kometos customer magazine 6
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Kometos Customer Magazine 6TRANSCRIPT
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KOMETOS CUSTOMER MAGAZINE
KOMETOS STRENGThENS ITS pOSITION IN ThE INTERNATIONAL MARKET
New piece added to Kometos’ portfolio!Tray packing and dosing line solutions
CONTENTS3 A word from the CEOKometos’ operations were reorganised to match the progress of customer processes
4 Introducing the personnel experts in tray packing and dosing line solutions
5 Tray packing and dosing line solutions
6 Story of a projectLargest plant in the history of Kometos was delivered to Russia
8 Kometos strengthens its position in the international market
Customer needs guide the shaping of the organisation
10 News from around the world
11 Kometos on the move
KOMETOS magazine 6
Distribution: 1,000 copiesEditing and pictures: Kometos Oy
Kometos Oyp.O.BOX 97 FI-61801 KAUhAJOKItel. +358 20 757 1400fax +358 20 757 [email protected]
Business ID FI08341723
Life of a project. Read more on page
6
Continuous development is a trait of a process organisation.
Read more on page
8
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Kometos started the year with a new kind of organisational model. Functions were rearranged to match the progress of customer processes. The transition to a process organisation was not a quick thing; it was about long-term development with continuous development aiming to streamline the processes in the background. The first steps towards a process-like operating model were taken six or seven years ago, when Kometos audited the ISO 9001 standard for its use.
Kometos’ strategy is to be a supplier of total solutions. This is also supported by process-like operations, where the responsibilities and authorisations extend throughout the organisation, based on the balanced score card approach used. The Balanced Score Card verifies the financial position of the company, personnel well-being, customer satisfaction and efficiency of operations similarly to the colours of traffic lights. Process-like operation requires that the management and supervisors have solid people management competence and be sparring partners. An external consultant has been utilised in the background work.
The transition to a process organisation has required flexibility from the personnel, but spreading the process mind-set to the entire organisation has further increased the team spirit at Kometos. Taking responsibility for the whole thing has now extended to all levels. The work has offered challenges and been motivating.
To my mind, a community cannot develop unless the individuals develop. Therefore, all Kometos employees have been fine-tuning their ways of working and learning to manage and prioritise the way they use their time. Adapting to the new approach has been the result of finding a shared strategic intent. It is born out of several small, important things. Many of these are related to attitudes, such as improving occupational safety. I believe that process thinking will secure Kometos’ growth and development in the future, too.
RAIMO NIEMI
President & CEO
IMplEMENTATION OF ThE STRATEGYIS AdvANcINg wITh ThE pROcESS ORgANISATION
Toimitusjohtajan terveiset
A word from the cEO
Jarmo Rajamäki, Sales [email protected]
My work includes selling thawing, dosing and box handling equipment. I have worked at Kometos for slightly over a year.
Knowing the customers’ processes and needs is important to me so that the right equipment can be offered with the properties our customers need.
I consider it extremely important that promises we make to customers are fulfilled.
My hobbies include old Japanese motorcycles, fishing and forestry. The forest helps you get away from stress! The lyrics of a song by Kari Tapio depict my dream well: “I have no special wishes, if
only I could die healthy”.
Seppo Vierikko, Electric and Automation [email protected]
I just joined Kometos and my job description is still being written. The job description will soon probably be detailed further in the area of electric and automation design.
I currently have quite few hob-bies, but I spend most of my available leisure time just enjoying myself.
I find demanding situations inspiring. Work has to be challenging and I am happy to be faced with new situations every day.
Tapio Latvala, Sales [email protected]
I model and draw machines, equipment and plants for the needs of production and sales. I joined Kometos in early December 2012.
My hobbies include brass band mu-sic, sports and reading. My spouse is studying in Oulu, but we are dreaming
of a house of our own somewhere in Southern Ostrobothnia.
It is important to me that my work includes problem-solving and is varied. Of the practical
matters, the working time bank is very important to me because hobbies and
positions of trust occasionally also require my presence during the week.
