Blue Wings Urban issue March 2017

URBAN ISSUE TRENDS, DESTINATIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS

MARCH 2017

Your personal copy

NYC’S HIPPEST HOOD THE WORLD’S TALLEST TIMBER TOWERS SINGAPORE’S TASTIEST STREET FOOD

The new Nordic

hotel revolution

EDITORIAL

BY SAMI SARELIUS SVP OF LEGAL AFFAIRS AT FINNAIR WWW.FINNAIR.COM

FOKUS MEDIA FINLAND PRODUCER Amanda Soila ART DIRECTOR Sirpa Ärmänen SUB-EDITOR Shelly Nyqvist VISUAL ASSISTANT Iris Mark ENGLISH EDITING Silja Kudel REPROGRAPHICS Faktor Oy COVER Ville and Eveliina Virkki of Dream Hotel

by Ville Palonen BEHIND THIS ISSUE Daniel Allen, Tommi Anttonen, Tim Bird, Noona Bäckgren, Carina Chela, ­Camilo Fuentealba, Laura Iisalo, Silja Kudel, Karen MacKenna, Katariina Pajunen, Ville Palonen, Laura Palotie, Katja Pantzar, Mikko Takala, and Peter Weld SUBMISSIONS bluewings@fokusmedia.fi BLUE WINGS ONLINE www.issuu.com/finnair_bluewings EDITORIAL OFFICES Hämeentie 153 C, 00560 Helsinki, Finland tel. +358 40 630 8253 firstname.lastname@fokusmedia.fi ADVERTISING SALES Jaana Lindvall-Harki tel. +358 40 582 1416 PUBLISHER Fokus Media Finland PRINTED BY Punamusta, Joensuu, Finland 2017 PAPER UPM Valor 61g Cover paper Stora Enso LumiArt 200g CIRCULATION 45,000 ISSN-0358-7703

Why fair play matters

I

n competitive sports, there’s a huge amount of work behind every single success story. It takes determination to make it to the top, but you need to play fair in order to earn and retain your spot once there.

In the business world, long-term goals and success are not achieved by chance either. At Finnair, as players in the competitive international airline business, we are committed to preserving our solid reputation in safety, quality, and customer service.

To act in a fair and honest way, or do the right thing, is the leading ethical standard in our renewed Global Code of Conduct. We

expect ethical choices and compliance with the rules from every member of our international team. We run training and awareness programmes to foster our ethical company culture and we expect our suppliers and partners to respect similar standards.

Like a winning team with zero tolerance for doping, we do not tolerate unfair business practices in any form.

We at Finnair wish the best of success to our customers, partners, and other stakeholders and thank them for sharing with us the spirit of fair play.

Sami Sarelius SVP Legal Affairs

3 tips for winter Helsinki

FINNAIR HEAD OFFICE Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 (0)9 818 81, Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland CUSTOMER FEEDBACK www.finnair.com/feedback or by mail: Customer Relations, SL/403, FI-01053 FINNAIR. www.finnair.com, www.finnair.fi, www.finnairgroup.com

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Go golfing. Get a head start on the summer season at the Planmeca Areena golf centre in Vuosaari, in eastern Helsinki.

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JUSSI HELLSTÉN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com

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Hike or bike the waterfront. Not far from Helsinki, Espoo’s shoreline walkway winds along parks, boat harbours, and swimming beaches, with lovely spots for refuelling.

Swim in the sea. If you’re brave, why not go for a mid-winter dip in the Baltic Sea? Löyly on the Helsinki waterfront is one of the most spectacular winter swimming spots.

MARCH 2017

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YLELLISET UUTUUDET ŠKODA SUPERB ELEGANCE JA SUPERB EDITION

Tervetuloa koeajamaan lähimmälle ŠKODA-jälleenmyyjällesi.

OVAT TÄÄLLÄ

VERTAILUSSA JÄREÄT PERHESEDANIT SUOMEN SUOSITUIMMAT YRITYSAUTOT 2016 1. ŠKODA Octavia 2. Volkswagen Passat 3. ŠKODA Superb

Lähde: Bisnode, Trafi 1-12/2016

TM 12/2016

1. ŠKODA Superb 2.0 TDI 150 *****, 8,9 p.

2. Ford Mondeo 2,0 TDCi 150hv ****, 8,5 p.

2. Mazda6 Sedan 2,2 SKYACTIV-D ****, 8,5 p.

4. Kia Optima 1,7 CRDi ***, 7,9 p.

4. Renault Talisman dCI 160 EDC ***, 7,9 p.

6. Hyundai i40 Sedan 1,7 CRDi 7DCT **, 7,6 p.

ŠKODA Superb Edition alkaen 31 561,57 €, CO2-päästöllä 115 g/km. ŠKODA Superb Elegance alkaen 36 208,67 €, CO2-päästöllä 115 g/km. Malliston yhdistetty EU-kulutus 3,7-7,2 l/km ja CO2-päästöt 96-164 g/km. Hinta sisältää toimituskulut 600 €. Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein. Kysy ŠKODA Huolenpitosopimuksesta ŠKODA-jälleenmyyjältäsi tai lue lisää: skoda.fi/huolenpitosopimus.

skoda.fi

www.barbour.com

MARCH 2017

IN THIS ISSUE A dream hotel come true in Tampere

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LIFESTYLE A GOODNIGHT’S STAY IN FINLAND These hotels are shaping the Nordic guest experience

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DESTINATION SINGAPORE STREET EATS

Top 5 what and where to eat in this A-list city-state

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DESTINATION A MECCA FOR COOL IN NYC Checking into the Meatpacking District

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DESTINATION IRELAND’S RUGGED COASTLINE A road trip around the scenic side of the Emerald Isle

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LIFESTYLE WOODEN EVOLUTION

Finnish timber forms a “new” building block

BUSINESS CAPITAL CITY URBANITY

Helsinki flourishes as a hotbed of activism and transformation

LIFESTYLE AUTHENTIC TASTES OF FINLAND

Tradition and culture feature in Chef Eero Vottonen’s dishes

Singapore’s street food scene offers endless tasty options.

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DESTINATION MADRID SNAPSHOT

Visiting the hot and pop neighbourhood of Lavapiés

NYC’s High Line linear park

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TAKEOFF STARTERS

World Figure Skating.................. 13

NEWS

Single-dish eateries.....................14

NEWS

Healthy outlooks...........................16

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WORLD

Global goings-on...........................18

FINNISH FAVOURITES

Creative spin on design.................20

EVENTS

Out and about in Finland.......... 22

DESTINATION

Hotpots of Chongqing............... 24

FLYING STORIES

Lost and found...............................26

TWO OF A KIND

Nordic kidswear............................27

MAKERS OF

Designer Marianne Huotari..... 28 MARCH 2017

BLUE WINGS

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IN THIS ISSUE

56

Helsinki’s Flytour XD building is made of high-tech Finnish wood.

A coastal walk on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland

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70

Terraces abound in the Lavapiés barrio of Madrid.

REGULARS

Travel Moment.........................................10 Alexander Stubb.....................................42 Marja Makarow........................................66 Finland in figures....................................98

FLY FINNAIR

Tips for takeoff........................................ 80 Inflight wellbeing.................................... 81 Entertainment.......................................... 82 Inflight shopping..................................... 83 Sustainability............................................. 84 Border crossings..................................... 85 Helsinki Airport ....................................... 86 Maps and destinations......................... 88 Fleet and My Finnair............................. 92 Finnair Plus................................................ 94 8 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Helsinki, p. 13, 27, 62 Finland, p. 22, 30 Chongqing, p. 24 Singapore, p. 40

Check this month’s Finnair Plus offers on page 97

New York City, p. 44 Ireland, p. 48 Madrid, p. 70

OMA SÄNKY. PARAS SÄNKY. SÄÄDETTÄVÄ VUODE NYT TAVALLISEN VUOTEEN HINNALLA!

180 x 200 cm, norm. 5.520 € NYT 3.190 €

Hyvä uni on yksi elämän tärkeimmistä asioista. Jensen on parantanut ihmisten nukkumista ja unenlaatua jo vuodesta 1947.

Diplomat Dream on Jensenin säädettävien vuoteiden klassinen malli, joka sisältää kaikki olennaisimmat toiminnot. Huolellisesti valittujen materiaalien lisäksi tässä vuoteessa on Jensen® Original -vyöhykejärjestelmä, jossa on pehmeä hartiavyöhyke ja sisäänrakennettu ristiseläntuki. Headrest-toiminto mahdollistaa sen, että niskasi ja pääsi ovat aina hyvässä asennossa kun istut vuoteessa. Mukana myös muistitoiminto oman suosikkiasennon tallennukseen. Nuku aina parasta unta omassa vuoteessasi.

ESPOO | HELSINKI | HÄMEENLINNA | JYVÄSKYL Ä | KOUVOL A | KUOPIO | L AHTI | L APPEENRANTA MIKKELI | OULU | PORI | PORVOO | ROVANIEMI | SEINÄ JOKI | TAMPERE | T URKU | VAASA | VANTAA

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to ies r fl rtner i a n a Fin ith p hay w at i l Ba line C via r i c a cifi ong. ­Pa K m ng Ho air.co n n fi

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TRAVEL MOMENT

BY TIM BIRD

WALKING ON WATER THE WATER PALACE of Tirta Gangga on the Indonesian island of Bali is a beautifully landscaped garden of pools and statues. Visitors can hop from stone to stone, admiring the

giant carp that glide between fountains. The name of these lush gardens means “Water from the Ganges,” alluding to the site’s significance to Balinese Hindus.

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Unelmalomat ovat unelmat yötämme.

Sulje hetkeksi silmäsi ja muistele parasta matkakokemustasi.

Haluamme, että tulevaisuudessa saat runsaasti vastaavanlaisia kokemuksia. Siksi käytössäsi on Platinum Matkapalvelu sekä Concierge-palvelu, jotka suunnittelevat matkasi ja hoitavat matkajärjestelyt puolestasi.

Mihin suuntautuu seuraava löytöretkesi?

americanexpress.fi/platinumcard

TAKEOFF

NEWS / EVENTS / DESTINATIONS / STORIES / FAVOURITES

Finland’s ice dancing duo: “Team Cessiville”, Cecilia Törn and J­ ussiville ­Partanen.

THE ICE AGE COMETH

Helsinki gets its skates on TEXT BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTO BY LEHTIKUVA

Figure skaters are idolised like rock stars by their fans, and thousands of ice groupies will be flocking to Helsinki this month for the World Figure Skating Championships.

The venue, Hartwall Arena, will be decked floor to ceiling with flowers and packed with a variety of Finnish foods, art and design, side events, and activities.

“The amazing speed, strength, and grace of the world’s top skaters can only be experienced on site, and the contestants will be giving their all in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Olympics,” says spokeswoman and former figure skater Mila Kajas-Virtanen.

Highlights will include a spectacular opening show on March 29 and the closing gala on April 2.

Finnair is the official partner of the event and ­Finnair Plus members can use their points to purchase tickets for the show (www.lippu.fi).

March 29 – April 2 helsinki2017.com

MARCH 2017

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TAKEOFF NEWS

ONLINE BOOKING MADE EASY Need more time to decide? Hold my Booking guarantees your flight price for up to 72 hours. Go to ­finnair.com for more information.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SILJA KUDEL COLETTE DIKE / AVOCADO BOOK

Avocados are the star ingredient of Amsterdam’s tastiest newcomer, The Avocado Show.

SAVE YOUR SKIN

Call in the smog busters

HIT SINGLES

One-food wonders LIKE MOST WHACKY food trends, this one took off in New York: A growing number of eateries worldwide are narrowing their niche to only one food. New York’s mad array of single-dish joints includes Potatotopia for spud enthusiasts and the Nugget Spot for chicken fanatics, while London’s Bubbledogs offers 17 kinds of hotdog, and the Cereal Killer Café celebrates an unsung hero: breakfast cereal.

Newcomers opening soon include

Amsterdam’s The Avocado Show, which specialises in dishes containing the Instagram fruit of the year, the avocado. Weirder still is Dō – pronounced “dough” – a NYC café catering to people who like their cookies straight out of the mixing bowl. And for gherkin gobblers, there’s great news from The Pickle Guys, the team behind the popular NYC kosher shop: They’re soon opening a new fried pickle counterservice restaurant on Grand St.

Smog is the new nemesis of supple skin – at least judging by the recent boom in anti-pollution cosmetics that’s spreading from Asian metropoles to Europe. A new Finnish line of products from Lumene comes with the antioxidant powers of pine and spruce.

The SISU [Urban Antidotes] range – including mist, mask, serum, facial oil, and moisture cream – helps to block smog and adds a touch of arctic magic to the rigours of city life. lumene.com

APPY SHOPPING

Style swipe

“SOMETHING DIFFERENT” is what many fashion shoppers are hungry for, and Finnish designers are raring to satisfy their craving – so why haven’t the two hooked up? Enter IVALO, the fashion equivalent of ­Tinder. With this new smartphone app, more than 70 hand-picked Finnish labels – from Ivana Helsinki to Uhana Design – are only a swipe away.

“IVALO is designed for women who want to dress differently and ­support indie labels you won’t find on the High Street,” says CEO Matti Lamminsalo. Moreover, shoppers buy straight from the designer which helps keep costs down. IVALO aunches globally in March.

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Matti Lamminsalo

YOU WILL NOT FIND A MORE LUXURIOUS BED IN THIS WORLD

We were already making beds when Henry Ford was still playing with pine cone cows. Hästens beds are the most luxurious in the world, handcrafted in Sweden from natural materials to this day. Hästens beds provide a uniquely weightless sleeping experience. Come and try our beds today and you could soon wake up in the bed of your dreams.

HÄSTENS STORE HELSINKI, Mannerheimintie 8, tel. +358 20 780 1370, hastens.com

TAKEOFF NEWS

NEW BREED OF LOUNGING Sweat away your layover at Helsinki Airport with a sauna. Finnair’s Premium Lounge in the non-Schengen area is the perfect spot to relax before a flight.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SILJA KUDEL

NEW IN PARIS

Cycling down the Seine

TREADMILLS and sweaty bodies rapidly lose their appeal when you stare at them long enough. Carlo Ratti’s design office proposes an antidote to the visual boredom of the gym by creating the world’s first human-powered boat. Combining a gym session with a scenic cruise down the Seine, the 20 metre-long “fitness boat” demonstrates the potential of human energy to power sustainable transport. Iconic views of the French metropolis take the “work” out of workout.

It’s strictly plant food only for Anni Kravi, business school graduate, foodie, and wellness entrepreneur.

SPOONFUL OF GOODNESS

The new face of porridge

ANNI KRAVI, co-founder of the Helsinki restaurant DATE + KALE and author of an inspiring new book about the latest food trend on the block, Porridge (Quadrille, 2017) shares healthy eating tips for travellers.

Q: What’s the world’s top city for healthy eats?

A: New York. You can find pretty much anything from macrobiotic restaurants to raw vegan fast food, to plant-based fine dining – plus a lot of non-vegetarian healthy options as well! In the Nordics, I like Stockholm and Copenhagen.

Q: Can you recommend a specific eatery?

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A: Flax & Kale in Barcelona and Dimes in NYC. Q: Where can our readers find the world’s best porridge?

A: 26 Grains in London serves creative versions of porridge, waffles, and soaked muesli (so does Grod in Copenhagen). But to be honest, I love cooking my own porridge at home.

Q: What’s your favourite porridge recipe?

A: Double chocolate quinoa porridge with raspberry “ice cream” and cacao nibs on top. My book shares a super-creamy recipe with cacao, carob, and banana, whereas DATE + KALE serves a variation made with sweet potato. I love both!

TWEETING ALL THE WAY

Have sauna, will travel

Finland’s centenary mascot in the US is a mobile sauna that will travel 10,000 miles across the continent over the next 12 months. Minnesotabased Finns Risto Sivula and Jouko Sipilä invite all Americans to say “Happy Birthday Finland” with a steamy selfie. travelingsauna.com

www.kia.fi

Erottuva muotoilu, ylivoimainen varustelu ja markkinoiden pisin 7 vuoden takuu

Upea Kia-mallisto Uusi Kia Optima Sportswagon Optima on luokkansa tyylikkäin ja parhaiten varusteltu auto sisältä ja ulkoa.

Mallisto alkaen 29 279 € Vapaa autoetu alk. 615 €/kk Käyttöetu alk. 465 €/kk CO2-päästöt alk. 37 g/km EU-yhd. alk. 1,6 l/100 km

a av a n s aa t Nyt m u Platin malli. is eriko 074 € i6 E tu s

!

UUS UUT yös m Nyt en etoin etuv seldie t ti! m aa a u to

Kia Sorento

Kia Sportage

Vaikuttavan näköinen ja kokoinen.

Ylellinen kaupunkimaasturi on saatavana myös 7 hengen versiona.

Hienostunut ja urheilullinen Sportage.

Täysin uudistunut crossover on luokkansa tyylikkäin ja viimeistellyin paketti.

Mallisto alkaen 44 990 € Vapaa autoetu alk. 835 €/kk Käyttöetu alk. 685 €/kk CO2-päästöt alk. 149 g/km EU-yhd. alk. 5,7 l/100 km

Mallisto alkaen 26 990 € Vapaa autoetu alk. 585 €/kk Käyttöetu alk. 435 €/kk CO2-päästöt alk. 119 g/km, A/T-mallit 129 g/km EU-yhd. alk. 4,6 l/100 km

TAKEOFF WORLD

WORLD OF BENEFITS Make the most of your Finnair Plus points. You can use your points for a variety of services from Finnair ­and partners. Read more about the renewed program on pages 94-96.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SILJA KUDEL

HAMID MOUSA

CALENDAR

SYDNEY

March events SLUSH ASIA/PETRI ANTTILA

MAR 29–30

TOKYO. Asia’s local edition of the Finnish start-up event Slush takes place this month at the Tokyo Big Sight, where 5,000 entrepreneurs and investors will gather in hopes of connecting for a business romance. Angel investor Steve Jang and Genequest’s Shoko Takahashi are among the keynote speakers.

Oz-travaganza!

FEB 17 – MAR 5 What began in 1978 as a political protest is now a world-famous institution. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a 17-day festival celebrating Australia’s LGBTQI culture. The bumper calendar is packed with more than 80 events including comedy, exhibitions, music, theatre, parties, and community events. The climax is the glittering pride parade, an extravagant spectacle that brings the city to a standstill on March 4. mardigras.org.au

tokyo.slush.org

MAR 16–26 COPENHAGEN. CPH:DOX is the third biggest and arguably the most innovative documentary film festival in the world, filling Copenhagen’s cinemas with more than 200 films by emerging young talent.

Concerts, art exhibitions, and parties galore are also in store. cphdox.dk/en

UNTIL MAY 28 HELSINKI. Come to Finland is the National Museum’s new exhibition looking at how Finland has marketed tourism before and after independence, combining a selection of authentic firstedition vintage posters with modern interpretations. kansallismuseo.fi/fi/kansallismuseo

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NYC

Shamrocking the city

MARCH 17 New Yorkers go green and raise a Guinness on March 17 in memory of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. The shindig begins with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which marches along Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Central Park. Two million onlookers then decide whether to continue with an Irish pub crawl or a Celtic dance performance.

MY FINNISH FAVOURITES

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by spotlighting iconic Finnish design products throughout the year. suomifinland100.fi

COMPILED BY SHELLY NYQVIST

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BREAK WITH TRADITION

Switch it up 1. Finland’s version of a beach cruiser bicycle, the Helkama Jopo3, gears up with attitude as a 3-speed. jopobikes.com 2. Handcrafted from Finnish birch wood, the Majamoo trivet set borrows inspiration from the waves (aalto in Finnish) of the Alvar Aalto ­Collection. majamoo.fi 3. Based on his iconic Ball Chair, Eero Aarnio’s transparent Bubble Chair has graced the pages of many a fashion magazine. eero-aarnio.com 4. Maija Isola’s Unikko design first came on the scene in 1964. The poppy pattern has come a long way with this green cosmetic bag. marimekko.com 20 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

5. The old Finnish saying holds true: Cold coffee makes you beautiful. The classic iced coffee is now available as cold brew in a bottle by Kaffa Roastery. coldbrew.fi 6. The safety reflector is one of those nerdy accessories that has recently become pop. This retro soft reflector is not only stylish, but a LifeSaver™ in the dark winter months. lifesaverfinland.com 7. Fazer has done it again with the luck of the lime and its seasonal Dumle chocolate-covered chewy toffee. fazer.com

Shelly Nyqvist is the sub-editor of Blue Wings and an American living in Finland who appreciates any creative spin on an original.

APTEEKISTA.

02/2017

Picorion on uusi ummetukseen tarkoitettu täsmälääke. Sekoita tarvittava määrä tippoja ruokaan tai juomaan. Vaikuttaa 6-12 tunnissa, pehmeästi ja varmasti - mutta ei yllätä.

PICORION 7,5 mg/ml tipat ummetuksen lyhytaikaiseen hoitoon. Yli viikon jatkuvassa käytössä ja alle 12-vuotiaille lääkärin ohjeen mukaan. Ummetuksen pitkittyessä tulee sen syyt selvittää. Ei raskaana oleville, sopii imetyksen aikana. Vaikuttava aine natriumpikosulfaatti. Tippojen annostus on sovitettavissa yksilöllisesti. Aloitusannos aikuisille on 14 tippaa. Tarpeen mukaan annosta joko lasketaan, tai nostetaan. Enimmäisannos on 28 tippaa. Tarkasta tuotteen sopivuus apteekissa.

Tutustu huolellisesti pakkausselosteeseen.

TAKEOFF EVENTS

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by highlighting ­interesting events throughout the year. suomifinland100.fi/

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA IISALO FINNISH NATIONAL GALLERY/HANNU AALTONEN

CALENDAR

Upcoming events

YEAR-ROUND RYE BREAD was recently voted the national food of Finland. Learn to make your own sourdough loaf in a six-hour workshop with rye enthusiast Jukka Kotkanen. Courses are run on Saturdays by appointment. facebook.com/raimugido

ART

Real women

UNTIL OCT 1 ELISABETH JÄRNEFELT was a key figure in Finnish cultural history and all nine of her children contributed greatly to Finland’s cultural heritage. Järvenpää Art Museum displays artworks, photographs, and memorabilia paying tribute to this influential female figure. jarvenpaa.fi

UNTIL NOV INDEPENDENCE THROUGH THE LENSES is an exhibition taking the work of seven Finnish artists to seven galleries around Europe, starting with Budapest.

