko Get Empowered By The Koli National Landscape Rovaniemi Is By Nature The Arctic Design Capital Create Your Perfect Relaxation And Spa Experience With Harvia Tips For Business Travellers – How To Cope Better With Travel In Everyday Life

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“Even great Finnish artists, visited Koli for inspiration.“

THIS ISSUE OF PROFESSIONALS celebrates the 100 year old Finland! It gives you an insight into companies active in international markets. Innovations, competence, products and processes are all aimed at bringing state of the art solutions and services to the global market.

PROFESSIONALS is a publication produced by Editor Helsinki. Editor Helsinki is an independent expert in business communications. We work in close co-operation with the leading media houses and reach the business decision makers in Finland.

For additional information, please contact Valtteri Rantalainen | +358 40 561 7703

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PRODUCTION TEAM Managing producers: Christian Ehrström and Terhi Backman Layout: Hanna Voutilainen. Editors: David J. Cord (DC) Mia Heiskanen (MH), Eila Lokka (EL), Maija-Liisa Saksa (MLS), Pauliina Toivanen (PT). Cover photo by UPM. Printed by PunaMusta

“We still need to live in accordance with nature.”

FEEDBACK TO EDITOR HELSINKI tuotanto@editorhelsinki.fi | +358 40 561 7703 | www.editori.fi

A CUP OF REFRESHMENT AND JOY

Over the millennia, tea has refreshed, calmed, and provided a vast experience of flavours. There has always been a right tea for every occasion, and each flavour can further enhance each palate. The passion of the Finnish tea house, Nordqvist, is to combine the aromas and flavours found in Finnish nature with the sophisticated taste of tea.

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iku Nordqvist, who leads the Nordqvist family business, emphasizes that quality is a matter of honour for them. “We taste every product batch we receive; we continually develop new taste experiences and pack the products beautifully. In addition to Finnish berries and flowers, we also use imported products to flavour different teas.”

OUT IN THE WORLD WITH THE TASTE OF MOOMIN

Finns have had the opportunity to enjoy Nordqvist teas for nearly 40 years; and in recent years, it has also been available in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and Japan. For instance, Moomin Tea is available in the World of Delights shops in a number of airports, and of course in the Moomin Shop at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

“Our aim is to expand and offer high-quality Finnish tea all around the world. Our new factory will be completed in Nurmijärvi in 2018,” says Riku Nordqvist. MLS | www.norqvist.fi |

Riku Nordqvist presents his company’s new teas. In honour of the 100th anniversary of Finland, we have developed a signature Finnish tea (available in June), where blueberries are combined with high-quality Assam. The Moomin family is also always expanding with a number of new offerings nearly every year; the latest is the Wintry Moomin Tastes in a gift package. Additionally, a cold-brewed ice tea – The Emperor’s Bride, has just been launched.

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UPM DEVELOPS CLEANER WAYS

TO RUN PAPER MILLS UPM’s Changshu Mill in China is one of the most advanced paper mills in the world.

It was created to produce a variety of high-quality products as cleanly and as efficiently as possible. but we clean and reuse the same water. After purification water is returned to River Yangtze.”

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE KEY

Pentti Putkinen, General Manager at UPM and Timo Heinonen, Director of UPM’s Changshu Mill project.

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his is really a showcase and benchmark,” says General Manager Pentti Putkinen.

“Changshu Mill was developed to lead the way not only for UPM, but for the entire global industry.”

The mill can produce fine and technical papers, and this unusual flexibility is extremely challenging, particularly when sustainability is such a high priority. Timo Heinonen, who was Project Director, uses water as an example.

“Water is important in paper production, but we want to minimise water usage,” he explains.

“Multiple products use different raw materials,

Water usage is now approximately 5-6 cubic metres per tonne, but UPM is not satisfied with this impressively low figure. The company aims to cut current usage in half within a few years.

The Changshu Mill also has advanced methods of reducing air emissions and effluent discharge, including cutting-edge gas desulfurization and water denitrification. High efficiency reduces energy usage, helping both the environment and cost savings. These are concrete benefits of UPM’s philosophy of resource efficiency and minimising impact on the environment.

“Sustainability is a top priority for UPM, and I don’t mean only clean technology,” continues Putkinen. “We also focus on operations, such as the safety and well-being of workers.”

HIGHLY VALUED PARTNERSHIP

Another key to this philosophy is responsible sourcing. UPM wants to work with partners who share the same ideas on sustainability.

“We audit important partners,” explains Heinonen. “We went to different sites of our construction contractors to see for ourselves how they run their operations. We see their respect for the environment and the health and safety of their workers. With all our sourcing we find partners with the same values as us.”

The More with Biofore in China Programme aims to improve UPM’s global leadership in environmental performance and utilising future technologies. The Changshu paper mill is a pilot to see how to further improve sustainability.

