Delivered 1/2023 ENG

Delivered

• AI – REVOLUTION FOR LOGISTICS?

• KAJ KUNNAS ABOUT WINNING TEAMS

• SUSTAINABILITY ENTERS A NEW ERA

• GROWTH THANKS TO TRANSPORTS

Delivered

SCANDIC

TRANS 2023

IN THIS ISSUE:

COVER LETTER

AI CAN REVOLUTIONIZE LOGISTICS

LIFE ON THE ROADS IN THE WEST

THE TRUCK CABIN BECOMES A MUSIC STUDIO

EKERI ON THE WAY TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

THE CORPORATE GROUP’S EUROPEAN TRAFFIC CONTINUES TO INCREASE

KAJ KUNNAS: THE ART OF CREATING A WINNING TEAM

PARADIGM SHIFT UNDERWAY

THERE IS NO REASON TO WAIT

E-COMMERCE CONTINUES TO INCREASE

WELL-FUNCTIONING LOGISTICS

ONE OF THE REASONS FOR GROWTH AND A STRONG MARKET POSITION

A LIFE IN LOGISTICS THE SANDÅS SIBLINGS LOOK BACK – AND AIM FORWARD

THE FAMILY THAT BOTH PROCESSES AND TRANSPORTS POTATOES

Scandic Trans Lagervägen 14 65610 Korsholm

Production: bySand and Kustmedia

Editorial: Mikael Löfqvist, Marjo Lehto, Johan Lövdahl, Anna Sand, Lisbeth Bäck, Ami Lindholm

Text & Picture: Anna Sand/bySand

Layout: Mikaela Kortell/Kustmedia

Printing: KTMP Group 2023

Cover: Linda Svarfvar

Iwish you a warm welcome to read this year’s magazine – the fifth in a row! I hope you will have many good reading moments with news and other interesting industry articles from us at Scandic Trans. As in previous years, this issue of Delivered is filled with reports on both our customers and partners and of course a well-known profile – this year his name is Kaj Kunnas. In this year’s magazine, the article about AI excites special interest.

The company Scandic Trans has grown into a role model in the transport industry. Customers, partners and suppliers have great confidence in our work. We are and we are seen and regarded as a reliable partner. The concept that has been built up over decades and is part of the company’s vision is being transferred to our marketing strategy. Follow us over the next few years and you will understand what that means

Mikael Löfqvist, CEO Scandic Trans

AI can revolutionize logistics

You can call it a boom. You can call it hype. But it’s on everybody’s lips right now. We are obviously talking about AI, artificial intelligence. AI is considered a key technology with far-reaching effects on the economy and competitiveness. In logistics there are great opportunities to apply AI for example to traffic planning, predictive logistics, smart warehouses and robotics. At Scandic Trans, using AI in transport planning is already a reality.

True to form, Scandic Trans is a pioneer and already took the initiative several years ago introducing the use of AI wherever possible in its operations.

The company is now active in the development of an AI-based feature in the system it already uses, LogiControl, together with the system supplier, Nextlog.

“LogiControl is used by logistics and transport companies throughout Europe,” says Stefan Nyholm, CEO at Nextlog.

“We already started planning and mapping AI for LogiControl several years ago, and have since worked with the developer feature that is based on artificial intelligence. This means that the system learns how the work, in this case the transport and route planning, was done previously and suggests how to collect the load, which routes and ferries to use and so on,” Nyholm explains.

The work is both multifaceted, complicated and challenging. “The proposal for loads and routes will be as good as the planning that was done previously because it’s based on previously planned loads in the system,” Nyholm points out.

The AI properties in LogiControl have been tested by the transport planners at Scandic Trans.

“When it comes to features that are based on artificial intelligence, the job and product are never completely clear. AI is learning and getting better all the time,” says Joakim Lerbacka, Transport Manager at Scandic Trans.

The property is perfectly suitable for full loads and general cargo but monitoring is still always required. The transports contain many different variables to take into consideration and changes can often occur at the last moment.

“The finished proposal given by the AI system must therefore always be reviewed and approved by the transport manager or planner.”

Lerbacka agrees. “It acts as a helping hand and gives us a good foundation but cannot completely replace the human touch.”

Both Nyholm and Lerbacka are convinced that in future in the industry we will have more and more automation.

“So far AI is only an aid, but in future it will take over in more and more areas. However as always

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Anna Sand, and press photos

Joakim Lerbacka, Traffic Manager at Scandic Trans, and Stefan Nyhlolm, CEO at Nextlog.

change processes take time, although this one looks like it will go relatively quickly,” Lerbacka states. “In the long term AI can mean both reduced costs and increased transport as well as fewer errors and more environmentally friendly transports. Or as Bitkom’s CEO Bernhard Rohleder stated, “Logistics is already one of the most digitized business sectors. With artificial intelligence the industry is not only facing an optimization of business processes but a real revolution.”

HOW CAN AI CREATE ADDED VALUE WITHIN LOGISTICS?

• Improved inventory management and better demand forecasting

• Optimized transport routes, faster route planning and streamlined distribution

• More efficient use of resources – automating previously manual and paper-based processes to save time-consuming administration and reduce costs

• More efficient inventory management – combining technology with human operators can speed up monotonous and timeconsuming activities and free up time for tasks better suited to humans.

• Improved customer service – real-time data enables a better customer experience by providing more accurate delivery information. While customers still need human interaction, machine learning can support the customer service team.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a machine to display human-like and intelligent traits such as reasoning, learning and planning. Through AI, computers and robots can perform tasks that are usually performed by humans.

• Examples of AI-based technology used today are various navigation apps, facial recognition, smart assistants and robot vacuum cleaners.

• AI can adapt in near real time to changing conditions and develop new knowledge by processing more data and reading more patterns and trends than humans are able to.

• With the help of AI much of the work of making use of data can be automated. This means that AI is considered the defining trend for the future of logistics.

• Machine learning (ML) is a branch of AI. In ML algorithms, software or systems are used to learn and adjust without specific programming. ML models teach themselves over time by analysing trends and detecting anomalies.

Life on the roads in the West

Johanna Norrgård had decided to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and become a painter. However, the interest disappeared before she obtained her degree in surface treatment, and all of a sudden there was no clear path to follow. Somewhere in her, however, there lay a seed which germinated, and when she began her military service at Dragsvik in 2015, it became obvious for her and the future path was clear – namely transport.

In driver’s training at Nylands Brigade, Johanna chose all the courses and also the theory test for a truck driver’s license but then missed practical instruction due to a broken thumb. After finishing her service, she completed the training at home and also decided to get class E added to her licence.

“I’ve always liked driving and my dad drove a truck when I was a child. I spent a lot of time with him at work, but I can’t say exactly what it was that led me into the industry,” Johanna says.

