nurminennews 1/2014 en

The chemical industry is growing in Russia Nurminen wins four significant chemical industry customers. s. 8

Inspired by challengesMeet Tadas Jogminas, head of the sales department at Nurminen’s subsidiary in Lithuania. s. 16

Logistics needs more young peopleVuosaari Upper Secondary School in Helsinki offers education in logistics. s. 22

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3 EditorialYoung people lack interest in logistics.

4 More environmentally friendly logistics servicesNurminen’s new trucks comply with the Euro 6 emission standard.

5 Nurminen NowNurminen will centralise its railway terminal operations to Luumäki.

6 Towards a more efficient future in logisticsOlli Pohjanvirta, President and CEO of Nurminen Logistics, looks at the company’s performance in 2013 and its goals for 2014.

1/20148 The chemical sector

is growing faster than other industries in RussiaNurminen signed transport agreements with four Russian chemical giants in 2013.

14 Centrefoldpresents Nurminen’s salespeople and your contact persons.

16 Challenges are the spice of workMeet Tadas Jogminas, head of the sales department at Nurminen’s subsidiary in Lithuania.

18 Kimmo helps others in his free timeTerminal worker Kimmo Muuri recharges his batteries by serving in a voluntary fire brigade.

20 Taking on new tasksMeet new Nurminen Logistics employees.

22 Logistics for young peopleMaking logistics more interesting for young people is our common challenge.

26 ReferenceValmet is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries.

6 Nurminen Logistics’s year 2013 was difficult, however, it also included many moments of success.

18 Kimmo Muuri’s hobby is varied and exciting.

20 Mira Jaakola serves forwarding customers in Rauma.

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Nurminen News 1/2014

2 CONTENTS

A while ago, I told the new goalkeeper of our women’s football team that I work for a logistics company. The young woman stared at me with her mouth open. “You drive a truck?” A truck driver is what young

people think of first when they hear the word “logistics”. Finnish Economic Information Office TAT carries out an annual survey of young people’s career expectations after lower and upper secondary school. In the When School Ends survey, young people have described logistics as “a boring job where you just sit in a truck every day”, “not my thing” and “a BORING job for men only”. Only 6% of upper secondary school students and 17% of lower secondary students see logistics as an interesting field of work. In addition, 63% of all respondents feel that the gap between school and working life is too wide.

This is an opportunity for us to take action. We will need competent and enthusiastic young people to provide our customers with logistics services that boost their competitiveness. As we all know, logistics is at its best when it goes unnoticed. Nurminen seeks to interest young people in logistics by cooperating with TAT and Vuosaari Upper Secondary School, which specialises in logistics. You can read more about our cooperation on pages 22–25. This spring, upper secondary school students will have an opportunity to follow the work of managers, supervisors and experts for a day at Nurminen as part of the Hundred Shadows of Logistics campaign. The campaign serves to improve the image of logistics among young people.

On a few occasions, I have had the opportunity to ride in one of our special transport trucks, and I can tell you that the experience was far from boring. A special transport weighing several hundred thousand kilos inspires respect from other users of the road. High in the cabin, you can greet people like a queen. Next summer, Nurminen will deploy three new Mercedes-Benz trucks, which reduce fuel consumption and, above all, emissions. They can only be driven by highly skilled professionals who have mastered all road conditions and enjoy their highly demanding work. They are entrusted with unique and valuable loads, which is anything but boring. s

I hope that you enjoy reading this issue and have a nice spring!

Laura Jokinen is Communications Manager of Nurminen Logistics

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A BORING job for men only...

“You drive a truck?”


3EDITORIAL

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TOP3: More environmentally friendly logistics services

1 Cooperation with the construction material

giant Knauf in the CIS

Nurminen Logistics and Knauf, one of the largest construction material manufacturers in Europe, have signed an agreement on the transport of Knauf’s products in Russia and the CIS. In the early stages of the cooperation, Nurminen will transport Knauf’s products in its covered wagons from the company’s production plants in Kuban, Chelyabinsk, Kungur and Baikal to several destinations in Russia and other CIS countries. Nurminen uses 15–20 covered wagons monthly for the transport of Knauf’s products from each contract plant.

2 New, more eco-friendly

fleet

Nurminen has ordered three Mercedes-Benz trucks for its special transport and project services unit. The trucks are compliant with the Euro 6 emissions standard. The Mercedes-Benz Actros 3351 trucks have several fuel-saving innovations. This makes the trucks economical to use and, above all, reduces emissions. The new trucks will be included in Nurminen’s first-rate special transport fleet from the summer of 2014.

3 Through Finland in beautiful cold

weather

In the end of January Nurminen Logistics transported two converters manufactured by Outotec and weighting 95 tonnes (10.11 x 5.44 x 5.37 metres) from Outokumpu to the port of Mäntyluoto. The winter frosts stayed below -20 degrees during whole transportation but it didn’t slow down the drive. From Mäntyluoto Nurminen’s partner, who is responsible for the whole project, continued transporting converters to its’ final destination in Namibia. s

Nurminen wants to strengthen its position in railway traffic in Russia and nearby areas, in railway traffic between Finland and Russia and in special transport and project services. New customers generate growth in Russia. In addition, Nurminen will deploy three new trucks in the summer of 2014, to enable more economical and environmentally friendly transports for customers, in all weather conditions.


4 NURMINEN NOW

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VOTE FOR THE BEST ARTICLE IN THIS MAGAZINE AND WIN A KAJO CORE25 BACKPACK!