“The mill can be used as a development spearhead,” Heinonen says. “We will continue to improve, and the knowledge gained in Changshu can be transferred to UPM mills everywhere around the world.” DC

ABOUT UPM Bio and Forest Industry Sales: €9.8 billion Employees: 19,300 | www.upm.com |

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ALGOL: PROVIDING VALUE SINCE 1894 Algol sees their role in the internationalisation of Finland’s economy as more important than ever.

Father and son, Magnus and Alexander Bargum are Algol owners in 3rd and 4th generation.

Photo: Olli Urpela

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Algol’s warehouse in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki, in November 1952

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o build high you need sturdy foundations, and few Finnish companies have stronger foundations than Algol. In 1894 they began life by importing industrial goods needed

by Finnish businesses. They do the same thing today, and are even owned by the same family.

Magnus and Alexander Bargum are father and son, representing the third and fourth generations of Algol owners. Magnus is on the board of directors while Alexander is Group CEO. Algol has operations in eleven countries and is a distribution and service specialist in the chemical, technical and healthcare sectors.

It is a different business from when it was born, but the core values remain the same. Those foundations laid when Finland was still a Russian Grand Duchy are allowing Algol to build even higher in the 21st Century.

CORE VALUES HOLD TRUE

Finland is celebrating its 100th year of independence in 2017, and Algol has been part of the great changes which took the country from an agricultural backwater to a top-tier industrial nation.

Since their foundation Algol has participated in building an international trade network to help Finland industrialise. Today the economic challenge is different, but the philosophy still holds true.

“Finland is highly dependent on imported raw materials and components in order for its own export industry to operate,” says Alexander.

“The more we turn into a country of specialised manufacturing, the greater the role of value-adding importers and distributors. Today our role is not a link in the logistics chain, but a true partner in a global ecosystem of businesses.”

Alexander says one of their missions is to enhance the competitiveness of their industrial customers by providing not only high-quality products but also a wide range of service solutions.

“Being active in the healthcare sector is another essential part of our business,” he continues. “Whether we help other businesses, doctors and nurses, or individual patients, we do it with the same commitment to the well-being of our customer.”

BENEFITS OF OPENNESS

Algol’s founder, Albert Goldbeck-Löwe, was a German who saw the benefits of trade for Finland.

Throughout their history the company has championed the benefits of open borders and free trade.

Algol began their international expansion in the early 1990s and it still continues today, based on a long-term multi-market approach.

“That is what our business partners expect, and for us it has been of great value both in terms of growth and diversification,” says Magnus.

“That is one nice thing about being a family company,” Alexander explains. “Sometimes listed corporations are accused of focusing too much on the short term and taking too long to make decisions. A family company is able to make decisions quickly but has a long-term view.”

THE NEXT 100 YEARS

Algol has been part of Finland’s first 100 years of independence and are looking forward to the next century. They believe their core values of accountability, collaboration and continuous development will serve them well going forward.

“Change is happening so quickly, it is impossible to tell what the world will look like even in one year,” says Magnus. “But the heritage of Algol gives us a solid base and we have been through major disruptions before. Digitalisation is changing how we do business, but even 100 years from now companies will need local service just like they do today.”

“I like to think of us as part of the solution going forward,” concludes Alexander. “Our brand promise is ‘Your supplier of value’ because that is exactly what we do. In the future the world will still need an entrepreneurial spirit, confidence and belief in the future like we have at Algol – and which are essential for any business. We look forward to serving our customers’ needs for the next 100 years.” DC | www.algol.fi |

ABOUT ALGOL Business areas: Service, wholesale and distribution of chemicals, raw materials, technology and health care Group companies: Algol Chemicals, Algol Technics, Algol Trehab, Algol Diagnostics, Histolab Products, Suomen Unipol Sales: 166 MEUR (est. 2016) EBITDA: 6.3 MEUR (est. 2016) Employees: ca. 450

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ADDED VALUE THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY

ENGINEERING SERVICES Jimexo Tech Oy from Tampere is a fast-growing company that provides versatile technical preplanning and implementation planning services as well as an expertise in safety services. The engineering company was established in 2010 and already employs over 40 people; they are aiming their services at the country’s capital region.

“As an agile actor, we also react quickly in recruiting.”

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he company has received excellent feedback on its engineering projects; consistently meeting their customer’s needs, the projects are technologically functional and financially profitable. Timo Heinisuo, CEO and founder of Jimexo, credits his employees for their success.

“Our skilled employees have a key part in ensuring quality. This means ensuring that there are no engineering errors and that costs and schedules are adhered to.”