She went to evening school at the Vocational College of Ostrobothnia to study logistics, graduated and became qualified as a combination vehicle driver. Even before her studies, Johanna had a job as a delivery truck driver and a couple of years later she had the opportunity to work as a truck driver for the summer at a company where she got her first work experience with vehicle combinations.

“I stayed at the same company for a couple of years until Kenneth Sandås, co-owner of Scandic Trans, called me up one day and offered me the chance to go to Sweden for a week of driving. My first thought was to say no because I had no experience of their transport system, check-ins, etc.,” Johanna says.

But with a promise of a week’s training, she dared to say yes and that was two years ago. “Since then I’ve been driving in Sweden, as well as in Norway, and I enjoy it a lot.”

Her job is to drive various

Trans Sandås vehicles that are always loaded when she arrives at the Port of Åbo at weekends. Next there is a ferry crossing to Stockholm and most often she will be heading south to Malmö, Gothenburg, Helsingborg and other towns and cities in that area. The cargo can basically be anything – food, dangerous goods, paper products, paint and so on.

You never really know where you’ll end up and that’s part of the charm of the job. The freedom and the fact that the work is independent contributes to me enjoying the work so much. In Sweden everyone you meet is also very nice and it’s enjoyable to be able to speak your own native language – not mention how beautiful the Swedish landscapes can be,” she adds.

Thanks to her previous work experience, Johanna already has seven years of experience working in customer service, something she considers valuable in her profession.

“Even if you’re having a bad day yourself, you mustn’t let it show. I’ve always found it easy to talk to people and I don’t get stressed easily either. You represent the company you work for and it goes without saying that you’re always friendly and polite towards your customers.”

There haven’t been any problems among industry colleagues.

“Everyone’s been very helpful. There are no dumb questions and it even happens occasionally that older colleagues call and ask me about something,” she says.

In her opinion, the only negative thing about her profession is the long periods away from home.

“I’m usually away for a week or two at a time. Sometimes you get home over the weekend, sometimes not. You also have to keep your professional skills up to date and therefore you should take a course a year as the different skills have to be updated every five years.”

Whether Johanna will stay in the Nordics countries in the future or not, remains to be seen.

“Sure, Europe looks interesting but right now I’m happy with the way things are for me. I’ve found what I want to do and I enjoy it very much. But personally I don’t agree when people hear about what I do for a living and my profession and they exclaim, “Wow – you must be tough!”

Johanna Norrgård is from Petsmo in Korsholm. She chose a career path in connection with her military service at the Nylands Brigade in 2015.

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Anna Sand and Johanna Norrgård

The truck cabin becomes a music studio when the day’s work is done

“The interest in logistics runs in the family,” explains Lassi Luukkainen when he is asked why he chose to get an education in that particular industry. The choice, of course, was not that obvious all along, but after five years on the road, and also on the ferries, Lassi is now happy with his choice of profession and has long since got used to living “on the ferry” during the week.

Lassi, a native of Turku, Finland, chose the same profession as his father and has been driving one of Kuljetus J. Kuusela Oy’s express trucks for five years between Southern Finland and Stockholm every weekday. This means that he spends all weeknights on the ferry and loads or unloads every other day in Stockholm and every other day either in Turku or Helsinki.

“At the weekend I’m usually free, with certain exceptions,” Lassi explains.

Fast deliveries are becoming increasingly important for many companies and Scandic Trans has offered an express freight service between Finland and Sweden through its terminal at the port of Turku since 2003. There are departures in both directions every weekday and four vehicles, especially planned for this purpose, cross the Baltic Sea daily. For express freight, smaller vehicles without trailers are used, approved for food transport and versatile as they have different temperature zones and can transport both frozen and temperate goods, all according to the customer’s needs.

“I transport a lot of food, but the goods can consist of anything – everything between heaven and earth,” Lassi says.

There are no fixed routes for his daily work although many of the loading and unloading locations are recurring and therefore familiar.

“New customers are added every week and every

day at work is different,” he continues. According to Lassi, the job runs smoothly. Cooperation with the transport planners works well and nowadays there is not even a need for phone calls as he gets his assignments directly to his mobile phone via the transport management system LogiControl and its mobile application. “I’ve absolutely nothing to complain about when it comes to my work.”

The fact that the work is carried out at his own pace is something he appreciates and the other essential areas of his work such as customer contacts, the necessity to be service-minded and mastering customer service are of no concern to him either.

“It is of course good if you’re equipped both with patience and good nerves in this profession,” he adds. The length of the working day can vary a lot but so far, he has always managed to deliver all the goods as planned and while working in Sweden Lassi usually has the evenings free.

“I usually go for a walk and explore Stockholm and the surrounding areas and since I always have my guitar and computer with me, I can easily turn the truck cabin into a mobile music studio and devote my evenings to music, which is my great interest,” Lassi says.

He really enjoys his work and spending the weeknights on the ferry is not a problem for Lassi. “On the contrary, it’s usually much more difficult to adapt to being at home for longer periods,” he concludes with a twinkle on his eye.

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Linda Svarfvar

Lassi Luukkainen, 26, started his career about five years ago as an express delivery driver for Kuljetus J. Kuusela, a freight operator for Scandic Trans.

"Cooperation with the transport planners works well

“At Ekeri there are always plenty of ideas and that’s probably one of the factors in the company’s success,” Sales Manager Stefan Ketola and Quality and Aftermarket Manager Daniel Asplund believes. “Everyone wants both the company and our products to develop and we believe innovation is a decisive factor in climate work.”

Climate-neutral production of superstructures is the result of choosing the right path

Ekeri on the way to a sustainable future

Not many companies in the automotive industry can boast climate-neutral production but Ekeri, which manufactures superstructures for heavy goods vehicles in Kållby, Jakobstad, has been able to do just that since last fall. Work on sustainability has really taken off in the company over the past five years and the next step is to develop relationships with business partners and suppliers in order to further reduce their climate footprint.

Ekeri’s history goes back as far as 1945 when it all began with fine carpentry and the manufacture of products that would today be considered highly sustainable. Later on, carpentry developed into metal industry and since the 1990s the company has found a niche for itself in box body trailers, box trailers and containers with an openable side.

“Our products themselves contribute to more sustainable transport,” Sales Manager Stefan Ketola begins. “Thanks to the side opening, the load space can be utilized to the maximum while loading and unloading take place more efficiently, which leads to more efficient transports and less emissions. It has created a win-win situation that provides increased profitability for the transporter at the same time as the transport buyer getting greener transports. When the amount of goods can be maximized and empty runs minimized, everyone wins – including the environment,” he explains.

