The opening of our subsidiary in Finland marks an important milestone for VALEMO, and with it the arrival of two new Operations Managers, ready to take on the challenges of managing and maintaining our Nordic wind farms. Discover their profiles!
1. Introduction & Background
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Juha:
I’m “basic Finnish engineer” (semi-boring and detail oriented) with long career on wind industry. I’m living with my family in old single house nearby Gulf of Bothnia seacoast at Martinniemi, which app 36 km to north from Oulu.
I’m very keen to nature and animals and enjoy spending time outdoors.
It is always hard to describe yourself. This question should be asked from my friends, and from them, who know me.
In Finland is common to say: “my father used to call me hard-working and my mother used to say I’m good looking…”.
But I don’t completely stand behind with my mother’s opinion.
Kimmo :
My name is Kimmo and I have lived almost my whole life in Oulu, or near by Oulu. On my free time I like to fish, hunt and build / renovate stuff and spend time in my summer cottage with family and friends. Me and Juha own together a plot (couple of hectares in the middle of nowhere) and like to do some demolition and building with different inventive ways and usually the plans are made “on the fly”, if that is considered as a hobby. Since Juha used some common saying in his introduction, we often use a saying when someone achieves something that he/she is “Next to god, not necessarily below”. Much obliged if you had the patience to read this far.
What was your background before joining VALEMO, and what attracted you to the renewable energy sector?
Both of us have been working in the wind industry for several years. Our careers started at the Finnish wind turbine manufacturer Winwind Oy. Although we had different responsibilities, Winwind was the employer for both of us. We first met while working for Winwind back in 2008, and since then, we’ve been doing all kinds of stupid and cool stuff together!
Before joining VALEMO, we worked for wpd windmanager Suomi Oy, taking care of technical management tasks for wind parks.
As for what attracted us to the renewable energy sector… well, it was mainly by accident. Years ago, we both thought working in renewables could offer a long-term career, and honestly, it didn’t seem like the worst choice.
What is your role as an Operations Manager in Finland, and what are your main daily tasks?
Both of us are taking care of all the operations at the moment, as the company needs to ensure everything runs smoothly first. Kimmo handles site inspections and reports, while Juha is more focused on administrative tasks.
As for our daily tasks, the morning always starts with coffee 😊. From there, it depends on the day!
-If we’re on site, we have planned tasks like inspections or meetings with the service department.
-On office days, we start by checking emails, reviewing calendars, and catching up on the latest happenings at the wind farms.
How have your first months at VALEMO been, what has surprised you the most, and what are the main challenges you face?
Our start at VALEMO was very busy: we spent the first 8 weeks in Viiatti, doing turbine inspections, handling administrative tasks, and getting familiar with the site and personnel. Our office wasn’t even furnished, so we worked sitting on the floor with laptops on our laps 😄.
What surprised us the most since joining is how much the company genuinely cares about employee well-being and creating a good work environment. The company’s principles really support the idea that we’re working to make a better future, not just to maximize profits.
As for the challenges, the biggest one right now is making sure everything runs smoothly. There’s still a bit of a learning curve with the tools and software provided by the company, which can sometimes be a bit tricky.
What motivates you the most in this job, how do you see the future of renewable energy in Finland, and what do you appreciate the most about VALEMO’s company culture?
What motivates us the most is that the company genuinely cares about the well-being of its employees and creating a positive work environment. The company’s principles align with the idea that we’re striving to create a better future, not just focusing on maximizing profits.
As for the future of renewable energy in Finland, especially the wind industry, it has faced significant changes and challenges recently. However, from what we understand, there are ongoing efforts to improve things. Overall, the future for renewables looks very promising.
What we appreciate the most about VALEMO’s culture is the strong support for employee well-being. It’s clear that the company places real value on its people.