In addition to a focus on employee wellbeing, Jimexo has focused on communication, marketing, sales and lead generation. “We have productized our services into five categories that appeal to customers. In these, we try to find ready concepts and in pricing we also have a new model, which makes our customers enthusiastic, explains Heinisuo.” EL

Timo Heinisuo, CEO and founder of Jimexo

| www.jimexo.fi |

ESCARMAT IS

THE PLACE FOR RELIABLE AUTOMATION KNOW-HOW Escarmat advocates that speed and reliability are of the essence in all client projects. ”A contract manufacturer cannot be the bottleneck in a client’s projects. That is why our security of supply is 100%,” states CEO Veikko Junttila.

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lectrical engineering and automation operations are activities where you need uncompromising workmanship, speed, and flexibility. “Reliability is our trump card. This means that our activities are high quality from start to finish and that we keep up even in the tightest of client project schedules. According to a recent report, our security of supply was 100% and quality 99% – numbers we stick to.”

Escarmat Ltd, which was founded in 1994, employs more than 90 experts in Vaasa. “I think that the fact that we have been able to retain our position as a partner of global players like ABB and Wärtsila during our entire time of operation, partnerships that are still going on, bears testimony to the competence of our employees.”

A STRAIGHTFORWARD PARTNER

According to Junttila, Escarmat’s goal is to act as the most trusted partner for its clients, in logic and automation skills. “We are seeking long-term partnerships in order to be able to complement others with our own competencies; the core operations of machine and instrument manufacturers in a comprehensive way, regardless of whether they are automation, electrification or engineering operations. It is easy to work with us: we are straightforward and approachable and our organization is ready to react quickly to the needs of the clients.” MH | www.escarmat.com/en |

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Tomi Anttila, Development Manager at Ramirent in Finland.

RAMISMART: THE SMART

WAY TO MANAGE WORK SITES It is difficult to manage equipment and activities at a work site, but Ramirent has developed a solution. RamiSmart collects the best practices and systems of Ramirent’s digital services into one comprehensive solution. Now there is no need to log in to several different services to view activities and manage equipment on a construction site.

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e carefully studied what construction sites use and need,” says Tomi Anttila, Development Manager at Ramirent in Finland. “Many ideas came from customers, but we also developed some RamiSmart features to meet needs they may not realise they have.”

Ramirent, an equipment rental leader in ten European countries, also develops rental-related services, including digital tools to support customers in their daily use of the equipment, improving safety and productivity.

One RamiSmart feature is a time and attendance manager for the labour force reporting requirements in the Nordic markets. This can be combined with a gate system which controls access to

a site. RamiSmart also has browser-based camera surveillance and an IoT system to monitor curing concrete.

MACHINES AND KNOWLEDGE

At the core of RamiSmart is machine control. In the sharing economy Ramirent helps to share both machines and knowledge. An open calendar feature allows workers to share resources and reserve machines for different times even within the same day. The inventory system allows more machines to be rented or excess equipment to be returned.

“This is a way to optimise resources to fit the actual need,” explains Anttila. “This is much more efficient and improves both safety and productivity.”

Access rights can be managed for different machines, making sure only appropriate personnel use the correct equipment and making the site a safer place to work. When permission is granted via wireless connection the worker can immediately use the machine.

“Multiple users or companies can utilise the machine several times during the same day – a real sharing economy and eco-efficient feature,” adds Anttila.

New features are being piloted, like rental equipment budgeting which allows site managers to plan their equipment needs in advance. Although Nordic construction companies are the main users of the RamiSmart system at present, Anttila points out that it can also work in factories, mines or other sites.

“We built RamiSmart to help the customer. Efficiency and safety is improved, resources are used more productively, and costs are lowered with this eco-friendly system,” says Anttila. “If someone would like to learn more or contribute with new ideas to RamiSmart they should give us a call. We are always open for new ideas and business opportunities with great companies and people.” DC | www.ramirent.com |

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Johan Andrén, General Manager of Handelsbanken Hong Kong

EYES FIXED ON CHINA’S CONSUMER SPACE The yarn of nationalism and protectionism is spreading across the American and European Commerces in China. At the same time, China’s growth is slowing down causing the world´s biggest market to tighten up its capital control and make strong restrictions to their cross border payment flows.

Foreign companies are now looking for a new Chinese rule book.

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andelsbanken is the most international bank in the Nordic region and stands by to assist corporations in more than 20 countries and in China, they’ve done business for already 35 years. Handelsbanken’s local branches are the kings of the pile having the access to various trade markets – all the way from Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, Jakarta and Sydney to Rovaniemi.

Even though a shift is seen in the way that one should engage business with Chinese counterparties, China is still a huge, important and interesting opportunity for foreign companies. The country of over 1,3 billion people offers massive possibilities in investment and consumption. Five years ago, when the economy of China was on the upswing it was the companies selling mining and construction equipment that where enjoying the profits. Now, the area of brightness is in the consumer space.