Ekeri’s sustainability work is considerably more than just the product design itself.

“Environmental issues have been discussed in our society for decades, for example in the media everything from environmental toxins and the ozone layer have been on the agenda over the past few decades,” Daniel Asplund, Quality and Aftermarket Manager, continues. “But about five years ago it all became more concrete. The word “sustainability” began to appear more and more in various contexts and shortly after I attended a course on the subject, the first two customer inquiries regarding our sustainability policy came in. Then there was no more doubt about it – the green transition was a fact and Ekeri, like all other companies, was at a crossroads.”

The choice was between continuing with an accelerated environmental impact and global warming or choosing a greener path. After discussions in the management group, the decision was made that Ekeri would

Text and photo: Anna Sand

choose the greener path and do their own fair share.

“All of us in the management team were trained about sustainability to know what we’re talking about. There were divided opinions at the beginning – were we too early? But with the benefit of hindsight, we can now say it was done at exactly the right time,” Ketola says.

Thanks to long-term work within the company around soft values such as respect, cooperation, responsibility and continuous improvement, the choice of path and the transition to new ways of thinking and solutions that enable a reduced climate footprint have gone well. As early as 2007 Ekeri switched from oil heating to wood chips at the factory, although it was then done for economic reasons. In the same year they received certification for their environmental management system ISO 14001, and since 2019 the newest production hall has been heated with pellets. The following year they started using electricity exclusively from renewable sources and from 2021 all their own diesel-powered vehicles have been run on renewable diesel. The biggest milestone was reached in 2022 when the factory could be classified as climate neutral according to the GHG protocol.

GHG (The Greenhouse Gas Protocol) is the world’s most widely used standard for calculating and reporting emissions of greenhouse gases and includes three so-called scopes.

“We initially focused on Scope 1 and 2, which means that we accounted for and compensated for direct emissions from our own production and own vehicles as well as indirect emissions from heating and the use of electricity. The fact that we are now able to meet these Scopes, means that we have climate-neutral production, which is a milestone, but far from the completion of our climate goals,” Asplund says.

He points out, though, that the fact that the factory is now climate-neutral does not mean that the products are. “The components we purchase and use continue to have a climate impact and therefore we’ve now started work on calculating Scope 3 - Upstream. The next step for us is to analyse our material purchases.”

When the mapping of Ekeri’s indirect impact on the environment according to Scope 3 is complete, work will begin on finding solutions in cooperation with their suppliers to reduce their joint climate impact.

“The basis for the discussions is our code of conduct for suppliers. We want to have a sustainable business operation at the same time that more and more customers also demand it,” Ketola adds.

One part of the work is also to develop cooperation with business partners, such as Scandic Trans.

“Our collaboration with Scandic Trans and their drivers goes back a long way and in the future we want

EKERI

• It is a family business in the fourth generation founded in 1945.

• It has developed from artisanal carpentry into a metal industry company.

• The first side-opening superstructures were produced in 1978 and since the 1990s the focus has been on them.

• The company produces 600-800 superstructures annually, of which approximately 80% are exported.

• In the last 25 years the turnover has increased sixfold.

• The company has approximately 250 employees in Kållby, Finland as well as sales, service and spare parts sales in a number of other countries.

to deepen this in order to be able to work together as pioneers in sustainability. Through a cooperation agreement we would be able to achieve both more efficient, greener and better products. That would mean a win-win for all parties,” Asplund says.

The collaboration is in its infancy but the initiative was received with gratitude from Scandic Trans’s side.

“To achieve sustainability, companies need to look at all parts of the Scope. For Scandic Trans this means that we participate in and support investments by our road users by creating the conditions for investments that are environmentally friendly. A partial goal is to offer road users the opportunity to invest in sustainable add-ons for the vehicles that are purchased,” Mikael Löfqvist, CEO of Scandic Trans, explains.

In parallel with the work with the GHG there is continuous improvement of the company’s circular economy going on; everything from product design to spare parts brokering and rental services contributes to one sustainable whole.

“Our products have a long lifecycle and high resale value. Thanks to our service and spare parts sales, they can maintain their roadworthiness for a long time. Additionally, we offer rental of transport units and forwarding of used units, which also supports a high utilization rate,” Ketola explains.

When it comes to these sharing economy solutions, there are few, if any, companies like Ekeri in the industry. The same applies to the neutral-climate factory that has proven to be a major competitive advantage.

“We have realised that we are filling a gap in the market. Many customers have been surprised that there’s an industry player that meets their requirements for a greener supplier,” Asplund concludes.

" Our vision is to be the leading supplier of sustainable transport vehicles

The corporate group’s European traffic continues to increase

Building relationships is an important part of the job

When Scandic Trans decided to go in for a sales venture in international transport five years ago, they were blissfully unaware of pandemics, the war and inflation. In spite of all this, they have been successful and the targets have been met; in the past two years, the turnover for European traffic has doubled.

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Anna Sand and Scandic Logistics

At their main office in Korsholm, sales are led by Richard Romar and the transport planning is done by Michael Kock who also is starting to shoulder more of the responsibility in sales.

“I respond to all spot requests that we receive, and there are more and more of them all the time. We always strive to succeed with our service so well that customers choose to come back to us next time as well,” Kock says.

The goal that was set two years ago, to double the turnover by 2023, has been achieved but the work doesn’t stop there.

“Today we have two of our own vehicles in European traffic and additionally we co-operate with a large number of subcontractors. The majority of them are Finnish hauliers and we have established a well-functioning cooperation with them,” Kock adds.

European transports mainly include building materials as well as plastic and rubber products. Since last spring, Scandic Trans has a new major customer

Mikael Kock is responsible for transport planning regarding European freight from Finland. He also responds to all incoming spot requests.

with routes to Germany, France and Belgium.

“We previously served the same customer on Nordic routes and when Europe was added, it had a big impact on the turnover,” says Kock. There are fixed flows on a weekly basis, even on the import side.

“Temperature-controlled transports and food transports dominate there. We transport various types of temperaturecontrolled goods from the Benelux countries to Finland.”

There are also fixed flows to and from the Baltic countries every week and as examples of other routes Kock mentions Northern Italy, Romania and Hungary.

“Every new request is a new lead and an opportunity for new routes. The main thing is to satisfy the customer’s wishes and provide a friendly and professional service. Furthermore, when the timetable, loading, unloading and other wishes are carried out exactly according to plan, the customer often chooses to return even though our price isn’t always the lowest,” Kock says.

International freight is also growing at Scandic Logistics, based in Helsingborg. Sales Manager Joakim Lassen says that since the summer of 2022, they have placed a lot of the focus on building new flows and relationships in Western Europe – mainly in the Benelux countries and Germany.

