Behind the gaskets | Expert interview: A persistent and motivated problem solver

November 26, 2021

Teemu Piipponen, Production Manager at TT Gaskets, is at his best when problem solving and in unexpected situations that require a quick response. He especially enjoys motivating the team and developing their ways of working.

Teemu is very determined, and values being productive, so he tackles all kind of challenges energetically.

– Customers’ problems are almost always solvable in one way or another. When it comes to thought work, I’m at my best in the morning. That’s when I drink a big cup of coffee and focus on solving various challenges.

Issues that might need solving can be related to, for example, the operation of machines, the availability of components, the quality of products or employee matters. Teemu is responsible for ensuring that the resources needed for customer work are just right – both for employees and production.

A long career has taught a lot

Teemu began his career at TT Gaskets as a summer help in the year 2005. Back then, he worked in the post-processing of laser cutting. His actual career with gaskets began in 2009 and now the mechanical and production engineer has 12 full years of work behind him. Ambitious Teemu wanted responsibility – and he got it!

– I started as a design engineer, and gradually moved on to more demanding projects. Finally, I was honored to be named Production Manager in 2015. The stars have aligned many times and the result has been, so to speak, a win-win for both me and the company, Teemu says.

Teemu’s varied duties have taught him a lot about human resource management, the company’s financial management as well as the gasket industry in general.

– I’ve had to digest, among other things, the finer details of labor legislation, the management of machine investments and what the LEAN philosophy means in manufacturing.

Developing and working together are close to his heart

Based on feedback surveys, TT Gaskets has done all the right things to build a comfortable and safe working environment. Both productivity and competitiveness have been improved by actively reforming various processes. For example, the recent expansion has made the factory flow more efficient and productive. Applying LEAN methods has really worked – the results started to show right away.

– I like the family business model of TT Gaskets. The owners are present and therefore decisions can be made very quickly when needed. The employees are listened to, and the company invests heavily in new technology and digitalization every year.

Continuous renewal is important as the field will certainly change with the development of technology. There will always be a need for gaskets, but traditional flat gaskets may be replaced by various extrudable gasket masses. The demand for a wide range of service products, comprehensive maintenance and Kanban systems is also increasing their demand.

In addition to the company, self-development is important to Teemu. He also gets a lot of motivation from helping his colleagues to develop their skills. Cooperation makes the work especially meaningful.

– It’s truly motivating to have this 60-piece orchestra playing the same tune at the same time. We have a youthful, relaxed, and supportive work community with a great attitude. We are all focused on one goal – satisfied customers.

A variety of hobbies balances demanding work

Teemu doesn’t spent much time at home. He’s an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and enjoys a wide range of sports.

– I currently play padel and ice hockey all year round and I also go jogging and to the gym regularly. In the summer I play golf and go water jet skiing, and in the winter, I go snowboarding and cross-country skiing. I’m also a friend of good food and wine and I love to travel around the world.

Teemu enjoys busy days both in his free time and at work. While he works every day with different industries, he has one particular passion.

– I’ve always been fascinated by engines and machines. They’re always wonderful to work with. The bigger and more complex the machine, the more interesting!

Behind the gaskets | Expert interview: Developer of digital services and smart solutions

August 13, 2021

Jaakko Niukkala started at TT Gaskets as a summer employee in 2010. After working alongside his studies for several summers, he did his diploma thesis for TT Gaskets on radio frequency identification (RFID) and the use of sensors in gaskets. After completing the Master of Science degree in electrical engineering, he started working for the company permanently.

– My title is Smart Engineer, which in brief is about developing product and service innovations. We produce smart solutions, the future of our customers in our minds. My job is to bring innovations to the traditional field, such as solutions that increase safety by identifying and measuring gaskets at the site, says Jaakko Niukkala.

Under construction: a tool for material selection

Ideas for innovations come either from the wishes of customers, from other TT Gaskets’ employees or from Jaakko himself. The development and implementation of solutions requires active networking and finding suitable partners.

– We are currently developing, for example, a material selection tool, about which we are discussing with an IT service provider and seeking perspectives from various companies. The idea is to help in the selection of the material of the gaskets via the internet, so that the customer gets an answer when needed, taking into account the conditions and the medium substance of the process. The tool is scheduled to be launched at Subcontracting Trade Fair in the autumn.

TT Gaskets’ goals are abroad, but for pilot projects, we are primarily seeking partners from Finland. The material selection tool enables low-threshold to contact us and at the same time it’s a step towards e-commerce-type thinking.

– We will develop the tool further so that we could recommend a product directly according to the specks. Innovation typically progresses step-by-step. Small but sure steps forward, without biting off more than we can chew at once. First, we collaborate with smaller customers, then bigger ones and finally we aim abroad, Jaakko describes the development work.

Long-term work requires restraint

Jaakko tends to think about the goals for the next day in advance. His versatile work includes among other things making documents, test reports and funding applications, meeting with clients or partners, monitoring projects and producing content for the intranet and writing a blog for TT Gasket’s website.

– We have new, great TT Lab facilities where I sometimes physically test the functionality of the samples with a test flange or a hydraulic press. I’m also involved as an expert in internal projects, such as our solar power plant project, which makes us the first in the world to manufacture gaskets by using solar power.

