Jukka – A Plant Manager’s Daily Life Amid Changes
Jukka is the plant manager of our powder coating plant, Top Speed. He has been working with us for just over three years now. Top Speed recently moved to new premises in Jyväskylä, so we asked Jukka how the transition project went and what life as a plant manager has been like during this period of change.
Jukka has a background in mechanical engineering, followed by a long career in power transmission solutions for the wind energy industry. He joined Ouneva Group when the plant manager position became available. Jukka had been seeking a new type of challenge in a smaller company for some time. He found Ouneva Group appealing because of its Finnish roots, and he was particularly drawn to Top Speed’s small company size combined with the support of the larger Group.
When we began searching for a plant manager, the need for new premises was already clear. Jukka was eager to take on this challenging project. During the project, we spoke with Jukka several times. Reflecting on the start of his Ouneva Group career, Jukka says he learned a lot about powder coating and the industrial sector focused on contract manufacturing.
The factory transition project demanded a lot from Jukka, especially given the relatively short onboarding period. Jukka explains that every possible factor was carefully examined for the project, both regarding the new building and future plans. The project was designed to be as flexible as possible, but considerable effort was required to stay on schedule. Jukka notes that with the new workspace comes significant responsibility, particularly in terms of developing work practices and leading the change. The goal was to create modern, pleasant workspaces for everyone while taking employees’ wishes into account.
Top Speed’s operations have now fully moved to the new premises on Kankitie. The renovations of the new facility were completed on schedule, and the Top Speed staff have been working entirely in the new premises since November. The spaces are bright, and the production layout has been designed to better meet both current and future needs as the business grows. Below, you can see a few snapshots of our new facilities!
To balance his demanding work life, Jukka enjoys spending time with his children at their hobbies and doing renovation work at home. He even managed to complete a cabin construction project—rumor has it that the cabin is equipped with Genelec speakers. Jukka is passionate about music and audio technology, so there’s no shortage of gear. He stays in shape through sports and hopes to return to playing floorball while rehabilitating a knee injury.