“In the past we’ve mostly worked to ensure capacity and create good solutions when it comes to Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Welldeveloped cooperation with our subcontractors has been established concerning transports to the Baltic and Eastern European countries. Now the same work is being done in the West,” Lassen explains.

Scandic Logistics has three of its own vehicles operating in Western Europe and there will be more of them.

“We’ve also ordered our own trailers. We’re very flexible here. There isn’t any scheduled traffic yet but we go where the customer needs us to take their goods,” Lassen says.

At the same time, cooperation with existing customers in the Nordic countries is being strengthened.

“For example, for a few years we have had a customer for whom we transport goods from Sweden to Finland. Now this year there will be freight to seven new countries on behalf of the same customer.”

This is where the strength of operating as a group can be seen and creates synergy effects, both for Scandic Logistics and Scandic Trans – and also for the customers. “Every month Scandic Logistics gets several new customers in Sweden, who also often generate business for Scandic Trans, and vice versa. The entire group benefits from the work in both directions,” Lassen adds.

He has personally attached great importance to his “journey” at the company”.

“It’s about building relationships. Scandic Trans’s customers have great trust in the company – they know and look after their customers well, just like we do – and the personal relationships we prioritize have created a big trust capital. We develop and find solutions together with our customers – and this makes the work very motivating for me,” Lassen explains.

“At the same time it means that we as a group stand out in the transport industry,” he continues. “We don’t just sell transport from point A to point B. We listen to what challenges the customers have regarding their transports and we get inspiration and ideas from them.”

Being responsive and having faith in your product is especially important in a time like this. “We’re going through a challenging period with high operating costs, and at the same time prices are under pressure as the capacity in the market has now increased again. This is because the market has shrunk due to inflation and the recession. Demand is simply not as high as before and no one knows how long the current situation will last.”

Despite this, the entire corporate group has had positive development during the first part of the year. “Challenges are nothing but opportunities to be developed,” Lassen concludes

"We develop and find solutions together with our customers

Joakim

Lassen,

Sales

Manager

at the subsidiary Scandic Logistics.

Kaj Kunnas worked as a sports journalist for The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) for 27 years commentating on Ice Hockey World Championships in Swedish until 2011. He is known for his mode of expression and language skills and thinks he has learned many pieces of wisdom for life thanks to the sports which have been part of his life.

Profile: Kaj Kunnas

The art of creating a winning team

With his 27 years as a sports journalist, Kaj Kunnas has had exclusive opportunities to gather knowledge on how to create good team spirit and build a winning team – something that is applicable not only within sports but also in business and the corporate world. This is the subject he lectures about today and here he reveals some of the secrets.

As a youngster, Kaj was taught that Finland would never win the Ice Hockey World Championships.

“Then came the year 1995 and the 4-1 tournament final against Sweden,” he recollects.

Then again in 2011 the Finnish Lions won, as well as in 2019 and 2022, when in the same year they managed to take both World Championship and Olympic gold – something that only one other country, Sweden, had managed to do before.

Text and photo: Anna Sand

“It is something that neither Canada, Russia, the Czech Republic nor even the former Soviet Union have done,” says Kaj.

Something had definitely happened with the Lions, and Kaj, who had the opportunity to study both Curre Lindström’s and Jukka Jalonen’s work, has made his own analyses of the team managers’ and coaches’ tactics.

“The first thing to point out is that you don’t necessarily need the best players in order to be the best team. It is more about getting people to work as a team. Curre Lindström put a big emphasis on getting his players to be happy and relaxed – he took them to trotting races and sailing and taught them to enjoy the whole journey, to be positive and take it easy,” Kaj explains.

Whereas Jalonen has established a concept of his own called “Steps for Success”. Six steps are to be taken – six criteria must be met – in order to make it possible to reach the best result.

“The first step is about living in the present moment. The focus must be exactly on this very moment – here and now. Today has to be the most important day of your life, always. This is something that applies well to everything I’ve personally experienced,” Kaj continues. “Performance immediately starts to get worse when your focus is on what you did yesterday or what you will do tomorrow – and the end result is always worse.”

Step two is about preparation – something that should always be done in your own, personal way. There is no right or wrong approach – we are all different.

“Someone needs to sit on their own and maybe meditate while someone else wants to walk around and shout out loud,” Kaj says.

Step three is about trust.

“You have to trust yourself, your colleagues or teammates, and trust that we can be the best and win,” he explains.

Self-confidence in other words is important – it’s always only our own effort that you can affect. Fourth, you must learn to endure – to endure your own reflection, to endure differences, to tolerate bad luck, to tolerate losses and setbacks.

“Instead of blaming bad referees, bad ice or opponents, we should learn to move on and not dwell on them. Getting stuck in the negatives won’t get us anywhere,” Kaj says.

The fifth step is about courage – courage both to succeed and to fail. We have to dare in order to win. The sixth and last step is finally about giving 100% or going ”all out” as Kaj puts it. “All out, to give it all, is

KAJ KUNNAS

• Kaj Kunnas, born in 1963, has his roots in Karkkila north of Helsinki and has lived most of his life in the South of Finland but is nowadays an Ostrobothnian.

• Kaj has spent roughly 7 300 hours with a microphone – he has been a commentator in 21 Ice Hockey World Championships, in 15 Olympic Games, in about ten World Championships and other championships during his 27 years as a sport journalist on YLE.

• After Kaj’s stroke in 2016 and shortly thereafter his wife’s cancer, the couple decided to reprioritize their lives and since 2018 divide their time between their apartment in Nykarleby, their summer cottage in Munsala and in Almuñécar on the Costa Tropical in Spain.

• Kaj works as a freelancer in different projects related to sports, lectures and works for his own company Oy Kalliopeja Ab that he runs together with his wife Gerd Marianne as a travel guide in Spain.

something else than all in,” he points out.

Kaj has personally noticed that the end result is better if you follow through all the steps in the socalled Steps for Success.

“The focus has to always be on what you yourself, each and everyone can do better. This goes for every team leader, every CEO, to see the best in every teammate and every co-worker in order to build the best possible team based on that,” he explains. “If all the team members and fellow workers get a bit better, the whole company or team gets better. No one manages on their own – someone scores the goals but there might be more important elements that remain unseen – like Jukka Jalonen himself,” Kaj adds.

Success is also a matter of attitude – a matter of a choice.

“Both team spirit and success are very much based on attitude. A good example of this is the quarterfinal of the 2019 Ice Hockey World Championship, when nothing, absolutely nothing, indicated that Finland would win. No one believed in the team. For a long time we were losing against Sweden but when it really came to the crunch we turned it around, equalized 4-4, won in extra time and then beat both Russia in the semi-finals and Canada in the final. Talent gives you a head start but if the attitude isn’t right, you’ll never finish the race,” Kaj continues and then finally adds, “I once had the opportunity to interview Usain Bolt and asked him why he is so good. He answered: ‘Talent is something, but attitude is everything’.”

