CITEC
NEWS AND STORIES WITH AN ATTITUDE FROM CITEC
1 • 2011
TALL OIL INNOVATION
Citec has developed a new method for producing tall oil. There is great potential for new plants.
POWERFUL FUTURE Citec has chosen energy as its strategic area. Flexibility is the key on the future energy markets.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I’M SAYING? Why cultural differences still play a role in today’s international business life.
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EDITORIAL
Focusing on energy and power
CONTENTS
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Read more about energy on page 6! Rune Westergård CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
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CITEC
nergy issues are hot, mainly because climate questions have been raised high on the political agenda all over the world. People everywhere worry about climate change. At the same time, new opportunities are discovered for business development, and many companies have begun to invest in energy-related businesses. Is there then perhaps a risk of a similar hype and collapse that we saw ten years ago when the IT bubble burst? Personally, I don’t think so. At Citec we are convinced that the demand for more energy and smarter technical solutions is not a passing trend. And we are not the only ones to believe so. The IEA (International Energy Association) expects a 40–50 % increase in global energy demand during the next 20 years. Moreover, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) is calculating with scenarios of three times energy consumption in 2050. And the WNA (World Nuclear Association) expects a 100 % increase in electrical consumption between 2010 and 2030. As people become wealthier, the consumption of energy, electricity especially, will rise. Besides the increased energy consumption, there is also another reason for Citec to make a strategic focus towards the energy sector. We are now at the beginning of a technology shift – maybe the largest one in history. There will soon be a huge market in the conversion of old technology to new cleaner solutions. There will also be more flexible power plants and smart energy distribution systems. This is the reason why Citec is choosing energy technology as the key area, while still maintaining investment in our other sectors. Energy-related projects are nothing new to us – already now the Energy & Power segment comprises 80 % of Citec Engineering’s and 50 % of Citec Information’s revenue. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Citec is a great platform for future success. The journey continues at full speed.
PUBLISHER Citec, P.O. Box 109, FI-65100 Vaasa +358 (0)6 324 0700
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MER CITEC CUSTO
attitude@citec.com
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MAGA ZINE
EDITORIAL BOARD Rune Westergård, Michael Smirnoff, Katriina Valli, Conny Eklund, Anna Jeanne Söderlund EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Smirnoff PROJECT MANAGEMENT Anna Jeanne Söderlund EDITOR Johan Svenlin PRODUCTION
IN THIS ISSUE
Botnia Information and Citec LAYOUT Glenn Nylund, Annika Lillkvist, Janne Nylund
6 Energetic future
12 Holy diver
16 Aikido for ever
PRINT Fram 2010
The key word on the future energy markets is flexibility, according to Antti Kämi from Wärtsilä. Citec has chosen energy as the strategic direction.
Diving is a complex sport requiring strength, agility and vigour. Meet Swedish elite diver Anna Lindberg.
Director Gary Manders fell in love with aikido. He uses his force without harming his opponent.
COMPANY KEY FACTS Citec offers multi-discipline
18 Cultural differences
and provides services related
10 Tall oil innovation
14 From complexity to clarity Citec Information has always had a broad and complex supply of services. Now they are wrapped up in a bright new way.
Finns are punctual and like to work independently. Indians are always late and never say no. True or false?
The total number of employees
Glue, cosmetics and biodiesel – tall oil can be used for a number of applications. Citec has developed a new method for producing this valuable oil.
engineering and consulting, to information management. is 1,000 and the turnover for 2010 is estimated to 54 million euros. Citec is headquartered in Vaasa, Finland and has offices in Finland, Sweden, the UK, France, Russia and India.
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CITEC STUNTS
CITEC STUNTS
Cross-country is the thing n Citec is the new main sponsor for the Finnish skier Matias Strandvall. The 25-year-old is part of the national team. “My goal for this season is to be in the top ten for the FIS World Cup’s sprint skiing”, says Matias. Matias Strandvall lives in Tampere, but he comes from the same city as Citec, that is, Vaasa. He’s grateful for the sponsorship agreement with Citec. Besides financial support, he is also happy about getting to glance at the engineering and information management business. “One day the skiing career will be over, and then it is valuable for me to have gained experience in different fields of business.” You can follow Matias on Twitter: Mstrandvall
5 QUESTIONS
GRATEFUL. Matias Strandvall is happy about the new sponsorship deal with Citec.
Fluent in Swedish
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Documentation handled better with new system
RENEWED. The Insider intranet has gone through a facelift for both its look and functions.
Facelift for Insider n The Insider intranet will be renewed at the turn of the year. Besides a fresh layout, the new version is also more dynamic and userfriendly than before. It is now easier for users to create and update texts. At the same time, new possibilities are provided to store video clips. Also the search function is faster than before. To top it off, the system is even more secure than before.