The show investigates how independence, cultural traditions, and memories shape how we look at ourselves and at others.

APR 29 – OCT 3 The Modern Woman is the Ateneum Art Museum’s first-ever exhibition in New York. Showing at Scandinavia House and curated by Susanna Pettersson and Anu Utriainen, it consists of 54 paintings and prints by four early 20th century Finnish artists: Helene Schjerfbeck, Sigrid Schauman, Ellen Thesleff, and Elga Sesemann. All four women were devoted to their calling while pushing an agenda of women’s rights and equal opportunities. scandinaviahouse.org

ART & DESIGN

Take-away exhibit MAR 11–19

backlight.fi

Ornamo’s Art Sales Exhibition makes art shopping easy. More than 100 Finnish artists and designers will display their works at Helsinki’s Cable Factory. Inspired by the centenary theme, the pieces range from jewellery and ceramics to textiles and small sculptures, with prices from €100 up to €20,000. Sales continue online after the exhibition closes.

Events subject to change.

finnishdesigners.fi

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TAKEOFF DESTINATION

CHONGQING CALLING From May 2017, Finnair flies four weekly flights to China’s hotpot city.

Brace yourself for some seriously spicy food!

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN

A hotpot at the Radisson Blu Plaza River Café

A Chongiqng resident enjoys her daily dose of spice.

Dried chili peppers give hotpot its fiery edge.

LOCAL FLAVOURS

The heat is on

Spice up your life with a Chongqing hotpot.

HOTPOT HOTSPOTS

ENVELOPED IN DENSE clouds of steam, Chongqing native Vivian Wang hangs her head over a bowl of bubbling, chili-topped soup, and inhales deeply.

“This is the smell I miss the most when I travel overseas,” she says. “When I don’t get my daily huoguo (hotpot), my stomach feels lost.”

Hotpots are to Chongqing what B ­ eijing duck is to the Chinese capital. In fact, for residents of southwest China’s largest metropolis, this spice-laden dish is more than a cornerstone of local cuisine – it’s a way of life. According to the Chongqing

CHONGQING CYGNET HOTPOT PALACE 6F, Yingli International Financial Mansion, 40 Minquan Road, Yuzhong District

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Hotpot Association, more than 50,000 hotpot eateries supply Chongqingers with their regular spicy fix.

Distinguishing Chongqing huoguo from other Chinese hotpots is its mala (numbingly spicy) broth, made from oil, dried chili, Sichuan pepper, and local herbs. Diners cook assorted vegetables and meats in the boiling broth, before dipping them into a bowl of sesame oil, shallots, and garlic.

For Chongqing visitors with an aversion to spice, the Mandarin phrase bu tai la (not too spicy) is well worth memorising.

RADISSON BLU PLAZA RIVER CAFÉ 22 Nanbin Road, Nan’an District HAI YI XUAN 9F, Harbour Plaza, Wuyi Road, Yuzhong District

HELKAMA e-BIKE

FULLY CHARGED Helkama is Finland’s leading expert in electric bikes. Helkama has a wide range of e-Bikes, including the new TE8 with Shimano Di2 electric gears, the sporty SE10 for the trendy cyclist, and the low step E27, optimal for your daily commute. Cycling has never been this much fun.

Simply choose your desired electric assistance level and let the Helkama e-Bike boost your cycling up to a 25 km/h cruising speed. Travel fast, no sweat! Check our bikes out online:

helkamavelox.fi Find us at Facebook & Instagram: helkamabicycles

DESIGNED & MADE IN FINLAND SINCE 1905

FLYING STORIES

FLYING WITH A PET Finnair loves your furry creatures.

So if your pet travels in the cabin, please note that for safety reasons, your pet must stay in its carrier during the entire journey.

TEXT BY ANU PIIPPO PHOTO BY TEEMU KUUSIMURTO

Land of left items

Have you ever lost something while travelling? A visit to Helsinki Airport’s lost and found office reveals some precious items that have been left behind.

SUNGLASSES. This pair of shades was left in an airplane and never claimed. Sunglasses and eyeglasses are among the most common lost items at Helsinki Airport.

PAPERBACK BOOK. What is the most ­common lost item at Helsinki Airport?

A paperback. This slightly worn book, written by Estonian author Imbi Paju, was found in the cabin after a flight from Zurich to Helsinki.

MASK. This mask has been in the lost and found office for a long time. The staff has become so fond of the wooden carving that they hung it on their office wall to brighten up their day.

In this series Blue Wings looks into the fascinating world of flying through inspiring people, discoveries, and inventions.

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PASSPORT. This Swedish passport was found in the cabin of a flight from Joensuu in eastern Finland to Helsinki. The owner has been informed, but has yet to claim it.

BELT. This leather belt was removed at security control and never put back on, which can happen when there’s a lot of traffic in the security lane or when a passenger is in a hurry.

WATCH. This classic men’s timepiece awaits its owner for three months by law. After that, it’s either donated to charity or sold at auction.

MOBILE PHONE. Phones are easy to lose. Most unclaimed mobiles are older models, but sometimes, as in this case, even a brand new one can be left behind.

TWO OF A KIND

KIDSTUFF The Finnair Shop carries a wide range of items for kids including toys, clothes, and bags. www.finnairshop.com

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LAURA IISALO

HELSINKI COOL

2 x kiddie style Colourful, funky, and ethical – this coveted combination of qualities puts Nordic kidswear in high demand. These two Helsinki stores cater to a growing tribe of parents who want sustainability with a special touch of style.

IT’S A MATCH

TEN YEARS OF TRENDY TODDLERS

Fun clothing that is ethically produced from organic materials: This sums up the philosophy behind Harakanpesä Shop, a chic store owned by art director turned shopkeeper Marika Westerlund. In three years the boutique has become the go-to destination for trendy parents and their offspring. “The latest trend is for mothers to match their style with that of their children, which is why many kids’ brands have started making clothes for grown-ups too,” says Westerlund.

Current bestsellers include local Finnish brands Papu, Vimma, and Mainio, which all support Westerlund’s mission: to keep Finnish fashion going strong.

Harakanpesä Shop, Eerikinkatu 9 harakanpesashop.fi

One of Helsinki’s most popular children’s wear stores is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Located in the heart of the design district, Punavuoren Peikko continues to provide quality Nordic design for trendy tots. “The garments are long-wearing and retain their value. Some people are willing to pay even more for them second-hand than what they originally cost,” explains sales assistant Linda Granroth. Wild prints

by Swedish Mini Rodini are currently in demand but so are Finnish Gugguu’s timeless basics, which are easy to mix and match – the ultimate ingredients for long-lasting style.

Punavuoren Peikko, Uudenmaankatu 15 punavuorenpeikko.fi

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MAKERS OF FINLAND

DESIGN DEALS Check out the range of Finnish design icons in the renewed Finnair Shop.­ Special offers for Finnair Plus members! www.finnairshop.com

TEXT AND PHOTO BY LAURA IISALO

PERSPECTIVE

Design that hits home Although she is a big a fan of natural materials – wood, metal, clay, peat, and linen, to name a few – designer Marianne Huotari is just as interested in technological innovations. She uses 3D printing as part of her design process and is keen to play with newer materials such as woodderived cellulose.

Huotari started off with a minimalistic jewellery line in 2014 and later added home accessories to her range, which aims to solve modern problems by finding storage solutions for small homes and creating multitasking products.

The idea for her best-selling

In this series we meet the bright young talents of Nordic design.

28 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

creation – porcelain that looks like it is made of marble – popped into her head one night just as she was drifting to sleep.

The patterned Marmoreal bowl caused a fuss when it debuted at Helsinki Design Week in 2014. Initially Huotari made each one by hand but recently sold the rights to a big Chinese design manufacturer.

“China has a long history of porcelain manufacturing and a huge market. For me it’s a big step forward as it gives me more time to focus on what’s really important; I am a designer, not an artisan,” she says.

While Huotari aims to launch an international career she admits her ­aesthetic sensibility always harks back to her homeland. “I don’t compare myself to other designers, nor do I feel like I’m competing with anyone. My ideas originate from summers spent at my grandma’s place in the middle of the woods. I always go back to my roots.” studiosmoo.com

Marianne Huotari surrounded by some of her designs: a small Pilvi ceramic wall rug, a Mätäs tapestry, Tikku earrings, and a Marmoreal mug.

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DESTINATION FINLAND

HOTELS GET HIP

It takes more than a flat-screen TV to excite experience-hungry seen-it-alls. We visit four creative Finnish hotels that are attuned to the needs of the millennial traveller.

TEXT BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS BY VILLE PALONEN AND HOTELS

30 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

MARCH 2017

BLUE WINGS

CLARION HOTEL

The rooftop pool at the Clarion Hotel Helsinki provides a bird’s eye view over the city.

31

Ville and Eveliina Virkki of Tampere’s Dream Hotel cater to guests looking for cosy ­authenticity.

32 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

O

ne guest sits in lotus position on a yoga mat beside a bonsai tree.

Another, snug in woolly socks, surfs the web in a cocoon chair suspended near the coffee bar, enjoying unlimited refills and free marshmallows. The décor – a calm blend of timber strips and rope carpet – is the embodiment of hygge, the Scandinavian obsession with getting cosy.

It could be Sunday afternoon in a hipster’s ­living room, but it’s Monday morning in a busy hotel – though no ordinary one. Dream Hotel is a boutique guesthouse run by Ville and Eveliina Virkki in the university town of Tampere. It is the fancier version of Dream Hostel in the same building, which offers dorm accommodation downstairs.

Amid the deafening clamour for attention in today’s hotel industry, this diminutive newcomer is getting noticed for its quiet style: Dream Hotel was recently named one of Europe’s top ten poshtels by the British tabloid Daily Mail.

GIMME A BIG HYGGE Dream Hotel exemplifies a rising trend in the hospitality industry: It caters to millennials who crave the road less travelled, yet without sacrificing style, comfort, and connectivity.

The hotel lies in a repurposed warehouse trans-

formed into 20 compact suites by Studio Puisto architects. Neutral tones and natural materials are used throughout for a warm atmosphere. The use of space is bold and experimental: the rooms – though spotless, cosy, and inviting – offer only the bare essentials for a good night’s sleep.

“Millennial travellers don’t need a 50-square-metre room with a huge minibar. They prefer to get out and socialise. We decided to shrink the rooms and put the chairs and tables in the corridors,” explains Ville.

“Today’s travellers want special magic. You don’t need a massive budget, just creativity,” says Eveliina, dusting flour from her hands after baking muffins with the guests. The hotel offers various fun perks such as communal gingerbread baking, free pea soup on Thursdays, and free popcorn when it rains (as it frequently does in Tampere).

The couple had no prior experience of the hospitality industry when they opened the hotel – just a clear vision based on their backpacking experience.

“We can identify with the needs of the millennial traveller. We put a lot of thought into every little detail. The best feedback is when a hard-core traveller says: ‘You think of everything,” says Ville.

THE NEW PRESIDENT A hotel doesn’t have to be brand-new to be trendy, however. Even older establishments are breaking the MARCH 2017

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SOKOS HOTEL

The refreshed lobby brings back glitz to the Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti, a nostalgic Helsinki party hub.

traditional mould in sync with the emotional drivers of new-generation travellers.

“Seriously cool” is a phrase rarely associated with the Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti – but that’s about to change. The iconic Helsinki party hub is in the midst of a top-to-bottom makeover by Paola Suhonen, the multitalented artist behind the edgy Ivana Helsinki lifestyle brand.

Something beyond the ordinary is the least to be expected from a designer whose style is described as “Scandinavian Twin Peaks.”

“Finland can’t compete with five-star bling, so we have to be brave. Travellers who’ve seen it all want something surprising,” says Suhonen.

“The Presidentti has a cool aura. I wanted to reawaken its colourful history with something more experimental than a fresh set of drapes. The new concept is story-driven,” she explains.

Collaborating with design agency KOKO3, Suhonen is redesigning nearly 500 rooms on five floors, each with its own Finland-inspired theme. Currently halfway, the project is scheduled for completion in 2018.

“Each floor is unique. When you step out of the lift, you enter completely different worlds, from a winter blizzard to a midsummer party,” says Suhonen.

SNAP A SELFIE The rooms are cosy, yet with an idiosyncratic local identity. The colourful rugs, wallpaper, carpets, coffee 34 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

tables, and shower screens are all custom-designed by Suhonen for a craftsy, nostalgic look.

“When you travel these days, all hotels look the same. You have to look out the window to know whether you’re in Bangkok or New York. I wanted to create a concept that says ‘this is Finland’ in a slightly oddball way,” explains Suhonen.

The showpiece in each room is a hand-tufted wall rug – a once-loathed Finnish heirloom item that is now fashionable again. “We added surprising storytelling visuals like icebreakers and giant mosquitoes, so guests can take selfies with Finland’s national animal on their shoulder,” she adds with a laugh.

“The Presidentti is Finland’s only hotel furnished with custom-made design items found only here, like in the golden days of Finnish design, when Alvar Aalto designed everything from lamps to doorknobs in famous buildings such as the Paimio Sanatorium.

Authentic design is back, because dime-a-dozen hotels simply don’t stand out,” says Suhonen.

SWIMMING IN THE SKY “Standing out” is something the newly opened Clarion Hotel Helsinki does effortlessly – if only by virtue of its vast height.

There’s nothing quite like the vertiginous experience of diving into the heated pool on the sixteenth floor. The pool’s west-facing glass wall provides a panoramic underwater view of the rooftops below, evok-

SOKOS HOTEL

Paola Suhonen injects midsummer madness into her distinctly ­Finnish hotel interiors.

CLARION HOTEL

The Clarion Hotel ­Helsinki is the towering companion of the 1930s warehouse at left, now converted into a modern event venue.

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5 X UNIQUE STAYS UNDER NORTHERN SKIES The amazing glass igloos at Hotel ­Kakslauttanen in Saariselkä provide ­panoramic views of the northern lights.

For the more daring, the hotel also offers ice-cool accommodation in real snow igloos.

Norwegian tycoon Petter Stordalen plans to expand his empire in Finland.

kakslauttanen.fi/en/accommodation

TO THE LIGHTHOUSE Six lovingly preserved lighthouse keeper’s rooms have been converted into accommodation in Scandinavia’s tallest lighthouse, Bengtskär. A stormy night on this rocky islet in the Baltic Sea is a Moominstyle adventure. bengtskar.fi HIT THE TATAMI Visit Japan without breaking your budget.

Yado Oikawa is an authentic Japanese guesthouse in an unlikely location: a repurposed dairy on the River Porvoo in Pukkila. yadooikawa.fi/?setlang=en GO TO DETENTION Escape the ordinary at Hotel Katajanokka, which offers 106 hotel rooms in converted prison cells. The original spirit of the penitentiary still lives on, but solitary confinement was never so comfy. hotelkatajanokka.fi/en BACK TO THE SEVENTIES Sip champagne in a wood-panelled Jacuzzi and enjoy the mix of modern and retro charms of the Långvik Congress Wellness Hotel, nestled in K ­ irkkonummi and housed in what was once a bank training centre. langvik.fi/en

“Today’s travellers want special magic. You don’t need a massive budget, just creativity.”

36 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

ing the feeling of swimming in the sky.

The rooftop pool adjoins a deck with sun chairs and a Sky Room where patrons sip cocktails 78 metres above sea level. The hotel is among Helsinki’s tallest buildings, offering spectacular views from its windowclad towers and transparent footbridge.

The Clarion Hotel Helsinki opened in October 2016 along with the Clarion Hotel Helsinki Airport. Together they mark the “Finnish invasion” of Norwegian billionaire Petter Stordalen, the Nordic hotel emperor infamous for his flamboyant opening-night stunts.

“True, I love leather jackets and enjoy putting on a good show,” he chuckles. “People might see me rappelling down the façade of a building – though I’m actually scared of heights – but my daily life is about running hotels with solid Nordic values,” says Stordalen.

CLUBBING WITH SOFI A passionate art collector, Stordalen favours contemporary art over conventional bling. His Oslo hotel The Thief is in fact the world’s only hotel with its very own art curator. Among the eye-catching artworks on display at the Clarion Hotel Helsinki are paintings by Sami Lukkarinen, including a giant pixelated portrait of author Sofi Oksanen in the lobby.

Under Oksanen’s watchful eye, a live DJ creates a clubby atmosphere while guests unwind in Carousel armchairs by Yrjö Kukkapuro and zebra-patterned Tank chairs by Alvar Aalto.

“A great hotel tells a story. The Clarion Hotel Hel-

TOMI PARKKONEN TOMI PARKKONEN

sinki showcases references to Finnish design history – but we’re not a museum. We want our hotel to become a fun living room for all the people of Helsinki, especially after we open our new terrace bar this summer,” says Stordalen.

Paris or Miami? Art Deco is rare in Finland, but Hotel Lilla Roberts nails the style to a tee.

COCKTAILS WITH GARBO While the Clarion believes in larger-than-life experiences, smaller boutique hotels are finding alternative ways to catch the eye. By the fireplace in the lobby of Hotel Lilla Roberts stands a life-sized plaster horse that seems to announce “Get ready for something different.” Coming straight from the horse’s mouth, it must be true: This unusual boutique hotel is like a slice of The Great Gatsby in the middle of Helsinki.

Featuring bold geometric patterns, animal-themed lamps, golden accents, and other Art Deco touches, Lilla Roberts is like a Jazz Age take on Nordic hygge.

It’s easy to imagine Greta Garbo sipping cocktails in the lobby bar – not wrapped in a fur stole, but in comfy jeans like the other patrons.

“We combine a historic look with a contemporary feel, translating Nordic cosiness into Art Deco luxury.

Lilla Roberts attracts guests who appreciate distinctive design – many of them work in fashion, cosmetics, and advertising,” says the general manager Kati Jousimies.

The Lilla e bar, the Krog Roba restaurant, and the summer terrace attract a lively crowd of neighbourMARCH 2017

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DREAM HOTEL - Opened August 2014 - 20 single, twin, and double rooms - Design by Studio Puisto dreamhostel.fi/en/home

TOMI PARKKONEN

WHO, WHAT, WHERE

ORIGINAL SOKOS HOTEL PRESIDENTTI - Renewal to be completed in 2018 - 483 rooms - Design by IvanaHelsinki sokoshotels.fi/en CLARION HOTEL HELSINKI - Opened October 2016 - 425 rooms + convention centre - Architect: Davidsson Tarkela Oy nordicchoicehotels.com LILLA ROBERTS - Opened August 2015 - 130 boutique rooms - Design by Jaakko Puro lillaroberts.com/en

Freshly cut grass topped with pea sprouts is among the creative Nordic cocktails served in the Lilla e bar.

Silja Kudel is a Helsinki-based writer and avid traveller from Sydney. Her favourite home-away-from home is Berlin’s Michelberger Hotel.

Ville Palonen is a photographer who loves to travel to exotic places. He claims the world’s friendliest hotel is the Living Colours Dive Resort in Bunaken, Indonesia.

38 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

hood locals, most of whom appear unaware they’re actually in a hotel.

THE BUTLER DID IT The hotel resides in a 1909 building which originally served as a power plant and later as a police station. The Art Deco interiors take their cue from the original harlequin floor tiling in the lobby.

The hotel’s colourful history also provides inspiration for special theme events such as Krog Roba’s “mystery dinners”, which engage guests in a game of solving a whodunit based on a series of cryptic clues.

“What do you get when you put together a former police station and Art Deco interiors? Hercule Poirot, of course!” says Jousimies, with a grin.

In addition to organising creative theme events such as fashion shows, Halloween parties, and cocktail workshops, the hotel strives to delight guests with special Nordic details such as seabuckthorn morning shots at breakfast and generous helpings of salted liquorice diamonds placed around the hotel.

“And the liquorice even matches the floors tiles! We try to add a million thoughtful little touches to make our guests smile,” she notes.

Whether with lashings of liquorice or daring design, today’s hotels need a one-of-a-kind concept to generate more than a fleeting blip on the radar of social media-savvy millennials, who are thirsty not for the minibar, but for new experiences: “Always the explorer, never a tourist” is their new creed. l

TOP5

Tasty Singapore

1

PORKY DELIGHTS Keong Saik Road on the outskirts of Chinatown is dotted with interesting restaurants, both Chinese and international. The most famous is Foong Kee, but it’s a nondescript, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair. Kee’s main attraction is roasted meat, especially char siew (barbecued pork), tender and caramelised with just the right amount of fat. Another meaty marvel is siew yoke, roasted pork belly with crunchy crackling skin.

Foong Kee Coffee Shop, 6 Keong Saik Road

SIN

ies . ir fl daily a n e n i r F apo ing ir.com S a to finn

40 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Street food in Singapore has been a culinary cornucopia for centuries. Delicious local food can be enjoyed without blowing your budget at the many hawker (vendor) centres found throughout the city-state.

TEXT BY MIKKO TAKALA PHOTOS BY TOMMI ANTTONEN

2

HAWKER HEAVEN “Avoid touristy hawker centres like Chinatown Food Street. Prices are higher, but the quality is not,” says celebrity chef Willin Low, owner of Wild Rocket restaurant. Low’s favourite is Chomp Chomp Food Centre, a 20-minute taxi ride from Central, Singapore’s city centre.

“Most of the famous hawker centres in central locations like Maxwell Road and near Amoy are great places to splurge, too,” Low says. At the Amoy Street Food Centre, Hong Kee’s amazing beef noodle soup comes highly recommended: the noodles are firm and chewy, the broth an explosion of umami. And while there, don’t miss J2’s famous crispy curry puffs on the next lane.

