Category: Stairons

News | Stairons

Kari Lintuvuori is passing on skills and knowledge to future experts before retiring

Lead, serve, help. This principle has carried Kari Lintuvuori, now retiring, on his career from a helper to a foreman. In his 45-year career, mainly in Pansio, he has seen many changes in his line of work, and the business in general. Now he is passing on the know-how of a Service Advisor to future experts.

In August 2020, foreman Kari Lintuvuori retired from his job at Stairon’s aluminium department. He has not left Pansio, however. In his new role as a senior advisor, he helps the new supervisory staff. His long career has taught that tacit knowledge must be passed on to the successor.

“This team is a kind of a brotherhood – I couldn’t just suddenly quit it. It takes me seven minutes to drive from home to work. I need to drop in here every now and then to see how things are going”, Kari Lintuvuori explains.

Senior Advisor – part of Stairon’s strategy

Kari Lintuvuori now serves as a Senior Advisor at Stairon. It means that in his retirement, he is committed to the development of the operation as he passes on his expertise to younger  specialists of the future. The role of the Service Advisor and supporting it are part of Stairon’s strategy. Stairon has many experts with long careers, whose know-how is worth its weight in gold. This so-called tacit knowledge is something the company wants to foster.

Project Director Kalle Ahopelto, who has been receiving advice from Kari Lintuvuori, feels that the help of the Senior Advisor is especially important in his own work.

“It has been easier to join the group with an experienced and skilled person as a guide and advisor. I have received thorough answers to every question I have asked, often accompanied by a story from years past that touches upon the subject.”

Information related to carrying out projects is seen as especially helpful in pushing the work forward.

“The greatest benefit has been Kari’s knowledge of what we must and should take into consideration, or what we should do early enough before the start of the project”, Kalle Ahopelto says.

A man taught by his work

During Kari Lintuvuori’s career, his line of work and the business in general have changed dramatically. For example, in the 1970s, military service was tantamount to resigning, which is why the shipyard refused to hire him afterwards. But being a plucky sort of guy, he walked straight to the shop steward and ended up getting a job at the Pansio factory of Valmet Paper Machines. When there was no more work at the packing plant, Kari Lintuvuori asked the department engineer for other work.

“Much like Rokka in the war novel The Unknown Soldier, I asked if they needed someone who could do the job well. I went to Hall 6 where they needed help in welding beams that were 13 metres long.”

Kari Lintuvuori was interested in welding and he went on to complete the training of a welding advisor at Laitila. After that he was hired to weld sheet metal.

“The helper boy system of the 1970s was practical. You could see what kinds of jobs were interesting and you could learn on the job. Gradually, as my skills increased, I got to do the work on my own.”

The 1990s gave Kari Lintuvuori opportunities to work in projects both in Finland and abroad. Paper machines and wood dryers had to be installed and repaired.

In the 1990s Kari Lintuvuori also noticed inadequacies in work planning at the workshop.

“The products were more complicated, and the tolerances were stricter. Working methods needed to be more systematic, and this was achieved through work planning”, he explains.

The group produces the results

In the late 1990s and early 2000s corporate mergers and deals changed the name of the workplace a few times. First, with the merger of Valmet and Rauma in 1999, production was outsourced, and the name was changed to Metso Paper Turku Works. Then in 2009 Metso sold all the shares of the factory to Stairon.

“At that point, product-based teams were established and I was selected to lead one of them.”

Later he was named foreman. Kari Lintuvuori feels that as foreman, the input of the whole team is the most important.

“It’s the team that produces the result. And the work ethic here is high. The task of the supervisory staff is to supervise, serve, and help”, he says.

Kari Lintuvuori believes that his extensive career experience helped him as a supervisor.

“It is important to understand the big picture and to know how things operate in practice. Taking my own path has been important. The work taught me. During my career I had more than ten different kinds of supervisors, one of whom served as an example to me. I also wanted to be a good example and pass on the tradition”, he says.

Stairons

Controller Laura Ahonen: “Stairon has an equal work community”

Welcome to the house new staironwoman, controller Laura Ahonen. Now, if ever, it can be said that a woman’s career path has progressed from a genuine love of the field – that is, numbers and financial analysis. A fair month behind as a Stairon, and along with the interesting new, the best thing has been a fair and equal work community. Many have also asked Laura’s feelings in a male-dominated field, and the answer is succinct: – Hairdresser visits are not discussed at the coffee table, but otherwise one does not pay attention to the matter.