As the best article of Nurminen News 2/2013, the readers selected Alpo collects old tractors, which described the hobby of terminal worker Alpo Kekkonen. The article received 35 % of the votes. The second-highest vote getter was article At Russia’s gate to the West with a 31 % share. The cover story on project logistics Unerring project logistics received 15 % of the votes. A Wiesenthal bluetooth speaker was raffled among all voters and the lucky winner was Pekka Seppänen of Nurminen Logistics. Congratulations to the winner!

You can vote for the best article in this magazine at www.nurminenlogistics.com. The voting ends at the 26 of May 2014. s

Giant engines from Rauma to TurkuAt the beginning of March, Nurminen transported two 190-tonne engines from Rauma to Turku. The engines were for the Mein Schiff 4 cruise liner, which is being built in the STX Turku yard. The engines were transported on a 16-axle modular platform, and a pusher vehicle was used in addition to a truck. The combination weighed a total of 292 tonnes. s

New address for the Vainikkala officeThe Vainikkala office of Nurminen Logistics is moving to a new address. From the beginning of April, it will serve customers at Ratapihantie 7, 54720 Vainikkala. All other contact information will remain unchanged. s

Nurminen’s annual report is available onlineNurminen Logistics has published its annual report, Board of Directors’ report and financial statements for 2013 online. They are available at www.nurminenlogistics.com/AnnualReport. s

Nurminen to centralise its railway terminal operations to LuumäkiNurminen Logistics has decided to discontinue indoor warehousing in Niirala and Vainikkala and centralise its railway terminal operations to Luumäki. Nurminen Logistics will reduce capacity and close down two indoor terminals in response to the market transformation in Finland, where wagons are increasingly loaded directly from factories, without intermediate storage.

The outdoor loading of machines, equipment and project shipments to Russia and the CIS will continue in Niirala and Vainikkala. s


5NURMINEN NOW

FACT BOX

Mr. Olli Pohjanvirta (LL.M.) has been elected as President and CEO of the Company in November 2013. Mr. Pohjanvirta has previously acted as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company 2010–2013 and as a member of the Board 2005–2010.

The satisfaction of our customers with our services remaines high,

which shows that our employees are committed

and exceptionally skilled.

President and CEO Olli Pohjanvirta, how was the year 2013 for

Nurminen Logistics?The company’s financial development was not satisfactory. We fell short of our objectives in terms of both net sales and operating result. Our operating result excluding non-recurring items amounted to EUR 1.6 million, compared to EUR 5.6 million in 2012.

The market situation apparently was not the easiest one for a logistics company?The general economic gloominess continued in the Finnish market, which was naturally also reflected in our operations. In addition, our growth

in the internal markets of Russia and its neighbouring countries was lower than expected. Nevertheless, we are among the three largest companies in almost all of our service segments in Finland, such as forwarding, and we are the market leader in covered wagons in rail transport between Finland and Russia.

How did Nurminen react to the soft development?In 2013, we carried out considerable restructuring of operations and improved the efficiency of our operations to better match the prevailing situation. Among other things, this meant the development of the processes at the Vuosaari terminal, closing down our Vainikkala terminal, trimming personnel expenses and also reforms in the senior management of the company. I am certain that we are heading into 2014 as a considerably more competitive company.

Did anything positive happen at Nurminen Logistics during the past year?A lot. We achieved pleasing successes in project transport services related to major industrial investments. In railway transport deliveries, we secured new customers in Russia towards the end of the year. In Finland, our market share remained unchanged in spite of the challenging conditions. In addition, the satisfaction of our customers with our services remained high, which shows that our employees are committed and exceptionally skilled.

Towards a more efficient future in logistics

Nurminen Logistics’ year 2013• Net sales were EUR 63.8 million

(2012: EUR 78.4 million).• Reported operating result

was EUR 0.2 million (EUR 5.4 million).

• Operating margin was 0.3 % (6.9 %).

• Operating result excluding non-recurring items was EUR 1.6 million (EUR 5.6 million).

• EBT was EUR –3.0 million (EUR 4.0 million).

• Net result was EUR –3.9 million (EUR 2.7 million).

• Earnings per share, undiluted: EUR –0.32 (EUR 0.05).

• Earnings per share, diluted: EUR –0.32 (EUR 0.05).


6 CEO’S INTERVIEW

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What makes your company a success?Due to structural changes and efficiency improvement measures carried out last year, we are well prepared for better profitability. Our strategy will not change, but the rate at which we implement it will. This year, we aim to increase the number of our own wagons registered in Russia. We will also invest in our Russian organisation with the aim of securing new significant customer accounts. We will increase our special transport and project business. We will develop our partner network in the key markets. Our success in the international market will guarantee competitive service to our Finnish customers as well.

What is Nurminen Logistics’ outlook for 2014?The company’s net sales will increase and operating profit will improve. We have been the only foreign railway operator in Russia since 2001. We know the local logistics market and society well. We expect considerable growth in the internal railway market in Russia and the CIS countries as well as international project transports. The situation between Russia and Ukraine may increase fast changes in the market. From our point of view, these changes may be negative and related to export sanctions or changes in currency exchange rates, or positive if flows of goods are rerouted and Russian exporters’ interest in the route via Finland increases. In 2014 we will achieve results through our own activity – regardless of the tight market situation. I would like to thank our personnel, customers, partners and others in our network for their smooth cooperation and commitment. Together we are heading towards a more efficient future in logistics. s


7CEO’S INTERVIEW


8 THE RUSSIAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

THE CHEMICAL SECTOR IS GROWING FASTER THAN OTHER INDUSTRIES IN RUSSIAIn 2013, Nurminen Logistics signed agreements with four Russian chemical giants on the transport of their products in Nurminen’s covered wagons in Russia and the CIS.