Chomp Chomp Food Centre, 20 Kensington Park Road

3

BREAKFAST STAPLE There’s nothing more Singaporean than breakfast with a hot cup of kopi, super-sweet coffee and condensed milk served with thinly sliced toast slathered with butter and kaya, thick coconut jam. Do as the locals do and dip your toast into a mixture of softboiled eggs dressed with soy sauce – seriously addictive once you get the hang of it. Ya Kun Kaya – nowadays an international chain – has been serving kaya and kopi since the ’40s. It’s always busy and frequented by locals and tourist alike.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast, 18 China Street

4

SUPERLATIVE SOUP The names of hawker stalls can be confusing, as in the case of Hill Street Thai Wha Pork Noodle, another Michelin-starred hawker stand. The name refers to its original location on Hill Street although its current location is Crawford Lane’s hawker centre.

Founded in the ’30s, the stall is still owned and run by the same family, and specialises in bak chor mee, spicy, aromatic noodle soup laced with meltin-the-mouth meat, black vinegar and chili paste.

For the best bowl of soup in Singapore, you’ll have to queue, sometimes as long as two hours.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, 466 Crawford Lane

5

MICHELIN MEAL FOR A FIVER Is there such a thing as a Michelinstarred meal under five euros? It’s official: According to the Michelin guide Singapore 2016, the cheapest starred restaurant in the world is Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle. As the name suggests, it’s all about chicken, served on the bone with deliciously crispy skin and fluffy rice or noodles. The place itself is spartan, with wiggly tables and uncomfortable stools. Prepare to queue for ages or arrive way ahead of opening time, which is 10 am.

The chef and owner Chan Hong Men recently announced plans to go global in the future.

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, 78 Smith Street

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EUROPEAN VOICES

BY ALEXANDER STUBB

The future of work

T

he Fourth Industrial Her third thesis is that future careers Revolution – digital- will be much patchier than they are today. isation, robotisation, Self-employment comes to the fore. Less artificial intelligence, hierarchy, more networks. Our careers internet of things become a portfolio of gigs. and 3D printing – I think professor Mäkelä is spot-on. is radically changHer three points have many ramifications ing the way in which for all of us, not least for those who are we work. Most of the research claims that about to enter the labour market. The days by 2030 approximately half of our current of permanent job stability are over. As a jobs will not exist anymore. consequence, we will likely end up having Bus drivers, market analysts, x-ray multiple careers, and not necessarily in the assistants, cashsame field. iers, and many Consequently, WE HAVE TO others will find our understanding their jobs replaced of education will RE-EDUCATE OURSELVES by technology in change. Life-long TO STAY IN THE GAME. the future. But learning is already this is nothon the agenda for ing new – the many, and it will difference is this time it’s happening be even more so in the future. We have to faster than ever before. keep re-educating ourselves to be able to Much has been written and said stay in the game. A university degree has about the Fourth Industrial Revoluless value than what it used to hold. tion, but few people have gone into Change is often scary. It means that we detail about what our future work have to adapt to or influence new circummight look like. That is why I was stances. One of the less scary elements of excited to discuss the issue with prothe future of work is that we end up having fessor Kristiina Mäkelä of Aalto Unimore free time, as technologies are often versity. Our discussion was based on more efficient than humans. one of her many papers and presentaAnother consequence is that we will tions on the subject. become more dependent on technology Mäkelä makes three points about the than the state. I consider this to be a good future of work. The first is that our good thing. And you never know, perhaps one old “nine to five” world will soon cease to day the technological developments of the exist. As technology advances, the pace of Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to life gets faster and the lines between work algorithms that make better decisions than and free time become more blurred. politicians. That means that I might have The second point is that the tradito get a new job! l tional symbiosis between work and the office is becoming decoupled. Again, technology allows you to be much more flexible about your working Alexander Stubb, former prime minister location. Global networks emerge, of Finland, believes in constant change. He and international talent is a soughthas been a regular columnist for Blue after commodity.

Wings since 2005.

42 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

DESTINATION NEW YORK

JFK

MEET THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT

F to innair Ne w Y flies ork d Cit finn aily. y air .co m

Move over Brooklyn! New York’s Meatpacking District is on its way to becoming the coolest hood in the city.

TEXT BY KAREN MACKENNA PHOTOS BY CAMILO FUENTEALBA

T

o feel the pulse of New York City there is no better place to be right now than in the historic Meatpacking District (MPD). This buzzy neighbourhood, also known as the “Far West Village,” is a dynamic mix of boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and bars, with the convergence of the High Line and the Whitney Museum of American Art at the epicentre.

Extending west from the Hudson River to Hudson Street, and bordered by Chelsea in the north and the West Village to the south, the Meatpacking District is a synthesis of Old World New York and Manhattan glamour. Although there are only a handful of working meatpacking plants left, the area’s industrial roots can be seen in the well-preserved brick buildings that line streets paved in Belgian Block.

“The district is exceptional and vibrant, full of ­contrasts that keep it both visually and experientially interesting,” says Lauren Danziger, executive director of the non-profit Meatpacking Business Improvement District (BID).

“It’s a true 24-hour neighbourhood with meatpack-

44 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

ing overnight, lots of office and retail businesses during the day, and night life into the wee hours.”

FROM MEAT TO MARVELS In its heyday, at the turn of the last century, there were more than 250 meatpacking plants in the area.

Prosperity eventually gave way to decades of decline, and it wasn’t until the ’80s, when artists seeking cheap rents moved in and the Meatpacking District was set for a comeback.

By the ’90s, tech companies, and upscale retail were following in the artists’ footsteps. Celebrity high heels navigated the gritty streets and exclusive nightclubs vetted line-ups of hopeful entrants.

“The evolution of the Meatpacking District has been entirely organic,” notes Danziger. “Other areas struggle against the waves of change that are inevitable in NYC but this district embraces change, which is part of what makes it real,” she adds.

WALKING THE HIGH LINE Since the opening of the High Line in 2009, the area has drawn millions of new visitors. The elevated

The junction of Whitney Museum and High Line Park is a tourist mecca.

High Line art changes with the seasons.

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park follows an old rail line that starts at ­Gansevoort Street and runs north to west 34th, straddling layer upon layer of NYC architecture. It has given people a fresh perspective on the city and most notably in the Meatpacking District.

When the Whitney Museum of American Art relocated to the community in 2015 and anchored itself to the base of the High Line, things changed exponentially for the neighbourhood. The sculptural glass monument, by architect Renzo Piano, is a magnet for tourists and residents.

On a sunny day, the adrenaline of the crowds is palpable, as people spill out onto museum’s balconies and turn out in the hundreds to walk the High Line.

Despite the density of the M ­ eatpacking District, it is still possible to escape the masses and live like a local. There are countless places to discover in this everchanging neighbourhood, be it a small gallery, a bookstore or favourite coffee shop.

And there is (almost) always an empty park bench along the Hudson with great views of the Manhattan skyline. l Chelsea Market is a must-see destination for ­foodies.

Karen MacKenna is a Toronto-based writer and filmmaker.

She divides her time, and her heart, between Canada, Finland, and New York City.

Camilo Fuentealba (also known as @color_noise) is a Brooklyn-based photographer who works for various publications around the world.

PICKS OF THE PACK

GANSEVOORT MARKET In the Gansevoort Market you’ll find everything from fresh produce to trendy ice cream. There is little trace of the slaughterhouse days unless you count The Meatball Guys and their gourmet fare. gansmarket.com/purveyors

46 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

THE WILD SON Tucked under the entrance to the High Line, this welcoming vegetarian-friendly bistro serves up fresh ingredients that are both healthy and delicious. An unassuming gem with river views. thewildsonnyc.com

KAVA CAFÉ A local favourite since it opened in the MPD in 2011, Kava is a café by day, offering a limited selection of excellent sandwiches and toasts. It turns into a wine bar at night with a tasting menu. kavanyc.com

HISTORIC PIER 54 The remnants of the old pier and its impressive steel archway are where Titanic survivors disembarked from the rescue vessel. They stayed at the nearby Jane Hotel, now a boutique establishment. pier54.com

F LY T H E N O R D I C WAY

NEW ROUTE PUERTO VALLARTA

Experience the best of Mexico next winter in Puerto Vallarta – the city of jaw-dropping beaches, unforgettable sunsets and a friendly atmosphere.

Finnair flies one weekly flight from Helsinki to Puerto Vallarta from November 19, 2017 to March 18, 2018. Book your flights at finnair.com

DESTINATION IRELAND

B U D

ies ir fl aily. a n Fin blin d Du ir.com to a finn

GREEN MILES

Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way offers 2,500 kilometres of scenery and greenery, lighthouses, and white horses.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY PETER WELD

48 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Connemara ponies watch cars drive by on the Wild Atlantic Way.

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“The Long Walk” is the name given to the row of houses along Galway’s waterfront.

F

rom the Inishowen Peninsula in the north to the port of Kinsale down south, ­Ireland measures only about 400 kilometres long. But the Wild Atlantic Way, the scenic network of roads connecting those two points, stretches some 2,500 kilometres, hugging the country’s jagged western coastline for its entire length. Forget about life in the fast lane; doing the Wild Atlantic Way right means slowing down, both to appreciate what it offers and to squeeze carefully past oncoming cars (and wayward sheep).

Locals recommend spending one month to thoroughly explore the Wild Atlantic Way. But who has that much time? Most tourists have little more than one week available. So the best way to hit most of the highlights is to start in the middle of the route: Galway.

A MUSICAL CITY Galway is often described as the most Irish city in the whole country. Partly that’s because it sits so near the Gaeltacht, an area in which Ireland’s ancient language still thrives. Partly it’s because of the city’s strong musical heritage. I kicked off my visit by dropping in on several local instrument makers. Paul Doyle makes ­guitars, ­banjos, mandolins – almost anything with strings attached. Michael Vignoles, meanwhile, specialises in bodhran, the traditional drum which is held in one hand and struck with both ends of a single short stick.

The bodhran was just one of the instruments being used to great effect in the Church of Saint Nicholas,

50 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

­ alway’s oldest place of worship, when I attended one G of the summer-only performances known as Tunes in the Church. On a stone stage in a corner of the transept, ­talented local musicians played the bodhran, the uilleann pipes (a cousin of Scotland’s famous bagpipes), the concertina, and more, while a red-clad dancer leaped and spun, improvising impressively as she heard the notes coming out of the instruments.

INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER The city of Galway sits squarely on the Wild Atlantic Way, and my next move was to rent a car and hit the

Michael Vignoles makes bodhran and other traditional Irish musical instruments.

At Cork’s English Market, the Farmgate Café provides a great place to relax and people watch.

Some stretches of the route are so narrow that you can scrape against the bushes with both sides of your car at the same time. road. I headed westward out of town, past the bathing area at Salthill, where hardy locals were going swimming in the ocean. Within minutes I was deep in the other Galway – County Galway – with the Atlantic to my left and a vast carpet of green to my right.

The Wild Atlantic Way isn’t a purpose-built road; rather, it’s a scenic route cobbled together from dozens of existing local roads, streets, lanes, and tracks, some of them so narrow that you can scrape against the bushes with both sides of your car at the same time. Navigation is easy: just follow the signs bearing the “WAW” logo, in which the cross-bar of the “A” has been removed and the three letters have been run together to make them look like choppy ocean waves.

And that’s exactly what I did for the next several days, driving at a leisurely pace, stopping to inspect whatever caught my eye. Often I pulled over to say hello to Connemara ponies, the stocky little horses native to this part of the country. Often I parked the car to stroll on one of the many beaches. Often I set up my tripod and waited for

The Wild Atlantic Way is well signposted with the distinctive “WAW” logo.

Galway kids find sheep to be exotic creatures.

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The Beacon stands guard over the channel separating the mainland from Sherkin Island.

It seems more like the Placid Atlantic Way, but the rough storms of winter can make the experience entirely different.

Two men practice sketching at Kinsale.

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the sunlight to land in just the right place on the distant hills. It seemed more like the Placid Atlantic Way – but I knew that the rough storms of winter could make the experience entirely different.

A SLOW DRIVE TO FASTNET After returning my car, I travelled by bus down to Cork, Ireland’s second-largest city (though it’s less than onefifth the size of Dublin). As in Galway, I had a short, pleasant stay in the city before heading out into the county of the same name.

And as in Galway, the scenery was stunning. One of the highlights was the quiet town of Baltimore, where a huge, whitewashed stone tower stood watch over the channel between the mainland and Sherkin Island.

Known as “The Beacon,” it was built as a warning to ships’ crews more than two centuries ago, when lighthouses were still scarce.

But lighthouses increasingly took over the job of warning sailors, and late in the nineteenth century, an outrageously dramatic one was completed on Fastnet Rock, a dozen kilometres off the coast. Eager to see it up close, I boarded a sightseeing boat in Baltimore, but the weather proved to be too rough and the waves too strong for our small craft; we got as far as Cape Clear Island before having to turn back.

The next day I drove to a different lighthouse, the one at Mizen Head. Now mechanised, as nearly all lighthouses are, it contained an interesting exhibit of what life would have been like a century ago for the lighthouse keeper and his family—a difficult way to make a living, certainly, but one that paled by comparison with what Fastnet’s keeper must have had to endure out there on his lonely, wavepummeled rock, covered in wild Atlantic spray.

All too soon my time was up, but some day I’d love to return to Ireland and cover the entire route. Maybe next time I’ll walk. That should surely take one month. l

Peter Weld is a Tokyo-based photographer and writer who told everybody for years that he was one-sixteenth Irish, only to find out recently that he wasn’t.

GOOD TO KNOW

The Wild Atlantic Way starts in the city of Derry, in Ireland’s north, and ends at Old Head of Kinsale, in the south; it goes nowhere near Dublin, Ireland’s biggest city and a visitor’s most likely port of entry. From Dublin, plan to ride a bus north to Derry or south to Cork, the nearest city to the bottom of the route, and then rent a car. The author took a bus straight westward from Dublin’s airport to Galway and rented a car there. wildatlanticway.com

Spectacular scenery is everywhere along the route.

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The Cube Building is a radical new addition to East London’s Hackney skyline.

TIMBER TOWERS

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Led by Finnish technology, a wooden building revolution gathers pace across the world.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN

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Pictured here and to the right: The Stadthaus, another highrise residential CLT building in Hackney, London.

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owering over Shepherdess Walk Palk in the East London borough of Hackney, The Cube Building positively glows in late autumn sunshine.

Surrounded by concrete apartment buildings and Victorian, brick-built terrace houses, its warm, timber-clad exterior is a radical departure from the area’s construction norms.

But The Cube is far more than an aesthetically pleasing addition to an area better known for its hipster hangouts and venerable Empire Theatre. With wood accounting for 90 per cent of the structure by volume, this recently completed, ten-storey commercial-residential building embodies a burgeoning architectural revolution.

Underpinned by rapidly developing technology, wood is now taking over from steel and concrete as the wonder material of the twenty-first century, with architects praising the strength, sustainability, and versatility of new timber-based building products.

“Wood is amazing,” says Perti Perttula, vice president of Finnish company Stora Enso, a leading pulp, paper, and wooden product manufacturer based in Helsinki. “Not only can it grow back quicker than it is used up, but one cubic metre of wood stores approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide. Building with wood can actually mitigate climate change.”

With tall timber buildings now mushrooming around the world, The Cube will soon be dwarfed by a growing succession of wooden apartment blocks

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CLT represents the next step in construction productivity for the world.

and skyscrapers. But how are they being constructed?

And, more to the point, are they safe?

TECHNICAL BREAKTHROUGH Exiting the lobby of a newly constructed five-storey apartment building in Tokyo’s residential Shimouma District, Japanese architect Aya Utsumi stops for a moment to reflect on her surroundings.

“Even today, I still can’t believe we got this built,” she says, her palm flat against one whitewashed wall.

“It was an exhausting effort.”

In earthquake-prone Tokyo, building regulations are some of the strictest in the world. The Shimouma building, one of the first modern structures in the Japanese capital to incorporate a significant amount of wood in its design, took nearly a decade to get built, largely because banks and local authorities were concerned about the risk.

Utsumi points to a low bench standing in one corner of the lobby. On closer inspection, this sim-

Pictured here and below: Situated next to the Stora Enso headquarters, the newly opened Flytour XD building in Helsinki is also made with CLT.

ple timber block is clearly made up of thin wooden beams, each stuck together to form a solid mass.

“That was the key to this project,” she says. “Without the technical innovation represented in that block, a building like this one would have been impossible to construct.”

CHEAPER, QUICKER, SAFER The development of tall wooden buildings is tied up in a three letter acronym -CLT (or cross-laminated timber). Frequently described as “plywood on steroids,” it was first developed in Austria, and is made by gluing layers of wood together to create massive panels.

With CLT’s perpendicular layers making it strong in two directions (unlike conventional lengths of timber), the result is a lightweight, highly robust material that can be prefabricated and custom cut. CLT’s reduced weight compared to other construction materials also allows for shallower foundations, meaning the latest wooden buildings are typically 30 per cent cheaper and constructed 50 per cent quicker than their more traditional counterparts.

“CLT represents the next leap in construction productivity for the world,” says Mann Young, head of CLT Business (Asia) for Australian property multinational Lend Lease. “It will completely disrupt current methodology.”

Unsurprisingly, one of the most common concerns about building with wood is the danger of fire. Yet thanks to the way CLT panels char, tests have shown it is actually highly fireproof.

WOOD LESSON • Best woods for CLT: spruce, pine, fir, larch • Current maximum height of 100 per cent wooden buildings: 25–30 storeys • Lifespan of CLT buildings: at least the equivalent of concrete or masonry • Technology involved: CLT is produced from industrially dried, quick growing wood. Boards are stacked at right angles and glued together over their entire surface in three or more layers. Pre-fabricated panels are used as external and internal wall, floor, ceiling and roof elements, with precision cut-outs for doors, windows, and building services.

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ings, with virtually every major house-builder considering the material for construction. In areas where local councils are under pressure to achieve carbon reduction targets, CLT structures are even becoming mandatory.

But new wooden buildings aren’t only spreading outward, they are pushing skyward, too. The Cube, the tallest CLT structure in Europe on completion in 2015, was soon superseded by a 52-metre tall wooden high-rise in Bergen, Norway. A student residence in Vancouver will snatch the crown on completion this year, just in time for construction to begin on a 73-metre high residential wooden building in Amsterdam.

All of these projects would be hugely overshadowed by “the Splinter,” a 300-metre, 100-storey timber skyscraper recently proposed for construction in London by a UK-based architectural team.

Greg Moss, a partner at Hawkins\Brown, the architectural firm which designed The Cube, sees no end to CLT’s towering trend.

“As the wood-based construction industry becomes increasingly well-established we see CLT buildings becoming taller and taller,” says Moss. “Particularly in response to density requirements in the residential market and on constrained urban sites.”

Tokyo’s Shimouma complex is one of the city’s first modern apartment buildings to use a significant amount of wood in its construction.

“Some CLT panels have a fire resistance that is close to three hours,” says Aya Utsumi. “Wooden buildings can actually be more fire safe than concrete ones.”

TALL STORY Combined with ongoing technical developments, the increasing availability, affordability, and awareness of CLT has seen tall wooden buildings become a global phenomenon.

From the United States to Australia via Europe, more than 20 wooden buildings over seven stories high have gone up over the last five years. The United Kingdom now boasts over 500 CLT build60 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

HIGH-TECH FINNISH WOOD In a biting December breeze, the Stora Enso flag flutters fiercely above the rooftops of harbourside Helsinki. Looking down from the flat roof of the Stora Enso headquarters building, company vice president Petri Perttula points out a box-like structure of wood and glass, its interior glowing brightly against the dying light.

“It might not look much, but that is the future of construction,” he says, turning up the collar of his jacket. “I’m glad so many people will get to see it.”

Situated a stone’s throw from the Finnair Skywheel, the diminutive Flytour XD building has been wowing visitors with 4D tours of Helsinki since it opened in December 2016. While its wooden exoskeleton isn’t really part of the experience, maybe it should be.

“Yes, we have a building made of wood,” says Flytour operations director Pipsa Vehmanen. “But not any old wood. This is high-tech Finnish wood.”

GLOBAL EXPANSION With its vast swathes of forest and long history of timber structures, Finland is well-placed to drive wooden building technology and construction forward. Employing nearly 30,000 people, Stora Enso is now Europe’s largest supplier of wooden construction material.

Supplied entirely by Nordic timber (mostly Finnish spruce), Stora Enso’s two Austria-based CLT factories boast an annual production capacity of 160,000 cubic metres, which also makes the Finnish company one of the world’s biggest CLT manufacturers.

With CLT increasingly being used for a whole range of building types, Perttula sees a clear development path for Stora Enso’s European and global business, based on everything from individual wood products through to entire building solutions.

The award-winning Eskolantie apartment buildings in Helsinki use CLT modular systems manufactured by Stora Enso.

COOLEST TIMBER Buildings made with CLT may still be in their infancy in many countries, but here are a selection of structures already open for viewing and staying.

The Cube, London, UK 17–21 Wenlock Rd, London N1 7SL Library at the Dock, Melbourne, Australia melbourne.vic.gov.au Juvet Landscape Hotel, Norway juvet.com Nanjing Wanjing Garden Chapel, Nanjing, China azlarchitects.com

“In my mind there’s no doubt wood will largely replace concrete,” he says. “The only question is how long it will take.”

Stora Enso has pioneered the development of modular CLT systems. These see pre-fabricated CLT elements - with integrated windows, doors, insulation, and exterior finishes - completed in factories, before they are delivered to construction sites.

“This not only helps designers, but it really speeds up construction too,” says Perttula.

Such modular systems were employed in Helsinki’s Flytour XD building and award-winning Eskolantie apartment complex, and are also being used in Wood City, a stunning new project in the Finnish capital’s Jätkäsaari quarter. With ground broken in late 2016, Wood City’s eight-storey highrises will soon be the tallest wooden buildings in Finland.

“Wood City will be a showcase,” says Perttula proudly. “Both for CLT and for Finnish technology.”

Daniel Allen With a keen interest in architecture, the UK-based writer and photographer has viewed cutting-edge wooden buildings in London, Helsinki, and Tokyo.

A WOODEN FUTURE As a relatively new material, CLT faces a number of challenges as it moves from marginal to mainstream. But with timber buildings becoming an increasingly common sight, everything points to one thing. Wood is the way forward.