Read the interview and get to know Laura, the controller’s work, and the stairon team spirit.

What kind of education and career background do you have?

I could say I’m a returnee. I was born in Turku, but grew up in Pietarsaari and through studies and work ended up back here again. I got the degree from a university of applied sciences in business, and kind of accidentally ended up in purchase ledger through summer jobs. The best training for work has been achieved by practical doing: I have worked for six years in various financial tasks, and received both responsibility and the opportunity to grow guided by my own interest and strengths.

What is required of a good controller?

Analyticality, accuracy and the ability to question – I think I have these qualities. I also feel that I am systematic and can concentrate for a long time on a certain thing. Except if it’s about lost items or temperamental electronics!

And my work self doesn’t differ much from my home self. Accuracy continues there too, and I think more about financial matters than others with us.

What are the typical tasks of a controller?

I’ve heard that the controller’s job description can be seen as boring, but I think it’s anything but. With professional pride, I feel I am an important part of the company’s whole. A funnel is needed between accounting and management, and I think that is one of the most important tasks of a controller. The cornerstone of the work is to support management in decision-making by producing various reports and other financial material.

By questioning existing models, processes are sought to be developed more economically and cost-effectiveness is sought. Self-direction and interest and desire to understand wider contexts are an important part of the controller’s problem-solving work.

I always think that if the company’s money were my own, how would I act – would I accept the invoice or would I refrain from making a complaint?

So cash flows, invoicing and its tracking, financial forecasts and various reports, ledger and small accounting work are also on my desk.

What made you apply for a job at Stairon?

The job description that came across through the job advertisement and a good first impression. I did not know Stairon beforehand – and the industrial sector is also new to me. Luckily, the relaxed and fair work community of Stairon has welcomed me openly. I have been given time to learn things, and not all the new things have been started to press immediately.

I feel that an easily approachable work community has an enormously important significance, as we spend so many hours at work every day. There is freedom and trust here, one example of which is flexible working hours.

Do you have future career goals?

At least in the beginning, the most important goal is to take over the current job in the best possible way. At Stairon, people are open and support the growth dreams of their employees, so I hope I can also take advantage of interesting additional training opportunities in the coming years. As the miles accumulate and with it the experience, I have outlined in my mind, among other things, the career path of a business controller.

What does it feel like to be a woman in a male-dominated field?

I have been very neutral on the issue from the beginning, even though others have asked me about it. Nothing negative has come up in everyday life regarding this issue. Stairon’s work community is really equal, we are all on the same line and there is no pecking order or “who makes the coffee” vibe here.

When the machines turn off, what do you do in your free time?

There are usually two options: either I exercise or watch TV shows on the couch. I confess to being a major consumer of Nordic crime dramas and historical series. I am also an animal lover, and in addition to the family, I have two lovely cats as company on the couch.

Stairons

Staironman Antti Reivonen

Reivonen Lieto-based Staironman Antti Reivonen is a sales manager equipped with strong experience and a customer service attitude – and a returnee, as Antti and Stairon share a common history from 2013-2016.

“Listening to the customer is the starting point and the outcome of everything. And nowadays it’s not enough to keep the customer satisfied, but you have to be able to aim a little higher,” Antti says and emphasizes that at Stairon, results are not achieved alone, but in harmony.

Check out the video to see what has come out of asking “stupid questions” – and what happens to Staironman in the waves of Airisto.

Customer cases | News | Projects | Stairons

12-year-old Stairon challenges the engineering industry with open-mindedness

Industrial service provider is a creative problem-solver

The word creativity is rarely associated with machine shop operation. The core of the industry is ironclad metal expertise, no question about it.  When creativity is viewed through problem-solving, we are already closer to what is expected of a modern industrial service provider. It is the ability to solve customer problems in an exceptional way.

Timo Kylä-Nikkilä, CEO of Stairon, is happy to shake the dusty image of the sector and challenge traditional ways of thinking. He believes that today’s successful mechanical workshop combines creativity, technology and service in its expertise.