9THE RUSSIAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

The chemical indus-try is growing faster than other industries in Russia. The over-all growth of indus-try was close to 0% in Russia in 2013. However, the chemi-cal industry recorded

a growth rate of 3.9%, making it one of the strongest-growing industries in

the country. Provided by the Russian market research institute RIA Rat-ing, the figures cover the first nine months of 2013. RIA Rating regularly publishes analyses on the Russian and global economy and the develop-ment of various sectors. According to Rosstat, the Federal State Statistics Service, the chemical industry contin-ued to grow faster than other indus-tries in the fourth quarter of 2013. Its production volumes increased by 6.1% in October and by 8.3% in November. At the end of November, the year-to-date growth rate was 4.5%, compared to just 1.3% in 2012. The rubber and plastic industry and textile industry were the strongest industries in Russia in 2013.

According to RIA Rating, production in the Russian basic chemical industry increased by 2.5% in January–September 2013, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. The growth was slowed by the weak development of production volumes in mineral fertiliser manufacture. In January–September 2013, mineral fertiliser production volumes decreased by 0.5% to 13,561.7 tonnes. The decrease was due to lower export volumes of potassium fertilisers and decreased

PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM NITRATE AND ITS DERIVATIVES IN RUSSIA IN 2013

Uralchem

EuroChem

Acron

SDS Azot

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20 %

19 %

12 %

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Eurochem, Uralchem, Acron and Bashkirian

Chemistry – each use 20 to 30 Nurminen wagons

monthly

The production volumes of the largest

Russian fertiliser manufacturers are increasing

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sales in the Russian market. In 2013, agricultural producers purchased 2.1% less in mineral fertilisers than in the previous year. The production volumes of mineral fertilisers in Russia were on the decrease for the second consecutive year. Despite reduced production in the mineral fertiliser industry as a whole, the

OAO Bashkirian Chemistry was established in January 2005. Today, it is the leading manufacturer of soda ash in Russia and the CIS, and the only manufacturer of sodium bicarbonate and silicon dioxide in Russia. In addition, the company is the second-largest manufacturer of PVC and among the three largest manufacturers of sodium hydroxide in Russia, and one of the largest producers of cable sheath in the country. The Group employs some 13,000 professionals.

Presently, the Group manages the OAO BSK company in Sterlitamak in the Republic of Bashkortostan and the OAO Bereznikovskiy sodovyi zavod company in Berezniki in Perm region. In addition, OAO Bashkirian Chemis-try owns the transport company ZAO Transneftehim in Moscow.

Transneftehim provides transport and forwarding services for goods in internal, import, export and transit transport. Nurminen Logistics and Transneftehim have signed an agreement on the use of Nurminen Logistics’ covered wagons for the transport of finished goods from the

BSK factory in Sterlitamak in different directions within Russia and the CIS. The cooperation began in January 2014.

Transneftehim is pleased with its collaboration with Nurminen Logistics.

– Nurminen provides us with high-quality wagons at a good price. In addition, Nurminen is not limited to specific transport routes. Instead, the wagons run where we need them, both in Russia and in exporting goods outside the country. Nurminen’s employees always handle any operational issues with a high level of professionalism. We are very happy with the collaboration, says Vyacheslav Ospin, Director of the Commercial Department.

Currently, Nurminen Logistics pro-vides Transneftehim with 30 covered wagons per month. Both parties are ready to increase the volume and fur-ther develop their cooperation.

– We are ready to order considerably more wagons from Nurminen, even to triple the present amount. In addition, our cooperation can be expanded to cover our other factories, says Vyacheslav Ospin. s

BASHKIRIAN CHEMISTRY IS READY TO FURTHER DEVELOP ITS COOPERATION WITH NURMINEN

PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA IN RUSSIA IN 2013

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production volumes of the largest Russian fertiliser manufacturers are increasing.

Nurminen won four significant chemical industry customersIn 2013, Nurminen began cooperating with four large Russian chemical industry companies on the transport of their products in its covered wagons in Russia and the CIS. These four chemical giants – Eurochem, Uralchem, Acron and Bashkirian Chemistry – each use 20 to 30 Nurminen wagons monthly for the transport of their packed finished products. s

Nurminen Logistics and Acron, one of the largest manufacturers of mineral fertilisers in the world, began cooperation on railway transport in 2013. Acron is Russia’s largest producer of NPK fertilisers and one of the leading manufacturers of NPK fertilisers in the world. NPK fertilisers are mixed fertilisers that contain specific proportions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), which are the main nutrients of plants. In addition, the Acron Group is one of Russia’s largest producers of nitrogen fertilisers and ammonia. The company has two fertiliser production plants in Russia: OAO Acron in Veliky Novgorod and OAO Dorogobuzh in the Smolensk region. The Group has 15,650 employees.

Acron’s companies in Russia produce approximately 5 million tonnes of products to be transported annually. Its subsidiary ZAO Acron-Trans is

responsible for railway transport. The company has around 3,500 wagons, complemented by a leased fleet.