“Nordic brands such as IKEA and H&M are doing well. Also, the environmental and medical sector are rising. Ten years ago, “one size fits all” was the rule book, and all sectors where enjoying good business in China, but now the market is more complicated,” Johan Andrén, General Manager of Handelsbanken Hong Kong, states.

Currently, China is one of Handelsbanken’s most important areas of international business, and the reason is clear: the yearly export from Finland to China is about 2,5 billion euros and from China to Finland even more than that. In addi-

tion, there are more than 400 Finnish companies in China which employ tens of thousands of people locally.

THE CHAMPION OF GLOBALIZATION

Despite the decreasing numbers in GDP growth, the future of China looks bright. The world´s biggest stock market, in respect to daily turnover, is in Shanghai, the second in Shenzhen and only third comes the renowned New York Stock Exchange.

China´s president Xi Jinping truly wants to be the champion of the globalization and has managed to take hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty and is transforming the economy from an investment and export driven growth model towards a more sustainable consumption driven growth model.

On the other hand, if there shall be more protectionism and nationalism detected from the U.S. and Europe the intra-Asian trade will become much more accessible for China. China has launched several international initiatives, such as the Belt and road project which aims to create economic growth and stability through investments in 62 countries along the ancient Silk Route and the seaways towards Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. The old networks of trade are re-appearing from the dust.

“Trade can be seen as a positive factor in the conflicts that China has in the South China Sea. Trade stabilizes the effects of tensions in Asia,” Andrén says.

Jukka Kuusala, Head of Trade & Export Finance & Cash Management Sales at Handelsbanken Finland

When it comes to the U.S. president Donald Trump and his clear messages about the new administration’s trade policy, one positive is that China clearly understands that change is necessary in order to maintain relations with the United States.

“In a way, China appreciates that there are no hidden messages and that the other side’s opinion is made crystal clear. The new U.S. administration is transaction based and not so much policy based which gives clarity in to the communication,” Andrén discusses.

“Whoever is involved in trade and investments in China needs to pay attention to the changing complexion of globalisation. Knowledge is important when navigating in changing global world and Handelsbanken does comprehensive economic reviews about the business atmosphere of international trade and cooperates with companies in all this,” Jukka Kuusala, Head of Trade & Export Finance & Cash Management Sales at Handelsbanken Finland, adds.

The future looks promising also in the Chinese zodiac point of view. The year of the lively monkey has finally shifted to a rooster’s more docile mind set.

Monkey being an unpredictable and volatile animal that causes black swan events such as brexits and incalculable election results, the rooster is a more stable partner, which hopefully bodes well for 2017. PT | www.handelsbanken.com |

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Eija Kuittinen and Joonas Selenius exchanging news at BDO Finland.

THE PORT OF KOKKOLA

– GROWING AND

SUCCESSFUL BDO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT EXCEPTIONAL

CLIENT SERVICE Smart business crystallizes as exceptional client service in the everyday life of BDO, one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting organisations.

But what does it mean for you?

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roviding smart business services is not just an extra from us; it’s our primary focus. We want to understand what our clients feel is essential, from their point of view, in order to be able to offer the best expertise and in-depth industry insight,” emphasizes Eija Kuittinen, Leader, Corporate Finance and Transactions. The service options offered by BDO are Audit, Tax & Legal, Business Services & Outsourcing, and Advisory services.

AUDITS IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENT AREAS

Auditor Joonas Selenius agrees. “In my mind, a statutory audit is an excellent chance to identify development areas in the client’s processes. For example, it could mean a risk assessment, where one reduces the risks of irregularities in the purchasing and sales processes.”

“It may astonish somebody to hear that auditing is a place for innovation; but it is exactly that for us, because we live the client’s everyday life through the figures,” Kuittinen adds.

During the last decade, the traffic volumes of the Port of Kokkola have more than doubled, and the long-term development of its operations also received international recognition when, in February 2017, it was named the European Port of the Month.

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he CEO Torbjörn Witting, is delighted at the port’s selection, and thanks long-term customer relationships and cooperation partners for their part in it.

“Especially as of late, our development has been strong. At the moment, we are Finland’s third largest port complex, with the largest bulk port and the largest transit port in the country. Container traffic is also growing nicely.”

The Port of Kokkola consists of three separate harbours, each efficiently handling different types of bulk transports from Central and Northern Finland, Russia, as well as the Kokkola region. The newest, Silverstone Port and the Deep Port are 10 and 30 years old respectively. Thanks to the deepwater channel, the big cranes and goods handling equipment, there have been 180 000 DWT vessels handled over the years.

“Our specialized ports and operating logistics form an efficient entirety that enables versatile and very competitive services for our customers. Our All Weather terminal, for instance, the only one under a roof in the Nordics, significantly optimizes goods handling, says Witting as a reminder.” MLS | www.portofkokkola.fi |

EXPERIENCE + FRESH EYES = WORKS!