I make use of diverse experience spanning over 25 years in the material handling industry at Kometos’ sales department in layout planning in order to find solutions that suit the customers. Spare parts for Traypack equipment are also part of my tasks. I have worked at Kometos for a few months.
During my leisure time, I have a lot to do, living in a detached house. There is a lot of feminine energy in my family: my wife and three daughters, the two oldest of who already live in their own homes.
Solving interesting and challenging problems, preferably through team-work, is important in my work.
INTROducINg ThE pERSONNEL ExpERTS INTRAy pAcKINg ANd dOSINg LINE SOLuTIONS:
Introduction of the personnel
Pertti Yli-Kohtamäki, Machine and Equipment Designer
AT wORK
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at the end of 2012, Kometos acquired Traypack Engineering Oy, a manufacturer of dosing and box packing equipment for the food industry. With the transaction, a number of skilled food industry professionals also joined the ranks of Kometos. Through this acquisition, Kometos is reinforcing its position as a project supplier of total production lines and complementing its already-renowned top expertise in the field. Tray packing and dosing line solutions expand Kometos’ product portfolio in a natural way.
Tray packing and dosing line equipment yield high capacity and weight accuracy. They are based on simple solutions, and the stainless steel structure facilitates easy cleaning. They are easy to service and feature a high level of
hygiene. They are flexible to use as they are suited for a diverse range of products. The equipment can be connected to work with line components from a variety of suppliers, says Jarmo Rajamäki, Sales Manager at Kometos.
Kometos’ own logic expertise is crucial to customers. Product support and service are handled by the same people who built the line. A remote connection can be used to monitor the operation of the equipment and install software updates, for example.
The fact that the parts are manufactured with dimensional accuracy is essential in designing and implementing a good solution. Hygiene and ease of service are core matters in this field, Jarmo emphasises.
Kometos designs, develops and manufactures the tray packing and dosing line solutions in-house and is therefore familiar with all of the phases of the supply chain. Continuous product development keeps the equipment up-to-date and competitive.
With Kometos, customers get tailored solutions for their production, technical advice and spare part and customer service from a single supplier.
Tray packing and dosing line solutions:
INTROducINg ThE pERSONNEL ExpERTS INTRAy pAcKINg ANd dOSINg LINE SOLuTIONS:
EASy TO wASh ANd
cLEAN
hygIENIc STAINLESS STEEL
STRucTuRE
cOMpATIbLE wITh OThER
LINE EquIpMENT
Toimitusjohtajan terveiset
New product group
“Hygiene and ease of service are core matters in this field.”
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STORY OF A PROJECTKometos supplied the largest pig slaughterhouse in its history to the pulkovsky Group in Russia. The plant is comprised of 22 modules that are fully equipped for slaughterhouse use.
“ChAllENGES pROvIDE US wITh MORE MOTIvATION TO cREATE bETTER SOLuTIONS TO ThE pRObLEMS FAcEd by OuR cuSTOMERS.”
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STORY OF A PROJECT
PULKoVsKY GroUP Is Russian company specialising in the pork industry. Driven by the national programme to develop Russian agriculture, the company started domestic meat production to cater for the demand for pork in north-eastern Russia. Pulkovsky Group’s pig slaughterhouse is the leading plant in the field in Russia. The products of Pulkovsky’s pig slaughterhouse are mainly sold in the Vyborg, St. Petersburg and Novgorod areas. The market comprises more than eight million residents. The new plant produces slaughtered pig as carcass halves. In the future, the aim is to also produce boneless cuts, such as organs. These include the heart, kidneys, liver and tongue and cheek muscles. The plant’s slaughter capacity is 35 pigs per hour. The products are transported from the plant for further processing packed in a box and refrigerated to be packed in con-sumer packaging. The modules of the pig slaughterhouse supplied by Kometos are equipped with electricity, air conditioning, water and plumbing systems as well as cooling and heating equipment. Furthermore, the delivery included all of the required pro-duction and packaging equipment and the automation and carcass registration system.