Nurminen Logistics and Acron-Trans have signed an agreement on the use of Nurminen’s covered wagons in transporting products from the

Dorogobuzh factory in the Smolensk region mainly to Ukraine. Presently, Acron uses around 20 covered Nurminen wagons per month. The two companies have discussed expanding their cooperation. Unfortunately, the disputes between Russia and Ukraine are being reflected in Acron’s operations.

– The situation with Ukraine is challenging at the moment, as the sale of fertilisers to the country has practically been discontinued. This affects our transport needs. However, our need for wagons typically increases towards the summer, says Leonid Vishnevskiy, Director of the Tariff Department at Acron-Trans.

– Nurminen Logistics is a highly reliable company that always keeps its promises. I absolutely think that we should further develop our cooperation as soon as the market situation improves, Vishnevskiy says. s

ACRON TRUSTS NURMINEN

PRODUCTION OF NITROGEN FERTILIZERS IN RUSSIA IN 2013

EuroChem

Uralchem

Acron

PhosAgro

SDS Azot

KuibyshevAzot


Others

26 %

20 %

15 %

14 %

8 %

8 %

5 %

4 %

Acron’s companies in

Russia produce approximately

5 million tonnes of products to be transported

annually

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Around 95% of the Uralchem Group’s finished products are transported by rail to end customers or ports. Uralchem-Trans operates over 8,000 owned and leased wagons. In addition, it uses Nurminen Logistics’ and other private operators’ wagons. The amounts of products transported by rail from the Group’s factories in Russia change according to season, the demand for the packaged product and the availability of transport by rivers. Cooperation with private wagon operators brings flexibility to operations making it possible to use different combinations of own and rented wagons and choose between different modes of transport.

– Our fleet includes mineral wagons, half-wagons, covered wagons and tank wagons for chemical transport. In the summer, our own wagons are sufficient for the transport of the Group’s products,

but in the winter when the rivers freeze over and we produce more packaged products, we use half wagons and covered wagons from private operators, says Dmitriy Ryabov Deputy Director in charge of Uralchem-Trans transports.

The company employs some 1,000 people in different positions. Company management is located in Moscow. Additionally, the company has four offices located at its factory sites. These offices are in charge of railway logistics and the maintenance of wagons. Additionally, Uralchem-Trans has its own wagon depot in Murash in the Kirov region for repair and maintenance of its own and rented wagons.

– The company’s operations are divided into three parts: operating wagons, logistics management and railway maintenance in the Group’s factory areas, and wagon repair and

maintenance, says Dmitriy Ryabov.Nurminen Logistics and Uralchem

have cooperated on transport for the Group’s Azot plant in the Perm region for about two years. Nurminen supplies Uralchem with covered wagons for the transport of urea, potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate in Russia and to CIS countries, Latvia and Lithuania. Management and experts at Uralchem-Trans are very satisfied with the Nurminen wagons and the quality of service.

– We use four operators’ covered wagons for the transport of our products. Nurminen’s wagons are in very good technical condition, which makes our work easier at the plant, as we don’t have to repair wagons before loading. We especially commend Nurminen for their fast flow of information and rapid decision-making, says Dmitriy Ryabov. s

Uralchem is the largest producer of ammonia and ammonium nitrate and the second largest producer of urea in Russia. The company uses a broad range of rolling stock, from mineral wagons to covered and tank wagons, for transporting both raw materials and finished products. OOO Uralchem-Trans is responsible for the rail transport of Uralchem Group’s raw materials and finished products.

URALCHEM TRANSPORTS 95% OF ITS PRODUCTS BY RAIL

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Keep in touch!Save the contact information for sales at Nurminen in Finland, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The best logistics solution providers would like to hear from you!

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[email protected]

Dmitri Hmara

Sales Manager

Key accounts, sea freight, trucking, rail freight, insurance, customs procedures, port forwarding service

Sofja Tirman

Sales

Sea freight, trucking, rail freight, insurance, customs procedures, port forwarding service

[email protected]

Tadas Jogminas

Head of Sales Department

[email protected]

COSCO export/import business, door to door delivery, other logistics services

Ingrida Butkiene

Import Sales Manager

[email protected]

COSCO import FOB business

Jelena Koshevaja

Export Sales Manager

[email protected]

COSCO export business

Mindaugas Kavaliauskas

Forwarding Manager

[email protected]

Trucking, railage, project cargo,customs formalities, port agency

Dmitriy Lukshin

Sales Director

[email protected]

Finland www.nurminenlogistics.com

Lithuania www.nurminen.lt

Russia www.nurminenlogistics.ru

Estonia www.nurminen.ee

Rail [email protected]

Marjut Ahlqvist

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Harri Mustonen

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Tarja Turunen

Sales Assistant

[email protected]

Cargo [email protected]

Markku Lehti

Sales Manager

[email protected]

[email protected]

Mika Raunemo

Sales Manager

[email protected]

Special Transport and Project [email protected]

Mikko Lietosaari

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Sakari Leppiaho

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Lea Uusitalo

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Harry Pursiainen

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Tommi Kärki

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Tiina Salonen

Sales Manager

[email protected]

Timo Niemi

Key Account Manager

[email protected]

Eeva Nummenpää

Desk Sales

[email protected]

[email protected]

Maris Luns

Project & Business Development Director

Key accounts, multimodal transport, sea freight, rail freight, other services

Alexander Rjabov

Manager of Forwarding Department

Port forwarding services, sea freight,rail freight

Darja Goloschapova

Sales Manager

Sea freight, road haulage, portforwarding services

Aljona Belova

Sales

Sea freight, road haulage, portforwarding services

Latvia www.nurminen.lv

Challenges are the spice of work

1Tadas Jogminas, head of the sales department at Nurminen Maritime, a subsidiary of Nurminen, is responsible for the sale of services in Lithuania. The Lithuanian office of the company is situated in the centre of Klaipeda, near the port. It employs a youthful team of nine logistics professionals.