“This has always been done” thinking must be forgotten and we must start looking for original solutions to customer problems, “says Kylä-Nikkilä.

The machine workshop’s traditional operating model is undergoing a change

As a result of the entrepreneurial change implemented at Stairon in 2019, the company has continued to develop and modernise its operations with the aim of being an industrial service provider that will solve the customer’s challenges and the most desirable partner in its sector.

– The competitiveness of Western companies is constantly in the spotlight. In global competition, the competitiveness of a common supply chain formed by all companies in the value chain is crucial. On our part we want to actively develop this integration in cooperation with the actors in the chain. One plus one must be more than two, says Kylä-Nikkilä.

– The development of a functional and cost-effective entity requires clear investments and will from both the supplier and the customer. Holding on to many traditions in the industry will deactivate and stifle activities, as priority is given to avoiding mistakes instead of bold solutions. This is exactly what Stairon wants to challenge and solve together with customers.

Stairon’s problem-solving ability is always based on strong expertise in industrial manufacture. Now the best practices are being developed at the cutting edge of technology, so to speak.

– In addition to the machine and equipment base, we have invested strongly in different information systems to support customer and supplier integration. Of course, the utilisation of digitalisation remains a huge potential throughout the supply chain – the development of data volume, speed and diversity is continuing.

 

Stairon guides young people to the field

The roots of Pansio-based Stairon go back to the 1960s. Since 2009, the Stairon name has been used since the Metso Paper Turku Works business deal. Over fifty years ago, the company focused on the design, manufacture and product development of air conditioning systems for paper machines. Stairon currently serves technology industry operators, who represent more than ten different industries.

According to Kylä-Nikkilä, the multidisciplinary nature and in-depth expertise of the activities are competitive advantages for Stairon. The strong expertise of the Pansio factory has succeeded in refining solutions for a wide range of industries, including the energy, mining, shipping and food industries.

According to Kylä-Nikkilä, the continuity of operations must be actively ensured. The image of the machine shop industry is not as streamlined as many others. The shabby workshop image should be adjusted to better reflect what everyday life currently predominantly is in the manufacturing industry. This is how the most talented young people are brought to the industry.

– The future lies with young people from educational institutions. Cooperation with educational institutions is a competitive advantage for us, and we will use it to ensure that we have also the best experts in the future.

There are also many experts in the machine shop industry who are about to retire in the next few years. By offering young people training and on-the-job learning opportunities, their experiences, learning and knowledge will gradually transfer to a new generation.

A modern company invests in digitalisation and responsibility

Stairon is increasingly managed through knowledge. Digitalisation and automation seek cost and resource efficiency and respond to future challenges. One of them is sustainable development. It is part of global development that does not ignore the engineering industry either.

– It’s important to identify megatrends. Environmental awareness and thus evolving requirements for resource efficiency, renewable energy and renewable raw materials. The growth, prosperity and education of the middle class in developing countries increase awareness and purchasing power. The consumer of the future is responsible and conscious. All these will ultimately also affect the activities of each industrial company directly or at least indirectly.

A lot has happened in twelve years of Stairon. And the pace of change is hardly slowing down. Kylä-Nikkilä emphasises that when a company calls itself a service company, it must also act accordingly. Often that means the courage to think differently. As when Stairon developed a method for servicing the internal surfaces of cruise ship exhaust pipes through rope work, enabling uninterrupted operation of vessels.

– The future Stairon wants to solve even difficult problems. Throw us a challenge! We are ready for this at Stairon, says Kylä-Nikkilä.

Stairon’s 12 years

  • More than 1500 implemented customer projects
  • Services for more than 100 industrial operators
  • Deliveries to over 50 countries
  • Equipment manufacturing for more than ten industrial sectors
Customer cases | News | Projects | Stairons

Co-operation stemming from shared values

Vema Lift, a manufacturer of rescue lifts and rescue vehicles based in Kaarina Finland, and Stairon have worked together long-term and intensively in connection with products that require co-operation in manufacturing and product development. Stairon has claimed their position commendably.

– Stairon can boast with robust expertise in industrial manufacturing, good understanding of the importance of quality and Finnish origins. We value these things greatly, Vema Lift says.