" Talent gives you a head start but if the attitude isn’t right, you’ll never finish the race

Sustainability reporting enters a new era with CSRD Paradigm shift underway

As part of the EU’s green deal, the final work is now underway on the new CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which means that sustainability reporting will be raised to the same level as financial reporting. Companies are feverishly working to understand and adapt to the new rules - it’s time to prepare for a paradigm shift.

The CSRD will replace the current NFRD (Non-Financial Reporting Directive) and will apply to large companies starting from the fiscal year 2024, with the first reporting requirements in 2025. The number of companies covered by the reporting requirement will increase from today’s circa 12 000 to approximately 50 000 within the EU.

“The very purpose of the CSRD is to raise the quality of companies’ sustainability reporting and increase transparency and comparability across the entire European market. With the CSRD, companies must be steered in the right direction for the EU to meet its net-zero goals by 2050,” Krista Marjola, sustainability consultant at Ernst & Young Oy, explains.

Through the CSRD, companies’ sustainability work will change from telling how to work with environmental issues to actually being able to measure the results in a standardized way, something that places completely new demands on both data and reporting processes.

“The CSRD will affect all aspects of the company’s sustainability work and the entire company needs to be involved in reviewing and developing strategies, policies and processes as well as collecting the actual data,” Marjola continues.

The CSRD will be implemented gradually until 2029, depending on the size of the company, starting from the fiscal year 2024.

“Turnover, total assets and the number of employees are decisive. For those companies that know they will be affected now or in a few years, there’s no reason to wait with their preparations,” Marjola believes.

The work will require resources, both human and financial, and the transition therefore needs to start

with management. The task is so extensive that it will not be possible to solve it alone or without the proper tools, and therefore it is necessary to anchor the work at a management level.

“It’s basically about creating a culture change at all levels in the company. It is not a one-time task but an ongoing one that needs to become a natural part of work in the organisation.”

The EU’s work on the directive is still ongoing and not all the details are yet in place. “What’s still unclear, but should be decided by June at the latest, are the standards for the reporting itself, the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards),” Marjola continues. The CSRD defines what is to be reported, while the ESRS clarifies how the reporting is to be done.

“The proposal covers a total of 13 different standards divided into three categories. The overall general standards include general principles and general requirements. The subject-specific standards are divided into three focus areas: environmental factors, social factors and governance. In addition, there are further sector-specific standards,” she explains.

The 13 sustainability standards will affect all companies covered by the CSRD. Who these companies are has also been determined. All listed companies with more than 500 employees are already affected from 2024. Then, with reporting in 2026, companies that meet two of the three criteria are next; they have more than 250 employees, more than 40 million in net sales and/or more than 20 million in total assets.

Finally, listed SMEs with 10-250 employees, 0.35-40

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Ernst & Young and press photos

Krista Marjola, a consultant at Ernst & Young Oy, recommends all companies that are already affected or will be affected to start preparations well in advance.

QUESTIONS COMPANIES SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES WHEN PREPARING FOR THE CSRD

• Do we have the information the CSRD requires us to report on?

• Are we satisfied with the information we present through the CSRD, given our sustainability strategy?

• Do we meet our stakeholders’ and investors’ expectations of us in terms of sustainability with the information we present?

• Do we have the right people in the company involved in the CSRD work in order to get the right quality and anchoring?

• Can our data systems and reporting processes manage the extra reporting burden?

• What transformative measures do we need to act on in order to achieve the right sustainability transition?

million in net sales or 0.7-20 million in total assets must report in 2027. If two out of three criteria are met, reporting will be mandatory.

“For many of the companies we work with it’s a challenge to be able to forecast when and whether they will be affected by the directive. We therefore recommend everyone to start preparing in time.”

So how do you do it?

It is important to take one piece at a time. Marjola highlights the five most important steps in the preparation process:

“Start with a materiality analysis which then becomes decisive for what should be reported. The

distinguishing feature of the CSRD is precisely that it must be done based on the dual materiality principle. This means you must report both the impact the company’s operations have on sustainability issues and how sustainability issues affect their own operations. The second step is to do a GAP analysis to identify what gaps exist in current reporting.

“Thirdly, you must link your objectives to the CSRD and then, in step four, create strategies and policies in line with this. Finally, a pre-review should be done to see if the processes and reporting are suitable for a sustainability review.

“The report drawn up as a result of the CSRD must be presented as a separate section in the management report. Companies must “tag” their reported sustainability information according to a digital categorization system (XBRL) and the reporting must be in machine-readable format (XHTML). As soon as the directive enters into force, the sustainability report is subject to mandatory review by an independent auditor.”

In other words, it is not something that can be done with an Excel sheet or two, but it is important to find the right combination of tools that will enable those responsible to manage the work, collect all the data and ensure that the directive’s requirements are met.

“Depending on the industry, the challenges may look different in different companies, but many companies may need one specific person to focus solely on sustainability issues. Obtaining the necessary data, and the systems required, also takes time. The new requirements are significantly broader and more in-depth than before,” Marjola points out.

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For those companies that know they will be affected now or in a few years, there’s no reason to wait with their preparations

Preparations are underway at Scandic Trans There is no reason to wait

Scandic Trans is not yet affected by the CSRD but the estimation is that they will be within the next few years. Preparations are therefore already underway – at Scandis Trans they want to be prepared when it is time.

Text and photo: Anna Sand

We expect that within the next two years we’ll meet the criteria for net sales and total assets,” says Linda Bengs, Sustainability Manager at Scandic Trans. “We won’t reach the figure for the number of employees, but since it’s enough that two out of three criteria are met, we have to take action,” she adds.

At Scandic Trans they got their first introduction to the CSRD through Ernst & Young. Since then Bengs has spent part of her daily working hours looking into the new rules in order to find out what will be required and how far the company’s current reporting is sufficient.

“We’ve had some environmental reporting for several years. The question is how much we need to supplement it. We already report both emissions and

FIVE STEPS TO PREPARE FOR THE CSRD

• Carry out a materiality analysis where the dual materiality principle is applied to identify essential reporting areas.

• Conduct a GAP analysis to identify gaps in the CSRD requirements.

• Link objectives to your essential areas and define relevant key figures to measure impact and progress.

• Create strategies and policies in line with the goals.

• Start conversations with sustainability reviewers to prepare the process – do a pre-preview.

climate impact based on our data on fuel use and driven kilometres. We have a good database for the transports and it’s easy to extract data from it. Data collection has already been on the daily agenda,” Bengs continues.