New acquisition n Citec Engineering strengthens its electrical competence by acquiring the business operations of Insinööritoimisto Sarpanen. The company’s solid experience from global and domestic power plant projects is a perfect match with Citec. All eight employees in Vaasa and Helsinki will be transferred to Citec. “We think this is the best solution for all the employees”, says Jan-Erik Forss, former CEO of Insinööritoimisto Sarpanen. He has worked for the company since the very beginning in 1973. “We have thought about different solutions for the future for quite some time and joining Citec turned out to be the best one. We are looking forward to learning new things and getting a more global perspective on our work.”
Arkadij Bamm is a Project Manager for Citec Engineering Russia in Moscow.
n What do you do at Citec? “I work in the Thermal & Civil business area in the multidiscipline engineering service as a Project Manager for projects in Russia. At the moment I’m busy with the technological part of design in a couple of Russian projects. One is a new factory that Wärtsilä is going to build in Russia and the other is a new power plant in Siberia.”
NEWCOMERS. Citecians of the Cardiff office. From left: Janet Bull, Paul Williams, Neil Jones and Christopher Roche.
New office in Cardiff n Nowadays Citec also has an office in Cardiff, UK. It was founded one year ago when GE Healthcare outsourced their technical information to Citec. Paul Williams was one of those to get a new employer. “Due to the nature of the customer our daily work didn’t change all that much. Of course, we have a close contact with the Citec Life Science unit”, says Paul Williams. “It is reassuring to know you work for an organisation where your role is a good fit and where your competence can be utilised to its full potential. Now we have an opportunity to share and expand our competences with other members of the Life Science Industry Area.” Besides the team leader, Paul Williams, the Cardiff office has three other permanent staff members.
What’s the situation on the Russian market? “It’s looking good again, the market has recovered itself and new quotation requests are coming in all the time.” Is there a typical project for the Russian market? “A trend in Russia is to decentralise, and an increasing number of companies want to have their own energy
Satisfied customers n Citec Information customers are particularly satisfied with the company’s open and clear communication during projects, according to a customer satisfaction study conducted in May 2010. 94% of the respondents would like to work with Citec again and 87% would recommend Citec to other divisions in their organisation. An area where Citec can still make improvements is explaining to customers the value of documentation as a critical function. 34 respondents from 18 companies participated in the study. The next survey will be conducted in March 2011.
supplies. We have had customer companies update their old power plants, others have built their own energy plants providing 15–30 MW of electricity, and others have built power plants for 130 MW for their own use and for distribution over the power network.”
north of Vaasa on the Finnish west coast. I worked at a factory there at first and later I studied land surveying in Vaasa. I started with industrial laser scanning and worked with that at Ostrotec before I started at Citec in June 2006.”
You speak fluent Swedish. Why is that? “I learned Swedish during the many years I spent in Vörå,
What do you do when not working? “I like hunting and fishing and took part in the elk
n The employees and customers of Citec Engineering can look forward to faster and better documentation handling. During the beginning of 2011 the company is taking into use its new documentation handling system ProArc. “Our old system is unfortunately outdated. Especially outside Finland, the system was heavy and slow”, says Project Leader Jens Brokvist. After detailed testing, the ProArc system was chosen, among other reasons because of good references in the fields of engineering and energy. “Expectations for the new system are high among our employees”, says Brokvist. He believes that customers will also benefit from the system in the form of faster and more effective documentation deliveries.
hunt in Vörå this autumn. Here in Moscow my week days are mostly spent at work and in getting to and from the office. The traffic is Moscow’s biggest drawback. At the weekends I like to bowl and swim at the swimming pool and the water park with my wife and children.”
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COVER STORY: ENERGY
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POWERFUL FUTURE FOR THE ENERGY BUSINESS Flexibility is the key word on the future energy markets. Flexibility is demanded both from electric networks as well as from power plants.
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COVER STORY: ENERGY
COVER STORY: ENERGY
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Janica KarastI
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. Välitalo is described as a terrier in the boxing ring. She can go far, if she also keeps a cool head.
Citec offers flexibility to its partner Wärtsilä
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any recognised organisations predict that the consumption of energy, and especially electricity, will rise significantly in the coming decades. According to International Energy Association, IEA, the consumption of energy will rise by 40–50 % during the next 20 years. This is the market for which the power solution provider Wärtsilä is aiming. “The consumption of electricity rises more than the consumption of energy in general. As people become wealthier, they buy PCs, refrigerators and microwave ovens. Also industry production rises in the developing markets. In the longer term, the number of electric cars increases, which naturally leads to an increase in the demand for electricity,” says Antti Kämi, Vice President, Power Plants, Wärtsilä.