“It’s time to change the way we build,” says Petri Perttula. “It’s time to plant some trees.” l MARCH 2017

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REBOOTING URBAN DEVELOPMENT Growing cooperation between community activists and the City of Helsinki is transforming the city’s abandoned spaces into lively cultural hubs.

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TEXT BY CARINA CHELA ILLUSTRATION BY MIKKO SAARAINEN

n the southwestern shorefront of Helsinki lies one of the capital’s most iconic repurposed buildings. Kaapelitehdas, the former cable factory built of limestone brick and celebrated as the country’s largest building when it was completed in the 1950s, is now Finland’s biggest and most diverse cultural centre.

The former factory started its transformation into an arts space in 1987 as a temporary project - by 1991 it had become a permanent one. It was the first major project of its kind in Finland and has inspired a generation of activists since then, as the adaptive reuse of buildings and city spaces becomes a pervasive feature of urban landscapes.

ENABLING URBAN ACTIVISM Helsinki residents are enthusiastically changing their city in many ways, from refurbishing old warehouses to organising street festivals and saving vacant buildings. In the process, new communities and alliances challenge a one-sided view of urban development driven by commercial interests.

Social media such as Facebook play an important networking role in this new participatory culture. “The structure of information technology puts people in contact with each other and makes it easier to build com-

munities and take initiatives,” says city activist Pauliina Seppälä, who works at Yhteismaa (Common Ground), a non-governmental organisation that produces socially meaningful projects, events, and services.

The relationship between the City of Helsinki and activist groups has not always been easy, but it’s evolving in a positive direction, says Seppälä. Yhteismaa’s events and services are now advertised on the City of Helsinki’s website and the city’s cultural strategy is more open to working with “unofficial” organisations and initiatives.

KEYS TO CHANGE “Temporary things tend to become permanent if people appreciate what they’re getting,” says Rami ­Ratvio, a university lecturer in human geography and team member of Tilapioneerit, a network of people specialising in the interim uses of urban spaces that started as a joint Helsinki and Aalto University course in 2013.

“Our idea is based on collaborative and project learning. The aim is to network students with real life actors like the city, real estate owners, and grassroots groups,” he says.

In 2016, Tilapioneerit students were called in by the City of Helsinki’s real estate and executive offices.

The city had a major issue to solve: what to do with the vacant Maria Hospital.

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URBAN CHANGEMAKERS LAPINLAHDEN LÄHDE • Non-profit company coordinated by the Finnish Association for Mental Health • Located in a former psychiatric hospital built in 1841 • Hosts a café and a range of exhibitions and workshops • Located next to the historical Hietaniemi cemetery and can be reached by tram 8 and metro (Ruoholahti) • The building is surrounded by gardens and sea MARIA 0-1 • Non-profit company formed by the Helsinki City Board • Maria 0-1 is the biggest start-up hub in the Nordics • Located in the former, 130-year-old Maria hospital • Many of the offices have preserved the old hospital equipment, blending the old with the new designs DODO • Finnish environmental organisation with activities that include guerrilla gardening and urban beekeeping • Motto: “Environmental problems are solved in the cities” • Turntable is Dodo’s urban farming centre, café, and public space in Pasila’s historical railway yard (open during the summer months)

hospital, built in 1886, and their task was to develop new concepts for its use. After conducting workshops, generating and prototyping ideas, interviewing local residents and stakeholders, they wrote a report. The result of this cooperation and co-creation is Maria 0-1, the biggest start-up hub in the Nordics.

In a spin-off project, Tilapioneerit started an urban garden that inspired locals to start growing their vegetables and flowers in the city. The seeds of inspiration came from Dodo, one of Finland’s first urban farming movements.

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NEW BEGINNING FOR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

In another example of the growing trust between the City of Helsinki and activists, the city handed over the vacant Lapinlahti hospital, one of Europe’s oldest psychiatric hospitals, to the Lapinlahden Lähde movement in summer 2016.

Lapinlahti’s most famous patient was Finnish novelist Aleksis Kivi, who was diagnosed with chronic melancholia in 1871, following a crushing review of his book The Seven Brothers (which turned Kivi into a national treasure after his death). Now the former hospital has been turned into a vibrant cultural hub named Lapinlahden Lähde (The Spring of Lapinlahti) with a mission to soothe both the minds and bodies of its customers with wellbeing and cultural activities.

The centre hosts a diverse range of exhibitions, performances, and workshops.

“This is a hybrid concept that combines entertainment, social entrepreneurship, and mental wellbeing.

I want to be involved in activities that have a social impact, and this project has had that potential from the very beginning,” explains Jaana Merenmies, who heads the Lapinlahden Lähde team.

“We always start by trying out small projects. Our café is a great example of this. We financed it with our own money, we did the baking by ourselves, and even used our own coffee machines. Now we have a proper eatery!” she says.

MAKING A VISIBLE DIFFERENCE These success stories about giving old buildings a new life are encouraging more people to get personally involved.

Helsinki residents of all ages have noticed that even a short-term project can lead to change and start up big things. Numerous small steps taken in grassroots movements in recent years are already building up to an inspiring leap in Helsinki’s on-going urban transformation. l

Carina Chela is a Helsinki-based bilingual journalist.

She covers topics from downtown to the suburbs.

Mikko Saarainen is a Lahti-based illustrator and comic artist who has been working with illustrations and cartoons since 2009.

NEW ROUTE PUERTO PLATA F LY T H E N O R D I C WAY

ENJOY A TRUE CARIBBEAN VIBE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NEXT WINTER.

Puerto Plata offers beautiful sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a colorful mix of influences from different cultures and ages. Finnair operates one weekly flight between Helsinki and Puerto Plata from November 30, 2017 to March 22, 2018. Book your flights at finnair.com

EUROPEAN VOICES

BY MARJA MAKAROW

Cities in transition

M

y initiation to city and this is still true of contemporary Hellife began at the sinki. There are few capitals in the world age of six in Rotter- where residents can go for a walk in the dam, the Netherforest or for a ski on the frozen sea directly lands, where I once from their doorstep. took the wrong In this sense, Helsinki is a forerunner tram from school. It took me hours to find in connecting city life with nature, which my way home after testing every p ­ ossible is an emerging global trend. Green spaces tram line through the busy city centre. are being cultivated between buildings and Since then, I have grown accustomed on roofs and walls. They are even being to leading an international, urban brought into homes and offices. The existence, having lived for many Finnish medical technology company years in H ­ eidelberg, ­Germany, and Naava has begun exporting “smart green ­Strasbourg, France. walls” to bring fresh air into the lives of My current hometown is H ­ elsinki. city dwellers who spend most of their time Back in 1812 indoors breathing when Helsinki artificially ­purified was promoted air.

HELSINKI IS A FORERUNNER to capital of the Green spaces IN CONNECTING CITY autonomous Grand are one of many Duchy of examples in the LIFE TO NATURE. Imperial ongoing battle Rusagainst pollution, sia, it was n ­ ot much more one of the biggest downsides of urbanithan a tiny v­ illage. This sation. Many capitals worldwide are prechanged when the St paring to ban diesel cars, and Finnish cit­Petersburg-based Geries are shifting to electric buses and more man architect Carl Ludvig efficient use of vehicles through the use of Engel designed the builddigital technologies. Finland is becoming ings of the u ­ niversity and a testbed for smart transport solutions by government, the Lutheran opening up real-time data on traffic and cathedral, and the national weather conditions for smartphone applilibrary around S ­ enate cations. With new mobile apps, commutSquare, all of which ers can soon book a combination of a bus, became iconic landmarks. rail, taxi, city bike, and car pool journey, One and a half centuand pay for all of it in one go. ries later, the metropolitan Some cities, such as my former homearea witnessed profound town Strasbourg, have led a vibrant urban change. People migrated existence for a much longer time than Helfrom rural regions to sinki. But while one city is two thousand work in f­ actories and seryears older than the other, today they both vices. They needed housstrive to embrace, treasure, and enhance ing, which kicked off a their unique closeness to nature. l construction boom in the suburbs. New apartment Professor MARJA MAKAROW is director of buildings were designed by Biocenter Finland and the former vice president the best architects to serve of the Academy of Finland, the Finnish the needs of a modern, dem- Research Council. She is also former chief ocratic lifestyle. The suburbs executive of the European Science Foundation provided easy access to nature, and vice rector of the University of Helsinki.

66 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

PROFESSIONALS RESPONSIBILITY EDITION

Professionals is a commercial supplement produced by Editor Helsinki | March 2017 | www.editori.fi

VAISALA

CHECKTIME significantly improves the airlines’ and airports’ winter operations page 7

“CheckTime uses real-time weather data to optimize the use of de-icing and anti-icing fluids on aircraft.”

VTT acts as a tour leader who brings ideas together | page 4

Wärtsilä and Seabin partner to clean up Helsinki’s waters | page 5

Smart city technologies develop in Tampere | page 9

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4

5 6 6 7

8 9 10 11

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Citec – a multi-discipline partner for the Cleantech industry Partners for water excellence The circular economy is no fantasy trip – it’s a concrete reality Wärtsilä and Seabin partner to clean up Helsinki’s waters Wapice is a leading Internet of Things expert and software partner Saumalaakso expands into Western Finland The Vaisala CheckTime system helps to reduce chemical fluids use in aircraft de-icing, and makes airline traveling smoother A better life with electricity From Tampere to Saudi-Arabia Digibalance produces digital bookkeeping services for European micro-entrepreneurs Emergence’s energy-self-sufficient “taival” technology is set to revolutionize the global location device market Raumaster is a global leader in advanced material handling systems Build your bio-economy based business on strong ground Oulun Energia is building a solar energy revolution in the dark North Halti: 40 years of first-hand experience with the great outdoors Your wallet will say ‘thanks’ to this water saving system

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“We plan smart electrical technology in order to assist people in everyday life.“

THIS ISSUE OF PROFESSIONALS is about responsibility, cleantech and environment.

It gives you an insight into companies active in international markets. They will tell customers about their solutions and services. 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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“We have completed over 3 300 advanced material handling projects globally.”

PRODUCTION TEAM: Managing producer: Terhi Backman Layout: Hanna Voutilainen. Editors: Mia Heiskanen (MH), Maija-Liisa Saksa (MLS), Eila Lokka (EL), Anna Väre (AV), David J. Cord (DC). Cover photo by Finavia Printed by PunaMusta FEEDBACK TO EDITOR HELSINKI tuotanto@editorhelsinki.fi | +358 40 561 7703 | www.editori.fi

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or almost 30 years, Citec has offered multi-discipline engineering, consulting and information management services to the energy & power industries. “We have carried out engineering for more than 1000 power plant projects all over the world,” says Jonas Nylund, Citec Global Business Development Manager.

FROM SINGLE DISCIPLINE TO MANAGING THE WHOLE PROJECT

According to Nylund, Citec’s core strength lies within its balance of plant engineering knowledge. “We have a wide perspective, and the know-how to engineer a working power plant as an entirety. That means we can provide an entire range of services and consultancies. From a single discipline within engineering, to EPCM services for managing the whole project, or specific parts of it: Feasibility, Concept Studies and Pre-engineering, (i.e. FEED), Basic and Detailed Engineering, as well as Site Services and As-Built drawings.”

A BROAD RANGE OF REFERENCES

CITEC – A MULTI-DISCIPLINE

PARTNER FOR THE CLEANTECH INDUSTRY With 30 years’ experience in power plant engineering, Citec has the capacity to provide every type of service for the Cleantech industry. At this very moment, Citec is already involved in a number of plant projects, including – solar (CSP), LNG, and CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage).

Citec also has a broad range of Cleantech references, from which Nylund points out a Carbon Capture & Storage feasibility study for EGE (Energigjenvinningsetaten) in Norway. “Citec researched how to change an existing waste incineration plant, so that carbon dioxide recovery would be attached to it.

Another interesting example is the LNG gas terminal in Tornio Finland, where Citec is responsible for the engineering management and engineering in six disciplines.” MH Read more | www.citec.com | Citec is a member company of Cleantech Finland | www.cleantechfinland.com |

Jonas Nylund, Citec Global Business Development Manager

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PARTNERS FOR WATER EXCELLENCE Finland has the best expertise available across all fields relating to water, including industry, technology, science, or management levels. As such, the Finnish Water Forum acts as a gateway that links you to Finnish water expertise.

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inland is rich in water and the knowledge related to it. The backbone of the Finnish expertise in water is due, in part, to its nearly 190 000 lakes and excellent ground water resources, as well as the serious attention the country has paid to protecting these.

“We have the best quality water and know-how in the world; our task is to serve as a gateway between global need and our Finnish expertise in water. The Finnish Water Forum represents a vast resource of different experts in the Finnish water sectors who have the knowledge to find solutions to global water challenge,” Managing Director Markus Tuukkanen states.

QUALITY WATER IS MORE THAN JUST TECHNOLOGY

The underlying idea is that in order to guarantee the sustainability of water management you need other elements besides technology: maintenance, management, education, research, planning, and implementation, just to name a few, and all of this expertise exists in Finland.

“Another interesting aspect, adds Tuukkanen, is the combination of ICT and water expertise, where Finnish companies are strong.”

“As a joint network of the private and public water sectors Finnish Water Forum serves as a platform for shared knowledge.”

TECHNOLOGY CREATES OPPORTUNITIES

A good example is Kemira – a global chemicals company, which serves customers in water-intensive industries. According to Riikka Timonen, Kemira Marketing Director, Kemira is focusing on finding the best solutions for improving customers’ water, energy and raw material efficiency. One of Kemira’s three business segments supports municipalities and water intensive industries in optimizing every stage of their water cycle.

“From our point of view, technology does not restrict you – it creates additional opportunities, due to combining Kemira’s water expertise and ICT , we can aid our customers in improving their water management processes in such a way that everything is kept under better control.”

A REMOTE WATER MANAGEMENT PROCESS – 24/7

From Kemira’s point of view, this means a remote monitoring system, as well as the ability to remotely control a customer’s waterworks processes.

“We are able, with the help of the Kemira KemConnectTM platform, to read the parameters of a customer’s waterworks processes and to adjust the dosage of chemicals remotely – 24/7. Investing in water utilities is very capital-intense, so by increasing the process automation we can boost customer operations and improve investment results; which we believe is something of global interest.” MH Are you interested? | www.finnishwaterforum.fi | | www.kemira.com |

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THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

IS NO FANTASY TRIP – IT’S A CONCRETE REALITY

When you jump into the VTT tour and experience the circular economy of today, you may just stumble upon technologies and partnerships with new, innovative business activities that are already springing to life. Are you ready?

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TT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is the leading research and technology company in Northern Europe, and produces international competitively-enhancing research and innovation services for companies as well as those in the public sector. Additionally, within the field of the circular economy, VTT acts as a tour leader who brings ideas, field-experts, and technologies together.

“Solving challenges is an everyday occurrence for us; and because partnerships play a key role in creating the new innovations of the circular economy, we happily accept the role as a tour leader,” states Scientific Director Anne-Christine Ritschkoff.

Jussi Manninen, who leads the Solutions for Natural Resources and Environment business area, agrees.

“The circular economy generates new business activities but also challenges existing business models, networks and expertise. It is due to this that partnerships are needed; to act as a conductor for cooperation and the creation of novel value.”

A PROCESS THAT ENCOURAGES IDEAS TO BLOOM

Meetings play an important role in the development of new ideas, but one must have an opportunity to put newly emerged ideas into practice.

“Through piloting, it’s possible to rapidly test new business models. Under VTT’s umbrella, research and development work can continue in cooperation with universities and research centres.

Additionally, Finnish towns, and even municipalities are already eagerly offering their infrastructure as testbeds. Our cooperation networks also enable the utilization of the best competences globally,” says Manninen.

NEW LIFE FOR JEANS

What kind of breeding ground does Finland offer to the circular economy?

“Finland is an interesting development environment for the circular economy, and we have a number of great examples of value-producing business activities that have been done here, such as biofuels. The circular economy can, in

Anne-Christine Ritschkoff, Scientific Director of VTT, and Jussi Manninen, Executive Vice President of VTT.

our opinion, include the selling or sharing of use rights, or of prolonging product lifespans by repairing and updating existing products, in contrast to the buying and selling focus of today. The circular economy also breeds a demand for new services and platforms that can bring users and service providers together.”

Ritschkoff reports that a piloting centre, where the circular economy will play an important role, is nearing completion in Espoo.

“The piloting that will take place there will focus on bio-based circulations, such as recycled textiles.

Experimental machinery will be located there as well; whereby, for example, one can manufacture new fabric and garments from an old pair of jeans.

This is a good example of the fact that, in Finland, the circular economy is no fantasy, but rather a concrete reality that offers opportunities for international cooperation,” states Manninen. MH | www.vttresearch.com |

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Seabin prototype V4 with Peter Ceglinski and Andrew Turton.

WÄRTSILÄ AND SEABIN PARTNER TO CLEAN UP HELSINKI’S WATERS The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä is joining the Seabin Project to test an innovative floating trash collector. The three-year project stresses education, research and technology as solutions to ocean littering.

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loating bottles and plastic bags are a familiar sight in oceans around the world, but Wärtsilä and the Seabin Project are working together on an inventive solution. Wärtsilä is sponsoring the city and port of Helsinki to trial the Seabin, a floating rubbish container.

Surface water is sucked into the device and passes through a catch bag which filters out litter.

It even has the potential to collect some oils and other floating pollutants. The Seabin uses as 12volt submersible water pump using power from the shore, but future developments are aimed at using solar, wind or wave power.

“The team at Seabin Project are extremely excited to be partnering with Wärtsilä,” says Seabin’s co-founder Peter Ceglinski. “We have done our homework with Wärtsilä and are impressed with the environmental initiatives and responsibility they incorporate into their products and business model. We hope to work with Wärtsilä more in the very near future on improving the Seabin technology.”

A GREENER FUTURE

The programme begins with two prototypes devices attached to docks in Helsinki’s waters. This will help validate the technology as well as provide information about the amount and types of litter and pollutants in the harbours. Four additional Seabins can be installed later once commercial production begins.

“This partnership is important because it will help clean up plastics and other waste in our oceans,” explains Juha Kytölä, Wärtsilä’s vice president of Environmental Solutions. “But it is also important because it helps create awareness about the impact we have. It is up to all of us – each and every individual – to take care of our environment.”

Wärtsilä has made cleaner technology and helping the environment a core business strategy.

The company has developed exhaust gas cleaning systems and dual-fuel engines for ships. Other Wärtsilä innovations include clean technology to manage ballast water, optimised fleet manage-

“The partnership with Seabin is part of Wärtsilä Corporation’s Finland 100 year centennial programme. With cleaner sea the company wants to give something back to the country.” ment systems to reduce fuel consumption, and solar hybrid power plants.

“We look at wide spheres of activity in the environment and see where we can help create solutions,” says Kytölä. “This is Finland’s 100th anniversary of independence, and we want to help make a more sustainable future for the seas, in Finland and elsewhere.” DC | www.wartsila.com | | www.seabinproject.com |

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WAPICE IS A LEADING INTERNET OF THINGS EXPERT AND SOFTWARE PARTNER Wapice promotes the competitiveness of industrial companies by introducing software solutions and products representing the most innovative technology, to the global market. Among these are Summium, which boosts sales, and IoT-Ticket, which opens the doors to the IoT world.

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apice Ltd is a Finnish growth company that currently employs 320 software and electronics experts.

“We are a software company, with a focus on industry needs. We develop products that, from a technological and software point of view, secure the competitiveness of customers active in the industrial sector. Software in industry is growing at a fierce rate, hence we want to offer service packages utilizing the most innovative technology to our customers; through which they can focus on their own business activities in peace,” says CEO Pasi Tuominen.

SUMMIUM – PUT THE INTELLIGENCE OF YOUR BEST SALESPERSON TO USE

A great example of a Wapice product is the smart sales configurator Summium.

“In practice, it transfers the intelligence of the best salesperson to be used by all salespersons.

Summium CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) is a visual browser-based tool that helps companies sell complicated, as well as customizable, products and services. Through Summium, Finnish export products – with a value of over one billion euros – are being sold even now.”

IOT-TICKET OPENS THE DOOR TO THE INTERNET OF THINGS WORLD

Another fast-growing product is IoT-Ticket.com.

According to Tuominen, its growth is based upon its ease of use. “By using IoT-Ticket you can build a professional and productized IoT user interface in minutes! It gives customers a chance to easily manage their big picture, generate reports and perform analyses. We have, in practice, solved the entire chain, since IoT-Ticket connects a company’s machines and devices to the Internet and creates efficient and innovative business opportunities for industrial companies.” MH

Come and meet us at the Hannover Fair!

HANNOVER MESSE 2017, 24 – 28 April | www.wapice.com | | www.summium.com | | www.iot-ticket.com |

SAUMALAAKSO EXPANDS

INTO WESTERN FINLAND The construction market is revved up, and Saumalaakso answers to the demand by expanding.

Saumalaakso is Finland’s leading company in concrete element joint sealing – and growing fast.

The company now provides its services from Southern Finland to Western Finland as well.

SAUMAMASSAT, TARVIKKEET JA TYÖKALUT VERKOSTA

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he number one criterion for our activities is quality, which is based upon domestic know-how and workmanship. We perform facade renovations, for condominiums mostly, and we are the primary contractor in 80% of our projects. The share of our own work in our projects is almost invariably 100%, says Anton Panschin, CEO of Saumalaakso.

Facade renovations consist of element joint sealing, maintenance painting, facade cleaning, concrete patching, and other facade repair work. Early in 2017, Saumalaakso will be expanding its activities into the area of Western Finland, where it will join forces with a local partner. At this point, the company shall employ approximately 60 professionals.

KUN LAATU ON KRITEERI

“The share of our own work in our projects is almost invariably 100%.”

Purchased products can be retrieved at our pick-up store in Helsinki, or Turku, or they can be ordered directly to a building site. As a customer, you also receive assistance regarding the selection and use of the products via the online store’s free-of charge chat service or a soon-tobe-launched mobile app. AV

Lue artikkeli suomeksi

EASILY ACCESSABLE AND DELIVERED COMPOUNDS

In 2016, the turnover of the family-owned Saumalaakso, established in 1986, was approximately 4,000,000 €.