In addition to Tadas, the sales organisation consists of two sales managers. The company is currently looking for a third sales manager, who will be responsible for the Belarusian and Russian markets, where the company sees potential for growth.

2 The Lithuanian office of Nurminen is the representative for COSCO Container Lines in the country. Most of its operations consist of the loading and forwarding of container shipments. Transit traffic represents around 70% imports, mostly to Belarus. Russia is another major

destination. Tadas believes that competition will increase between companies as well as ports in the future. He expects the Klaipeda port to be competitive: it does not freeze in the winter, transit traffic by rail to Belarus is subject to simplified customs procedures, and the customs office at the port does not control the resale or transfer of the freight.

3 Tadas finds adjusting to rapidly changing markets to be the most challenging and important aspect of his work. Recent trends include the increasing significance of the price of services – although prices have always been important to customers. Quality is not necessarily

considered to be as important as before. According to Tadas, price and quality should not be separated, because they constitute a whole. The company wants to stand out from the competition by offering high-quality services that customers are satisfied with. The company with the lowest prices is not usually capable of meeting customers’ expectations.

4 The most important task of a sales director is to prepare and implement a sales strategy. As head of the sales department, Tadas is responsible not only for sales, but also for the salespeople. Discussions with employees are an important part of his job. Discussions with customers

are essential as well. Tadas has one or two customer meetings each week. In addition, he engages in sales work, seeks potential customers, monitors sales results and carries out measures to improve sales.

5 Challenges are what Tadas likes most about his job. As sales director, he is constantly faced with new, challenging situations. Overcoming these challenges and learning from them are the spice of his work and the source of his motivation. According to Tadas, a sales director needs

to be responsible, persistent and honest – his deeds must match his words and thoughts. s

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16 ON THE JOB

FACT BOX

Tadas Jogminas, Head of Sales Department• Works at the Lithuanian office of

Nurminen• Joined the company seven years

ago. Head of Sales Department since 2012

• Graduated from the Lithuanian Maritime Academy in 2008

• Hobbies include sports and reading.

17ON THE JOB

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• The first volunteer fire brigade in Finland was established in 1838.

• Today, the country has 491 volunteer fire brigades and 200 fee-based half-professional fire departments.

• Half-professional fire departments are responsible for emergency response operations in sparsely populated areas in particular.

18 CHARGING THE BATTERIES

When and why did you decide to join a volunteer fire brigade?In 1990, more than 20 years ago. My friends asked me to join. It seemed interesting, and I wanted to help people. Of course, the opportunity to drive a fire engine, with its siren blaring, made everything even more interesting.

What do you actually do?We have practice every Tuesday. We practise a variety of skills. This week, we learned about first aid. We have lectures, but we often have practical exercises as well. Of course, we also take part in actual emergency response operations. After an alarm, we have five minutes to mobilise the first vehicle. Everyone who is available will join. I have agreed with my supervisor that I can participate in emergency response operations if my work situation allows. This is something I appreciate very much. At the volunteer fire brigade, an officer is on duty on weekdays. In addition, three crew members are on duty at the weekends. Each crew member is on duty approximately every five weeks, from Friday to Monday. Last year, we had 164 emergency calls.

What does it take to join a volunteer fire brigade?We have around 40 volunteers, aged between 18 and 65, including

Kimmo helps others in his free timeTerminal worker Kimmo Muuri from Luumäki serves in a volunteer fire brigade in his free time. His hobby is varied and exciting.

two women. We have tasks suitable for everyone, regardless of age and gender, so volunteers are always welcome. However, this is a hobby that requires time and commitment. Those participating in emergency response operations must be aged 18 or older. We have 15 smoke divers, including myself. Smoke divers are qualified to carry out demanding tasks, in fire situations, for example.

How do you become a smoke diver?You have to complete a smoke diving course that qualifies you for special duties. In addition, you have to complete a certain number of qualification exercises and pass a fitness test every year. The tests are the same as those for professional

firefighters, so you have to keep very fit.

How do you collaborate with the fire and rescue authorities?We are the only fire brigade in Luumäki, which means that we respond to all emergency calls and also help the neighbouring municipalities, if needed. We are what is known as a “half-professional” fire department. The regional emergency response centre handles all emergency calls and decides on the response resources. Sometimes we manage on our own, and sometimes we need extra help. However, the nearest fire department is located as far as Lappeenranta. We are usually the first to arrive on the site.

How do you recover from rescue situations?We discuss the events among ourselves, often in the sauna. We evaluate our performance and discuss whether we could have done anything better. We have a great team. No one is left alone. A sense of humour also helps. Some of the emergency calls are not so serious. We still save the occasional cat from a tree.