Exceptional client service also means that experienced professionals and young experts work hard, together, in the best interests of the client.

“It’s a fine thing that young doers have space for innovations of their own here. I also appreciate that our company is at the very cutting edge of technology,” Selenius states. Internationalization also adds an additional competitive edge to expert work. BDO is a global company that works in 158 countries with more than 67 000 professionals. Of these, 170 top experts work in Finland. MH | www.bdo.fi |

The different Port of Kokkola sections are specialized in dark and light bulk as well as general cargo. In terms of volume, the biggest is the Deep Port that is specialized in dark bulk.

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TURNKEY SUPPLIERS FOR CRUISE SHIPS

ARE LIVING IN A PERIOD OF GROWTH The bright prospects of cruise ships and ferries offer growth opportunities for many companies in the industry. One of the fastest growing of these is R&M Ship Technologies Finland Oy, a member of the international Rheinhold & Mahla Group, which offers shipyards and ship owners interior outfitting on board ships as turnkey solutions.

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lients value cost-effective and high-quality turnkey deliveries on time.

R&M Ship Technologies Finland Oy responds to demands with a wide portfolio of products and services- from newbuild to maintenance.

According to Managing partner Andrus Junolainen, very few companies in the world are capable of delivering the same.

“We capitalize 130 years old company`s own manufacturing and operations available in Europe, Asia, and North America. Our trustworthiness, operating reliability, and adherence to client timetables are top of the class, because our employees are the best in their field and highly motivated. We also understand our clients’ language and culture all over the world – while not forgetting our own nordic roots.” EL R&M Ship Technologies Finland Oy, which is specialized in interior outfitting on board ships, has a focus on the Nordic, Baltic, the rest of European and North American markets. The company’s clients are shipyards and shipping companies, among others Meyer Turku, RMC, Fjordline and RCCL. | www.rm-group.com |

DELIVERS FACTS FOR

OPTIMAL PROCESS IMPROVEMENT The QPR ProcessAnalyzer analyzes transactional data to show what actually happens in business processes. The comprehensive overview gained with process mining aids decision makers to take correct actions when enhancing their productivity related to company operations – through robotics and automation.

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usiness development manager Marja Rajamäki emphasizes that peoples’ idea of a company’s business process flows often deviates quite a lot from the reality. When starting a data-driven analysis, we define the process scope with the customer to capture the relevant data and understand how processes run and perform in reality.

“QPR ProcessAnalyzer increases transparency. Through transactional data, it becomes clear for our customers, which phases of the process are standard enough to be automated. At the same time, any further development needed for automation to be profitable are also revealed,” specifies Rajamäki.

“In QPR’s data-driven process analysis, we can choose to focus even on a single process step up to a comprehensive end-to-end view on the whole process. It is then easy for the customer to develop their operations based on facts,” explains Senior Vice President Matti Erkheikki. MLS | www.qpr.com | QPR ProcessAnalyzer helps companies find the biggest potential for automation in their business processes, emphasize Marja Rajamäki and Matti Erkheikki.

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Paperituote, current Walki, started its operations in Myllysaari paper mill building.

FROM A PACKAGING COMPANY

TO A LEADING PRODUCER OF TECHNICAL LAMINATES Finland’s centenary celebration this year gives us the chance to look into our own history too. Walki is no longer just about packaging materials.

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s Finland now enters into its 100th year as an independent nation, the country can look back at a fascinating journey that has beaten the odds several times.

The country’s 100-year-old history as an independent nation is closely tied to several companies’ evolutions. Walki is one of them.

Slightly younger than Finland, the 86-year old company has been transformed from a local packaging company into a highly international materials science company.

The company founder, Rudolf Walden, was instrumental not only for Walki’s history but also when it came to creating and shaping the independent nation. He founded the Paperituote plant in Valkeakoski in 1931.

FROM PACKAGING TO PRODUCER OF INTELLIGENT MULTI-LAMINATES

Since then, Walki’s journey towards an international company has involved different tosses and turns. The company was part of the Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat company (now UPM) and in 2007 Finnish investment company Capman became the main owner. The company has gone from being a packaging company (one of the first in Finland) into a diverse materials company present in all markets crucial to

today’s way of life. Today Walki is a leading producer of technical laminates and protective packaging materials, specialising in the production of fibre-based, intelligent, multi-laminate products for the various markets.

Looking beyond Finland’s borders has always been important to the company. ”Walki was very early on internationalising the company. We opened our first plant abroad in Steinfurt, Germany, in 1979,” says the company’s current CEO Leif Frilund.

”Walki has been a pioneer in the internationalization,” says Walki CEO Leif Frilund.

”The Finns have always turned to the forest for food and shelter. This has laid the foundation for a deep respect for nature,” says Frilund.