Additionally, Saumalaakso’s online store offers the largest assortment of joint sealing compounds, accessories and tools in the country.

More info | www.saumalaakso.fi | Online store | www.saumaustarvike.fi |

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“With the help of CheckTime, the de-icing protection time can be set even more accurately than before and the information is available with just pressing a button.”

Marko Valtonen Captain, Chief Pilot Airbus Finnair Plc, Flight Operations

THE VAISALA CHECKTIME SYSTEM HELPS TO REDUCE CHEMICAL FLUIDS USE IN AIRCRAFT DE-ICING, AND MAKES AIRLINE TRAVELING SMOOTHER

Utilizing de- and anti-icing chemical fluids on aircrafts is often a prerequisite for ensuring safe take-offs during winter conditions. Vaisala CheckTime increases operational efficiency and minimizes environmental impacts by combining realtime environmental data with information on de- and anti-icing fluids.

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ou may have, as an aircraft passenger, wondered why certain fluids are sprayed onto aircrafts during winter months.

“The surfaces must be clean before it can rise into the air because ice, snow and frost can affect the aerodynamic characteristics of an aircraft. After de-icing so-called second step anti-icing fluid is used to prevent re-freezing.

De- and anti-icing is also prescribed by the regulations, meaning that a pilot cannot take-off if the wings of an aircraft are covered with frost, snow or ice. It’s the pilot’s responsibility to determine when de-/anti-icing must be done,” clarifies Vaisala Lead Consultant Pasi Piirainen.

“The right timing is important, because if departure is delayed but the aircraft has already been de-/anti-iced, it may have to be done again,” adds Head of Aviation Tapio Haarlaa.

DYNAMIC AND PRECISE DECISIONS

Vaisala CheckTime system provides the pilot updates every minute as it uses the precision weather measurement equipment on each airport to provide dynamic decision support information to the pilot in the cockpit.

“CheckTime uses real-time weather data to optimize the use of de-icing and anti-icing fluids on aircraft, creating a potential save of approximately 30% of the airline annual chemical fluid costs.”

“That means the pilot is able to make more precise decisions regarding the need for de- and anti-icing,” says Haarlaa.

which can significantly reduce the use of these.

Therefore, it is a valuable addition to the environmental management of the aviation industry as it provides assistance in minimizing the environmental footprint of airlines and airports,” says Piirainen.

The system also enhances the functioning of airports, as the de-icing of an aircraft is carried out in a timely manner it reduces the rotation of airplanes for a repeat de-icing, especially in bad weather conditions. “This smooths not only the traffic flow of aircrafts but makes traveling by air a bit smoother for the passengers as well,” Haarlaa concludes. MH | www.vaisala.com |

ONE STEP FURTHER TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AVIATION

With the help of CheckTime, a pilot can also check the protection periods of fluids, which helps to optimize the amount of fluids used and the possible need for re-treatment.

“De- and anti-icing fluids create indirect greenhouse gases for airlines and airports. CheckTime provides accurate and reliable information,

Vaisala is a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement. Building on 80 years of experience, Vaisala provides observations for a better world. We are a reliable partner for customers around the world, offering a comprehensive range of innovative observation and measurement products and services.

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Ari Virtanen, CEO, Ensto

A BETTER LIFE WITH ELECTRICITY Ensto specializes in electrical solutions, and wants to improve the safety, functionality, reliability, and efficiency of smart grids, buildings and transportation. The company’s goal is to respond to the challenges and opportunities of global megatrends, and to improve everyday life through smart electrical solutions.

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nsto’s CEO, Ari Virtanen, wants to make a move from technology-centric planning to human-centric planning. Behind this new strategy are five megatrends: urbanization, digitalization, sustainability, social change and the shift of economic power to Asia.

All of these combine into the characteristics for what is known as a smart city, a place where the future of Ensto’s success is hidden. In Virtanen’s vision, Ensto is the provider of electrical solutions for smart cities.

“When our strategy has been implemented and we have reached our goals, we will see that our innovative smart solutions genuinely make for an easier life,” he concludes.

SMART ECOSYSTEMS

Ensto will play a part in the three primary ecosystems of smart cities; smart grids, buildings and transportation. Thus, many of their business activities are especially focused on the intersections of these.

“We plan smart electrical technology in order to assist people in everyday life.”

“Charging stations for electrical vehicles can be part of a smart building, or EV batteries can serve as a power supply for a smart grid,” he explains.

SUSTAINABLE ELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER LIVING

Additionally, a smart city’s electric traffic will decrease small-particle emissions, as well as the health hazards and premature deaths that they can bring. As another example, Virtanen mentions the future potential of the utilization of growing local power generation.

“Many consumers are also wind and solar power producers who can sell surplus electricity to the grid. This trend should be sped up, since

the sun is the cleanest source of producing energy, and electricity is the cleanest way to consume it.”

“We are developing the technology for local production to be connected to the electricity distribution grid. There are already 1.5 million local electricity production units in Germany,” he says, “significantly less in Finland.” EL

Ensto was founded in 1958. It employs approximately 1 600 people in Europe, America, and Asia.

Turnover: approximately 260 million euros.

Divisions: • Ensto Utility Networks • Ensto Electrification • Ensto Lighting • Ensto Solutions | www.ensto.com |

Janne Viinanen

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The central waste collection station in Vuores Tampere fits into the surrounding residential area nicely.

FROM TAMPERE TO SAUDI-ARABIA Tampere acts like a living lab for companies developing smart city technologies.

One great example is the pneumatic waste collection system in the Vuores suburb, which was used as a reference for Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

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lthough Finland is a fairly small country, it offers an ideal testbed for next generation cleantech applications. Likewise, Tampere is no exception, and the Vuores suburb is a great example of what innovations can be brought to the city and to business.

“There’s a lot of discussion about innovation platforms and what a city as an innovation platform means. In Tampere, we see the city as a platform provider, co-creator, and an innovative customer. The Vuores project is a perfect example of that,” says Oula Välipakka, Director of Renewing Industry at Tampere Region Economic Development Agency Tredea.

INNOVATIVE PNEUMATIC WASTE COLLECTION SYSTEM

The Vuores suburb will be the future home of 13 000 inhabitants, creating 1.9 million kg of residential waste and 650 000 kg of office waste annually. “Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto is a municipally owned company, so the concept of corporate social responsibility is broader to us than for a for-

OPENING DOORS FOR EXPORTS

“Tampere is a hub for innovative and sustainable solutions when it comes to developing smart city technologies.“ profit company. We saw that a pipeline for waste collection could significantly reduce the environmental impact in Vuores; as, with the MariMatic solution, waste and recyclables are conveyed through underground/above-ground pipelines with no need for traditional garbage pick-up.

The pneumatic waste collection system is also an ecological choice: it only requires one fifth of the energy consumed by traditional waste transportation. The Vuores suburb served as a fine experimentation platform for this innovation, which will now be extended to other parts of the Tampere region,” states Harri Kallio, Managing Director at Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto.

MariMatic helped turn the Vuores suburb into a modern smart city and the Vuores suburb helped MariMatic scale their business internationally.

“The Vuores project has been an important reference point for our international projects. Currently, for example, MariMatic is building the world’s largest automatic waste collection system for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where – during Ramadan and Hajj – 600 tons of waste are generated daily by 2 million people. We´re now on a good track opening the doors for global export with this system,” says Mika Koivisto, VP Sales and Projects at MariMatic Oy. MH | www.investtampere.fi |

Tredea assists international companies that are looking to find partners, set up research collaborations, and to find top-level staff in the Tampere region. Whether you’re looking for expertise, support or a vast network – we can help. Services are free of charge, with full confidentiality.

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Mikko Ilves, based out of Nice area France with Paolo Caravello, a long-term Italian architect client based in Helsinki Finland.

DigibalanceApps will be downloadable later this spring.

DIGIBALANCE PRODUCES DIGITAL BOOKKEEPING SERVICES

FOR EUROPEAN MICRO-ENTREPRENEURS

The Finnish company Digibalance has already developed a completely digital bookkeeping service for European small businesses. Now, this pioneering company will also launch a mobile app for small businesses; a tool for business owners to monitor financial performance that can be carried in your pocket.

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igibalance is a Finnish-owned accounting firm, established in 2008. Its vision is of producing Finnish origin online bookkeeping for small businesses in the entirety of the EU. The company’s primary target group consists of European start-ups, micro-entrepreneurs, and businesses of 1-4 employees in size.

“This target group includes many people that employ themselves as entrepreneurs in unfamiliar environments. At the moment, we at Digibalance offer online accounting services in Finland, Estonia, France, the UK, and Italy, but our goal is to duplicate our services in all of the European SEPA countries. We are the best in on-going monthly accounting. For special taxation questions and Financial Statements, we use local expertise,” says the Chairman of the Board Mikko Ilves.

for the entrepreneur. Thanks to the digitalisation and automation of the process, the client does not pay for anything unnecessary. The service is also ecological and location independent, because all documents are transmitted online. In spite of the digital process, the client also gets assistance in case of need; since contacts with our team are conveniently handled online, for instance through Skype, and the service language is English.”

Ilves reveals that online accounting, at its leastexpensive, costs € 40/month.

“In addition, the monthly fee does not depend on the number of transaction documents; hence, a growth in business activity and the number of transactions does not automatically raise the monthly fee. This brings predictability into the everyday life of the entrepreneur.”

AUTOMATION KEEPS COSTS DOWN

ONLINE MONITORING OF YOUR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE IN YOUR POCKET

In practice, what does ‘digitalised bookkeeping services’ mean?

“In the AutoAccount service we have replaced the arduous paper phases of accounting with automation. The service is effortless and affordable

Now Digibalance is launching a mobile application – Digibalance mobileApps, a tool for small business owners to monitor financial performance.

“Young entrepreneurs are especially used to taking care of their daily affairs through mobile devices. That is why we want to offer European small business owners the chance to handle business matters by mobile device as well.”

Ilves says that Digibalance mobileApps works both-ways between Digibalance and the client.

“The client can send us additional information and we in turn produce reports for the service. The idea is that when the micro-entrepreneur opens the mobile service, they see a view that reveals both the present situation of the business and a financial forecast. As a new feature, we also generate taxation forecasts in the service. Later, other services, in connection with entrepreneurship offered by various cooperation partners, can also be added to the service. We will launch the mobile service for clients during the spring.” MH Additional information: | www.digibalance.eu |

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The location solution is being tested at a seamark outside Helsinki.

EMERGENCE’S ENERGY-SELF-SUFFICIENT “TAIVAL” TECHNOLOGY IS SET TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE GLOBAL LOCATION DEVICE MARKET Finnish company Emergence Oy has developed a revolutionary location device – taival, capable of working ten years without charging or maintenance. The energy-self-sufficient and maintenance-free device is mounted onto the machine or device to be monitored, from which it transmits its location data around 20 times a day.

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he small device is best suited for monitoring machines, devices and goods that are transferred from location to location, as the device requires no electricity access of its own. It is suitable for use with, among others, ground transport, shipping, and workshop containers, cranes and other rental machines, as well as trailers and vessels for collecting hazardous waste.

“Cities, towns, companies and other organizations can have vast working areas full of equipment; occasionally tracking down the locations of specific pieces of equipment can cause a lot of extra work and cost. Our energy-self-sufficient and maintenance-free devices bring considerable time and cost savings. With a monthly fee well below 10 euros, the customer receives the location device, cloud service, and a global mobile data connectivity,” explains Emergence’s CEO Vesa Aaltonen.

“The problem with using other GPS devices across mobile networks is that their batteries only last anywhere between a few weeks to a couple of months. Additionally, without location devices location data must be manually updated in the device control systems, whereas the taival location device works on the mobile networks independently and communicates directly with the cloud,” describes Aaltonen.

INDEPENDENT UPDATES AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE CLOUD

SEAMARK MONITORING FOR MARITIME SAFETY

Emergence’s location device was born out of a customer need discovered via client interviews, and through prototypes and piloting.

Additionally, the company has a location pilot program under way for maritime navigation via seamarks, in cooperation with the Finnish Trans-

“A 10 x smaller device, 10 x longer battery longevity and 10 x cheaper service make our service 1 000 x better than those of our competitors.”

port Agency, with the goal of improving nautical safety. The location data from this project would reveal when seamarks have been dislocated due to ice or other reasons.

Previously, seamarks were inspected by sailing through 8 000 kilometres of waterways in the spring and getting observations from boaters. Automation makes the monitoring of seamarks more reliable, faster, easier and cheaper. EL | www.emergence.fi |

Emergence Oy currently employs ten persons and offers global location services. The company started its activities in Europe, and aims to be a global actor in 2018; each year Emergence Oy delivers tens of thousands of monitoring devices to the market.

Hans Ekestang

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Raumaster is known as a renowned supplier of advanced material handling systems and equipment.

A CORE EXPERTISE IN PROCESSING BIOMASS AND FINNISH ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE

Bergman reveals that Raumaster delivers material processing equipment primarily to power plants, pulp mills and the mining industry.

“Our core expertise relies heavily on the processing of biomass and bio-based fuels, which can be supplied to power boilers. So, we’re working with renewable energy. We make deliveries, and maintain plants worldwide, but our core knowhow relies on the competence of our Finnish engineers.”

GROWING TOWARDS ASIA

RAUMASTER IS

A GLOBAL LEADER IN ADVANCED MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS Raumaster is a world-renowned supplier of advanced material handling systems and equipment. Thanks to over 3 300 delivered projects, and a strong focus on customer needs, the company is now regarded as a global leader in its line of business.

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ince its founding, Raumaster has listened to customers’ needs carefully in order to develop a comprehensive design and service process. “We concentrate on delivering reliable processes and turnkey deliveries to our customers. It is typical that our previous customers return to us when they have new delivery needs: well above 70 per cent of all of our projects are repeat orders,” states CEO John Bergman.

It is no wonder then, that Raumaster is known today as a renowned supplier of advanced material handling systems and equipment.

“We have completed over 3 300 advanced material handling projects globally. Additionally, thanks to the close co-operation with our customers, these projects have taught us more than we could have ever imagined.”

The Raumaster portfolio contains deliveries to nearly everywhere from South Africa to Northern Finland, and from Japan to Southern America.

“Asia is an interesting market for us and during recent years, we have delivered a myriad of different systems into Asian countries. One of the largest deliveries we’ve done, was for the Samcheok Green Power Plant in South Korea. Samcheok plant has four boilers with a capacity of 4x550 MWe. Coal is used as the primary and biomass as the secondary fuel.”

BIOFUEL STORAGE UNDERGROUND

Another interesting reference point is the fuel processing system of Fortum’s Värtan, co-owned by Stockholm city power plant in Stockholm, Sweden.

“The specifics of this project include the fact that the entirety of the fuel storage is situated underground, and fuel is received from ships, rail and trucks. We delivered the whole fuel processing system for this project, including devices for the internal processing of fuel, and the systems for processing fly ash, lime and sand.” MH More info | www.raumaster.fi |

Nina Filpus

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BUILD YOUR BIO-ECONOMY

BASED BUSINESS ON STRONG GROUND Is your company about to enter new territory in regard to the bio-economy or developing an existing business? SciTechService can flesh out your idea to the point of reality and provide it with a strong foundation on which your business can firmly stand.

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ciTech-Service is a technology development company that offers process development and laboratory services in biorefining and man-made fibres.

“Our company was founded in 1983, so we have been at the heart of the biomass business for a long time. Our experience covers the whole cellulose raw material field: from softwood and hardwood to bamboo, straw and sugarcane,” says Managing Partner Eric Enqvist.

The bio-based economy is familiar ground for SciTech-Service, but for many companies it is still a somewhat obscure entity.

“The central manifestations of the bio-economy are the traditional products of the pulp and paper industry, but a new wave of products is rapidly becoming available. It requires changes in value chains and technology as well as change management. And before you turn a piece of corn stalk into a t-shirt, the bottleneck for change lies mostly in technology. You need to be purposeful if you wish to develop the

technology involved so that the quality of the final product is good enough,” adds Senior Partner Heikki Hassi.

SHOULD YOU ENHANCE EXISTING PROCESSES OR START FROM SCRATCH?

In particular, SciTech-Service provides companies with outsourced research and development.

“We are a complimentary resource for companies who need in-depth understanding related to the use of biomass. When a company wishes to explore new ground in the bio-based economy, or to enhance an existing process or business activity, we analyse their problem based on technology and science. Through this, we´re able to find a strong foundation upon which the company can firmly stand,” clarifies Enqvist.

“The customer could have, for example, a process sketch that we´re able to develop into a functional industrial process. After that the customer can easily contact an equipment supplier, investor or engineering company,” adds Hassi.

DISCOVER COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

The bedrock of SciTech-Service is technology. The company’s motto even speaks to this: technology is the ability of applying scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially for achieving industrial and business objectives.

“There are plenty of opportunities in the bio-based economy, but the starting point must always be the final product requirements.

Thus, it isn’t enough that a product is simply bio-based, it must also be a product that the market wants, and that can be produced cost efficiently. If the customer has a technology and concept that make it possible to manufacture high-quality products from renewable raw materials, they have a good chance of succeeding – and we can be a very important link in ensuring their success,” states Hassi. MH Are you interested? | www.scitech.fi |

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OULUN ENERGIA IS BUILDING A SOLAR ENERGY REVOLUTION IN THE DARK NORTH Surprisingly many large or middle-sized Finnish companies could generate a significant amount of the used electric power by emission-free and genuinely environment-friendly solar energy.

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ulun Energia Oy is a forerunner of Finnish electric power products and services. It has invested heavily in solar energy production and is aiming at efficiently realising and promoting the cost efficiency of solutions that utilise solar energy to both companies and consumers.

“Many people find it surprising that in Oulu, Oulun Energia’s home town, you can receive the same amount of solar energy annually as in Northern Germany,” says Jari Pirkola, the Business Director of Energy services of Oulun Energia.

“It’s a mind-blowing thought. Many large companies and operators have stopped to think about this and come to the conclusion that it is worth the effort. It would be sheer madness not to utilise solar energy.”

versity,” says Aimo Hämäläinen, the Deputy Manager of Helsinki University Premises and Real Estate Centre. “This is an excellent investment in renewable energy and is well-suited for the main building of the largest know-how centre of biological and environmental sciences in Finland.”

According to Hämäläinen, the decision on the supplier was easy to make. “Oulun Energia had the aim to prove the market and us as well, of course, that they can realise this kind of projects very well and at a competitive price. Oulun Energia helped us to get the best possible solution.”

HELSINKI UNIVERSITY’S VIIKKI CAMPUS IS COOLED BY SOLAR ENERGY

The construction of the largest solar power plant in Northern Finland on the roof of Kaleva printing house was completed in August 2015.

“We designed and installed the solar power plant for Kaleva as a turnkey solution. After its completion, the plant was the largest of its kind in Finland for quite some time,” says Jari Pirkola.

“We had no intention to build the largest solar power plant in Finland. The plant was first measured against our needs according to our

A 140 kW solar power plant was connected to the network at Helsinki University’s Viikki campus in August 2015. The plant was built in the main building of the campus, Korona Information Centre. Solar energy covers nearly one hundred per cent of the energy needed for cooling the campus.

“We are committed to promoting the use of renewable energy. Our aim and duty is to reduce the size of the carbon footprint of the uni-

THE LARGEST MEDIA INDUSTRY COMPANY IN NORTHERN FINLAND IS UTILISING SOLAR ENERGY

“Choosing solar power improves company’s energy efficiency in an environmentally friendly way – and is a good investment in return.” power consumption – and accidently it then turned out to be the largest one in Finland,” tells Esko Jokelainen, the CFO of Kaleva.

In the daytime solar power covers 90 per cent of the power needed by Kaleva printing house.

“When we buy market price electric power, which is cheaper at night, we can avoid using the expensive daytime electric power by using our own solar power. Companies having a high power consumption in the daytime should consider this form of power.”

The investment decision was made as for any other investments.

“From my perspective it is simply so that first you calculate the potential benefit and then compare it with the sum to be invested,” Jokelainen sums up.

More info | www.oulunenergia.fi |

Konsta Linkola

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Halti Oy CEO Sami Kiiski in front of the Helsinki Brand Store in the prime location in World Trade Centre on Keskuskatu.

HALTI: 40 YEARS OF FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE WITH THE GREAT OUTDOORS Halti Oy has been the best-known sports clothing brand in Finland for 40 years. Established in 1976, the business has an excellent global reputation with downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and extreme weather conditions. Its new corporate image doesn’t just mean a new logo, the whole brand concept has been given a makeover.

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he new Halti has set a clearer target at urban women keen on exercise. That doesn’t mean the brand has discarded men, or downhill, or skiing, or multi-sports, it’s just that the marketing efforts will be most visible in the outdoor activities and active lifestyle segments.

“In the big picture Halti will be investing more in the female customer segment who like to counterbalance busy working life with outdoor exercising and who generally lead an active lifestyle,” Halti Oy CEO from February 2016 Sami Kiiski says.

GLOBAL AWARENESS

The brand’s extensive new collection includes products for every need and condition. The comprehensive collection can meet the demands of clients all over the world.

“China, for instance, is a very important market. Together with our local partner, we have invested in Halti Brand Store in the capital city Beijing. This guarantees our brand excellent visibility and sales on the growing market.

Being a global brand, Halti products are sold in North America, Asia and Europe.”

Behind Halti’s long success is relentless desire to develop products to the level where little things make a big difference between success and being the second best. “Our commitment to quality, technology and innovation show in the Halti brand,” Sami Kiiski explains.

SUCCESS AT ISPO

A clear example of Halti’s commitment to innovation and technology is winning the largest sports gear trade show ISPO 2016 Award for a high-tech sledge as part of ski expedition equipment, available in two versions.

“Halti’s sledge is light, durable and of very high quality. These are little things that can make or break your trip in extreme environments,” Sami Kiiski underlines, taking pride in Halti’s know-how and the company’s success at ISPO.

Comment from TV journalist “I have produced and edited a Finnish motoring programme for 12 years, 40 programmes per year, the arctic winters included. Getting the job, the first thing I did was investing in Halti’s coat and trousers designed for extreme conditions.