THE DEMAND FOR electricity increases inevitably. According to Antti Kämi, there will also be other major changes in the electricity market. “The markets diverge, and there will be more transparency in prices. The load variations become more significant and there is o growing need for an efficient balancing power between base loads and peak loads.” Wärtsilä power plants provide balancing power in particular. The plants power up quickly, and if needed, they can be run at lower power without losing the fuel efficiency. One reason for the need for balancing power is the increased use of wind power. “The electricity must be produced in some other way when it is not windy, for example with peaking power plants that can be started quickly or run on partial load. With the help of our products, electric networks become smarter and more flexible.” Wärtsilä’s customers have typically been industrial plants and private investors, but large energy companies form an increasingly important target group. According to a survey ordered by Wärtsilä, the managers in energy companies are most worried about the stability of the electric network. Increased fluctuations bring a greater risk of disturbances. And the more dependent society is on electricity, the more important role a stable electricity production has. WÄRTSILÄ IS A MARKET leader of heavy fuel oil power plants, but
according to Antti Kämi, the gas has the future. “Although gas is a fossil fuel, it is cleaner than coal. Our gas plants
MANY CUSTOMERS IN THE ENERGY FIELD A major part of Citec’s revenue comes from energy-related projects. These companies are all customers of the Energy & Power segment: Aalborg ABB AE&E Inova Alstom Power Energico Forsmarks Kraftgrupp Fortum Foster Wheeler Energia KMW Energi
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Kraftanlagen München Lukoil Energy & Gas Roman Metso Power MW Biopower Nalco Mobotec Ramboll Rolls Royce
Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Vaasa Engineering Vaasan Sähköverkko Vacon Westenergy Winwind Wärtsilä
have top efficiency. Therefore, also carbon dioxide emissions are smaller. There are great reserves of natural gas in the world, and more is being found all the time.” According to Antti Kämi, most of the base load electricity will still be produced in the future with nuclear power, hydro and wind power, and in large coal power plants. The gas plant, however, is an excellent balancing power when intermediate power is needed. With the investment in gas, Wärtsilä is competing all the more with companies manufacturing gas turbines. “We are also fighting traditions here. Many still regard the power plants running on Wärtsilä engines as small, and people fail to see that these plants can also be big. Our gas power plants have many advantages: the efficiency is high and the startup can be done faster than in more traditional plants, like combined cycle gas turbine plants.”
WÄRTSILÄ CAN OFFER its customers flexibility in many different ways. The power plants can be run in partial load, while still keeping the efficiency high. There is also flexibility in the choice of fuel. “We provide dual fuel power plants that can be run on both gas and liquid oil. In addition, we can convert old, heavy fuel oil power plants into gas-using power plants. Our scope of flexibility is a great advantage as well; we can deliver projects from basic equipment to complete, turnkey power plants.” In power plant projects, Citec is an important partner able to offer Wärtsilä flexibility through partnership agreement. With the help of Citec, Wärtsilä also achieves very fast delivery times. LATELY, THERE HAS been a lot of discussions about bio fuels, and thanks to intensive research work, Wärtsilä is a pioneer in the field. “Our power plants can run on various types of bio fuel. Recently, we delivered nearly 1,000 MWs of bio-oil power plants to Italy. Bio-oil plants are also being sold elsewhere in the world.” However, most of the almost 100 power plants being sold every year still run on gas or heavy fuel oil. Along with climate change, the energy field has suddenly become hot, and many companies want to benefit from the market. So is there a risk that there would develop a bubble in the energy business? “I don’t think there is, because after all, this is about people’s basic needs. During the financial crisis, new power plant orders decreased somewhat as financing was hard to acquire. In the developing markets, however, the demand remained high.” a
Mats Sandström
From waste to energy in Norway One of Citec’s newest customers in the energy field is Swiss AE&E Inova. n AE&E Inova (former Von Roll Inova Zurich) was commissioned by the municipality of Oslo to build a third train for a waste-treatment facility producing electricity and district heating for the city. The company has solid experience in building waste-incineration plants. “What was new for us with this project was that we were also contracted to connect the facility to the district-heating system. Therefore we needed help from Citec”, says Project Manager Peter Geladi from AE&E Inova. Citec’s part of the project was the process and mechanical design. Citec will also deliver documentation and training for the Oslo staff once the facility is ready in early 2011. Both Citec and AE&E Inova are currently working on a large waste-incineration plant in Vaasa, Finland, and that’s where Peter Geladi got the idea to contract Citec for the Oslo project. “The best thing about working with Citec is that you get a quick reaction to your enquiries. If you have a question, they will always reply immediately with an adequate answer”, says Geladi. He is also happy with Citec’s willingness to adjust its way of working to the needs of AE&E Inova. “I’ve visited Citec’s office in India and was surprised by their professionalism. We might very well work on common projects in the future as well.”
PREDICTING THE FUTURE. “Load variations become more significant. There is a growing need for efficient balancing power between base loads and peak loads.”, says Antti Kämi.
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INNOVATION: TALL OIL PLANT
INNOVATION: TALL OIL PLANT
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INNOVATIONS MAKE TALL OIL HOT Tall oil is an increasingly important bi-product for the pulp and paper industry. With a newly rediscovered method and modern automation, Citec has developed a costeffective plant for the production of tall oil.
