That feeling when your colleagues are pulling together to finish a project on time
During his entire work life, Janne Mäkelä has been involved in the manufacturing and operations side of businesses. While working in valve manufacturing, one of the highlights is when a product is delivered to the customer on time. It is that feeling when colleagues pull together to finish a project on time. What made Janne join Valmet’s Flow Control business in Vantaa, Finland, and what does he think of Valmet’s culture?
What does your job entail? What is your area of responsibility?
“I currently have quite a wide range of responsibilities at the Flow Control Vantaa technology center in Finland. I’m responsible for project valve and top-work assemblies in the Special and Heavy Stream of valve operations. Additionally, the Paint Shop and Actuator factory fall under my areas of responsibility. Looking at continuous improvement and development, the Lean and Development team in the plant is part of my organization as well.”
What has your career path been like? And can you tell us about your educational background?
“My background is in Chemical Engineering, but my entire career has been in the manufacturing and operations part of the business. After graduation, I worked for seven years as a Production Engineer in the semiconductor business before making my dream come true and moving to Australia for 7.5 years. Down Under, I managed a foam and mattress factory until I moved back to Finland in 2014 to join the frequency converter business as a Production Line Manager. Now, for nearly six years, I have worked at the Vantaa technology center in different positions in valve manufacturing and I love my job.
When I applied to Flow Control, the role available at that time was very interesting in a manufacturing environment. I also thought I would have an opportunity to share my knowledge, learn new things, and grow as a professional. One of the important things for me is to work in a global company. After six years, I’m very happy that I have the chance to work for Valmet’s Flow Control business line.”
What challenge were you particularly pleased with improving or solving here at Flow Control?
“Building our beautiful Standard Factory in Vantaa, Finland was a great experience. I had a chance to work with a large team of experts from different areas, and by pulling together, we managed to get the project ready on time. We built a valve factory in just 11 months. In the end, the outcome was even better than I could have imagined at the start.”
Do you have a nice memory or experience about working at Flow Control that you would like to share?
“I’ve been very lucky to have been able to see different Valmet sites and meet committed and helpful colleagues from different businesses. All these sites, including the Vantaa flow control technology center, are connected by happy and smiling people and that’s something I really appreciate.”
What is the best career lesson that you would like to share with others?
“Think how your actions best support the goals of your team, department or even a bigger entity; the company, and strive to achieve those in your work. My aim is to enable my team to achieve their targets and support them in their career opportunities. This means we have open discussions about basically everything. Anyone can propose or challenge an idea without fear being left out. This creates an environment where results can be achieved and continuous improvement is part of our DNA. I have learned over the years that we need to have the same goal even if we have different responsibilities because, at the end of the day, we all serve the same customer.”
How would you describe your colleagues and Valmet’s culture?
“I’m very happy to have such a professional team of people working with me at Valmet. We have great laughs every day, but at the same time, we are a very result- and people-driven organization. Positivity is a big factor in Valmet’s culture.”
What do you most like about working at Valmet?
“What really makes me happy is when we do things together and manage to deliver demanding products to our customers. It’s that feeling when your team members are pulling together to finish a project on time; it is just outstanding. We have so many awesome professionals here that nothing is impossible!”