ECO-FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS

Today sustainability and resource efficiency can be discerned in every aspect of the company. ”We still need to live in accordance with nature,” he says. | www.walki.com |

SUSTAINABILITY PART OF THE WALKI HISTORY

The paper and forestry industry has been instrumental in putting Finland on the world map. But as globalisation and digitalisation has changed the game, a lot of companies have had to change tack. Finland’s fondness of technology has come in handy. Today Walki is more of a technology company than anything else with innovative products for the construction, packaging and still also the paper and board industries.

One thing that hasn’t change for neither Finland nor Walki is the respect for nature.

In Walki’s early days it was about converting wood fibers into packaging materials.

WALKI IN BRIEF Walki Group is a leading producer of technical laminates and protective packaging materials, specializing in the production of fibre based, intelligent, multilaminate products for markets ranging from energy saving construction facings and construction membranes to barrier packaging applications. The Group has plants in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK, Russia and China with a workforce of about 900 people. Annual net sales for the Group are over 300 million Euros.

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LILLBACKA POWERCO, A FAMILY BUSINESS,

IS BRINGING CRIMPING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE DIGITAL AGE Lillbacka Powerco Oy from Härmä, Finland, well known for its crimping technology and the manufacturing of metalworking machines, is bringing traditional engineering technology up to date by digitalizing technical solutions and practices.

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illbacka Powerco Oy, which was founded

by Industrial Counselor Jorma Lillbacka in 1969, is currently the world’s leading manufacturer of hydraulic hose crimping machines. The company is now aiming at digitalizing its activities and technology, and integrating them into the broader manufacturing processes.

Lillbacka Powerco’s hose crimping machines are widely sold to the pipe and hose industry, the cable industry, the automotive industry, and the oil and gas industry, among others.

“Jorma Lillbacka’s motto ‘the impossible we do immediately, the insurmountable takes some time’ carries the company even today.”

“This way, we are able to offer our customers new advantages through an optimized manufacturing process, as well as even better quality assurance, and cost savings,” says Powerco’s Sales and Marketing director Markus Kihlström.

Behind the family-business’ success is a focus on customers, uncompromising quality, product development, and the strong FinnPower brand. At the moment, product development is focussed on electronic control systems and device integration.

“Along with digitalization, you can start managing product information, as well as manufacturing and quality information in the control of the crimping machine. This collected data is essential. When machines are integrated with broader systems, as they will be in the future, you can control and monitor them over the web. With the new remote control opportunities, customers can monitor the quality and efficiency of their production even better, while also securing product information documentation,” reports Powerco’s Business Manager Mika Luopajärvi.

More than 90% of the company’s production is exported. According to Kihlström and Luopajärvi, this is due to Jorma Lillbacka’s open-mindedness and understanding of customer needs.

The family-owned company has made courageous decisions and acted experimentally

from the beginning. Jorma’s describes it as a mind-set of: “The impossible we do immediately, the insurmountable takes some time,” which still applies today. EL | powerco.lillbacka.com |

Lillbacka Powerco Oy manufactures hose crimping machines, hose cutters and skiving machines for service and serial manufacturing.

Approximately 95% of Powerco’s production is exported to more than 60 countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

Contact information: Markus Kihlström, Sales and Marketing Director, tel. 040 558 3245

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GET EMPOWERED BY A new cement import terminal will be opened in Koverhar Harbour in April 2017. Koverhar Harbour has also been booked for the intermediate storage of the gas pipes of the Swiss Nord Stream 2 AG.

PORT TRAFFIC IS BOOMING IN THE PORT OF HANKO The Port of Hanko is the second largest liner shipping port for truck and trailer traffic in Finland, and the fifth largest commercial port in the country. The Port of Hanko is also Finland’s car import centre and big volumes of Finnish forest industry products find their way thru the port.

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he Port of Hanko is comprised of the Western Harbour, which is focused on liner shipping; the Outer Harbour, which is concentrated on car imports, and (as a new addition) Koverhar Harbour. In April 2017, a cement import terminal, belonging to the Peab Group, will be opened in Koverhar.

“Port of Hanko business areas are international liner traffic, roro, car, truck, and container traffic, special transports, heavy special loads to Europe.”

“We are deepening the port basin, reconstructing the quays and building new port storage areas. A significant portion of the storage capacity in Koverhar has already been booked for the intermediate storage of the gas pipes of the Swiss Nord Stream 2 AG, up until the year 2020,” says CEO Anders Ahlvik.

The Port of Hanko offers daily connections to the German ports Lübeck and Rostock and connections to Gdynia in Poland by both Transfennica and Finnlines. The DFDS´s Ro-Pax line also offers a connection to Paldiski in Estonia nine times a week; and, lastly, there are also four departures a week to Antwerp and Tilbury in London, which are the most important cooperation ports for the North Sea traffic. EL | www.portofhanko.fi |

THE KOLI NATIONAL LANDSCAPE From the windows of Break Sokos Hotel Koli, situated in Koli national park, unfolds an empowering scene that peers into the heart of one-hundred-year-old Finland.