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Karolina isaksson
he markets for tall oil have recently kicked off. Tall oil is a residual product of cellulose production, and it provides the paper mills with an important additional income whenever the price level of the main products drop. The fact that biodiesel can be produced from tall oil has further increased the demand on the market. “A new production plant was recently built in Sweden to produce biodiesel from tall oil, and the big international fuel companies suck all the supply of biodiesel on the market,” says Jan Ljunglöf from Citec Engineering. Other innovations have made it possible that poisonous and dangerous substances, for example those found in tire manufacturing and the chemical industry, can be replaced with organic tall oil. “We see great potential for new tall oil plants in the northern hemisphere, especially in Europe, where coniferous wood is refined to cellulose and tall oil is generated as a biproduct. Many of today’s tall oil plants were built in the 1960s, so they were adapted to the automation level and personnel structure of that time,” says Jan Ljunglöf.
“OUR PLANT IS more economical compared to
competitors’ plants, because both the investment and running costs are significantly lower per produced metric ton of tall oil,” Jan Ljunglöf adds. Like other continuous plants, the old plant of Korsnäs Frövi took a lot of resources, because there had to be one person controlling the process all the time. “The new plant is very easy to run: with only three pushes of a button the personnel can be freed for other tasks in the factory.” a
IN MANY OF the cellulose mills in Europe, tall
5 QUESTIONS
oil is produced using the method whereby the tall oil is extracted from soap in a continuous process. When the Swedish pulp and paper company, Korsnäs Frövi, wanted to convert its outdated tall oil plant to a new one, Citec Engineering received the assignment to develop a new, modern plant.
More Finnish than French
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Caroline Bondier is Sales & Marketing Developer at Citec Information in Tampere.
n What do you do at Citec? “Since spring 2009 I have been developing tools, processes and methods for Citec’s sales and marketing activities. I am
Kimmo Mustonen
“We compared the plants that existed in the market then, looked at the old models, and developed a new type of plant that is based on a tested, robust technology from the 1950s but is controlled with modern automation technology,” explains Jan Ljunglöf. The result was a new kind of tall oil plant. The first one was started in 2007, and a main difference compared to other cookeries is that the continuing process is replaced with a discontinuing process. This change results in better availability, safety, and profitability. “Variations in the soap can be handled better with simple measuring and controlling methods, as an entire manufacturing lot is cooked at once, instead of having one process where the tank continuously fills with soap, and black liquor and raw tall oil are drained out.”
HOT OIL.“We have developed a new tall oil plant that is economical and easy to run. There is great potential in this area”, says Jan Ljunglöf.
responsible for market and customer analysis and for collecting customer satisfaction surveys and metrics data. I also create reference cases for sales and marketing purposes.”
nothing about Finland until I ended up at a polytechnic in Valkeakoski, but I was positively surprised. Pretty soon I decided to stay for longer than a year. Now I have lived in Finland for seven years.”
What brought you from Bordeaux to Tampere? “I studied at the university in Bordeaux and I was offered an exchange year in Finland. I knew
What is fascinating about your job? “Diversity within Citec makes every day different. Thanks to our different industry areas and
co-operation projects with other units, it is possible to constantly learn new things and get to know new people.” What do you do in your free time? “In the evenings and at weekends I study in a master’s degree programme in Helsinki, so that’s my biggest hobby right now. I live in the countryside outside Tampere
TALL OIL IN A NUTSHELL • Raw tall oil is a byproduct of the manufacturing of sulfate mass. The name originated as an anglicisation of the Swedish “tallolja” (pine oil). • The oil is a renewable material that is biologically decomposing. • Consists of 30–35 % of fatty acid, 20–25 % of rosin acid and 35 % of tar. • Refined tall oil can be used as pine fat acids in varnishes and cosmetics, as sterols in glue, as rosin ether in road paint and car tires, and also like biodiesel.
and like to exercise outdoors and take walks with the dog.” How is it for a French person to live in Finland? “Right now I feel myself more Finnish than French, but at the beginning I noticed that Finland has more equality than France and that people are more disciplined at work here. The language has not been a problem. Everyone speaks good
English at Citec, and nowadays I can read and understand Finnish, although I dare not speak it very much. I wish I could speak fluent Finnish one day.”
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SPORTS: DIVING
SPORTS: DIVING
Yakov Munkebo
SPRINGING INTO ACTION Three-time European Champion in diving, Anna Lindberg from Sweden, is back on the springboard. This August she took another European Championship medal, about a year after her son was born. Now she is aiming for her fifth Olympic Games.
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Janerik Henriksson
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nna Lindberg is a veteran among the world’s diving elite. She was already in the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996 when she was only 15 years old, and now aims at a medal in the Olympic Games in London in 2012. “This is a complex sport that requires a wellthought combination of strength, agility, and vigour. The mental part is at least as important: you have to keep your head in control, because you don’t get that many chances to succeed in a competition,” explains Anna Lindberg while resting between two training sessions at her home in Karlskoga, Sweden. It was only natural that she became a diver. She grew up by the poolside when her father, Mathz Lindberg, and mother, Ulrika Knape-Lindberg, trained diving. Her mother reached the top by winning gold and silver at the Olympics in Munich 1972. “Diving has always been a part of our family. Both mum and dad were good divers and they have trained me and helped me in my career.”