Vema Lift’s history covers over 1,000 manufactured units delivered to 40 different countries. The forward-looking company also demands a lot from their partners.

– Our company manufactures and markets rescue lifts and vehicles worldwide. Naturally then, it is an unquestioned prerequisite that we can be certain of the quality of our products. Stairon has been a key supplier meeting these requirements for Vema Lift.

 

Partnership grows from openness for change

Without communication and openness for change, partnership cannot work as expected and in a forward-looking way.

– Proactive approach to manufacturability related questions of our products has brought additional insights to support our design work. Straightforward communication on the part of Stairon’s professionals has been the key for effective co-operation.

Change is always present. Many devices which are in the product development phase still undergo changes during the manufacturing stage.

– Stairon always reacts to changes openly, Vema Lift summarises.

– It has been exhilarating to see how extensively Vema Lift’s staff have participated and their open mindset for new proposals when presented with common challenges. Open business culture yields the best results, and I believe that is the case here too, Antti Reivonen, Sales Manager at Stairon, comments.

Learn more about Vema Lift and its high-quality products at www.vema.fi

News | Stairons

Developing mechanical engineering and production technology

Decades of experience and strong expertise in the workshops has convinced the former shipbuilder that Stairon has the keys to success. The new foreman believes in the power of development and shared expertise.

When young Toni Kangas found himself in a machine shop, he knew there was no turning back. He has always had a passion for mechanical engineering, which has guided him on his career path. He first spent 20 years working for ABB doing stamping and from there he joined the Meyer shipyard in Turku, first as a foreman and then as a development engineer. At the same time he acquired new skills from Turku University of Applied Sciences, from where he graduated as an engineer of mechanical engineering and production technology. He started as a foreman at Stairon in November 2020.

Toni Kangas is the first machine shop industry professional within his family, and right from the beginning what attracted him to the industry was the changing nature of the work.

“There’s a lot going on all the time. Interest remains high when you can influence the development of the industry”, Toni says.

Development begins with a need

Toni, who describes himself as productive and precise, says that he is a developer who strongly identifies with Stairon’s motto.

“The machine shop industry is often stuck in its ways and likes to do things according to a familiar pattern. We at Stairon want to challenge the status quo. If you want to succeed in the field, you have to have expertise, a good team , and the ability to create something new. All of these building blocks can be found at Stairon”, he says.

Toni is looking forward to being able to develop the company’s parts manufacturing operations in particular. Better processes solve both production and customer challenges. Toni mentions that development work should not be based on the joy of development alone. The work should always result in something tangible.

“A good example is a pilot I carried out for Meyer, where we did certain work steps differently. It eventually resulted in big savings for my then employer. Let’s see what great things we can achieve at Stairon!”

The alphabet of a good working life

Toni wants to be not only a developer but also a fair and trusted foreman who helps his team achieve their goals.

“In order for everyone to succeed in their work, we must account for people’s strengths and work on weaknesses. When everyone can do their best, we create strong skills and quality together”, he says.

Taking responsibility and valuing co-workers and shared expertise were the first things Toni noticed in his new job. Working with professionals has also made it easier to settle into the new job.

“People here have long careers and solid professionalism, so it’s easy to be the foreman”, he laughs.

When we ask the 46-year-old expert what is the most important thing working life has taught him, he is quick to answer. “Work, learning something new, and co-workers. Those are the building blocks for a good and well-functioning work community”, he says.

Careers | Stairons

Stairon gives interns a smooth start in the metal industry

Stairon wants to support future professionals in the industry by offering students opportunities for internships. Given its long history, the company can guarantee its internees a workplace ringing with knowledge and ability.

Practical experience is the best teacher when studying for a vocational degree in the metal industry

Stairon wants to support future professionals in the industry by offering students opportunities for internships. Given its long history, the company can guarantee its internees a workplace ringing with knowledge and ability.

Eetu and Santtu are from Turku and are students attending a vocational programme at Ammattiopisto Spesia. They spent six weeks at internships at Stairon learning their trade and accumulating expertise in the field. In the opinion of these young men, their brief stint at Stairon was a fun and educational time. Read further to see what other ideas have come to them during their stay.

How did you end up in the metal industry?