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he Koli national park landscape is a part of the national history of the hundred-year-old country of Finland. Even great Finnish artists, such as Sibelius and Eero Järnefelt visited Koli for inspiration. “Sibelius visited on his honeymoon, and the painter Eero Järnefelt and his wife sought inspiration for his work in the mythically beautiful Koli landscapes,” says Jukka-Pekka Pesonen, the hotel manager of Break Sokos Hotel Koli.

Best of all, the hotel itself is situated just inside the heart of the national park, it is only 200 metres to the best view-point, and the hiking trails start immediately outside the hotel doors.

“Hotel Koli is undoubtedly situated at the best view-point in Finland.

Nature is tangibly close and the Ukko Nature Centre is also situated in the courtyard. In 2016, more than 180 000 guests visited the national park.”

A PERFECT SPA EXPERIENCE FOR A SOPHISTICATED TASTE

Hotel Koli’s Relax Spa also takes spa vacations to the next level.

“Our intimate, luxurious and incorporated into the landscape spa, is designed according to adult tastes. The entire spa area is licensed, and in the evenings, we have an 18+ age limit. In this way, we can guarantee a peaceful and empowering spa experience. You can experience a complete breakaway from everyday life, for instance, by enjoying bubbly on a scenic terrace or connecting with the world of Sibelius in the sound and light pool. The experience is completed by a mind- and body-cleansing sauna journey in a Finnish, aroma or steam sauna.” MH Reservations and enquiries

tel +358 20 1234 662 sales.koli@sok.fi | www.kolirelaxspa.fi/en | | www.sokoshotels.fi/en/koli/sokos-hotel-koli/spa |

Rovaniemi-based ILAHU Snowsurfboards are designed and made to be at home on Lapland’s fells. The company behind ILAHU, Treeform, received the Arctic Design Company of the Year prize in 2016. Treeform was founded by Jan Leutola and Maxim Narbough who were inspired by the arctic nature to hand-create the ecologic snowboard. | ilahuboards.com |

Panu Vapaavalta, CEO of Amandan Healthcare Ltd

ROVANIEMI IS BY NATURE

THE ARCTIC DESIGN CAPITAL With the temperature well below zero, the landscape covered with snow, and the night sky lit up with the Aurora Borealis, Rovaniemi is the perfect platform for Arctic design.

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hat is ‘Arctic design’ and why is Rovaniemi called the Arctic Design Capital? ‘The Arctic design perspective combines the demands of Arctic conditions, top research and training in the field, creative industry expertise, and Northern culture,” says Tuula Rintala-Gardin from the city of Rovaniemi.

Arctic know-how draws on traditional materials in Rovaniemi. “In addition to spectacular snow and ice constructions, we have a long tradition of manufacturing products from Lappish wood, reindeer skin and bone, as well as from Lapland gold. Northern touch is often associated with coldness, but it also means good quality, cool and fresh design. Northern colour palette covers moments of blue twilight in winter, golden midnight sun in summer and all the shades of dancing Northern lights. Arctic also combines the right know-how with the right design.”

The companies of the region often take advantage of their Arctic background and design, as do events like the Arctic Design Week. “Every year we award the prize for Arctic Design Company of the Year. Through the award, the city of Rova-

niemi and Rovaniemi Development Ltd want to display the company that has boldly used design in their operations and embraced Arctic into their business.”

IN THE HEART OF THE COLD

This year, the prize was awarded to Amandan Healthcare Ltd. The company developed a cold therapy device that offers the opportunity to enjoy a cold treatment, corresponding to ice swimming, in your own home year-round. “Cold is our natural element. We are familiar with its benefits and we know what can be achieved with the controlled use of cold. I think the effects of cold treatment belong to everyone and we believe this treatment can improve the well-being of millions of people,” said CEO Panu Vapaavalta.

The Northern dimension provides a space for innovation. “Creativity arises, in my opinion, from the silence and the fact that we have room to breathe in Rovaniemi. When you go skiing right from your own backyard – in this spectacular scenery, your soul is given a chance to rest and you find the opportunity to create something new. We

feel that this is one of the few places on the globe where mind is free from all the noise and hectic pace of the world. This is exactly why I think Rovaniemi is the natural environment to create new Arctic design,” Vapaavalta states. MH

• The City of Rovaniemi registered Arctic Design Capital trademark in 2015.