From start to goal in seven months Julius Viskari, project engineer at Kometos, was in charge of the Pulkovsky project. His task was to organise the project from design to plant installation and mechanical and production commissioning. In connection with the commissioning of the plant, the plant’s personnel were given equipment and pro-cess training and training in hygiene and good practice in a slaughterhouse. “It is important that the people in the slaughterhouse understand the effect of the rearing-transportation-slaughter process of the animals being led to slaughter on the quality of the final product. Animals must be
treated humanely; this results in high-quality meat products for consumers,” Julius says. The design of the plant took off when Kometos’ agent in St. Petersburg learned about a pig slaughterhouse being built in Novgorod. Kometos’ sales organisation began nego- tiations with the customer by preparing a needs assessment that resulted in an offer for delivering a pig slaughterhouse to the area. Kometos did not have an off-the-shelf concept for a pig slaughterhouse of this size, so a design contract was first concluded with the customer in spring 2012. The plans were completed a couple of months later in cooperation with a Russian engineering office. A sales contract on the delivery of the plant based on the plans was concluded in early summer 2012. The modular plant was transported to Novgorod in September, and installation was in full swing at the beginning of October. The first pigs were slaughtered in December, and final commissioning took place in spring 2013.
All challenges are overcome
The large size of the plant, 1,100 m², was a challenge to Kometos’ production. All modules were completed as prefabricated elements in Kometos’ own 3,000 m² production facilities. However, some of the modules had to be furnished outside the plant because the slaughterhouse was partially constructed for tests and measurements. Challenges were also caused by the choice of appropriate machines and equipment for the process and fitting them into the modular structures. “Kometos has highly expert and competent personnel, so all problems could be solved in cooperation. Challenges provide us with more motivation and the will to create bet-ter solutions to the problems faced by our customers. Legislative differences between Finland and Russia emerged during the implementation of the project. Because of this, we changed some parts of the process.”
“The schedule of building the plant was ambitious. Also, a plant with this level of technology and on this scale had never before been manufactured in the history of Kometos, which added to the challenges of the project. Our swift reactions, innovation and ability to adapt to the customer’s desires and needs cost-efficiently were emphasised in this project,” Julius says.
building blocks of cooperation and trust
Pulkovsky Group is a very demanding customer and aware of the structural and legislative aspects related to a slaughterhouse. “It is great and challenging to cooperate with a customer such as this, and there was a lot of discussion on several issues. Fortunately, both sides were also flexible so we could reach an understanding on everything,” Julius says of the phases of the project. When the design contract was complete, a total of 462 drawings had been prepared. When the plant had been manufactured at Kometos’ plant and handed over to the customer, there were an astonishing 3,817 drawings of equipment and structures. The cooperation with Pulkovsky became even deeper when the plans for the plant were completed. Both parties were satisfied with the results. At the beginning of summer 2012, the customer visited Kometos’ plant in Kauhajoki to learn about modular structures and was extremely pleased with what they saw. With Kometos also announcing that the delivery had just taken off to Russia exactly on the agreed day, the customer’s deep trust in Kometos had been achieved. “We succeeded in designing and manufacturing a fine, func-tional slaughterhouse entity for the customer in a project in which Kometos and its entire personnel underwent a fantastic learning process,” Julius Viskari says, summing up the project with pride.
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KOMETOS ORGANISED FOR INTERNATIONAL gROwTh
THE STARTING POINT of process-like operation is to help the personnel to understand the big picture of the operation of their workplace and the importance of their own work in reaching the goals. In a process organisation, the significance of design and managing the set goals is enhanced. The combination of the overall quality, service and product experienced by the customer improves. The aim is to generate innovation and quality-related added value for customers and stakeholders. Continuous development is a trait of a process organisation.
Kometos adopted the process organisation model at the beginning of the year. The following discussion took place in the company’s management team a few months after the reform.
what were the bases for the organisational reform and the transition to a process-oriented operating model?RN: The transition to the process organisation model was unavoidable. It is the best model for a growth company such as ours. Operating as a process organisation effectively allocates responsibilities to the personnel.EP: In process-like operations, it is easy to take things forward and implement changes.