Eetu: My interest in the metal industry came from my grandfather who worked for 50 years as a metalworker at a shipyard. He had his own workshop in his garage, and we did a lot of metalwork together there.

Santtu: My father did metalwork at a plant in Taalintehdas. He sparked my interest in the metal industry.

How was work at Stairon?

Eetu: I have really enjoyed my time here! I got to work with some great colleagues at Stairon. The place has a good vibe. I always got help and advice.

Santtu: This is a nice place to work, and the atmosphere is great! I get help whenever I need it. This is why I would also be interested in applying for a permanent job at Stairon in the future.

What did you learn during your internship?

Eetu: The internship has taught me a lot about serial production and manufacturing, covering the entire course of the process from the first steps to the final finishing.

Santtu: I’ve learned a lot about production work. It’s been great to try a variety of different tasks.

What has been the coolest part of your job?

Eetu: I can’t pick out just one thing as so much has happened. My entire internship has been cool!

Santtu: It’s been great to see the paper machinery equipment being produced. It was interesting to hear my colleagues describe how these machines work.

What would you like to do next?

Eetu: I still have a year left in my studies. After that, I would like to get a job, of course. However, the goal before that would be to find a summer job in the field, perhaps even here at Stairon.

Santtu: Next spring, I will graduate from school, and I plan to apply for jobs in the metal industry after that.

Stairons

Rope work in the exhaust pipe of cruise ships

Imagine a work site 30 metres long, 120-140 centimetres in diameter. It has a temperature of +40 degrees Celsius and zero light. In addition, the working area is vertical, so the work is done on ropes. This has been the workplace of Marko Lipponen, a longline stair climber, for years. He services ship exhaust pipes on cruise ships around the world.

Cruise ship exhaust maintenance takes a professional around the world

– It’s our job to go through the hardest part of the ship. We work on the ropes, Marko Lipponen
explains.

The ship’s exhaust pipe, or pipe, can only be accessed from the top of the pipe or through a small manhole at the root of the pipe.

– Experience has taught us that it is easier to work up the pipe than down it.

Machines and men are lowered into the exhaust pipe by means of ropes. The work is done both on a harness and on a working platform that is lowered down the chimney.

– Once the working method is understood and learned, the work goes well. I have never had a fear of confined spaces or of the dark. Working with a harness is easy on the buttocks, but fortunately many jobs can be done on a working platform where you can stand.

Safety at work is a must

Men working on the exhaust pipes of cruise ships are trained to work with ropes. They have learnt from, among others, mountaineering specialist Ari Piela, who is the first mountaineering specialist to work on the Mt. Everest from the Tibetan side.

– We were trained really well in Pansio for rope work. Lifting styles, knot fixings and descenders were studied in detail. At the site itself, we always have several men with us to make sure that everything is in order and that the work is done safely,” says Marko Lipponen.

When safety has been carefully managed and the work well planned, there have been no accidents in difficult conditions.

– Of course, in a long horn with the hatches open, there is a strong current of air. This causes a fair amount of debris to come out of the chimney, which then splashes into the eyes and ears. Even this has been overcome with good safety equipment.

Marko Lipponen believes that the high temperature in the working area is something to be taken seriously.

– The exhaust pipe is as hot as an oven. Carry plenty of water and split your shifts into shifts of a few hours so that you don’t get exhausted in the chimney.

7 times a year across the Atlantic

Marko Lipponen has worked in Pansio for 30 years. He started working on exhaust pipe ropes on cruise ships in 2014. Since then, he has become familiar with the seas of the world.

– The first trips were to Australia. Since then, a lot of work has been done on American cruise ships in the Caribbean. One year I crossed the Atlantic seven times. I’ve also been to South America and Alaska for work,” he says.

He’s been happy with his travel work.

– I’ve never felt like changing jobs,” he laughs.

While travelling around the world, he has found that working in different cultures requires a long nose and adaptability.

– Even though we plan our work carefully before we leave for Pansio, there are always surprises on the site. And even if we work on ships from the same shipowner, the working cultures and systems may differ a lot. On a ship, it’s always the captain who decides.

At work, we have also become accustomed to fast departures. Usually, the trips are well planned and scheduled, but Marko remembers that sometimes a trip has started with two hours’ notice.