UP AND DOWN. During a normal training session in a pool, Anna will do 100–150 dives, each with full concentration. “To be able to improve the quality of training, the feeling of a competition situation should be simulated as closely as possible.”
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EVER SINCE HER debut in the international senior championships, Anna Lindberg has been among the top ten divers in the world. In 2006, she took her first gold medal in a bigger competition when she won at the European Championships in Budapest. This August, she was back in the capital of Hungary, to win the silver medal at the European Championships. “It’s clear that Budapest gives me special feelings, because I won my first gold medal there and was so successful this year too.”
LIVING THE DREAM. In August 2010, Anna was back at the podium in Budapest, to receive EC silver. Now the aim is on London 2012, where the competition especially from China, Australia, and Russia will be tough.
The second Championships in Budapest were Anna’s big comeback after her maternity leave. In May 2009, Anna and her husband, hockey player Calle Steen, had a son, Yelverton. “It wasn’t obvious that I would continue after the baby was born. But I realised my motivation is still strong. Nowadays I have to plan everything around our son, and I see the sport in a different way.”
TO BE ABLE to fully focus on the Olympic Games of 2012, she needed sponsors to make it possible for her to train full-time. One of her partners is Citec, this time letting someone else do the stunts for a change. “My sponsors make it possible for me to devote myself 100 % to this. Goal-oriented sponsor cooperation is important, especially for us who train smaller sports and don’t have such great resources.” Autumn is a quieter season for diving
competitions, but already in December Anna stood on the springboard at the Nordic Championships in Stockholm. In March she will jump at the indoor European Championships in Turin, and in July there will be the diving World Championships in Shanghai. The future is planned until August 2012 when she wants to crown her diving career with an Olympic medal. After that, everything is open. “I want to continue in the world of sports in some way, but I’m not yet sure how. Now I’m only focusing on the Olympics and will make the next decision when the games are over.” a
ANNA LINDBERG Anna Lindberg’s biggest sporting achievements EC gold: Budapest 2006, in 1 metre and 3 metre boards Einhoven 2008, in 1 metre board EC silver: Budapest 2006, in 1 metre and 3 metre boards Einhoven 2008, in 1 metre board • Multiple Swedish championships • F ive times finished 4th in World Championships • Competed in four Olympics: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008. • Best result in the Olympics: 5th in Sydney
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CITEC INFORMATION: SERVICE PORTFOLIO
CITEC INFORMATION: SERVICE PORTFOLIO
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PLAN BEFORE YOU RUN Citec Information has always had a broad and therefore complex supply of services. The new Service Portfolio makes this situation clearer and helps the customer comprehensively. Suvi-Tuuli Kankaanpää
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n internal team at Citec Information met last spring to work on the need to make the supply of services clearer. The participants of the project team started by listing a total of 97 different services Citec provides. “It turned out that we often talked about the same things but with a different twist. By mapping the services into larger entities we were able to decrease the number of service names,” says Virpi Onkamo, Director of Research & Development and coordinator of the workgroup. Next, the services were compiled into a whole in a new way. Before, only individual services were described to customers, which meant that the big picture and the main message were often forgotten. “We started out purely from the customer needs. The goal was to wrap up the services in a way that makes it easy for our customers to understand how the different parts are connected,” says Sales & Marketing Director Katriina Valli.
“ We practice what we preach” n One sensible way to manage the information in a company is to use social-media applications. Citec Information uses a Wiki-based internal system that helps in the daily exchange of ideas and thoughts without frills. “With the help of the system, we have significantly reduced the amount of e-mail. Also, the information isn’t stored only on the hard drives of the superiors, but is available for everyone. There’s also a direct access from the Wiki to our document-management system,” Katriina Valli explains. Although the platform can also be built with other software, Citec has chosen the Wiki because it is easy to use and edit, and because most people know it already. Similar systems are also in use for separate projects. “We use such systems for project management with some customers. It is easy to create safe and closed user groups for the platform.” Katriina Valli thinks this is an excellent example of how a company can control information with well-considered decisions. “You could say that we practice what we preach.”
THE RESULT WAS a service portfolio stemming
from information-lifecycle thinking that takes into account the whole supply chain and the different production phases. All services are now grouped into the following categories; Plan, Build, and Run. In the Plan phase, customer needs are analysed and turned into information-management strategies. In the Build phase, the tools are selected and systems are built. The maintaining, more operative work belongs to the Run phase. “At the moment, the operative services form the part with the highest number of services. In an ideal case we are there to help customers in all three phases, because then our operation is at its most effective and we can clearly gain savings for our customers,” Valli says. The strength of Citec is precisely in comprehensive solutions – many competitors only provide services from one segment. With the help of the lifecycle thinking, it is possible to have information in a controllable and effective form. “The flood of information keeps growing, and
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lots of it keeps flowing into companies also from the outside. What easily happens here is that the information becomes uncontrollable,” explains Katriina Valli.