Are you paid for your work?Yes, we are paid by the hour for being on duty. In addition, we are paid fees for emergency response participation. I’m not doing this for money, though. I would probably continue even if I was not paid anything. This helps me unwind mentally. In emergency response operations, you have to fully focus on the task at hand. You cannot think of anything else. In our team, you always have someone to talk to. We have our own facilities, where it’s nice to spend time or go to the gym. We also organise a Christmas party and ice-fishing competitions every year. s


19CHARGING THE BATTERIES

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Mira enjoys her diverse range of dutiesMira Jaakola, Forwarder, Rauma

You have been working as a forwarder at Nurminen since September 2013. Do you have previous experience as a forwarder? Yes. Previously, I worked in forwarding for two and a half years at TurkuSteve. Before that, I worked as a traffic operator at Kuehne + Nagel and as a forwarder at Valmet Automotive. At Nurminen, my job includes making arrangements for import and export transports and the related customs documents.

What made you choose Nurminen? My temporary employment relationship was nearing its end, and the daily commute to Turku was beginning to feel too long. Nurminen had a vacancy for a forwarder in Rauma. The job description seemed diverse, so I decided to apply. I’m happy with my decision, as I like it here: the work is varied, and you keep learning new things.

What type of people make the best forwarders? You need organisational skills, a systematic approach and an ability to cope with pressure. This work is mostly customer service, so you need to get along with different types of people.

How have you adjusted to your new workplace community? It was easy to start working at the Rauma office. The people are nice, and I was thoroughly familiarised with my new job. How do you spend your free time? I go to Pilates class once a week. I also like swimming and outdoor exercise. However, I spend most of my free time with family and friends. s


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Markku PuolanneGroup Financial Controller, Vuosaari

Previously, you worked as Business Controller at Mesvac. What is your area of responsibility at Nurminen?I serve as head of the financial management team, which consists of three accountants and three controllers. I’m responsible for internal and external reporting at the Nurminen Group as well as the development of reporting. In addition, I’m responsible for insurance issues.

What is most challenging about financial administration at an international company?The constantly changing situations are probably the most challenging part of my job. You have to be able to anticipate changes and understand their effects on business operations. In addition, the differences between laws and their interpretations in different countries present challenges. s

Heli HeikkinenController, Jyväskylä

You started work as Controller in the Special Transports and Projects business unit at the beginning of February. How

have you adjusted to the world of special transports?I have adjusted surprisingly fast. I was already familiar with the numbers and systems, and I keep learning more about the operations from my colleagues. Next, I will visit the building next door to learn about our fleet.

Where did you work before this?I worked for Landis+Gyr for five and a half years. I held various positions in financial management, from accounting and the sales ledger to project reporting and managing a financial development project. s

Martin EskelinenForwarder, Vuosaari

You joined Nurminen in September 2013. Do you have previous experience as a forwarder?Yes. I have worked as forwarder in several companies, for a total of three years or so. These include Schenker, so I’m familiar with working at a logistics company. Before joining Nurminen, I worked at Orion.

How do you like working at Nurminen?I have enjoyed working here. My job description is diverse, and the people are easy to work with. s

Marko TuunainenSenior Vice President, Vuosaari

You are Senior Vice President of the Forwarding and Value Added Services business unit. You are also a member of the Executive Board. How are you planning to develop the business unit?Our goal is to become as efficient as possible and focus on the operations that offer the best opportunities for success. Safety, work atmosphere, customer satisfaction and other qualitative goals are important, in addition to numeric goals. At the moment, the global economic situation is challenging, but we cannot just wait for the cycle to turn. We have to develop our operations continually. The challenging operating environment also presents opportunities.

You worked in Russia for several years. How do the Finnish and Russian work cultures differ from one another?Finns and Russians have different concepts of time. Finns are usually very punctual and systematic. They know what they need to complete during the day in order to stay on schedule. Russians are a little less punctual. They do not make equally detailed plans for the day, including when the working day begins and ends. Russians often think that time cannot be controlled. For this reason, time does not limit working or implementing tasks. s


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”Nurminen News 1/2014

Logistics for young peopleAn annual survey of career expectations among lower and upper secondary school students paints a grim picture: young people in Finland see logistics as a dull and unattractive career that mainly involves driving a truck. The logistics sector is striving to change this image. At Vuosaari Upper Secondary School in Helsinki, logistics has been available as an optional subject since 2008.

According to teacher Juha Venäläinen, well-functioning logistics are needed everywhere, including schools and homes.

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”Students were impressed by

the large items and containers at Nurminen

The possibility of build-ing a harbour in Vuosaari was first mentioned in the early 1940s. More than 60 years later, the Helsinki City Council decided to

build the main harbour of Finland in Vuosaari. Construction began in January 2003, and the harbour was opened on 24 November 2008.

While Vuosaari Harbour was being constructed, the City of Helsinki Education Department was considering special focuses for its upper secondary schools. The harbour inspired officials to suggest that Vuosaari Upper Secondary School specialise in logistics. The idea was presented to teachers in early 2007.

– Initially, teachers were not enthusiastic about logistics, perhaps because not many of them knew what logistics involved, says Juha Venäläinen, a geography and biology teacher who is also responsible for logistics education at Vuosaari Upper Secondary School.

Despite the slight opposition, three teachers decided to use the opportunity to qualify in logistics at Helsinki School of Economics, now Aalto University School of Business. They studied in the afternoons and evenings, alongside their work.

– I think it is fair to say that it was more about volunteering than enthusiasm. However, I have later

realised that logistics is actually a multidisciplinary subject. In geography, I teach an obligatory course that is very close to logistics. We talk about raw materials, transport, international trade and various modes of traffic as well as globalisation. These themes overlap with logistics, says Venäläinen.