I have been wearing those, filming Porsche’s ice test in the freezing cold in Levi, Lapland, hundreds of cars in harsh stormy weather on the Helsinki shoreline with temperatures as low as -40C. The results of this really long extreme testing are as follows: 1) Both items still look as good as new. 2) I have never been cold, but I also have used layering with the warm base layer from Halti. For a good reason.”

- Antti Liinpää, editor

| www.halti.fi |

16

HOW MUCH ENERGY CAN YOU GET WITH ONE EURO?

FOR HOW LONG LASTS ONE KWH?

Refrigerator

3

weeks

Refrigerator

48 hours

Light bulp (40 W)

2

weeks

Light bulp (40 W)

25 hours

TV

1

week

TV

12 hours

Computer

3

days

Computer

7

hours

Pre-heating

1

day

Pre-heating

2

hours

Sauna

2

hours

Sauna

10 minutes

Shower

12 minutes

Shower

2,5 minutes

“Once you know your water consumption habits, you can better alter them to obtain significant savings in your water bill,” Marko Paasu emphasizes.

YOUR WALLET WILL SAY ‘THANKS’ TO THIS WATER SAVING SYSTEM Our everyday water consumption, especially in terms of hot water use, has an impact on both our wallet and greenhouse gas emissions. We can easily forget that heating water triples its cost and increases carbon dioxide emissions. However, the Verto apartment based watermeter helps you save on water and your budget!

A

Finn uses an average of 155 litres of water per day. Of this, approximately 60 percent is cold water, and the remaining 40 percent is of hot water. Yet, when apartment complexes have installed the handy Verto water meters in each unit, consumption has decreased by an average of 30 percent.

“It’s simpler to decrease water consumption when you can monitor your own use on an easy-to-read display, while at the same time knowing that your neighbour’s water use is not influencing your own bill. Additionally, the water savings of the system can be seen immediately in your own budget,” explains Business Director Marko Paasu.

CONSUMPTION MONITORING IN REAL TIME

Now, it is even easier to monitor your own consumption. In December the new VertoMobile was launched, which can be downloaded from Apple and Android stores. With the VertoMobile app, the consumer receives usage data to their own phone in real time, as well as an alert if water consumption deviates from the norm.

Thus, for example, an issue with your toilet’s flow-through can be more easily detected.

The Verto water metering system is the result of more than 30 years of product development by the Finnish company, Vercon Oy. “At our company, we are experts in the topic of water consumption and we are also able to produce predictive information for our users.

Our reliable and exact Verto water metering system consists of remotely read Verto water meters with apartment-specific displays, the VertoLive cloud service for housing managers, and now the VertoMobile – a new innovation for consumers,” explains Paasu.

VERTOLIVE IS ALSO AN AUTOMATED ALARM SYSTEM

VertoLive is easy to use with a browser, letting housing managers monitor water consumption apartment-by-apartment in a condominium or complex, and automatically produce the residents’ cold and hot water invoicing information. VertoLive also automatically alerts housing managers and janitorial services if water consumption has proceeded for two hours in any apartment. MLS | www.vercon.fi |

You can monitor your water consumption in real time with the stylish VertoLive apartment based water meters.

Water consumption facts • Having water meters in each apartment decreases daily consumption per person by an average of 150 litres to 110–100 litres.

• This also decreases a property’s need for heating energy by nearly 10 percent.

• Water consumption typically varies between 50 and 500 litres per person per day.

Less haste, more taste Finnair’s Signature Menu Chef, Eero Vottonen, shares the secrets behind the authentic tastes of Finland.

TEXT BY TIM BIRD PHOTOS BY FINNAIR AND TIM BIRD

MARCH 2017

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O

ne of a new generation of savvy Finnish chefs leading Finland’s charge towards a reputation for culinary distinction, Eero ­Vottonen prides himself in staying close to his roots. The country’s Nordic neighbours, especially Denmark, have stolen a march on Finland in the promotion of their dining resources. Vottonen is playing a prominent role in remedying this.

Vottonen, together with his commis, or assistant chef, Miikka ­Manninen, waved the flag for Finland in one of the world’s foremost gourmet competitions, the Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, France, in January 2017. Reaching the finals was an achievement in itself, but it is also a sign of Vottonen’s perfectionism.

In his case, the recipe for excellence in terms of taste depends on authenticity – in other words, substance as well as style. His latest projects include Signature Menus for business class passengers on longhaul Finnair flights leaving Helsinki to mark 2017 as

the 100th anniversary of Finnish independence. The theme for the menus is “the authentic taste of Finland,” a concept that is much more individual than it might sound.

“Just about every person in the country has his or her own idea of what authentic means in terms of food,” he says. “We are celebrating independence this year but the funny thing is we are influenced from the east and Russia as well as from the west, from Sweden and Germany, for example,” he continues. “For me, that’s the nature of Finnish food, the mixture of east and west.”

Vottonen’s own childhood memories remain a strong influence. “My grandparents came from Karelia in the east and I have a lot of heritage from there. My mother’s side of the family is from central Finland, which has a different way of preparing food. So I think the mixture that I received growing up is still an influence,” he says.

The recipe for excellence depends on substance as well as style.

68 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

MEAT TO PLEASE YOU Traditional methods of food preparation are often repackaged as cool and original, but Vottonen celebrates the authentic substance behind the style.

CENTENARY MENUS TO CELEBRATE FINLAND’S 100 years of independence, Eero V ­ ottonen has devised four seasonal menus for business class passengers flying out of Helsinki this year. Vottonen promises “simple but tasty things” featuring in-season ingredients and tradition with a twist.

He is especially keen to celebrate the Finnish root vegetable, which he claims to be “the best in the world” because of the abundance of summer light. The Signature Menus reach a climax towards the end of the year as the actual anniversary approaches on December 6 with a selection of classics including vendace, herring, malt bread, cep mushroom soup, and Karelian stew.

TOP HELSINKI RESTAURANTS EERO VOTTONEN’S PERSONAL PICKS:

“Fermenting food is now presented as a new Nordic trend but they’ve been using this method to prepare food in Russia for ages. Mushrooms, cabbage, sausage – all are processed according to traditional methods using fermentation,” he says.

Karelian pies (flat oval pastries containing potato or rice) might seem like a cliché in Finland, but they hold a special place in Vottonen’s heart. “The best ones I had were made by my Karelian aunt once a summer, thousands at a time, soaked in butter and milk. It’s things like this you remember for the rest of your life.”

The Finnish stalwart, Karelian stew, is another dish that is always a matter for debate, he says. “The meat in the stew should be braised slowly overnight, but traditionally the meat itself depends on what you happen to have on your farm. It might be lamb, beef, or pork. Should it include carrots or onions? Everyone has his or her own ideas about which is the most authentic,” he says.

Preparing food for inflight service represents different challenges to those faced in a restaurant environment.

“We have to think of the ingredients. Not every ingredient works on an airplane,” says Vottonen. l

GRÖN RESTAURANT Chefs Toni Kostian and Lauri Kähkönen serve a menu composed of seasonal, organic, wild Scandinavian produce, in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere. restaurantgron.com Tim Bird, a regular Blue Wings contributor, has a new book of photos of Helsinki’s Suomenlinna sea fortress published this month.

BASKERI & BASSO Parisian bistros, San Francisco eateries, and Italian osterias inspire Bas-Bas, as it’s fondly known locally. basbas.fi RESTAURANT JORD Located on the new Kortelli 5th floor “restaurant world” in the Kamppi Centre shopping mall, Jord offers at-the-counter casual dining with organic menus. restaurantjord.fi MARCH 2017

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DESTINATION MADRID

D A M

ies ir fl aily. a n Fin drid d Ma ir.com to a finn

70 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Madrid’s melting pot

M

TEXT BY NOONA BÄCKGREN PHOTOS BY KATARIINA PAJUNEN

ulticultural Lavapiés is Madrid’s hot and pop neighbourhood right now – a feat it pulls off without being overly hipsterish or tediously trendy.

The name Lavapiés is a historical reference literally meaning “wash feet”. According to popular legend, the Jewish community who lived in Lavapiés until the 15th century used to wash their feet in a central fountain before entering the synagogue. Although this theory has been challenged by historians, it lives on in oral tradition among the townspeople.

Nowadays Lavapiés is known for its vast immi-

grant population, which is reflected in its mouthwatering array of restaurants. A good way to start the evening is by savouring some Senegalese food, followed by a classic flamenco performance at Casa Patas. Continue to Café Barbieri to take in a fusion flamenco band, and end the night with ridiculously affordable yet delicious Greek souvlaki kebabs at Egeo Souvlakeri.

Lavapiés attracts crowds with its laid-back atmosphere, cheap rents, and many cultural activities – and it helps to be just one stop away from the main metro station, Sol. In Lavapiés, everything is just around the corner, which is refreshing in a giant city of more than three million people. l

MERCADO MAGIC

LEMON COFFEE

¡SALUD!

Madrid is full of mercados (market halls) ranging in style from sophisticated to trendy. Lavapiés’ own Mercado de San Fernando is traditional, cosy, and very hip all at the same time. This is the place to go on a weekend afternoon, when the mercado becomes a living room for locals.

Mercado de San Fernando, C/ Embajadores 41. Metro: Embajadores

Bohemian Cafelito near the Lavapiés metro station is recommended for coffee lovers looking for something new. It is a top spot to enjoy a classic Madrid breakfast, tostadas con tomate (toast with fresh tomato). Cafelito serves a funky variety of specialties, including a concoction of condensed milk and lemon rind.

Cafelito, C/Sombrerete 20.

Metro: Lavapiés

El Colmo is an intimate bar next to the famous Cine Doré, a movie theatre dating back to the early 19th century. In the evening the bar’s shabby-chic furniture and soft lighting feels like a hand that wants to pull you in. Occasional live music – acoustic, of course – goes down beautifully with a glass or two of Spanish wine.

El Colmo, C/Olmo 26.

Metro: Antón Martín

mercadodesanfernando.es

cafelito.es

facebook.com/elcolmolavapies

MARCH 2017

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71

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Excellence in Life Science Antti Nieminen (left) and Knut Ringbom demonstrating what biopharmaceuticals look like.

Tomorrow’s medicines are made today in

BIOVIAN’S LABORATORIES

THE BIOPHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IS TODAY BRINGING GROUNDBREAKING DISEASE TREATMENTS AT AN ACCELERATING PACE. ONE OF THE LEADING CONTRACT MANUFACTURERS IS LOCATED IN FINLAND, NEAR ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ARCHIPELAGO.

T

he biopharmaceutical industry is today bringing groundbreaking disease treatments at an accelerating pace.

One of the leading contract manufacturers is located in Finland, near one of the world’s most beautiful archipelago.

Biopharmaceuticals have opened up completely new possibilities in the treatment of serious illnesses such as cancer. Antti Nieminen, Director of Business Development at Biovian Ltd, finds that on a global scale the future for biopharmaceuticals looks bright.

“Cancer treatments will change significantly in the future. Compared to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, biopharmaceuticals are more accurate and effective. They will become more common within the next few years.”

Biovian is a contract manufacturer which in 14 years has established itself as one of the most trusted suppliers in Europe, and it was awarded the prestigious BioFinland prize in 2015. Biovian specialises in the production of biomolecules, especially recombinant proteins and gene therapy products, through gene technology.

As a contract manufacturer, Biovian is commissioned by customers to manufacture biopharmaceutical molecules for clinical trials, which initially have been invented and developed by the customer. Biovian develops the process, the analytical methods and cell banks, and carries out the entire manufacturing of the pharmaceutical product up to the final aseptic fill and finish and final packaging.

“The medicinal product as such is not our invention, but you could compare our role to that of a shoemaker who makes bespoke shoes based on a designer’s vision. Once Biovian’s part of the process is completed, the biopharmaceutical’s safety and efficacy is tested in clinical trials. We also provide a range of other services, such as pharmaceutical quality control analyses, cell banking and sterile product manufacture,” says Knut Ringbom, CEO of Biovian.

The quality requirements are extremely strict for biopharmaceuticals, and Biovian’s state-ofthe-art cleanroom facilities and laboratories, which were recently extended to a total floor area of 2,700 square metres, more than fulfil

these criteria. The company’s flexible way of working and high quality of output has been recognised, which shows in Biovian’s annual turnover, which has increased at the rate of 20–40 percent per year.

“We will be focusing our future efforts on developing the company and increasing our capacity, still maintaining the operational excellence and quality in our customer’s projects. We are already planning the next extension,” Ringbom says. ●

PRODUCED BY TAKEOFF CONSULTING GROUP (PART OF CALCUS.COM )

BIOVIAN LTD • founded 2003, located in Turku, Finland • one-stop-shop in GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) contract manufacturing of Biopharmaceuticals • Process development, scale-up and GMP contract manufacturing • EMA (European Medicines Agency) certified and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) inspected GMP facilities • www.biovian.com

Female Leader 2017

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Mari Westerberg, Tallink Siljas Sales and Customer Service Director in Finland.

MARI WESTERBERG

urges young people to take part in decision-making and the development of their work community MEGASTAR, TALLINK’S NEW FAST FERRY, BLEW NEW WINDS INTO SHIP TRAVEL BETWEEN HELSINKI AND TALLINN WHEN IT BEGAN OPERATING ON THE ROUTE ON 29 JANUARY. THE BRAND NEW VESSEL SATISFIES PASSENGERS’ EXPECTATIONS, COMBINING ESTONIAN INNOVATION WITH FINNISH SHIPBUILDING SKILLS AND DESIGN.

M

ari Westerberg, Sales and Customer Service Director in Finland, is an experienced professional in tourism.

She began her career in the restaurant sector and transferred to Tallink Silja some twenty years ago. Having performed various duties she found her way into the cruise business, and has been content in her present role for nearly a decade.

“I keep things together and supervise 13 heads of department. I have around 300 subordinates in all. They have clear targets in mind and understand the measures required to reach them. The managers ensure the progress of work.” Westerberg can be characterised as a fair superior with strong opinions. “When a person finds a well-suited role, their work produces excellent results.”

In a fast-paced industry, service must function under all circumstances. The main task of customer service agents is to make passengers feel welcome. With sales going online and services becoming digital, there is less demand for traditional work tasks. They have been replaced by new duties that attract young people in particular.

Westerberg appreciates her dynamic employer for offering good development opportunities. Every year, Tallink Silja offers summer jobs, both onshore and offshore, to hundreds of young people. Many of them stay with the company.

“The younger generation expects their employer to offer flexibility, individual treatment, and a spirit of community. For workplaces to offer more of these elements, I

hope to see young people actively take part in developing their work community and aspire towards managerial positions.” ●

PRODUCED BY TAKEOFF CONSULTING GROUP (PART OF CALCUS.COM )

Customised to the Helsinki-Tallinn route, the superb Megastar has proved to be a big hit.

“A day trip to Tallinn is also a good stopover activity for airline travellers. From the airport, you can easily take the train into Helsinki, ride the tram to the ferry terminal and get on the ship.”

- Mari Westerberg

EXPIRIENCE FINLAND 2017

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ELVES HIDEAWAY

– gateway into the secret world of ancient beliefs IN FINNISH LAPLAND, NEAR THE POPULAR SKI RESORT LEVI AND ITS HIGH-STANDARD SERVICES, IS THE PLACE CALLED ELVES HIDEAWAY, WHERE VISITORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PEEK INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD, A WORLD IN WHICH THE WILD NATURE, ANCIENT FORESTS, FRESH AIR, PURE WATER AND THE HUMAN BEING ALL EXIST AS ONE. HERE, TIME STOPS AND ALL HURRY IS FORGOTTEN.

V

isitors to Elves Hideaway will discover elves’ houses and hiding places in the forest. Along the way you will arrive at a tunnel which leads to a world hidden from humans. A path leads to the Hidden Huts, the most secret place of the elves’ world, where you will also meet with other inhabitants of Lapland, such as gnomes.

Peace and harmony is guaranteed at Elves Hideaway for all time, because all the inhabitants in the Hideaway – elves, gnomes, shamans and humans – once shook hands at a conference by a blazing bonfire as a sign of the eternal agreement in which they promised to respect one another.

This agreement is wildly celebrated at least for a thousand years to come, and therefore the visitors to the Elves Hideaway will always be welcome to join the feast of great delicacies.

In the Gingerbread House, everyone can try their hand at making gingerbread and the Barn-Elf will reveal the best herbal remedies for all aches and pains.

You may also be lucky enough to come across the little elves, who are happy to welcome you with a smile and take you through the different experiences.

The elves are always ready for some ruff and tumble. The reindeer are harnessed by the Stable-Elf for a fun ride and in the winter the snow-covered hills beckon for a spot of sledding. As night falls, the hot sauna and a dip into the freezing wild Ounasjoki river are an unbeatable combination: it is an extreme experience for the bravest only—and the secret of the elves’ longevity!

The elves can take you on a hike through the forests, a skiing trip in the winter or canoeing in the summer, and there are also relaxing treatments available, such as hot tubs, herbal baths and peat treatments. Your perfect day will be crowned by the sumptuous delicacies of the Lappish kitchen, enjoyed in front of the fire.

In the summer, Elves Hideaway bathes in the midnight sun and, in the winter, its inhabitants cosy up during the winter darkness, when the sun does not come up at all, and enjoy the magical dance of the Northern Lights in the sky from the comfort of a Lappish hut made especially for observing them.

The spring in Lapland offers excellent winter sport conditions with dazzling sunshine as the days grow longer towards the summer—until the white nights begin. Now is the best time to head to Levi and Elves Hideaway. Finnair flies from Helsinki to Kittilä every day, and the flight lasts only 90 minutes.

At Elves Hideaway, everyone can enjoy an adventure, but also feel the bliss of the quietude of Finnish Lapland brings—and the sense of peace and mystique that cannot be experienced anywhere else. Are you ready?

Elves Hideaway wishes all visitors, great and small, welcome to visit all year round. ●

Book your accommodation and experience at Elves Hideaway through www.lapintonttula.fi – Welcome!

PRODUCED BY TAKEOFF CONSULTING GROUP (PART OF CALCUS.COM )

Female Leader 2017

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”We’re always there for our customers,” says Marja Sarén-Rämö, referring to the brand promise behind her.

Property damage control expert succeeds with

VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP THE OPERATIONS OF POLYGON GROUP ARE STEERED BY DAILY ACTIVITIES BASED ON VALUES, WHICH HAS TRANSFORMED THE PROPERTY DAMAGE EXPERT INTO A NORDIC MARKET LEADER.

T

he property damage control industry is a technical and male-dominated one.

Polygon Finland’s CFO Marja SarénRämö has always worked in technical industries and she has never experienced her gender affecting her work performance in any way.

“A friend once started to compile a list of industry influencers for social media, and women were few and far between. However, I do not feel my gender has any effect on my work. Generally, I think the industry should not be seen as a constraint as you can only get a deeper understanding of it through work. You are able to find very interesting companies and opportunities in many different industries,” says Sarén-Rämö.

“I’ve always had the pleasure of working in companies that employ values-based leadership. Here, the Group’s values—integrity, excellence and empathy—are strongly present in our

daily work. For instance, excellence refers to our desire to always be a pioneer in all areas of our field.”

At Polygon, know-how and technical solutions are actively shared from one country to another within the Group, which maintains the objective of excellence. The Group is an industry pioneer in innovating.

“One example is that we are developing a realtime measurement service that makes use of remote IOT sensors together with Telia Company and two large contractors SRV and YIT. Work always needs a human touch, but digital solutions bring efficiency that benefits our clients.”

Polygon’s vision is to be the global leading property damage expert that develops all areas of the industry from property damage prevention to restoration and rebuilding.

“In my own work, I want to open up what is

behind the numbers and present the causes and effects to keep our organisation on a path of continuous improvement in both service delivery and successful customer experience,” says Sarén-Rämö. ●

PRODUCED BY TAKEOFF CONSULTING GROUP (PART OF CALCUS.COM )

POLYGON GROUP is an expert in property damage control, climate solutions and indoor air quality testing that operates in 13 countries. The company is the market leader in Finland and the Nordic countries.

In Finland, Polygon carries out around 16,000 projects annually and is a truly national company in the industry with 32 locations that serve customers around the clock with short response times.

The Group’s turnover is approximately EUR 485 million (2016). The Group employs a total of 2,900 top experts in damage control.

FINNAIR NEWS

H(APP)INESS Finnair’s mobile app is now available to everyone who has a Finnair booking. Log in with either your Finnair Plus member ID or your booking reference number and surname. Go to finnair.com to learn more.

COMPILED BY KATJA PANTZAR FINLAYSON

MARKKU KIILI

ARCTIC ADVENTURE

New Lapland connections The package for the Moomin character towel is a work of art.

ONBOARD GOODIES

Moomin marvellous!

FAMILIES TRAVELLING on long-haul flights with infants this year will receive a special gift to mark Finland’s 100 centenary of independence: a Moomin character face towel.

Created by three strong Finnish brands: Finnair, Finlayson, and Moomin, the soft face cloths bring artist Tove Jansson’s hugely popular Moominvalley fairy tales to life.

“The Moomins have a unique ability to speak to people of all ages and backgrounds. Children love them and parents appreciate the deeper nuances of the stories,” says Petri Pesonen, Finlayson’s Creative Director.

New destinations

GEARING UP for the winter 2017 season, Finnair will operate new scheduled flights to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, Havana in Cuba, Goa in India, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.

Extra frequencies will also be added to popular winter holiday and business destinations in Asia. For example, Thailand will see added capacity during the winter 2017 season with two additional weekly frequencies joining the Bangkok route, bring-

76 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

The 100 per cent cotton facecloth comes in three colours: turquoise, violet, and green. Each towel features one of three loveable Moomins: Little My, Moomintroll, or Moominmamma.

According to Elina Wahlman, Finnair’s Product Expert for Inflight Product, “For us this is a small souvenir representing the Finnish identity. We hope families will have fond memories of Finland and Finnair when using the towel.”

The campaign starts in March and continues throughout 2017. finlayson.fi

Finnair will start non-stop flights to Finnish Lapland – renowned for its pure nature and winter activities – from London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Zürich from mid-December 2017 through to the end of March 2018.