She believes that their computer systems and software in their present forms will be usable for quite some time into the future as well.

“Current reporting processes should also handle future requirements – and even if they don’t at the moment, it’s not the biggest problem because we have very flexible suppliers,” she points out.

There is still a lot of work to be done before everything is ready when it comes to the new reporting requirements but in terms of the focus areas of environment and governance Bengs believes they are not too far off.

“The challenge for Scandic Trans probably lies in the focus area of social factors. We don’t have a reporting routine yet. A new HR position has now been set up this spring and this will obviously be part of the work of the new HR Manager. Additionally, the whole company will be involved in reviewing and developing strategies, policies and processes as well as gathering the actual data,” says Bengs.

At the present time, she is mainly working on finding out what it is that must be done in the future to meet the requirements.

“The whole process is a long-term effort and we don’t expect to produce a complete report in the first year. However, the direction of the work is clear – we must be able to prove what we’re doing at all levels when it comes to sustainability, and more and more customers are also asking for the same information,” Bengs points out. “You must be able to prove what you are doing in order to achieve the Net-Zero goals. The CSRD also makes it easier to compare companies’ sustainability results, which might turn out to be an important competitive advantage in the future.”

“We expect that within the next few years we’ll meet the criteria of the new CSRD directive,” says Linda Bengs, Sustainability Manager at Scandic Trans.

E-commerce continues to increase Reporting is a requirement in the logistics chain

”Baltic sea traffic is doing well, thanks largely to the fact that e-commerce between the countries has increased by 10 percent every year,” Erik Söderholm, CEO of the Port of Turku stated in last year’s Delivered. We took a closer look at Finnish e-commerce in particular, which not only had a positive effect on ferry traffic but also led to an increased need for transport within the country – a chain that Scandic Trans is also part of.

Text: Anna Sand • Illustrations: Linda Bengs

Turnover has increased in all types of e-commerce and across Europe in recent years. In 2021 Ireland was the country with the highest ranking when it came to e-commerce’s share of the companies’ total turnover, closely followed by the Nordic countries.

Matias Toukonen, D2C Strategist at Woolman in Finland, has worked with e-commerce in various forms for over 15 years – right from the “beginning” as the saying goes. As the former sales and marketing manager at Axla Logistics in Vantaa, he handled contacts with the majority of major Swedish players such as Boozt, CDON and Nelly and their line haul to Finland. In order to even be considered as a partner in the transport chain today, sustainability and transparency are totally decisive according to Toukonen.

“This is particularly important in Sweden where they started early with CO-reporting. Today it is an absolute requirement that transport operators must be able to openly report and present their figures to e-tailers,” he states.

In turn, e-commerce must be able to offer different delivery options at different cost levels, without becoming extreme for the sake of it.

“In recent years many new last mile operators have established themselves in the market, especially in Sweden. The question is if and how they will all survive there,” Toukonen wonders. “We can probably expect some mergers in the future and bigger players taking over the smaller ones,” he continues.

The trends that affect e-commerce are reflected in logistics.

“Neither party is immune to what’s happening in the world. First there was the pandemic, during which e-commerce grew hugely; people say it took a five-year leap in a matter of just a few months. At the same time, we could also see a rebound effect afterwards as the next crisis, the war and increased fuel prices, started to be felt. All of a sudden businesses had enormous stock levels while people’s purchasing power was decreasing. The profitability problems that many are having now are a direct consequence of that,” Toukonen states.

Transnational e-commerce has increased significantly, especially in the Nordic countries. During 2021 the total turnover was about NOK 30 billion in the region. More than 80% of Finns regularly shop online and in 2021 the turnover was over 6.78 billion euros. Only four percent of the sum was from cross-border e-commerce – so a full 96 percent was a domestic increase.

The share of cross-border trade within the EU is approximately 25 percent.

“Nothing indicates that this will slow down according to current trends,” Toukonen says. “E-commerce will continue to increase. Additionally, the lines between online and physical shopping will continue to blur as consumers expect a smooth customer experience on all levels.”

In Finland e-commerce is expected to grow by roughly 12 percent a year between 2022 and 2025, or almost 40 percent from 2023 to 2027, generating a turnover of 11.23 billion euros.

Matias Toukonen.

RauHeat’s main products consist of district heating pipes as well as geothermal ground heating pipes and waterborne underfloor heating systems.

Well-functioning logistics

Scandic Trans may have profiled itself as a professional operator and especially in refrigerated transport and therefore the transport of foodstuff, however large quantities of other goods are also transported daily on the roads in the easily recognisable white trucks. Building materials are one example, and since 2022 Scandic Trans has handled the shipping of RauHeat Oy’s high quality plumbing products, among other items.

RauHeat Oy, based in Rauma, is a Finnish company founded in 1999. The main products consist of exceptionally energy-efficient district heating pipes as well as geothermal ground heating pipes and waterborne underfloor heating systems. The product range has been developed over the years through cooperation with plumbing contractors and designers and is well adapted to Nordic conditions.

The company has been part of the listed company OEM International since 2017. OEM is one of Europe’s leading technology trading groups with 37 operating business units in 15 countries. OEM acts as the manufacturers’ sales organization by marketing technical components and systems to the manufacturing and distribution industries.

The actual manufacturing of the pipe culverts, geothermal and underfloor heating systems takes place in Europe, for example in Austria. RauHeat operates as an import and marketing company. There is no production in Rauma but the location is the seat of the company’s office and central warehouse. RauHeat’s vision is to be both the industry’s most service-oriented and punctual supplier and thus to be the customers’ first choice.

“We strive for flexible deliveries and the best possible service for our customers and their projects. Here in Rauma we stock almost our entire product range in our own warehouse, which enables fast deliveries to our customers across the nation,” says Ville Koskinen, Warehouse and Logistics Manager at RauHeat since 2015. This means that the customers, which primarily consist of wholesalers but also contractors, housing

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: RauHeat Oy

One of the reasons for growth and a strong market position

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I have to admit that Scandic Trans has exceeded our expectations

associations and private individuals, can lower their inventory levels and still trust that they will quickly receive what is needed to complete their projects.

In March this year RauHeat also opened a central warehouse in Sweden, more accurately in Tranås.

“This investment is part of our expansion in Sweden and will mean shorter lead times and increased flexibility and availability for our customers,” Koskinen continues. “Logistics has always been a major focus here in Finland and a contributing factor to our growth and strong market position. The goal is now to create the same positive development in Sweden.”

In fact it was during a visit to Tranås in 2022 that Koskinen became aware of Scandic Trans, something that later on led them to change logistics partners.