WRONG OR OBSOLETE information not only causes
costs but also, in the worst case, dangerous situations. If, for example, power plant documentation is out of
FROM COMPLEXITY TO CLARITY. “We wanted to wrap up our services in a new, clearer way,” say Virpi Onkamo and Katriina Valli.
date, faulty maintenance procedures may take place in the facility. “Unfortunately, information is often seen as a necessary evil, required by the law. Companies do not always realise how great their information assets are and how useful they can be when managed in a correct way,” Valli says. The new service portfolio has been well received
SERVICE PORTFOLIO
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PLAN Consultation and development services Analyse & strategise Architecture & design
RUN Operative services Create Manage & support Deliver Feedback
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BUILD Technology services Implement Technology
Information creation Supplier information management Operative information management Support Translation management Visualisation Digitisation
both by the customers and among the staff. For many Citecians, seeing the picture of the service portfolio has been an enlightening experience. “We have a lot of experts who have deep knowhow in a narrow field. Now many have realised their own role in the big picture for the first time,” says Onkamo. a
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SPORTS: AIKIDO
SPORTS: AIKIDO
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Eva Jakobsson
U SE THE FORCE WITHOUT HARMING YOUR OPPONENT
SPORTS AND BUSINESS. It was love at first sight when Gary Manders fell for aikido seven years ago. He has gained many things from his sport that are useful at work and even in business relations.
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The guy who used to hate gym at school has become dependent on the aikido training hall, the “dojo”. Gary Manders spends his weekdays leading the Life Sciences unit at Citec and has found much inspiration for his work from aikido.
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t looks like two top athletes in a breakneck duel. Attacks are deflected and the striker lands on the mat with a soft thud. The defender is Gary Manders, Director for Life Sciences at Citec Information. His training partner, Cenneth Sparby, has been training aikido for over 30 years, holds a 6th Dan (6th black belt grade) and is one of the head instructors of Gary Manders’ aikido-club. Gary Manders has been practising aikido since 2003, ever since he went along with a friend to aikido practice and finally found his favourite sport. “During school I was useless at sports, and unlike my friends I was completely uninterested in playing football. After I started with aikido, I’ve gone through massive personal development, both physically and mentally. I’ve developed my condition, coordination, and timing and learned to move more gracefully when responding to attacks,” says Gary Manders.
Eva Jakobsson
AIKIDO IS DIFFERENT in many ways when compared
to other martial arts. “We aren’t taught to attack, but we do have freeform attacks in training so that we can learn to fend them off.” Instead of confronting attacks by blocking and counter attacking, in aikido you strive to add your own force to the attacker’s strength and take them off balance. It’s all about finding harmony. There are no attack techniques or competitions in aikido; advancement is measured in different terms. “Continuous personal development is a big deal in aikido. I loved aikido from day one and my motivation has increased at a pace with learning new things and noting how I’m progressing.” A concrete sign of advancement comes from the different grading levels of belts that aikido practitioners can have. Gary Manders achieved the highest kyu level last year, and then went on to get his first black belt grade (1st Dan) in August 2010. “The grades are a way to show that a person has understood the principles, more than that you need to be able to knock someone down.”
GARY MANDERS CAME to Uppsala in 1992 for a post-doc in biology. It was here that he discovered the world of business and studied for an MBA in International Business Management. “It’s unbelievably interesting to be able to combine biology and business in my work.” His experiences from aikido training have given Gary Manders many benefits in everyday situations, both at work and at home. “In aikido it’s very important to concentrate on the person in front of you; to be present in the here and now. I’ve trained this ability in aikido and I feel that I benefit from it every day when I meet people.” Aikido has a constructive method even for conflict situations. “Anger and frustration often lead to wanting to block and strike back at your opponent. In aikido terms, one accepts the other’s point of view and attempts to discuss rather than harm the opponent. If you confront anger with openness and the willingness to listen, it’s easier to move forward.” ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF aikido is that you learn to
GARY MANDERS Profession: Director, Citec Life Sciences Lives in: Uppsala, Sweden Family: Wife Ulrika and our children John and Anna Aikido club: Uppsala KFUM-KFUK Aikido Achievements: Black belt, 1st Dan, August 2010 Personal goal: To be at least as active with aikido as I am today even twenty–thirty years from now.
respect and interact with people of different abilities, ages and genders. “People of all ages, men and women, and all grades train together in the dojo and so there is always something to learn. At work there are people half my age who know amazing amounts about certain areas. For me, it’s a matter of figuring out how I can learn something from them and then channel it.” Since a long while back Gary Manders has been leading a children’s group of 7–11 year olds, and now more recently the beginner adult classes. “It’s fantastic to see how children are given an outlet for their energy through aikido training. Children have shorter attention spans than adults, so they’re trained more playfully through games. As a group leader it’s very rewarding to be able to give from your own experiences and knowledge of aikido.” a
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WORKING LIFE: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
WORKING LIFE: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
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ARE WE GETTING
A CONNECTION? Understanding a person from a different culture may be challenging. But is it true that Finns are always punctual and Indians never say no?