At the height of the season, work has been interrupted. But the man’s mind is on the seas of the world – even in his free time.

– The plan was to celebrate his fiftieth birthday with a Caribbean cruise. But that’s now out of the question. Now I’ll have to celebrate on a river ferry in Jake or on a ferry,” he laughs.

Stairons

From a sheet metal welder to a foreman

Henri Siimes, not yet thirty, is already an experienced Stairon employee despite his young age. After working for six years as a sheet metal welder, Siimes was inspired to continue his studies. Now, after three years of studying mechanical engineering, he has returned to Stairon in the role of a foreman.

Henri Siimes started at Stairon first in summer jobs and then in a permanent job as a sheet metal welder. The first six years went smoothly, working. Siimes estimates that he has done almost everything possible over the years: component manufacturing, paper dryers, and working in the assembly phase.
-It’s been good to be a sheet metal welder here, he praises.

A nice extra spice to everyday life was provided by gig jobs, which have been both at home and abroad.
-The 2020 environmental directive required that large luxury cruise ships needed to install flue gas scrubbers. It was a new issue that required a lot of knowledge and skills. There weren’t many people in the world dedicated to the task, but we found them from Finland. Gigs on cruise ships were a memorable experience, Siimes says.

According to him, the best thing about the job is definitely a good and precise, really competent work team.
-It has been a privilege to belong to this team where I have been able to learn from others. Teamwork is very rewarding – there is good discussion, problem solving and you get to implement your own thoughts and ideas, he lists.

Back to school

Interest in continuing studies arose little by little. Siimes says that when he was younger, he did not have any special dreams about working life. However, through experience and age, his own interests and strengths began to outline more clearly.

-When you have already done all kinds of things, at some point the feeling came to think about how these things could be done better and more efficiently. And what all options new technology and new advanced measures offer, which could also be implemented with us. Siimes noticed wondering if he could be the kind of person who could bring new practices to the company himself.
-From that was born the desire to continue studying, this time on the university of applied sciences side.

He praises Stairon, which came very well to meet the study plans of an employee “at this late age”.
-It’s very motivating when you find the next step in your career. It’s great how Stairon has received the news and reacted positively, he thanks.

Siimes’s free time is largely spent in sports and seasonal sports. Winter sports include cross-country skiing and ice hockey, and in the summer he particularly enjoys running.
-Good basic fitness helps the head and body to function, he mentions.

Through education to a new role as a foreman

For the last three years, Siimes studied full-time and acted as a substitute for management in the summers. Corona-time largely independent distance learning suited him well. Now he is just about to become a mechanical engineering engineer (BEng). He started permanently as a foreman in December 2022.

Studies in mechanical engineering have opened up new perspectives for Siimes also to his new role.
-Perhaps the most surprising thing was to notice how much projects need to be studied in advance and make plans. There are many different things to consider, and planning work stages and especially difficult work stages takes a lot of time. At the same time, you have to anticipate possible changes and delays and their impact on production, because changes always come. It is essential to note how production can be flexible so that work can still be done sensibly, he describes.

-At the moment, I would like to understand the overall picture of the order-delivery chain, that is, what all it involves, and what all stages it includes, what tools are needed and how they can be controlled, he says.

-My aim is to constantly learn more and accumulate new experience.

Why work at Stairon?

Siimes has a clear answer to what makes Stairon a good workplace.
-Here we have good working conditions and competent colleagues at every level. We also have our own gym which makes it easier to take care of your own fitness, as you don’t have to go to a separate gym.
-My own feeling is that the work here is very varied. There aren’t many similar days, he estimates.

After a workday, it’s easy to do a gym workout at Stairon’s own gym.
While a good work vibe includes appropriate humor, Siimes describes the work culture as considerate and supportive of others.
-In addition, on every front we strive to evolve and develop things and take a stand on various issues where problems have been noticed.

Siimes also praises Stairon’s coaching management culture.
-It’s important to build a culture where no one is left alone, but individuals are still given the opportunity to try and sometimes make mistakes, and dare to challenge old practices.

When ideas are not immediately shot down, then we dare to suggest, do, try and attempt. I hope that the culture will remain like this in the future as well, he says.