“We’d had some problems with our previous carrier and were not completely satisfied. During this trip to Sweden I noticed the large number of Scandic Trans vehicles on the road. Their vehicle fleet made a positive impression and once I got back home to Finland, I contacted them. That’s the way it is today,” says Koskinen.

It has turned out to be an initiative that he has had no reason to regret – on the contrary. For just over a year now, Scandic Trans has been running larger deliveries every week to Sweden and directly to the end customers.

“Larger batches will continue to be delivered from our Finnish warehouse. The final destination can be anywhere but mainly it’s in Southern parts of Sweden,” Koskinen explains.

Normally the delivery time is 2-3 days but nowadays it is not unusual for an order to arrive in Sweden already a day after it has been made.

“I have to admit that Scandic Trans has exceeded our expectations. I especially value their reliability and trustworthiness, both when it comes to keeping to timetables and error-free deliveries,” Koskinen says.

RauHeat strives for sustainable development and the parent company OEM has, through its development program, stepped in to contribute to a reduced climate impact by decreasing their carbon dioxide emissions.

“Our products are very energy efficient and sustainable development is something which permeates

RauHeat Oy has delivered insulated culvert systems and underfloor heating systems to more than 100 000 projects. The central warehouse is located in Rauma and since the spring of 2023 an investment is being made in the Swedish market and part of this was the opening of a central warehouse in Tranås, Sweden.

the entire chain of operations. Even regarding our deliveries we take this into account, and from a sustainability viewpoint Scandic Trans is an exemplary choice of logistics partner,” Koskinen continues.

Even RauHeat’s sales team, scattered around Sweden, has been very satisfied with the change of logistics partner.

The communication between us, the drivers and our customers works very well. At the same time you have to keep in mind that the cheapest option is rarely the best one. But as far as we’re concerned it’s an easy and obvious choice. We get brilliant service from Scandic Trans and they certainly get my recommendation”, Koskinen states.

“Scandic Trans has exceeded our expectations. I especially value their trustworthiness and reliability, both when it comes to keeping to timetables and error-free deliveries,” says Ville Koskinen, Warehouse and Logistics Manager.

A life in logistics

The Sandås siblings look back – and aim forward

The siblings Pie Lassander and Kenneth Sandås grew up with the transport business and have been able to follow developments in it up-close. They are now both, as co-owners of the family business Trans Sandås, also co-owners of Scandic Trans, while also working in their respective companies. What milestones have they experienced over the years – and how do they see their future in logistics?

Pie och Kenneth, raised in Smedsby in Korsholm, were respectively six and nine years old when their father Göran Sandås bought a truck and founded his own company in 1976. G Sandås, as the company was then called, had most of its customers among the farmers in Ostrobothnia, the number of whom was a lot bigger in the 1970s and 1980s than today.

“I remember I was always there after school on Fridays delivering fodder to the farmers,” Kenneth recalls. It was always very clear to him that he would continue in the same industry. Over the years he has actively participated in work with the family business. He is a trained car mechanic and has done a large part of the maintenance and service work on the vehicle fleet.

“Kenneth has a different interest in cars than I do,”

Pie explains. She chose a different career path and became a kindergarten teacher. “But I was also often on shorter deliveries in the area of Ostrobothnia and managed to do a lot of homework at the same time,” she says. “Once I also went to Bodö in Norway.”

International deliveries started in 1977, the company grew and the fleet of vehicles increased during the 80s.

“During that decade Russian deliveries were a fairly large portion. We delivered a lot of products to the Olympics in Moscow in 1982,” Göran Sandås himself recalls. “In the same year we also built an office and a warehouse for the vehicles at Fågelberget. And gradually the company was reorganised under the name Oy Trans Sandås Ab.”

Family life revolved a lot around the business and for Pie and Kenneth it was “normal” to have a father

Text and photo: Anna Sand

Pie Lassander and Kenneth Sandås grew up in the transport business and they both work in it now.

who was often away and also while home worked a lot, servicing the vehicles, planning deliveries and sales of course.

“We went on a few sun and skiing holidays but there was no pattern in our family holidays – or maybe the lack of pattern was the pattern,” says Pie.

Kenneth got his driver’s licence in 1985 and has been working in the family business since then.

“Starting to drive myself was something I’d been waiting for a long time,” he remembers.

Five years later Scandic Trans was founded and Oy Trans Sandås Ab was one of the five founders and co-owners. It was a turbulent time.

“Thanks to the fact that we had the opportunity to buy up the company Sand Trans and their fleet of ten vehicles, we got a good boost in the start-up phase,” Göran, who was one of the driving forces when Scandic Trans started, recalls.

Pie remembers the enormous amount of work her father and his colleagues put into sales and transport planning during this time when she was living in Jakobstad because of her studies.

She got her degree in 1992 – the same year the country was more or less paralyzed by recession. There were no permanent jobs as kindergarten teacher available so when the CEO of Scandic Trans, Kurt Löfqvist, asked if Pie could come and help with the switchboard and administration, Pie said yes.

“I started at Scandic Trans in September 1993 and during the autumn computers were bought for all workstations; previously there had only been a few odd computers for example for invoicing. However, there was no effective transport planning software –they were more like advanced typewriters,” she says.

On the same road, Pie, thirty years later, is still in financial administration at Scandic Trans. “It’s varied work with constant challenges,” she points out.

Both Scandic Trans and Trans Sandås have grown considerably over the past three decades.

“It’s partly thanks to technological developments,” Pie says. The only way to communicate with the drivers at the beginning was calls from phone booths.

“Then came ARP phones followed by NMT and finally the GSM system,” Kenneth adds.

ARP ARP (Autoradiopuhelin)

was Finland’s first commercially operated, public mobile phone network.

Despite the high cost, ARP was a great success and largely held a monopoly position. When the network was at its largest it had just over 35 000 users.

Information could be sent to the vehicle via a system called MobiDigi and for a while they had fax machines in the trucks. Today we all know how easy and smooth communication is thanks to our smart phones. Information is sent directly from the transport planning system to the drivers on their smart phones, and they are able to scan shipping slips directly into the system. At the same time reporting requirements and customer requirements have also increased.

“Stock levels are also decreasing all the time, which makes it very important that loading and unloading times are kept,” Kenneth adds.

Today he sits less and less behind the steering wheel himself and instead has other duties in the company. Now instead of Kenneth, his son Kim, works as a driver while his daughter Andrea is still studying. Pie’s daughter Elin is also studying but has already experience as a summer employee at Scandic Trans. Her son Viktor studies economics and this summer he is going to work in logistics at one of the largest companies in Vaasa.

“They have by no means had any pre-defined role either in the company or in the industry,” Pie points out. “So it remains to be seen where they land.”

Pie herself is a member of the management group at Scandic Trans, while Kenneth is on the board. They are thus both committed and involved in creating visions that carry the company into the future.