Inspiring cooperation with companiesThe first logistics courses at Vuosaari Upper Secondary School were offered in 2008. For a long time, Vuosaari was the only upper secondary school in Finland to specialise in logistics. Students have an opportunity to select optional logistics courses in addition to obligatory upper secondary school courses. So far, seven teachers have completed a course at Aalto University.

– Vuosaari Upper Secondary School offers six logistics courses for students. The basic course is by far the most popular. More than 100 students complete the course annually, which is around 20% of our students. The continuation course usually attracts 20–30 participants. Other logistics courses are offered based on demand. A course is organised if around ten students are interested, Venäläinen explains.

The logistics teachers at Vuosaari Upper Secondary School have produced a textbook, which is available as a traditional book and an online version. Venäläinen has participated in producing textbooks in biology, his main subject, for nearly two decades, so he was familiar with the process. However, producing a book always requires a great deal of work and time.

– Before we published the book, our educational materials mainly consisted of PowerPoint presentations and the World of Logistics website for professionals. In addition, we have

participated in the annual Logistics seminar many times.

At first, however, it was difficult to motivate not only teachers, but also students. According to Venäläinen, cooperation with companies and the authorities is an excellent way to inspire students.

– We have many students who are genuinely interested in logistics, but we also have those who only participate in order to fulfil their overall course requirements. Each course includes at least one visit to a company or another site. In addition to Nurminen, we have visited Paulig, Citymarket, McDonald’s, Itella and Lidl, among other companies. The Finnish Economic Information Office helps us create contacts, which we maintain. Students were impressed by the large items and containers at Nurminen, says Venäläinen.

Vuosaari Upper Secondary School does not keep track of how many students continue to pursue studies in logistics after graduation. Among its graduates, the most popular university is Aalto University School of Business, where logistics is available as a main subject.

Logistics needs more visibilityAccording to Venäläinen, awareness of the logistics specialisation of Vuosaari Upper Secondary School should be increased among present and prospective students as well as stakeholders.

– Logistics should be more visible everywhere in the school and on our website. Not all of our students necessarily know that they are attending a school with a logistics focus. First-year students are busy with planning their studies and getting off to a good start. Second-year students have time to give more serious thought to the diverse range of options that we offer: astronomy,


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1 Students from Vuosaari Upper Secondary School regularly

visit Nurminen Logistics. Both the students and teachers consider the visits to be useful and interesting. Practical examples make logistics courses more meaningful.

2 In the autumn of 2013, Nurminen Logistics and Vuosaari Upper

Secondary School carried out an art project. Students drew or painted pictures based on photographs of Nurminen’s operations. The works were displayed on Nurminen’s intranet and will be displayed at its headquarters.

3 In the spring of 2014, Nurminen will participate in the Hundred

Shadows of Logistics campaign of Finnish Economic Information Office. It offers students an opportunity to follow the work of a manager, supervisor or expert for a day. Participants will share their experiences at www.facebook.com/ShadowLogistics. s

HIGHLIGHTS

FACT BOX

Juha Venäläinen• Teacher of geography and

biology• Graduated from the University

of Helsinki in the early 1980s. Majored in botany.

• Also studied zoology, geography, biochemistry and pedagogy.

• Teacher at Vuosaari Upper Secondary School since 1997.

• Has participated in producing biology textbooks for more than 15 years.

• Hobbies include birdwatching and plant identification.

Juha Venäläinen has realised that logistics is actually a multidisciplinary subject.

SAMASSA VENEESSÄ

practical courses, excursions, military history – you name it. Logistics questions are seldom included in the matriculation examination, which presents additional challenges. When selecting an optional subject, students should be able to consider their future beyond the matriculation examination, says Venäläinen.

– This spring, we will be trying a new learning method: phenomenon-based learning. The phenomenon that we will be studying in our themed course is the Baltic Sea. We will learn what type of cargo is transported on the Baltic Sea, what types of harbours it has and what types of environmental risks are related to logistics. We will see how that works out, Venäläinen says with a laugh. s


24 IN THE SAME BOAT

The results of the When School Ends survey reveal that more than 50% of upper secondary school students feel that they need more information and education related to working life. The survey was commissioned by the Eco-nomic Information Office. More than 63% of the respondents thought that skills related to working life are discussed very little or not at all at schools.

Lower secondary school students felt that they need more information on various sectors and professions as well as apprenticeship training. The respondents trusted advice from friends and relatives more than they did information provided by schools.

– Both upper and lower secondary school students felt that additional information or an opportunity to try a job in practice would serve to inspire an interest in a specific field or profession, says Harri Leinikka, CEO of T-Media, the company that carried out the survey.

– Popular and trendy sectors attract students in any case. Creative collabo-ration between companies and schools would help increase awareness of lesser known sectors among young peo-ple. Such collaboration would also ena-ble young people to acquire working life skills and adopt the right attitude, says Anna Saksi, HR Manager at Tikkurila.

Girls are particularly uncertain– Only less than 20% of upper secondary school students know with certainty to which educational institution

they will apply after graduation. This is in conflict with the goal of a faster transfer to working life, says Leinikka.

Of lower secondary school students, girls and the students with the best marks are most uncertain about their career choices. Girls expressed that they needed information and education related to working life slightly more often than boys.

Their uncertainty is also reflected in their willingness to take a gap year. Of the girls who responded to the survey, 24% were fairly or completely certain that they would take a gap year. The corresponding figure among boys was 12%. The option of taking a gap year becomes more popular as students progress in their upper secondary school studies.

