Employee stories

Supervisor Victor has worked at Kurikka Timber for 18 years. During this time, he has done nearly everything that Kurikka Timber has to offer.

– I started as sort of a jack of all trades in 2004. On my first day at work, my task was to sweep the floors, Victor says.

Victor moved to Finland as a returnee in 2002 and did not speak one word of Finnish at the time. This was a minor obstacle in finding a job, but Victor, known for his tenacity, learnt the language quickly, after which it was easy for him to move from cleaning to the production team that communicated in Finnish.

– I worked as a finger-jointing operator and line manager for a long time. Four years go, I was promoted as a supervisor.

The supervisor is responsible for organising and scheduling the work, quality checks of the sawmill raw material and, among other things, the induction training of new employees.

– Most of my work is monitoring and guiding production. I usually start my day at 6 a.m. I make sure that the production keeps running and I solve any problems that may arise. My most important tools are my phone and notepad.

Victor points out that Kurikka Timber is always looking for new employees.

– If you have been wondering what working in production is like, we welcome you to come and learn with us! Here, you get to work with a team of professional and helpful colleagues.

Line operator Ristomatti has worked at Kurikka Timber for nine years. He has completed the degrees of saw process operator and laboratory technician. During his studies, Ristomatti saw an open position in a newspaper and soon started working at Kurikka Timber as a trainee.

– On my normal working day, I check that the product is what the customer has ordered. My work includes configuring the finger-jointing machine, maintaining production and quality assurance. To summarise, my duties comprise conventional production line work, Ristomatti says.

Ristomatti says that he likes working at Kurikka Timber even if there is little variety in the work on some days. However, great co-workers make every working day enjoyable.

– The atmosphere in my shift is wonderful, and my co-workers are nice. If you are interested in the industry and doing three-shift work, I can warmly recommend Kurikka Timber.

As a planer, Kirsi makes sure that the boards match the correct specifications. She also needs to anticipate and deal with disturbances at the hall so that the line manager can focus on their task.

– Once the plane is in order and properly configured, my task is to keep the right kinds of products going to the line manager without interruptions. Of course, the exact procedure and environment vary between different halls, Kirsi says.

There is rarely time for planers to sit around, and Kirsi may easily walk 20,000 steps during a working day. She enjoys the physical activity she gets at work.

– In addition to walking, a normal day includes all kinds of activities. Moving around the factory all day also keeps me physically in good shape.

Kurikka Timber is not running out of work anytime soon and Kirsi encourages everyone interested to submit an open job application.

– If you’re looking for work, there is no need to look further than Kurikka Timber. You should try and see what working in production is like. We do not require prior training. You will grow your skills and competence as you work.

Even though a glue-line-operator works on a production line, you also need problem-solving skills.

Köpi has worked at Kurikka Timber as a gluing line operator, or gluer, for ten years. Köpi has technical training in the wood industry, and his work history covers a range of different positions, including a job selling log cabins. He came to Kurikka Timber by chance.

– Another job brought me to Central Finland, and I saw Kurikka Timber’s ad in the paper. At the time, Kurikka Timber was building a gluing hall, where I was then hired.

In fact, I was the very first person to operate the new gluing line, Köpi explains.

The work is done in three shifts, and one shift has three people: a gluer, a planer and a packer. The line produces laminated scantlings by gluing 6-metre finger-jointed bars together.

– Our job is to check that the line runs properly and the bars move smoothly. We check the quality criteria, temperature and compression pressure. Most of the work is monitoring. Our line creates window frames and dispatches the goods where they need to go.

Köpi explains that, after the initial learning curve, the job is quite simple. On the other hand, wood is an interesting and challenging material – it takes time to recognise the quality of the wood being processed.

– Our customers have high expectations for quality, and the end products have very little room for error. Even though a gluer works on a production line, you also need problem-solving skills.

Köpi says that Kurikka Timber is a fair employer, and the atmosphere at work is nice.

– We have lots of work to do here, so welcome along!

Perttu has been working at Kurikka Timber for a long time. At 19 years old, straight from school, he came to Kurikka Timber to work as a substitute during an employee’s sick leave. After this, he quickly became a permanent employee.

Perttu started in planing and soon learnt about lamella gluing. Nowadays, Perttu works as a planer and as a technical expert in glue-lamination. He enjoys the variety and the right amount of challenge his work provides. Working at the mill keeps Perttu active, and he walks easily more than 20,000 steps on a given day.

Even though Perttu has changed jobs a few times over the past 20 years, his journey has always led him back to Kurikka Timber.

– This has kind of become a home – it’s nice to return here. The relaxed atmosphere and great co-workers make even ordinary days more enjoyable, Perttu explains.