In some photo albums there are both newspaper articles and pictures from the first years of the company. Here you can see, among other things, Kenneth in front of the company’s first FRC truck, Pie with a friend in Norway in front of the first bulk truck and G Sandås’ first car with a side opening cabinet.

Pie and Kenneth’s father Göran founded his own transport company in 1976. He was also one of the five people who started Scandic Trans together in 1990.

The family that both processes and transports potatoes

Right next to European Route 8 south of Kristinestad, more precisely at Ömossa, is where you will find Öströmin Perunatuote, a family business that produces refined products from potatoes. What started as a small side job at the beginning of the 90s has become and is today one of the market leaders. Wherever you are in Finland, you are bound to come across potato products made by Öströmin Perunatuote.

The company’s main products are knife-peeled potatoes and various pre-cooked potato products that are delivered to commercial kitchens, the food industry and restaurants. The company currently employs about 40 people all year round.

It all started in Tauno Öström’s garage a little over 30 years ago. In addition to his work as a truck driver, he also owned and ran a potato farm and started a small-scale potato processing business in 1991. During the 90s the market for pre-peeled potatoes started to grow, and at a rapid pace too, as more and more schools, hospitals and other government institutions chose to start using them.

“After that the number of industrial customers also increased and we’ve made almost annual expansions of the production space, which today covers 12,000 m2,” says Sami Öström, one of the sons and the CEO of the company. “We’re now planning an additional 900 m2 and we look forward to having that in use in a year’s time.”

Sami

and in 2008 the first pre-cooking line was taken into use, then three years later the second one.

“The various pre-cooked products have grown in popularity all the time and today there are 13 different formats – that’s everything from Parisian potatoes to strips, slices, wedges and so on. The first pre-cooking line is especially developed for potato cubes for potato salad – one of our main products for the food industry,” Sami continues.

“The use of pre-cooked products is growing at all levels and one explanation is that they make work easier in central kitchens which are becoming bigger and bigger. Furthermore, the shelf life of pre-cooked potatoes is seven times longer,” Sami adds.

According to Sami, the investments in quality and in technology that have given a high degree of automation and thus also high efficiency are the biggest reasons behind their success. “We’re the only potato producer with the FSSC 22000 quality certificate. And as a family company we’re able to make fast decisions – there’s no slow bureaucracy in our company. All product development is based on the needs and wishes of our customers and on close cooperation with them. That’s a great competitive advantage. Sales and marketing are done through collaboration with the producer organization Potwell – something that allows us to focus more on production and quality in the family business itself.”

Text: Anna Sand • Photo: Anna Sand and Öströmin Perunatuote

and his brother Tomi Öström became co-owners in the company in 2000 at the same time it was transformed into a limited company. The growth continued

Areas of responsibility within the company are clearly defined; Sami has financial responsibility, Tomi acts as CEO and takes care of service and maintenance while Tauno’s responsibilities are raw material purchasing and logistics. Sirpa Öström, in turn, is in charge of the production of the peeled potatoes. Tauno and Tomi also continue to run their own potato cultivation, which accounts for approximately 10 percent of their annual raw material purchasing, which is currently about 30 million kilograms of potatoes.

As a former truck driver, it was quite natural for him to start taking care of the company’s transport needs himself, something that would later develop into a separate company. Öström Pro Trans was founded in 2007 and today has more than 25 trucks, of which 10 to 12 have been operating for Scandic Trans for many years.

“It started when we needed to have fast and reliable transport to Sweden for one of our own products. The products we make today must be with the customer tomorrow. Cooperation gradually grew and Öström Pro Trans is today a co-owner in Scandic Trans,” Tauno explains. “It has given rise to a number of synergies and is a well-functioning and flexible cooperation model that benefits both parties,” Tomi continues, “simply a winwin situation.”

The need for their own transport has increased as the company has grown and Öström Pro Trans takes care of most parts of the logistics for Öströmin Perunatuote. The raw material is mainly purchased from nearby but also from the area between Turku in the south and Kalajoki in the north.

“Contingency plans are needed as potato harvests are very dependent on the weather,” Tauno explains. They have contracts with about 40 farmers and five of

them, in addition to Tauno and Tomi, grow potatoes for the baby food industry according to special criteria.

The need for investments in both quality and environmental certificates have been obvious and the concept of sustainability is constantly present in the company. At the beginning of the summer the company’s own solar park was completed and comprises as many as 1500 solar panels on the roofs of the production buildings.

“Thanks to the solar park, we’ll be self-sufficient in electricity during the summer,” Sami says. At the same time developments in the industry, customer demands and the new climate goals pose a major challenge. “Some of our products are already carbon dioxide neutral. It is hard and constant work to try to keep up to date with all the changes,” Sami notes.

However, the fact that more and more customers are becoming increasingly quality conscious is something the company has benefitted from.

“Being able to live up to their quality requirements has been decisive. Without satisfied customers you won’t get anywhere,” Tomi believes.

Nevertheless Öströmin Perunatuote has a time of great uncertainty behind – and ahead.

“It sometimes feels as if the crises come one after another. First it was the pandemic closing schools and restaurants for months and months, then the war and with it the energy crisis”, Sami points out.

In spite of all this, the company has continued to grow and the potato has become more popular again after a period of time when all carbohydrates were discouraged in many places.

“Potatoes are a healthy, fresh, affordable and environmentally friendly raw material and we can clearly see that more and more people are starting to understand that again.”

" The products we make today must be with the customer tomorrow

Tomi, Sami and Tauno Öström show some of the many different pre-cooked products that are mainly manufactured for the HORECA industry.

We’re sending Johnny

Our goal is that you as our customer experience the transport of your goods as simply as possible. That’s why we include so much more than just the transport, and you can reach us whenever you need. We are always at hand, around the clock, and with us you get your very own contact person – someone who makes your dealings with us smooth, personal and safe. We have decided to call him Johnny.

But it might just as well be Carina at the front office or Christian who is our transport manager. Their main focus is your unique transport. All of us at Scandic Trans are your Johnnys – every day of the week.

No problem, we’re sending Johnny.

Marjo Lehto works

as a foreman and sales manager at the Scandic Trans terminal in Turku. She has worked her entire professional career in the logistics industry – the last nine years at Scandic Trans. On her desk there are companies’ changing and customer-specific transport needs and her main job is to find solutions for them.

”It’s interesting to work with different people and open communication is the key to success in this work. After a period of absence due to cancer, it’s been a joy to be able to return to normal everyday life and once again be part of the work community. Life sometimes surprises and you just have accept that and take it as it comes with a smile for tomorrow,” Marjo says.

North European carrier with strong specialist areas