– Sometimes I join customer meetings with the salesperson in charge, to talk about the more technical side of our new services. TTG Smart Gasket is a service for identifying, monitoring, and measuring gaskets, and TTG Smart Tracking prevents counterfeiting through spare parts tracking. My work is motivated by solving problems and developing something new. My long-term goal is to revolutionize the entire world of gaskets.

As a fun fact, Jaakko says his mother started working for the same company when Jaakko was only five years old.

– My mom retired when I was doing my thesis. As a child, I didn’t know one end of the gasket from the other, and now I’m trying to reduce the recurrence in her work by automating what she once did.

Work and leisure in harmony

The people at TT Gaskets are in the same boat, the work is done in good spirit and with the right attitude and good humor.

– We know each other, and we know who’s responsible for what. We have been successful in recruiting, and employees are trusted by giving us freedom and responsibility. I myself have discussed with my supervisor that I could advance my career to the position of supervisor. As innovations expand, we may sooner or later need helping hands. We also have positive experiences with, for example, trainees from Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

– In addition to work, I’m also active in my free time. I’ve been involved in various roles in scouts for about twenty years. Football is another hobby of mine in many forms, on the field, on the sidelines, and in the stands.

– A house we bought at the end of last year keeps me busy at home too. The upstairs surface and kitchen renovation was completed at the beginning of the year, except for the toilet. Underdrain renovation is completed and next we will move downstairs to the sauna-washroom-fireplace department, where preparations have already been made. The summer includes, for example, a scout camp in Lapland as well as renovations and football of course. While hiking in Lapland last summer, I thought it was raining when mosquitoes hit the tent cloth, Jaakko laughs.

Behind the gaskets | Expert interview: ”Awesome viewpoint on domestic industry”

May 7, 2021

Petri Lehtinen joined TT Gaskets as early as 1998. The journey from sales engineer to product innovation director has taught him to guide others and adjust schedules. Everyday life includes challenges, joy of success, as well as fun coincidences.

– During my first year at TT Gaskets, I took part in a price list discussion at a nuclear power plant. There were at least 600 different gaskets in the price list, added and calculated here and there by different people over time. The partner suddenly asked if I had a raw material price list in my briefcase. He made me calculate the prices of different gaskets based on the list. Fortunately, my calculations were about the same as in our price list. The experienced professional put the young man in a hard place, laughs Petri Lehtinen, recalling that day.

Experienced expert support sales and innovation

Petri started as a young summer worker in Sweden, planting trees to his uncle’s forest. A young man studying to be an HVAC technician also did property maintenance work from lawn mowing to painting carpet racks.

– Then I got a job at TT Gaskets as a sales engineer and I’m still on that path. In addition to my work, I have completed several vocational trainings. Little by little, I got more responsibility when I was assigned as a sales manager. Today, I’m responsible for domestic sales and leading the sales team.

In the role of product innovation director, Petri steers innovations in the right direction.

– We think creatively about what’s needed in the market and how to renew ourselves innovatively as a company. Our latest new service is TTG Smart Tracking, which allows the customer to easily track the location and authenticity of spare parts worldwide. At the moment we are working on a prototype called TTG Smart Gasket, which is related to increased safety, reveals Petri.

– The challenge but also the richness of my work is the diversity of tasks. Fitting all the meetings on the calendar and at the same time supporting the sales and innovation teams in the best way possible requires prioritization. I’m involved in many projects, from the development of sales functions to production machinery investment. I also do operational work whenever I have time to retain my touch, so that I can help others during peak or holiday time.

”TT Gaskets appreciates employees”

In everyday life, Petri enjoys most of all working with people, preferably face to face.

– My job has changed a lot over the years, but I still enjoy being with people. All I can say is that my employer is excellent. The generational change that took place in the family business made Aleksi Arpiainen, the son of Matti Arpiainen, the CEO. Fine, traditional values were passed from father to son. Common values are important factors in how good a spirit our team has.

Although Petri manages domestic sales, he also has his own customers in Central Europe and United States. From America, there are quite a few memories including food poisoning just before the flight and even meeting the local police.

– Once I was driving in a hurry to a customer’s factory in South Carolina. I followed the navigator’s instructions, even though the road was quite small, and the factory was not visible. I noticed a traffic sign saying the road was ending. I didn’t want to be late, and therefore didn’t look for a new route. In the middle of nowhere, there were suddenly boom barriers in front of me. I saw cops eating in their car. They stopped me like in the movies, sirens and flashing lights and all. The story ended happily, but I’ll never forget that little stretch of road.

Nature helps to relax

Petri’s hobbies are close to nature. Hiking in Lapland, boating, and jogging with the Bernese mountain dog Väinö are close to his heart, as are trips together with his family.

– Our children have already moved from home, but we used to travel abroad. The most recent experience was a campervan we rented last summer. We toured Finland for 3,000 kilometers. However, I couldn’t justify myself buying a motor home. I might get a new boat instead.

– I would recommend TT Gaskets as a workplace, if you are at all interested in technology. My own responsibilities have increased over the years and I get to develop myself in a respected position. Our gaskets are used all over the world in all kinds of industry, and although we are a smaller player, we trade with the world’s largest companies, in Finland and abroad, Petri sums up.