• The trademark signifies the central role of Rovaniemi as an Arctic Design Capital in cooperation with the enterprises of the region and the Arctic Centre and Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland • The main event is Arctic Design Week, which will held for the 10th time next year See more at | www.arcticdesigncapital.com |

PETRI TEPPO / STUDIO ARTICA

TREEFORM LTD / KOTA COLLECTIVE, JANI KÄRPPÄ

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CREATE YOUR PERFECT RELAXATION AND

SPA EXPERIENCE WITH HARVIA

Whether you´re planning a stylish sauna or perfecting a luxurious spa experience, Harvia can help you make it happen in a natural wellbeing way.

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pa equals luxury. A relaxing moment in your own private spa and steam room relieves stress and eases the mind, which may also help sleeping problems, making sleep deeper and more soothing.

“When aiming for a luxurious experience the safest solution is to trust the expertise of Harvia, the number one sauna and spa company in the world.”

Therefore, it should be implemented in a way that radiates perfect enjoyment and relaxation, supported by the technical, stylistic, and functional features of the spa. Harvia is a true provider of comprehensive spa experiences and relaxation for everyday life with a passion

to create the best Sauna & Spa experience for you and your loved ones. Founded in 1950, the company has grown into a global market leader. Harvia employs 450 sauna and spa professionals worldwide and its iconic products are exported internationally.

FROM IDEA TO REALITY – WITH ONE PARTNER

So, in case you want to ensure that the result is technically and functionally perfect, the best solution is to utilise the competence and know-how of Harvia experts from design to implementation to save your own time. In practice this means that when you design your own relaxation oasis, Harvia can offer you exactly the kind of design help you need as well as structures, materials, light fittings, and any other components to fulfil your vision of an impressive and relaxing Harvia experience. The roots of Harvia lie within sauna heaters but the world of Harvia is so much more. MH

HARVIA STORY Harvia, founded in 1950 by Tapani Harvia, is today the internationally leading one-stop shop in the global sauna and spa market. Our mission is to create relaxing moments and offer natural wellbeing. We employ 450 sauna and spa professionals. We operate in international markets and have a strong network of partners.

The Austrian company Sentiotec GmbH has been a part of Harvia Group since 2016. | www.harvia.fi |

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NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE? Mehiläinen’s Digital Clinic assists you with healthrelated issues 24/7, wherever you are. Download the OmaMehiläinen mobile application from the Apple Store or Google Play. Using Digital Clinic requires that you are covered under the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme of Finland. Additional information: www.mehilainen.fi/en/mobileapplication.

You can also find us at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

Mehiläinen Airport, Lentäjäntie 1 E, 6th floor, 01530 Vantaa. Appointments tel. 010 414 0200 (engl), 010 414 00 (fin), 010 414 0100 (swe).

TIPS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

– HOW TO COPE BETTER WITH TRAVEL IN EVERYDAY LIFE What should those who travel a lot pay attention to in order to cope better in everyday life? Experts from Mehiläinen medical centre share their thoughts.

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usiness travelling affects more and more people. Over a million business trips were made from Finland in 2013.

“You should consider your own resiliency if you travel a lot in your work. At what stage the number of trips becomes too stressful depends on your state of health and abilities to recover. The most important thing is to take care of your physical condition. Doing so helps you to manage and recover from stress,” says AnaMaría Teino, occupational health specialist.

point of view. You can also try to agree on flexibility with your employer. Perhaps you could come to work a little later or do work from home office after a late return,” mentions occupational psychologist Maaret Punto.

According to Teino, it is a good idea to schedule departure times sensibly, since an early departure inevitably influences sleep quality at night. “It also pays to prolong one’s sleep before a trip by advancing regular bedtimes.”

A WELL-PLANNED TRIP LIGHTENS STRAIN

Even your own attitude has an impact on your wellbeing during business traveling. The more positive your approach to travelling is, the less strain you feel from it. “A long wait time at the airport can be frustrating, but perhaps you could look upon it as quality time to use in a beneficial way, for instance by listening to mindfulness-recordings or audio-books,” suggests Punto. MH

From a work-wellbeing point of view, it is important for you to be able to influence your own work and work tasks. This is especially true with business travel, since travel days require both work and private life organizing.

“Even meaningful work quickly starts to put a strain on you if tasks pile up at the office during travel days. Workdays should be sensibly scheduled at each destination as well, since recovery is very important from an efficiency and coping

PERSONAL TIME AT THE AIRPORT

Locations and additional information: | www.mehilainen.fi |

“Always carry a small travel med-kit, but pay attention that in the tropics you can only use paracetamols against fevers, not anti-inflammatory drugs.”

– AnaMaría Teino

OCCUPATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPIST ANTTI PURSIO’S TIPS FOR RECOVERING AFTER TRAVEL DAYS • Get to know your destination on foot. It is easy to take along a pair of sneakers in your flight bag.

• Even a short burst of exercise at a hotel gym can help you recover from travel fatigue.

• Water running and swimming counterbalances long-term sitting.

• Avoid intensive and heavy exercise late at night. It weakens recovery and sleep quality through the night.