As Raimo said, Kometos is in transition, growing from a small workshop to a large industrial company, and process-oriented thinking is exactly suited to that. Also, managing the subcontracting network will become easier. PP: Complementing this, we wanted to divide the various functions and designate an owner for each process. This simplifies operations and makes it possible to develop them. KN: Yes, the process organisation model clarifies the interfaces and responsibilities of the organisation. We now have a small yet strong core team to implement the decisions.
what are the main benefits and future added value of the change in your mindset?RN: The main benefits are provided by being able to drill down into each phase of the process and continuously develop the process. Process-like operation also makes it possible to develop the competence and innovation of individuals and the workplace together with the balanced score card system used by us. EP: To my mind, the main benefits for work are offered by keeping things under control and systematically managing the project. The product and delivery are of an even higher quality than before.
PP: Now, everyone knows their roles more precisely and can influence their job descriptions. The new operating model offers flexibility, sturdiness, speed and, above all, accuracy to our opera-tions. The possibility of errors is decreased. KN: We have worked on this for so long that the benefits are beginning to be self-evident to us. To my mind, the main benefits are the controlled implementation of decisions and the fact that the entire personnel are committed to the decision.
how will the change influence Kometos’ market position?RN: The change provides resources to our strategic decision to change all of our sales regions to sales departments and operate in these regions in a way that respects the culture of the country in question. EP: That’s true, our position will strengthen and we will be a reliable player in the market. With this, we will conquer the markets!PP: The change will facilitate more extensive markets and offers us increased potential to meet market expectations.
what are the benefits of the change for customers?RN: Customers get better, higher-quality
In a process organisation, work is organised on the basis of functional processes. The processes and the teams in charge of the related work phases make up a clear work chain.
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KOMETOS ORGANISED FOR INTERNATIONAL gROwTh
products from us. The overall quality received and experienced by the customer will increase. EP: Someone is always assigned respon-sibility for the project and to act as a link between the customer and Kometos. Customers will receive good service when they can always contact the same person, regardless of their question. We are on the same side with the customer in the imple-mentation of the project. It is to both parties’ benefit that the project is carried out flawlessly. PP: The customer receives better service when things are done even better and even more precisely. The comple-tion of the project will take place solidly. KN: The delivery order process will also become more efficient. We have also put a CRM system into active use, which contributes to clarifying the operating process. All of the correspondence with the customer can be found in it.
how do you see your own team’s role in the project?RN: The management team’s role is to see the big picture and facts in all situations, make choices and move things forward. In addition, planning and preparing indicators are important areas. Cooperation between different functions starts with the management team.
EP: My team has the biggest role in the process. We fulfil what the sales people promise. PP: The role of sales is vital in Kometos’ process! Sales are the first priority. Sales are the first thing outsiders see, in the form of net sales and profit. KN: Even though the role of the financial team is invisible, it is nevertheless extremely important. We make sure that invoicing is correct and appropriately timed and that payments are received. We are also responsible for shipping out the deliveries and export documentation. We are kind of an extension of sales.
how are the new operating model, Kometos’ strategy and the values that support it reflected in the everyday work of Kometos’ employees? RN: Everyone has clear instructions and the operating model in the process is also clear. EP: The tasks of the employees have become clearer and everyone has a specific role. Everyone is aware of the expectations and targets. PP: We have a four-person management team and four areas of responsibility. This clarifies the internal responsibility of the process. We make more accurate results. This change will provide the personnel with independence; everyone can influence the final result. The change
emphasises the importance of teamwork.KN: We take care of our employees. They have up-to-date equipment. We encourage them to develop and obtain training. We also encourage them through an incentive scheme. Everyone benefits when they work together for success. RN: However, we should always remember that our customers are the most important driver for the organisational structure!
“however, we should always remember that our customers are the most important driver for the organisational structure!”