Finnair will operate two weekly flights between London’s Gatwick airport and Ivalo on Thursdays and Sundays, one weekly flight between Zürich and Kittilä on Saturdays, one weekly flight between Frankfurt and Kittilä on Tuesdays and one weekly flight between Paris CDG and Kittilä on Tuesdays.

Additional capacity and flights to Lapland from Helsinki Airport will also be added for the 2017-2018 winter season. Finnair will add three weekly flights to Rovaniemi, bringing it to 30 weekly frequencies. Frequencies will also be added to Ivalo (4 weekly), Kittilä (4 weekly) and Kuusamo (1 weekly). finnair.com ISTOCK

ing the total number of flights between Helsinki and Bangkok to 16 weekly.

Two new frequencies will also be added to the Singapore route, making it a daily destination year-round, and three additional weekly frequencies will be added to the Hong Kong route, bringing the total number of flight to ten per week year-round. finnair.com

Puerto Vallarta in Mexico

LOMAILOA LAPSIPERHEILLE Nauttikaa yhteisestä loma-ajasta, pienten lomailijoiden riemusta ja rentouttavista hetkistä myös perheen aikuisten kesken. Tutustu Parasta perheelle -lomakokoelmaan aurinkomatkat.fi/lomakokoelmat

FINNAIR NEWS

LIVE CHAT ON A350 Have questions? Finnair chat customer service is now available through the Nordic Sky portal. See page 93 for more information.

COMPILED BY KATJA PANTZAR

Finnair crew tips Cabin crew member Katarina Zec shares her favourite cities:

WHERE TO GO

Top 3 destinations

1 STAY CONNECTED

Wi-Fi on the go FINNISH STARTUP Voyaxes launches its Voyager Wi-Fi service, which provides fast, secure, and easy-to-use internet access in the form of Wi-Fi hotspots to travellers around the world.

As open Wi-Fi spots are vulnerable for security reasons, high cellular data roaming costs can quickly add up, and in many places there’s still a lack of good carrieroperated high-quality Wi-Fi coverage, Voyager Wi-Fi bridges this gap.

With the aim of becoming the leading provider of mobile connectivity for travellers, Voyager Wi-Fi offers its customers access to the world’s largest Wi-Fi network as a flexible prepaid service with no data transmission limits at full speed available on the network.

Voyager Wi-Fi application is now available for download from Google Play and Apple App Stores and from the Finnair Shop. www.finnairshop.com

FINNAIR ON FACEBOOK

TWEET OF THIS MONTH

@pekkavau: #Lapland was number 1 destination for Chinese passengers in Q4 2016. #travel #visitfinland #stopoverfinland

Greetings from Central Park New York with skater Kiira Korpi! Finnair is a partner of Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki.

twitter.com/Finnair

facebook.com/finnair

78 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

FEELFINNAIR ON INSTAGRAM

We agree with @charlene22! You feel like a superstar when flying #A350finnair business class. #feelfinnair. instagram.com/feelfinnair

Tokyo, Japan: The city of 13 million people is one my favourite places: it’s a polite, friendly, and respective culture with amazing food. I recommend the Harajuku and Shinjuku districts, and trying Japanese karaoke.

2

Miami, Florida: You can literally dance your way through the city, as Latin music is played at most of the street restaurants. A sightseeing-bus is one of the best ways to get around, you can hop on and off wherever you like. Quench your après-dance thirst with a mojito.

3

Moscow, Russia: You can find art, culture, and great food pretty much anywhere in the Russian capital. Move around by underground – you won’t see more beautiful stations anywhere else in the world. And learn a few words in Russian; they’ll come in handy.

FLY FINNAIR

Your complete guide to travelling with us

WELCOME ABOARD We want you to enjoy your flight. This guide contains all the information you need for stress-free travelling. We have even included tips for inflight wellbeing and entertainment.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your travel experience.

In this guide 80 81 82 83 84 85 88 92 94 98

TIPS FOR TAKEOFF INFLIGHT WELLBEING ENTERTAINMENT INFLIGHT SHOPPING SUSTAINABILITY HELSINKI AIRPORT MAPS FLEET AND MY FINNAIR FINNAIR PLUS FINLAND IN FIGURES

MARCH 2017

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FLY FINNAIR TIPS FOR TAKEOFF

FINNAIR in a nutshell

Established in 1923, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest operating airlines.

Finnair’s route network includes 17 destinations in Asia, 4 in North America, and some 74 in Europe.

In 2016 Finnair carried more than 10.8 million passengers.

More than 1.6 million passengers fly between Asia and Helsinki each year.

TRAVEL TIPS ELINA WAHLMAN Ancillary Product Expert – Inflight product, Finnair “Even after a short flight, it always takes some time before you sit down to a meal at your destination. So what’s more convenient than having a meal onboard? That way you arrive with peace of mind and a full stomach!

On European flights longer than ­approximately 2 hours, you can preorder a warm meal for just 12 euros.

The meal includes a starter salad, a hearty dish, bread, and a dessert.

As of May we will start serving a new selection including breakfasts for morning flights. The new options are available for purchase during March.

I recommend you give these tasty meals a go and enjoy your flights even more.”

SAFETY

YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL APP DOWNLOAD FINNAIR’S app on your mobile and enjoy an even smoother travel experience. Check-in, get flight alerts, and store your boarding passes all in one place. As a Finnair Plus member, you can view your profile and points balance, and even purchase services such as extra bags or an Economy Comfort seat.

You can access the app with your Finnair Plus member ID or by using your booking reference number and surname. Learn more at finnair.com.

80 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

FLIGHT MODE: CABIN SAFETY SAFETY INFORMATION is presented by the cabin crew at the start of each flight.

This information is also listed on the safety instruction card in your seat pocket.

Safety belts must remain fastened when the “Fasten safety belt” sign is on.

For safety reasons we recommend keeping them fastened even when the sign has been switched off.

Handheld devices can be used throughout the flight (including takeoff and landing) in airplane-mode. Laptops and larger devices must be stowed away during takeoff and landing, but can be used when the “Fasten safety belt” sign has been switched off.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT WELLBEING

FOOD AND DRINK

EAT WELL

Business class passengers on ­ long-haul flights can enjoy Signature Menus prepared by chefs from top restaurants.

The menus offer passengers a taste of Nordic flavours.

Foods to fuel on European flights FANCY A SNACK ONBOARD? Then take a look at the Sky Bistro menu card in your seat pocket. For a small fee, you can choose from a tasty ­selection of food and ­beverage options combining the best of Europe and Asia. Coffee, tea, water, and Finnair’s ­signature blueberry juice are always served free of charge on all Finnair flights.

WELLBEING

MINDFULNESS

INFLIGHT EXERCISES

Sit back and relax

These moves keep you fit while flying. Hold each movement for a few seconds and repeat five times per side.

Mindfulness instructor Aleksi Litovaara's exercises will help you feel calm and rested during your flight.

1

BE AWARE: The basic idea of mindfulness is that you have arrived. The aircraft is already taking you where you need to be so just sit back and relax. Watch, listen, and feel your present environment.

CIRCLES

LIFT

RAISE

LOWER

Lift one foot and draw circles with your toes.

Reverse direction.

Lift one knee up and then lower your foot back down to the floor.

Keep heels on the floor and lift your toes upwards, then release.

Keep toes on the floor and lift your heels upwards, then release.

2

TACKLE ANXIETY: If you experience nervousness or restlessness, try holding an object in your hand. It will help bring your attention to that simple physical sensation instead of getting caught up in your own thoughts.

3 SHRUG

NOD

ROTATE

TURN

Lift your shoulders up towards your ears and release.

Lower your chin slowly towards your chest and lift back up again.

Gently rotate your head from side to side. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

Slowly lower your left ear to your left shoulder and then back up again.

THINK POSITIVE: This is a good ­moment to choose nice words towards yourself and other passengers — if only in your mind. You can also ask yourself: what do I need right now? It may well be reading a book or getting some rest instead of working on your computer. aleksilitovaara.com

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FLY FINNAIR ENTERTAINMENT

BE ENTERTAINED AND CONNECTED Experience the Nordic Sky entertainment system and the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal onboard Finnair A350 XWB aircraft.

THE NORDIC SKY inflight ­entertainment system is available onboard Finnair A350 flights. Not only will you stay entertained with a wide range of movies and TV series, you can stay up to date on what’s happening during your flight, from when dinner is served to updated arrival information and the local weather.

With the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal, you can enjoy a host of fantastic services via your own mobile device. You can use the portal free of charge to access finnair.com and Finnair services such as destination information, pre-order shopping, and customer care. You can also rent a car, order a taxi, or book a tour.

Here’s how to get started: 1. Turn your device to flight mode and ­enable Wi-Fi. 2. Join the Wi-Fi ­network Nordic Sky”.

3. Open the browser of your choice.

4. Start exploring.

Want to know more about your destination?

Nordic Sky offers travel tips to make your landing even easier.

PICK OF THE MONTH Drama

LA LA LAND An actress and a jazz musician chase their dreams in this heart-lifting, music-filled paean to the musicals of the ‘40s and ‘50s.

82 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

WHAT’S PLAYING

ON SCREEN Latest films and TV series

MOVIE ALLIED. In 1942, an intelligence officer in Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission.

MOVIE ARRIVAL. When mysterious spacecrafts touch down across the globe, an elite team is brought together to investigate.

MOVIE MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. An uncle is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies.

TV SERIES THE LEAGUE. An ensemble comedy that follows a group of old friends in a fantasy football league.

TV SERIES LIFE IN PIECES. A family comedy told through the separate stories of different family members.

RADIO SOUNDS OF CHINA. Sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds of China.

PLUG IN!

Most Airbus A340 aircraft and all Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with an electricity socket, which you will find under your seat. On the Airbus A350 aircraft, you will find a USB port located in the seatback monitor in Economy class and directly from the seat in B ­ usiness class.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT SHOPPING

SPRING IS IN THE AIR BALMUIR Natural body wash & body lotion set, Meadow 2 x 300ml Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €42

Six reasons to put some pep into your step this month.

Check out other special offers in the pre-order catalogue. And remember you can always shop via the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal while onboard the A350.

RAY-BAN Aviator Classic sunglasses Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €129

PRE-ORDER before your flight

BOSS The Scent for her, EDPS 30 ml Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €51

FINNAIR CARRIES a wide ­selection of ­cosmetics, fragrances, gift items, confectionary, and jewellery, all of which can be ­purchased before your flight. On most Intercontinental flights and flights to and from destinations outside the EU, wine and spirits are available for purchase. You also earn Finnair Plus points with every purchase.

TRIWA Unisex watch Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €189

ESTÉE LAUDER Revitalizing Supreme +, 50ml Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €80.90

PRE-ORDER

for stress-free shopping LAURENT-PERRIER, Champagne Brut White, 2 x 0,375l Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €43

Ordering in advance is always a good idea.

You can save up to 60 per cent compared to city prices. There’s no minimum order and your ­purchase will be waiting at your seat on your next flight! www.finnairshop.com

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FLY FINNAIR SUSTAINABILITY

BETTER PLANET A few examples of Finnair’s societal involvement in action: THE UNITED NATIONS Global Compact is a corporate responsibility initiative aiming to make human rights, fair labour standards, environmental responsibility, and anti-corruption core parts of the participating companies’ operations. Finnair has been a member since 2013. The airline also signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles in 2011.

REPORTING BY EXAMPLE FINNAIR has published its annual report, which again presents sustainability at the core of its business strategy.

Finnair’s environmental and social responsibility focuses on a modern and efficient fleet, a conscientious ­supply chain, equality and accessibility, sustainability initiatives in aviation, and responsible reporting and communications. Its annual reports adhere to the Global Reporting Initiative’s G4 disclosure guidelines, formed with the support of the UN Environment Program.

Finnair is included in CDP’s (­formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) Nordic Disclosure Leadership Index and has been

WORK WITH US

DO GOOD Finnair makes it even easier to donate to charity. Passengers can now make a donation to UNICEF Finland when they book their flights on the Finnair website. Donations are possible in sums of five, ten, or twenty euros.

Finnair also collaborates with many other environmental and ­humanitarian organisations.

84 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

g­ iven “Prime” status in OEKOM ­Research’s Corporate Responsibility Review.

“Businesses can’t simply focus on minimising the impacts of our operations.

We must find opportunities for developing our operations, growing responsibly, and benefiting society,” comments Kati Ihamäki, Finnair’s director of corporate sustainability.

The airline supports the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s resolution to implement an emissions offsetting system for aviation: Its goal is to cap aviation emissions at 2020 levels.

FINNAIR has received 7 of 12 forthcoming Airbus A350 aircraft, which cut back on fuel consumption and emissions by 25 per cent.

FINNAIR was one of the first airlines in the world to receive an IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) certification; this environmental management system is a set of processes and practices that enable an airline to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.

THE AIRLINE supports the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) goal of zero emissions trading scheme. Finnair is dedicated to reducing its carbon dioxide emission revenue as much as 20 per cent per tonne-kilometre from 2009 to 2017.

company.finnair.com/en

Finnair Plus members can ­donate points to the following ­charities at finnairplusshop.com: • The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation • The Association of Friends of the University ­Children’s Hospitals • The Cancer Society of Finland • The Finnish Red Cross • UNICEF Finland • Hope • WAU ry • UN Women

FINNAIR CONDUCTS an annual employee well-being survey, participates in campaigns promoting equal opportunities at the workplace, and places a strong focus on occupational safety and continuous training.

IN 2015 FINNAIR joined the Climate Leadership Council, an initiative bringing together leading ­Finnish businesses to combat climate change and foster business eco-technologies. The airline is also included on the CDP’s (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) Nordic Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI), which comprises organisations that have scored within the top 10 per cent in the region in their e­ fforts to disclose carbon emissions and energy data.

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

HAPPY LANDINGS

Arriving and departing Helsinki Airport

PASSENGERS at Helsinki Airport can use the 30 automated border control gates. Fifteen of these are located in the departure hall. The Finnish Border Guard’s automated border control helps serve growing passenger volumes at Helsinki Airport.

EU, EEA, Japanese, and Swiss nationals with biometric passports can take advantage of the automated border control gates.

Other foreign nationals, who are exempt from the visa ­rrequirement equirement and hold a biometric passport, may also use the automated border control upon departure.

This service is available for ­A ustralian, Canadian, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand, South Korean, and U.S. citizens. The automated border control is monitored by a border guard ensuring secure border crossings.

Please note that passengers travelling with an infant, baggage trolley or wheelchair must use the manual border control lane.

AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL Place your passport with the info page face down on the reader. Please wait while your passport is being read for biographical and biometric data. When the scan is complete, the gate will open. ヘルシンキ・ヴァンター空港シェンゲンエリアで は、入出国審査の際に自動化ゲートをご利用頂けま す。対象となるのはICパスポートをお持ちのお客様 です。

대한민국 전자여권을 소지한 승객께서는 유럽에서 한국으로 입국 시, 헬싱키 공항에서 자동출국심사 서비스를 이용 하실 수 있습니다.

① パスポートの顔写真ページを読み取ります。該当 ページを読み取り機の上に置いて下さい。個人情報 と生体認証データを読み取ります。

우선, 전자여권의 사진 페이지를 인식장치에 올려주시기를 바랍니다. 이 과정에서 여권정보가 시스템에 자동 인식됩니다.

② ゲートが開いたら中に入り、右を向いて下さい。 パスポートの顔写真と照合します。バックパック・ 帽子・眼鏡などは外して下さい。足跡マークの上に 立って画面を正面からまっすぐに見て下さい。 ③ 二番目のゲートが開いたら、入国審査官のカウン ターにお進み下さい。パスポートを確認した後、入 国または出国スタンプを押印致します。シェンゲン エリア居住許可証をお持ちの方は、入国審査官にご 提示下さい。

finnair.com/jp

첫 번째 게이트가 열리면 안으로 들어가 오른쪽에 위치한 카메라로 안면인증을 거치게 됩니다. 이후 마지막 게이트에서 출입국관리 직원의 출국확인도장을 받으시면 됩니다. 보다 간편하고 빠른 본 자동시스템의 많은 이용 바랍니다. 대한민국 전자여권은?

2008년 8월 25일 이후 발급된 여권으로 표지 하단부에 전자칩과 안테나가 내장 되어 있는 여권입니다.

finnair.com/kr

Enter through the gate and turn right. Please remove your backpack if you’re wearing one and stand on the footprints on the floor. Remove your glasses and hat. Stand still and look directly at the screen keeping your face visible. The camera will compare your facial image with the biometric feature scanned from your passport. Wait until the second gate opens.

The border check for EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals is completed when the gate opens. Other foreign nationals must move towards the border guard, who will check your entry stamp and mark your passport with an exit stamp.

MARCH 2016 2017 NOVEMBER

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FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

WELCOME TO HELSINKI AIRPORT HOW TO TRANSFER Check your gate and departure time on the airport monitors. All Finnair and Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra) departures are located in the same terminal.

If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, please contact the transfer service desk.

Most passengers transferring from non-EU countries to EU countries must go through security and passport control. Please note that liquids are restricted in carry-on baggage.

If your baggage has not been checked through to your final destination, collect it from the baggage claim area, and go to check-in and security control.

AUTOMATED BORDER CHECKS are available to passengers with biometric passports. The service is available for ­Australian, Canadian, EEA, EU, Japanese, ­New ­Zealand, South Korean, Swiss, and U.S. citizens. See more ­information on page 85.

34 35

SHOP

33

32

32a

31a-e 30

31x 31

Security control

SHOP

Border control

SHOP

NON-SCHENGEN AREA

Bo con

TRANSFER SERVICE 3

2ND FLOOR 36

FINNAIR LOUNGE FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE BUS GATES

37

NONSCHENGEN AREA

Border control

FINNAIR TRANSFER SERVICE desks in Helsinki Airport T2 ­terminal are ready to help you with any inquiries related to your connection flights.

38

2ND FLOOR

37a-d

GROUND FLOOR

TRANSFER SERVICE

BUS CONNECTION The Finnair City Bus to the Helsinki Railway Station leaves from Terminal 2 every 20 minutes, stopping also at Terminal 1.

Travel time is about 30 minutes.

Price: €6.30

CHECKING IN Checking in to your Finnair flight is easy. You can save time by checking in at a self-service kiosk at the airport, online 36 hours before departure, or by text message. For flights to the US, online check-in opens 24 hours before departure.

TRAIN CONNECTION The Ring Rail Line connects Helsinki Airport to downtown Helsinki. There is direct access from the corridor ­between T1 and T2 terminals to the train station by two lifts and three escalators.

FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS In case a flight is delayed or cancelled, Finnair will make every effort to keep you updated. Please make sure that you have provided Finnair with your email address and phone number.

86 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

SHOP

SERVICES AND FACILITIES SHOP SHOPPING Receive special offers for airport services when you show your Finnair Plus card. You will recognise our partners by the Finnair Plus symbol. Helsinki Airport features more than 30 shops and boutiques and various restaurants and cafés.

WIRELESS INTERNET Helsinki Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the airport.

CHILDREN Children’s playrooms offer videos, microwave ovens, and baby care facilities.

NON-SMOKING Smoking at Helsinki Airport is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.

SHOP

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT WALKING TIME GATE 24–30: 7 MIN

T2 29

28

LOST AND FOUND Restaurant & Deli Fly Inn

27

26 SHOP

SCHENGEN AREA

SHOP

SHOP

GATE AREA

Security check

TRANSFER SERVICE 2 SHOP

23 SHOP

FINNAIR LOUNGE

Security

order ntrol

CHECK-IN 240–270

P

SHOP

SHOP

INQUIRIES Lentäjäntie 1 (next to T2, street level) Open Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00 and Sat 09:00–15:00 Tel 0600 41006 (1,97€/min + local network charge)

24

25

FINNAIR check CHECK-IN/ SERVICE DESKS 201–229

22

GROCERY

21

3RD FLOOR

PHARMACY TOURIST INFO

SH

OP

20

1ST FLOOR

SHOP

19 18 17 16

TRANSFER SERVICE 1

15

CHECK-IN 101–114

GROUND FLOOR

T1

14

Security check

BAGGAGE STORAGE

13 DROP-IN LOUNGE ACCESS As a Finnair customer, you can unwind in a Finnair lounge for a reduced price (€39) when your flight departs during off-peak hours. To get the discount, your flight must leave between 7:30 am–3 pm or 6:45 pm–12 midnight (non-Schengen-area), or between 10 am–3 pm or 7 pm–12 midnight (Schengen-area). The service is available 3 hours prior to your actual departure time.

An off-peak lounge pass can be purchased from finnair.com via Manage Booking.