T
CONNECTING PEOPLE. In India a yes doesn’t always mean yes, which can be truly confusing for a Finn.
encountered outside the work hree years ago when Olli environment; within Citec we try to Kytökari moved from reach a similar company culture in Finland to India to start to all countries. We have a thorough manage Citec Information India, introduction to all new employees.” he thought he was well prepared According to Kytökari, the for the Indian culture. But it Indian employees are young, turned out he hadn’t understood determined and ambitious, and everything. they are always ready to learn “One day I ordered a load of new things. The importance of furniture to be delivered at my punctuality is communicated to home at 9.30 a.m. I called the everyone right at the beginning of transport company to make sure employment and nowadays it is they would really arrive on time. often the Finnish colleagues on the When they were one hour late, I other side of the world who are late called again and was told that they when video conferences are about would be here in ‘5–7 minutes’. to begin. When the transportation two “I actually think that a lot of hours later still hadn’t come, I went the cultural training I have seen is to work. Late in the afternoon the CULTURES DO CHANGE. “A lot of the cultural outdated. Young, educated Indians driver phoned me and said they training I have seen is outdated. Young, have adopted different behavioural were waiting with the furniture educated Indians have adopted different habits than the older generations.” outside my door.” behaviours and habits than the older For Olli Kytökari, this was an generations”, says Olli Kytökari. ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC eye opener. A Finn is offended theories, the cultures of the world can be roughly divided and upset when someone is late, especially if they have into two categories: high-contexts cultures and lowpromised to be on time. In India, no-one would have context cultures. High-context cultures are characterised expected the transportation to really arrive at 9.30. by indirect communication that is implicit and avoids HOWEVER, KYTÖKARI QUICKLY adds that everything is not conflicts. Most of the Asian cultures belong to this always late in India. category. Low-context cultures, however, are characterised EVERYDAY JOY. “The fascinating thing about India is that whatever by directness and openness, and in these cultures it is not If you wan’t I argue, also thetoopposite is true. This is a society with as hard for people to confront each other. Low-context be happy, enormous contrasts. The biggest cultural differences are cultures can be found especially in Northern Europe and there’s a lot you can do to make it happen.
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WORKING LIFE: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
WORKING LIFE: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
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HIGH AND LOW. Most of the Asian cultures are high-context cultures where people tend to avoid conflict. Low-context cultures, like the USA, are characterised by directness and openness.
in the USA. Because the USA has traditionally been a melting pot for many cultures, communication has become very open and direct. This is simply because people otherwise would not understand each other.
THE INCLINATION TO avoid conflicts is a true
HIERARCHY MATTERS. “In Finland, employees may be hurt if their superiors interfere in their work too much, but in Russia a boss is expected to interfere”, says Magnus Forsbäck.
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difference between Finland and India, according to Olli Kytökari. “If I give a presentation about our strategy, noone comes up with arguments. It is considered rude to question someone who is superior in a hierarchy. But also this is an area where we encourage our professionals to challenge what is handed out, in a constructive manner of course.” Magnus Forsbäck, who is General Manager at Citec Engineering Russia, thinks there is the same difference between the Finnish and Russian cultures. “Hierarchies are much more important in Russia, and this means that a lot more questions end up on the top manager’s desk. In Finland, employees may be hurt if their superiors interfere in their work too much, but here this is expected.” Another big difference that Magnus Forsbäck sees between Finland and Russia is the significance of personal business relationships. In Russia, relationships come first, then business. “People go out with business acquaintances and meet their families. Because this society is less
trusting than Finnish society, it is necessary to learn to know people properly so that they can be trusted. A lot of the communication that takes place in Finland by email is face-to-face here.” Magnus Forsbäck has worked in Russia for almost 20 years now, and has lately seen a certain trend towards a younger business culture where personal relationships are no longer as important. However, he sees no signs that the business life would become any less hierarchical. For a Finn, the Russian bureaucracy is one of the areas where the cultural differences are clearest. “Something that in Finland could be done online in a minute may take several days of queuing at bureaus.”
DELAYS, HIERARCHY, AND bureaucracy – these are some of the cultural clashes a Finn runs into in India and Russia. But how does Finland show itself in the eyes of an outsider? We directed this question to Nasir Mulani, Head of Engineering at Citec Engineering India. He has worked with Finns for 18 years. “Finns are direct, trustworthy, and modest. They do not waste time on small talk but go directly to the matter at hand. In a way, this can sometimes be seen as impolite in India. I tend to say to Finns who come to India that they should come here as learners, not as lecturers.”