Seafood ProceSSing euroPe 23–25 ApRIL 2013
iffa in franKfurT 4–9 MAy 2013 ThE IFFA TRAdE fair will be organised in Frankfurt on 4–9 MAy. IFFA is the leading international trade fair in meat processing, packing and sales. It has been the international meeting place of the meat processing industry and the world’s most important forum for investment decisions since 1949. The coverage and extent of products on display at IFFA and the exceptionally high number of international exhibitors and visitors are convincing proof of its unique position in the industry once every three years. In 2010, there were 58,000 industry visitors from approximately 130 countries in Frankfurt to review the products and services of 949 exhibitors. The share of visitors from outside Germany increased significantly from 47% three years earlier to 59%, an all-time high.
wEb ShOp AT yOuR SERvIcE 24/7
KOMETOS SuppLIES ITS FIRST ThAwINg SySTEM TO ThAI cOMpANyThE ThAwINg sysTEM makes it possible to thaw approximately 10,000 kg of chicken from -20 °C to -2 °C. The process takes approximately five hours. Installa-tion and commissioning will take place during April. The customer carried out extensive surveys and testing before choosing the supplier. The speed and uniform quality of the final product were Kometos’ advantages. Kometos believes that it will find additional markets in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Kometos’ local agent in Thailand is MT FOOD SYSTEMS CO. LTD.
KOMETOS’ NEw AgENT
ThERMAL pROcESS SySTEMS
KOMETOs hAs A new agent, the Belgian company Thermal Process Systems, located in western Belgium in Ardooie, close to the French border. The company operates in the Benelux region and France. The company’s location is optimum, as the Dutch, Belgian and French markets are all within reach. The main target group of Kometos’ solutions in this region includes meat processors and producers of ready meals. Thermal Process Systems strengthens Kometos’ position in the Benelux area and France with the French language skills of the company’s personnel and knowledge of the local market. Rik Valk, who is responsible for the company’s cooperation with Kometos, is also familiar with Kometos’ food industry solutions. Underlying the cooperation is a major project implemented together with Kometos in 2010; its favourable experience resulted in cooperation negotiations on becoming an agent.
KOMETOS wILL dELIvER ThAwINg EquIpMENT TO SNELLMAN
sNEllMAN ANd KOMETOs have signed an agreement on the delivery of thawing equip-
ment. The equipment, which will be realised using a new method developed by Kometos, will utilise new, energy-efficient blower technology and new control automation. This will yield high power and uniform thawing results. The plant’s
existing systems will be utilised in the cooling and heating systems. This provides high energy
efficiency. The equipment will be delivered during spring 2013 as part of Snellman’s plant expansion project, which is currently underway.
News from around the world
sEAFOOd PROCEssINg EUROPE serves the needs of the European and international markets for seafood processing equipment, services, packing and logistics. Seafood Processing Europe will take place in connection with the European Seafood Exposition on 23–25 April. The exhibitors of Seafood Processing Europe specialise in the following kinds of equipment and solutions, among others: containers cooling systems packing machines cooling systems and supplies storage, refrigerated storage
www.KOMETOSwEbShOp.cOM
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LEARNINg AbOuT ScIENcE wITh SuppORT
FROM KOMETOSIn JanUarY 2013, students from Kauhajoki Upper Secondary School travelled to a science camp in Geneva to visit the CERN research institute. The research institute, which specialises in particle physics, has diverse research projects related to the essence of matter. The best-known of these is probably CERN’s particle accelerator, which can be used to imitate the conditions just after the universe formed, for example. CERN is an international organisation established in 1954. It currently has 20 European member states, of which Finland is one. Kometos took part in supporting the visit of Class 2a from Kauhajoki Upper Secondary School to find out about the world’s top achievements in the field of particle physics. Kirsi Niemi, CFO at Kometos, says that they are pleased to sponsor young people who are interested in science. Kometos employees are explorers by nature, and guiding the young people of their hometown to become future scientists is dear to their hearts.
Kometos on the move
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Results by know-how
TRAy pAcKINg ANd dOSINg LINE SOLuTIONSKometos’ product range includes diverse packing and material handling solutions for use by the food industry. Kometos’ system solutions increase the efficiency of the production process. All of the systems supplied meet the quality requirements and standards used in the industry.
We offer tailored solutions for your process!
www.kometos.com
now the entire
production chain
up to the plate!