‘A day in the life’ at Elomatic
Tiina Salo, Senior Manager in Process Engineering
In my work as the head of the process department, we are at the forefront of new technologies, which makes my work extremely interesting. New topics arise daily in customer interface, and assistance is needed in personnel matters. I also get to participate in practical project work. Not a single day is the same.
I started at Elomatic as a plant designer almost 18 years ago. From plant design, I progressed to process design and then to project management. As a young designer, I rotated through different disciplines. I enjoy working at Elomatic because I always get new colleagues in different customer projects, and different industries double the experience of novelty.
Currently, I am responsible for assessing the capabilities and development of process engineering expertise according to our customer needs. I create customer proposals, define process design objectives, and consider how we market and promote our services. I have been in a leadership role since 2019. I am fortunate to work daily with a true team of experts.
I have a degree in food technology, but I have also been involved in projects in pharmaceutical industry and other process industries sectors. On the food side, interesting topics are consumer products and product safety. In the Industry business unit we serve Elomatic’s customers and industries extensively in process design challenges.
In terms of skill development, we are privileged because Finnish higher education institutions provide a solid foundation for expertise. In leadership role, my priority is to offer our young professionals a career path that balances challenge and continuous learning.
For young experts, we have their own support network, under which they can test their own abilities and develop with the support of a more experienced designer. My task is to challenge and ensure that competence develops, and sometimes also to entice people out of their comfort zone. Continuous change can also be distressing. I want to find a suitable environment and role for each employee to thrive in.
Our work is largely influenced by the progress of the client’s investment decision. Our task is to present the conditions and facilitate the formation of the investment decision. Sometimes we determine which equipment is suitable for what, design pilot plants, or consider whether the entire technology needs to be changed.
The development of project management is close to my heart. Project management is universal; the same principles apply across different industries. The larger the project, the better project management models can be applied from one area to another. The biggest investment project in my own career was the Meyer Turku profile line and High storage project, which represented a completely different process and enabled learning in a completely new area.
Process design is the catalyst for new technologies. By-products of processes can be utilized in completely new environments; examples include bioprocessing, wood fiber as a textile, or future food production in reactors. We fully utilize all expertise and challenge ourselves.
As for the future, I see that the pace of process design continues to accelerate. Familiar processes are being utilized and adapted in completely new environments, which keeps us moving forward. Legislation is also constantly changing. Staying up-to-date and the need for renewal accelerates. Continuous improvement is important to me; how can we further enhance and what can we learn from the past.
There is no specific training for these changing conditions. Our best source is to follow the needs of technology providers and our own initiative. My passion is in continuous learning and curiosity; why and how things happen.
At Elomatic the values of the family company are evident. Employees’ wishes are listened to, and there is an opportunity to develop one’s own expertise and strive towards personal goals. For me, it is also important to have a flat hierarchy and the opportunity to influence my own job description; that has been a significant factor in my work satisfaction.
Want to know more? Check out these related articles:
We succeed together
With us, you have the opportunity to work on challenging and rewarding projects in an interesting and international design environment.
We design working solutions that increase the wellbeing of people and the environment. We want to help our customers succeed by producing services throughout the life cycle of their technical products and investments.
Industry
Are you looking for a partner for developing your production plants, promoting new investments, or for a product development project? Our strengths include expertise in low-carbon energy solutions, plants and processes development and scaling as well as machinery & equipment design.