GATE AREA

2ND FLOOR

12

11

SHOP

1ST FLOOR MARCH 2017

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FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS WITHIN EUROPE KARTAT Great Circle Estimated FROM HELSINKI AMSTERDAM ALANYA/GAZIPASA ALICANTE ARRECIFE ATHENS BARCELONA BERGEN BERLIN BIARRITZ BILLUND BRUSSELS BUDAPEST CATANIA CHANIA COPENHAGEN CORFU DALAMAN DUBLIN DUBROVNIK DÜSSELDORF EDINBURGH EILAT EKATERINBURG FRANKFURT FUERTEVENTURA FUNCHAL GDANSK GENEVA GOTHENBURG HAMBURG HERAKLION IBIZA INNSBRUCK KAZAN KOS KRAKOW LAS PALMAS LISBON LJUBLJANA LONDON MADRID MALAGA MALTA MANCHESTER MENORCA MILAN MINSK MOSCOW MUNICH MYTILENE NAPLES NICE OSLO PALMA DE MALLORCA PAPHOS PARIS PISA PRAGUE

Distances km

1525 02:35 2722 03:45 3034 04:25 4518 05:55 2490 03:40 2632 03:55 1112 03:30 1123 02:00 2581 03:45 1060 01:50 1651 02:40 1481 02:20 2636 03:45 2756 03:50 895 01:40 2329 03:25 2639 03:40 2030 03:10 2027 03:00 1512 02:25 1717 02:40 3457 04:45 2098 03:05 1543 02:35 4578 06:05 4310 05:45 768 02:00 1994 03:00 785 01:25 1172 02:00 2777 03:55 2897 04:00 1701 02:35 1521 02:30 2620 03:45 1186 02:00 4700 06:10 3369 04:50 1713 02:40 1863 03:10 2950 04:25 3357 04:35 2822 04:15 1817 03:00 2688 04:05 1953 03:05 740 01:25 876 01:40 1577 02:30 1471 03:35 2283 03:25 2202 03:25 766 01:30 2777 04:00 2898 04:00 1900 03:05 2093 03:20 1322 02:10

TÄHÄN KARTTA

8 WINGS DECEMBER 2014 88BLUE BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times

Flight Times PREVEZA PULA REYKJAVIK RHODES RIGA RIMINI ROME SALZBURG SAMARA SANTORINI SKIATHOS SPLIT STOCKHOLM ST. PETERSBURG TALLINN TARTU TEL AVIV TENERIFE NORTE TENERIFE SUR VARNA VENICE VERONA VIENNA VILNIUS VISBY WARSAW ZAKYNTHOS ZÜRICH

2397 03:25 1865 02:55 2429 3:50 2668 03:45 382 00:55 1993 03:00 2235 03:25 1592 02:30 1698 02:35 2660 03:40 2353 03:30 1956 02:55 400 01:00 301 01:00 101 00:30 245 00:50 3230 04:25 4691 06:10 4745 06:10 1911 02:55 1847 02:55 1903 02:55 1462 02:30 633 01:15 481 01:25 940 01:40 2526 03:55 1781 02:45

SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED N SEASONAL ROUTE

NEW SCHEDULED DESTINATION IN 2017

Atl Oc antic ean

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS New

FROM HELSINKI IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU ROVANIEMI TAMPERE TURKU VAASA

quay

931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:50 464 01:20 282 00:55 609 01:35 823 01:25 391 01:10 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 697 01:20 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55

Bay of B isca ya

Arct ic

Ocea n

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Nor weg ian S ea

Nort

h Sea

Heraklion

Medit erranea n Sea MARCH 2017

on

on-D

tov-

Ros

BLUE WINGS 89

rctic

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS INTERCONTINENTAL Circle Estimated KARTAT Great Distances Flight FROM HELSINKI

km

GREENLAND

Times

BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BEIJING 6325 07:55 CHICAGO 7139 09:15 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 FUKUOKA 8060 09:30 GOA 6328 8:10 GUANGZHOU 7693 09:30 HAVANA 8703 11:15 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 KRABI 8350 10:20 MIAMI 8342 11:10 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 OSAKA 7751 09:30 PHUKET 8312 10:05

PUERTO VALLARTA 9960 12:30 PUERTO PLATA 8417 11:15 SAN FRANCISCO 8724 10:45 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 TOKYO 7849 09:45 XIAN 6421 07:50

Atlantic Ocean

Havana Puerto Vallarta

FINNAIR PLUS members earn Plus points from travelling on any ­scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.

The oneworld alliance flies to more than 1,000 destinations.

Pacific Ocean

Ocea n Atlantic Ocean

South Sandwich Is

8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2014

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

an

Agadir

Taiwan

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Good Hope

n

ch Is

DECEMBER 2014 BLUE WINGS 8

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS WITHIN EUROPE KARTAT Great Circle Estimated FROM HELSINKI AMSTERDAM ALANYA/GAZIPASA ALICANTE ARRECIFE ATHENS BARCELONA BERGEN BERLIN BIARRITZ BILLUND BRUSSELS BUDAPEST CATANIA CHANIA COPENHAGEN CORFU DALAMAN DUBLIN DUBROVNIK DÜSSELDORF EDINBURGH EILAT EKATERINBURG FRANKFURT FUERTEVENTURA FUNCHAL GDANSK GENEVA GOTHENBURG HAMBURG HERAKLION IBIZA INNSBRUCK KAZAN KOS KRAKOW LAS PALMAS LISBON LJUBLJANA LONDON MADRID MALAGA MALTA MANCHESTER MENORCA MILAN MINSK MOSCOW MUNICH MYTILENE NAPLES NICE OSLO PALMA DE MALLORCA PAPHOS PARIS PISA PRAGUE

Distances km

1525 02:35 2722 03:45 3034 04:25 4518 05:55 2490 03:40 2632 03:55 1112 03:30 1123 02:00 2581 03:45 1060 01:50 1651 02:40 1481 02:20 2636 03:45 2756 03:50 895 01:40 2329 03:25 2639 03:40 2030 03:10 2027 03:00 1512 02:25 1717 02:40 3457 04:45 2098 03:05 1543 02:35 4578 06:05 4310 05:45 768 02:00 1994 03:00 785 01:25 1172 02:00 2777 03:55 2897 04:00 1701 02:35 1521 02:30 2620 03:45 1186 02:00 4700 06:10 3369 04:50 1713 02:40 1863 03:10 2950 04:25 3357 04:35 2822 04:15 1817 03:00 2688 04:05 1953 03:05 740 01:25 876 01:40 1577 02:30 1471 03:35 2283 03:25 2202 03:25 766 01:30 2777 04:00 2898 04:00 1900 03:05 2093 03:20 1322 02:10

TÄHÄN KARTTA

8 DECEMBER 88BLUE BLUE WINGS WINGS MARCH 2017 2014

Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times

Flight Times PREVEZA PULA REYKJAVIK RHODES RIGA RIMINI ROME SALZBURG SAMARA SANTORINI SKIATHOS SPLIT STOCKHOLM ST. PETERSBURG TALLINN TARTU TEL AVIV TENERIFE NORTE TENERIFE SUR VARNA VENICE VERONA VIENNA VILNIUS VISBY WARSAW ZAKYNTHOS ZÜRICH

2397 03:25 1865 02:55 2429 3:50 2668 03:45 382 00:55 1993 03:00 2235 03:25 1592 02:30 1698 02:35 2660 03:40 2353 03:30 1956 02:55 400 01:00 301 01:00 101 00:30 245 00:50 3230 04:25 4691 06:10 4745 06:10 1911 02:55 1847 02:55 1903 02:55 1462 02:30 633 01:15 481 01:25 940 01:40 2526 03:55 1781 02:45

SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED N SEASONAL ROUTE

NEW SCHEDULED DESTINATION IN 2017

Atl Oc antic ean

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS New

FROM HELSINKI IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU ROVANIEMI TAMPERE TURKU VAASA

quay

931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:50 464 01:20 282 00:55 609 01:35 823 01:25 391 01:10 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 697 01:20 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55

Bay of B isca ya

Arct ic

Ocea n

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Nor weg ian S ea

Nort

h Sea

on

on-D

tov-

Ros

Heraklion

Medit erranea n Sea DECEMBER 2014 BLUE 8 MARCH 2017 BLUE WINGS WINGS 89

rctic

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS INTERCONTINENTAL Circle Estimated KARTAT Great Distances Flight FROM HELSINKI

km

GREENLAND

Times

BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BEIJING 6325 07:55 CHICAGO 7139 09:15 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 FUKUOKA 8060 09:30 GOA 6328 8:10 GUANGZHOU 7693 09:30 HAVANA 8703 11:15 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 KRABI 8350 10:20 MIAMI 8342 11:10 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 OSAKA 7751 09:30 PHUKET 8312 10:05

PUERTO VALLARTA 9960 12:30 PUERTO PLATA 8417 11:15 SAN FRANCISCO 8724 10:45 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 TOKYO 7849 09:45 XIAN 6421 07:50

Atlantic Ocean

Havana Puerto Vallarta

FINNAIR PLUS members earn Plus points from travelling on any ­scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.

The oneworld alliance flies to more than 1,000 destinations.

Pacific Ocean

Ocea n Atlantic Ocean

South Sandwich Is

8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2014

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

an

Agadir

Taiwan

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Good Hope

n

ch Is

DECEMBER 2014 BLUE WINGS 8

FLY FINNAIR FLEET

AIRBUS A350-900 Number 7+ 12 on order Seating capacity 297 Length 66.8 m Wingspan 64.75 m Cruising speed 903 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 13,000 m

AIRBUS A330-300 Number 8 Seating capacity 289/263 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 870 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,600 m

AIRBUS A321 (ER) Number 11 Seating capacity 196–209 Length 44.5 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A320 Number 10 Seating capacity 165 Length 37.6 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A319 Number 9 Seating capacity 138 Length 33.8 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

EMBRAER 190 Operated by Norra Number 12 Seating capacity 100 Length 36.2 m Wingspan 28.7 m Cruising speed 850 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,300 m

92 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

FLY FINNAIR MY FINNAIR

MY FINNAIR EVERY SEAT HAS A STORY It’s the customers who make Finnair and that’s why we’ve dedicated this page to your travel stories.

#FEELFINNAIR Share your Finnair moments on I­nstagram using @feelfinnair.

And if you want to get featured use #feelfinnair.

MEET THE FREQUENT FLYER What’s your all-time favourite destination? I am always excited to visit Hong Kong.

What is your go-to airplane snack?

Salted peanuts. They have many times saved me from starving!

How do you stay busy onboard?

Actually, I’d rather not stay busy.

A good music selection is best for relaxing.

Eero Linkama has been a Finnair Plus member for 25 years.

Finnair Plus tier: Platinum Avg. Finnair Plus flights per year: 40–50 Next destination: Southern China

What’s the most impressive ­airport you’ve visited? Singapore Changi Airport is both efficient and appealing.

Which Finnair Plus ­benefit do you use most: Lately I have used my points for a travel class upgrade.

APP & AWAY

QUESTIONS? Twitter: @FinnairHelps Facebook: facebook.com/finnair Finnair on chat: Live chat is available on weekdays from 7 am to 10 pm, on Sat­ urdays from 9 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 10 pm (Finnish time).

wanderlustersuk Last stop on my Finland itinerary, Nuuksio National Park

Find Finnair on WeChat! Scan and follow Finnair’s offi­ cial WeChat account.

Finnair’s mobile app is now available to everyone who has a Finnair booking.

Log in with either your Finnair Plus member ID or your booking reference number and surname.

Go to finnair.com to learn more.

awaria_maria #tuktukselfie #family­ picture #cambodia

MARCH 2017

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93

FINNAIR PLUS RENEWED FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

JOIN NOW

A world of benefits for ­frequent flyers

THE FINNAIR PLUS PROGRAM allows you to earn both tier points and award points when travelling with Finnair or a ­oneworld airline and from ­services provided by Finnair Plus partners.

As a Finnair Plus member you get instant access to valuable benefits including:

· A head start on special flight sales · Exclusive members prices on offers · Earn and use points on Finnair, oneworld, and partner airline flights · Earn and use points on numerous worldwide partner services

RENEWED FINNAIR PLUS With our latest changes, it’s easier to reach tier ­membership. You can also enjoy simpler ways of ­earning and using points for Finnair flights.

Read more about the changes: finnair.com/plus

DID YOU KNOW? JOIN FOR FREE by filling in the Finnair Plus form attached to this magazine or online at finnair.com/plus

NEW WAYS TO USE POINTS AS A FINNAIR PLUS MEMBER you can

use your Finnair Plus award points for additional ­Finnair services such as seat selection, meals, and extra baggage payments online.

The number of points you pay depends on your flight and the chosen service.

You can pay for additional services at the time you book your reservation, or later through the ­Manage Booking tab. finnair.com/plus

94 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

FINNAIR PLUS RENEWED FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

FINNAIR PLUS MEMBERSHIP

FINNAIR PLUS TIERS AND BENEFITS JUNIOR Children aged 2–17 can join the Finnair Plus Junior program. The points earned can be spent on award flights as well as for fun reward items.

BASIC · F lights awards · Additional

baggage charges with points · Extra

services for flights with points · Partner

service purchases with points · Waiting

list priority based on tier SILVER · One

extra bag (max. 23 kg) free of charge · F innair lounge access* · P riority Lane · 1 0% points bonus · 10%

discount on ­Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU * Chargeable from August 1, 2016

All tier benefits are valid on Finnair flights (AY operated and AY marketed)

GOLD · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · F innair and oneworld Business Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · 1 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU PLATINUM · G old card giveaway · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · Travel

upgrades for family members · F innair and oneworld Business and First Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · Points

do not expire during tracking period · 2 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU

Remember to keep your Finnair Plus card with you at all times to make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities to earn points!

EQUIVALENT ONEWORLD TIERS Finnair Plus oneworld Basic --Silver Ruby Gold Sapphire Platinum Emerald

MARCH 2017

BLUE WINGS

95

FINNAIR PLUS NEWS THIS MONTH

TIPS FROM FINNAIR’S CUSTOMER LOYALTY TEAM

SPRING SKI BREAK IN LAPLAND You can’t beat Lapland during March and April where you can ski for 12 to 16 hours under the spring sun.

Did you know that Finnair Plus partners with several wonderful ski resorts in Lapland – Levi, Ruka, Saariselkä, Pyhä, Ylläs, to name a few.

And depending on the hotel, you can earn and use your Finnair Plus points. Remember to present your Finnair Plus membership card upon check-in.

Book your favourite from www.finnairshop.com

PARTNER BENEFITS

Andrew Kilkeary Head of Loyalty 1. TRAVEL THE WORLD. Travel with Finnair and any partner airline to over 1,000 destinations around the globe and be rewarded with Finnair Plus points. Silver, Gold, or Platinum members are also recognised with our oneworld partners.

2. START OFF IN STYLE. Use your Finnair Plus points or a combination of money and points and relax in the Finnair Lounge at Helsinki Airport.

3. ONLINE SHOPPING. Earn Finnair Plus points from purchases at Akruu.com where you can reach your goals even faster through exlusive Booster products.

A PAMPERED STAY AT THE KÄMP

EARN MORE POINTS WITH AKRUU

AS A FINNAIR PLUS member you can earn points or redeem an award voucher at the Kämp Hotel with your points or with a combination of money and points. Members receive a 10% discount on the best price of the day including breakfast, Wi-Fi, and taxes. www.finnairshop.com

REGISTER AND CONNECT your Finnair Plus account at akruu.com and earn more points shopping online with Akruu’s extensive retail network. Akruu also offers exclusive Boosts points to help you reach your goals.

96 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

www.finnairshop.com

FINNAIR PLUS TOP PICKS THIS MONTH

USE YOUR POINTS WISELY FOR THIS SEASON’S BEST! NOW YOU CAN FIND Finnair gift cards, partner services, and award vouchers as well as Finnair Shop brands all under the same roof.

Simply login using your frequent flyer number, place your order, and pay with Finnair Plus points, money, or a combination of both.

Shop for the always affordable 1,000 Point Special Offers and your Plus points can be worth hundreds of euros! www.finnairshop.com

TOP 5 PARTNER SERVICES THIS MONTH 1. UN WOMEN ASSOCIATION point donation: from 1,000p 2. VIAPLAY award voucher: from €17 + 500p 3. FINNISH MUSEUM CARD award voucher: from €56+ 3,000p 4. RAVINTOLA SAVOY award voucher: from €25 + 2,000p 5. SILJA LINE CRUISE award voucher: from €42+ 5,000p Gift vouchers can be redeemed with points or a combination of money and points.

1 ,000 POINTS SPECIAL OFFERS

OFFICIAL SUOMI 100 PRODUCT JALO HELSINKI PHOENIX FIRE EXTINGUISHER €79.90 Member offer €62 + 1,000p

HELKAMA JOPO BICYCLE €445 Member offer €369 + 1,000p

Several colour options!

STRING POCKET SHELF €139 Member offer €110 + 1,000p

HAGLÖFS CORKER MEDIUM BACKBAG €94.90 Member offer €65 + 1,000p

Three colour options!

Several colour options!

MARCH 2017

BLUE WINGS

97

FINLAND IN FIGURES

ECONOMY According to Statistics Finland, wages and salaries grew by 1.3 per cent year-on-year in October to December.

FINLAND

ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

IN FIGURES

Employed persons by industry, 3rd quarter 2016 (per cent of total)

AREA • 390,905 sq. kil­o­me­tres, of ­which 9% is fresh water; land area is 303,900 ­sq. kil­o­me­tres. There are 188,000 lakes. 6% of the l­and is ­under cul­ti­va­tion. Forests (mainly pine, spruce, and birch) and other wooded land cover 76% of the land area.

GOVERNMENT • Sove­reign par­lia­men­tary re­pub­lic ­since 1917.

• The pres­i­dent is elect­ed eve­r y six years. The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö took office in March 2012. The 200 mem­bers of Par­lia­ment are elect­ed for fouryear terms.

• Finland has been a member of the European Union since January 1995.

ECONOMY • GDP 2015: 209 billion euros, the annual change in volume 0.2% • Annual inflation rate as of November 2016: 0.7% • Currency: Euro

Construction and energy 9%

Miscellaneous services

13%

35%

Manufacturing

14% 4% Agriculture

10%

16%

Financial and business servces

Trade and hotel

Transport and communications

GDP

47%

Other manufactured goods

24%

Forest products

16%

Food prod. and textiles

13%

Nominal

Adjusted for Purchasing Power Standard

67.100 47.800 45.600 39.600 38.200 37.100 32.800 28.900

46.700 36.200 35.600 31.600 31.200 36.000 30.300 28.900

Foreign trade 2015 exports by products by activity: 53.829 MEUR (per cent of total) Forest industry products

21.5%

Other industries

19.5%

Chemical industry products

18.8%

Metals and metal products

14.7%

Machinery and equipment

13.5%

Electronics

12.1%

*preliminary

MONTHLY TEMPERATURES IN HELSINKI 2015

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Mean˚C -0.9 0.9 2.4 5.3 9.3 13.3 16.4 17.5 13.7 6.4 5.6 3.3 Max˚C 6.0 8.3 11.1 13.2 17.1 21.9 26.9 24.6 18.9 17.2 13.4 10.5 Min˚C -14.0 -7.2 -7.5 -1.1 1.2 6.8 10.3 9.6 6.0 -3.4 -4.2 -7.1

More information: finland.fi, goodnewsfromfinland.com, findicator.fi

98 BLUE WINGS MARCH 2017

Metal and engineering products

EXPORTS BY PRODUCTS

Gross domestic product per capita 2015* (EUR)

Norway Denmark Sweden UK Finland Germany France EU28

Manufacturing

Source: Statistics Finland

POPULATION • 5.5 mil­lion • Life ex­pec­tan­c y: men 78.2 and women 83.9 years • Av­er­age house­hold ­size: 2.1 persons • L anguages: 89% s­ peak Finn­ish; 5.3% Swedish; 1.3% Russian • Religion: 74% Lu­ther­an; 1% Orthodox; 24% census register or unknown • 83% of the pop­u­la­tion aged 25 to 64 ­have com­plet­ed upper secondary or tertiary ed­u­ca­tion and 39% ­have uni­ver­sity or other tertiary qualifications.

246595-16-11

ITALIAN SAARET · Kvanttimekaniikka · Elämä Jordanjoen varrella · Valokuvaaja Leena Saraste ja Ahvenanmaa-kuvat · Naali

ITALIA

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kuvat roolileikeistä – koko kylä juhlii

PALAWAN

valkea kettu lumosi valokuvaajan

Lokakuu 10/2016 • 12, 90 € • www.geo-lehti.fi

Amerikan viikingit Villit

Filippiinien puhdas paratiisisaari

Utelias naali Tundrien

Saapasmaan ihanat pikkusaaret

PAL.VKO 2017-02

UUSI IKKUNA MAAILMAAN

UUSI JAPANI JA KIOTON KÄSITYÖPERINTEET · Sudenkorennot · Motivaatio · Valokuvaaja Anni Leppälä · Amsterdam

UUSI IKKUNA MAAILMAAN

FILIPPIINIEN PALAWAN · Patagonian luonto · Herkkuja hyönteisistä · Antikytheran hylky · Suomi 100 vuotta: Aavasaksa · Iloiset roolileikit USA:ssa ja Euroopassa

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G LOKAKUU 10/2016

G TAMMIKUU 1/2017

G MARRAS-JOULUKUU 11-12/2016

Uusi ikkuna maailmaan

Marras-joulukuu 11-12/2016 • 12, 90 € • www.geo-lehti.fi

Tammikuu 1/2017 • 12, 90 € • www.geo-lehti.fi

UUSI IKKUNA MAAILMAAN

JAPANI

Lumoava Aavasaksa Antiikin Titanic Herkkuja ötököistä Merja Salo:

Kvanttiyllätys! Ahvenanmaa Hiukkaset keskustelevat matkojenkin takaa

Vehreä Jordanjoki

Leena Saraste tallensi Loppumetrit vain pahainen oja katoavat lehtoniityt – mitä matkalla tapahtuu?

Leif Schulman:

Afrikka opetti tyyneyttä vaikeuksien edessä

Friteeratut hämähäkit ovat arkea jo 2030-luvulla

historiaa ja hyvää tuulta

Käsityöperinteet elävät vahvoina Kiotossa

VIIMEISET SADEMETSÄT Syrjäinen saari on säästynyt hakkuilta KORALLIKOLMIOSSA KUHISEE Pala rikkainta merenpohjaa HELMIVILJELMÄT LUONNON ONNI Simpukoille kelpaa vain kirkkain vesi

Unohdettu vaaramaisema avaa Huipputekniikka ratkoo NAPOLINLAHDEN PROCIDA Kalastajakylän idylli loistaa väreissä TULINEN ISCHIA Suomi 100 vuotta -sarjan hylyn arvoituksia Sekoitus kansoja ja kylpylöitä LAMPEDUSA Kaukainen saari keskellä kriisiä

Amsterdam Sopuisa soppa

Olen oikeassa – oletko sinäkin?

DESIGNPURKKEJA JA BAMBUSALKKUJA Kioton viisikko päivitti taidot ja ateljeet TAANTUMASTA FUKUSHIMAAN Selviääkö Japani kriisistään?

Tunteista kuviksi Sudenkorento Taas siivouspäivä... Osmo Rauhala: Intuitio ohjaa valokuvaaja Anni Leppälää

Saalistaa, syö ja paritteleekin ilmassa

Motivaatio löytyy, kun lyöt homman leikiksi!

Kriisi paljastaa piilevät voimat

Tilaa omasi fokusmedia.fi/tilaa-lehti

LUONTO • MATKAT JA SEIKKAILUT • HISTORIA • KANSAT JA KULTTUURIT • TIEDE

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She’s beautiful, vivacious, luminous and free-spirited.

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