Also Mulani has experienced the difference how Finns and Indians view the concept of time. “In India, we say time is not everything. But it’s a misunderstanding that everything in India is always late. At the central station in Mumbai, the trains are always on time, even though they have 10 million passengers a day.”
NASIR MULANI ADMITS that it can be difficult
DIRECT AND STRAIGHT FORWARD. “The Finns do not waste time on small talk but go straight to the point. This can sometimes be seen as impolite in India”, says Nasir Mulani.
for an Indian to say “no,” especially to someone who is their superior in the hierarchy. That’s why he encourages Finns to carefully listen to nuances in the word “yes.” Finns also easily think everything is under control if they don’t hear from their Indian colleagues, when the situation can actually be the opposite. “I tend to encourage everyone to talk to each other rather once too often than once too seldom. With communication, many misunderstandings are avoided.” Has Nasir Mulani himself faced misunder standings caused by cultural differences? “In India, we can sometimes move the head from side to side when we say yes. I did this once when I talked with a Finn, and he was really confused. Since then, I’ve been careful to move my head up and down when I say yes.” a
TOOL KIT How to avoid cultural chocks: • Be flexible and open-minded. • Listen and think before you judge. • If you are going to meet people from another culture – read about that culture beforehand. • Be prepared for a different perception of time and a different sense of humour than you are used to. • Don’t assume anything and be clear. With distinct and open communication, many misunderstandings are avoided.
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CUSTOMER CASE: SANDVIK
CUSTOMER CASE: SANDVIK
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STRENGTHENING THE BRAND Accurate documentation is an important safety factor in mining operations. Sandvik Mining & Construction was aided by Citec in updating their documentation tool.
A
couple of years ago Documentation Manager Marko Ylinen from Sandvik was at a seminar, where one of the speakers was Ilkka Palola from Citec. Palola made such a good impression on Ylinen that he decided to contact Citec when Sandvik needed help in choosing and testing a new documentation tool. “I’m completely satisfied with our cooperation with Citec. The work has been performed with expertise and the delivery times have been kept”, says Ylinen.
DURING 2010 CITEC delivered a
5 QUESTIONS
requirement specification to Sandvik for a new documentation tool and clarified the company’s documentation processes. Sandvik Mining & Construction is active in several countries and the new tool will be used at all locations. “Before, the factories had very different documentation systems. We wanted to use the update to make our documentation more effective and unified. High-quality documentation with a unified appearance supports the brand much better. That then adds to the trust at the customer end”, says Marko Ylinen. When the same tool is used in all countries
Building power plants and motorcycles
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and at all locations, the documentation work is much more efficient. It also decreases the amount of overlapping work.
SANDVIK MINING & CONSTRUCTION is a
Swedish company manufacturing different kinds of machinery for the mining industry. According to Ylinen, the significance of the documentation in the field is growing all the time. The main reason for this is that good documentation supports safety. “The documentation is used to instruct the users. Correct instructions increase safety and decrease the risks caused by misuse.” Now that the appearance of the Sandvik documentation has been unified and the new tool has been selected, it’s time to move on to the next phase of the project. The goal is to find new processes that support the new tool in the best possible way. “It may well be that Citec will be helping us with that too”, Ylinen says. a
SAFETY FIRST. Correct instructions increase the safety in mining. Therefore accurate documentation is vital.
Fredrik Nyqvist is a Project Manager at Citec Engineering in Vaasa.
n What do you do at Citec? “I’m a Project Manager for Citec’s Engine Power business area working with Wärtsilä projects. I joined Citec in 2004. Right now I’m involved in a power barge project that’s going to be built in Thailand which has the Dominican Republic as its final destination.” How long do you spend on a particular project? “It varies, but the engineering stage often takes about half a year.
Sometimes I work with Wärtsilä in the sales stage of the project and then my involvement can be up to a year.” How would you describe Citec Engineering to a person who doesn’t know the company? “It is an engineering company that creates designs mostly for power plants and industrial facilities. Citec handles the full engineering
for process systems, mechanical and electrical installations and civil structures, among other things. Citec is a multinational company with employees from many countries, also at my work place in Vaasa.” What, in your opinion, are the challenges facing Citec? “To keep our competitive edge so that we can bring home orders
even though the world market is becoming more competitive. Cost efficiency is very important and we at Citec can offer a better relationship between price and quality than our competitors.”
1986 Softail. I’ve rebuilt it over three–four years and always keep finding new things to modify. Motor vehicles are my great hobby.”
What do you when not working? “During the summer I drive my motorcycle and spend time at the summer cottage. During the winter I fix up my bike, a Harley-Davidson 1•2 01 1 C I T E C AT T I T U D E
Every star needs a stunt double. And with Citec your performance will be flawless. Behind the scenes, Citec’s experts will take full responsibility for tasks that are not your main activities. This leaves you free to take the leading role in your own field of expertise.
You are the star — we’ll do the stunts.
the one for the job Proven excellence in Multi-Discipline Engineering and Information Management www.citec.com