Of the upper secondary school respondents, 72% felt that practical train-ing would be necessary. Practical train-ing was particularly popular among girls.

Teachers: More practical trainingAccording to the 2014 Teacher Attitude Survey, teachers feel that education needs more practical training and experiments as well as contacts to business and industry. They agree with students that practical training is needed in upper secondary schools.

– Teachers admit that schools have insufficient contacts to working life and that schools provide insufficient entrepreneurial skills. More practical experiences are needed in addition to

theory in order to motivate students, among other purposes, says Liisa Tenhunen-Ruotsalainen, Director at the Economic Information Office.

– Teachers have a strong desire to provide students with more information on working life, but they lack the means. It would be useful if teachers could update their knowledge by familiarising themselves with working life outside school from time to time. We hope that the reformed curriculum will address working life issues better than the present one, says Olavi Arra, Special Advisor at the Trade Union of Education in Finland. s

The annual When School Ends survey studied future plans, criteria for selecting an educational institution and thoughts related to working life among lower and upper secondary school students. A total of 4,804 students responded, including 1,960 lower and 2,844 upper secondary school students. Commissioned by the Economic Information Office, the survey was carried out by T-Media.

The 2014 Teacher Attitude Survey studied thoughts on the Finnish edu-cational system among comprehensive school, upper secondary school and vocational institute teachers. A total of 804 teachers responded. Commissioned by the Economic Information Office and the Trade Union of Education in Finland, the survey was carried out by T-Media.

Source: Economic Information Office, press release on 25 March 2014

Study: Information and practical experiences would make educational and career choices easier for young peopleSchools do not offer sufficient information for young people in support of educational and career choices. Lower secondary school students trust advice from those close to them more than they trust information provided by schools. Girls are particularly unsure about their future choices, which is reflected in their willingness to take a gap year. Students and teachers alike hope that practical training will be included in the upper secondary school curriculum.


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”” According to Nurminen:

Large projects are always planned carefully in advance. For this project, detailed advance planning was particularly important in terms of the special loads shipped from Poland, because their dimensions were exceptional. Through efficient load division, we have been able to create cost savings for our customer. Providing the customer with accurate and up-to-date information on project progress is an essential aspect of project management and good service. We have kept Valmet up to date by regularly submitting comprehensive progress reports that make monitoring the project easy. In the future, we will increasingly make use of customised cloud technologies, which will offer new opportunities in project management and communication. s

Sakari Leppiaho Key Account Manager, Nurminen Logistics

According to the customer:In terms of volume, Syktyvkar is a major project for the MW Power business line of Valmet. On the whole, however, it is a medium-sized project if the company’s Capital projects are taken into account. Operationally, projects of this type often present challenges, but our cooperation with Nurminen has always run smoothly.

Hannu Peltonen Manager, Transportation

Valmet Power

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. Its history dates back more than 200 years. The company was recreated when the Pulp, Paper and Power business was separated from Metso in December 2013. Nurminen and Metso have a long history of cooperation in various projects.

In early 2014, Nurminen became responsible for the transport logistics for a bio boiler plant supplied by Valmet Power to Syktyvkar in the Komi Republic in Russia. The boiler plant will be used to produce electricity and heat. The transport project began in January and will be completed in April. Project shipments are loaded in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Finland. The total volume will amount to around 60 loads, of which one-third are special transports, and the rest are normal loads and containers. The most challenging loads are more than 5 metres wide, and the tallest containers reach approximately 4.5 metres. Nurminen’s range of services also includes monitoring loading in Poland, customs clearances in the countries of departure and, to some extent, the use of its terminals in combining and storing loads.

Valmet


26 REFERENCES

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Nurminen Logistics’ stakeholder magazineEditor-in-Chief: Laura Jokinen. Editor: Jana Korobtchenko. Editorial Board: Laura Jokinen, Jana Korobtchenko, Risto Holopainen, Fedor Larionov, Marko Tuunainen and Hannu Vuorinen. Centrefold graphics: Sebastian Söderlund. Layout: Indicio Oy. Printed by Libris Oy. ISSN 1797-8963.

Nurminen Logistics is a listed company established in 1886 that offers logistics services. The company provides high-quality railway transports, project transport services, special transports and forwarding and cargo handling services to its customers. The main market areas of Nurminen Logistics are Finland, Russia and its neighbouring countries.

This spring, Nurminen Logistics will attend the TransRussia Exhibition in Moscow on

22–25 April 2014 and the Breakbulk Europe 2014 Conference and Exhibition in Antwerp

on 12–15 May 2014.

As the largest international logistics industry event for Russia, the CIS countries and the Baltics, TransRussia is an important meeting place for logistics professionals. This year’s TransRussia event will be held at the

Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre. Nurminen Logistics’ stand at the exhibition will be in booth D113, hall 4, pavilion 1. Register and print a free

ticket for admission to the fair at www.transrussia.ru.

Breakbulk Europe is the continent’s largest and most significant event for special and project transport. The conference and exhibition is attended by all of the leading special transport providers, forwarders, ports and terminals that handle oversized cargo. Breakbulk Europe 2014 will be held at Antwerp

Expo in Antwerp, Belgium. Nurminen Logistics will be on hand to present its services and solutions in booth 518H1. More information on the event is

available at www.breakbulkevents.com.

We look forward to seeing you in Moscow and Antwerp!

Head OfficeSatamakaari 24FI-00980 Helsinki, FinlandTel. +358 10 545 00Fax +358 10 545 [email protected]

nurminennews 1/2014 en

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