#44 How does ANDRITZ ensure customer satisfaction across the world when it comes to service?

00:00:02: Hello to all friends and fans of the pulp, paper & bioproducts industries.

00:00:07: Welcome to our exciting Spectrum podcast where today we'll be talking about service a mostly behind-the-scenes activity that is absolutely essential for successful running of pulp and paper mills.

00:00:19: I am Mark Rushton And i will your host.

00:00:24: In heavy industry such as pulp and Paper Maintenance and Service Is The Lifeline That Keeps Large Heavy Duty Machines humming like well-awed critical organs in the body of an operation.

00:00:37: Modern pulp and paper production depends on reliability, fast response times and deep technical expertise.

00:00:45: Behind this crucial activity is a global network of service professionals who help customers maintain equipment improve efficiency and adopt new technologies.

00:00:56: So our guest today is Tommy Suki Executive Vice President Pulp & Paper Service who leads global service operations at Andritz.

00:01:06: With decades of experience in the pulp and paper industry, Tommy Ovesti is a worldwide team of experts supporting mills with everything from service maintenance and upgrades to digital solutions.

00:01:19: In this episode we'll talk about how services evolving at Andrits and why local expertise really matters in a global industry.

00:01:27: We will also talk what future of service might look like with digitalization and automation.

00:01:34: Tommy, welcome to the Spectrum podcast!

00:01:36: Thank you Mark.

00:01:37: it's my pleasure to be here.

00:01:40: Excellent so let's go straight in.

00:01:42: first of all to start with You spent many years on the pulp and paper industry.

00:01:46: what originally attracted you to this industry?

00:01:48: And how did your career lead you into the service business?

00:01:52: Well I grew up in the southeast part of the country Here in Finland which is like a capital area for the pulpit paper industry in Finland.

00:02:03: In the seventies and eighties, it was a big bullwing Industry.

00:02:09: all businesses were somehow not all but many of the business is very pretty much related Somehow to Palpatan paper.

00:02:16: so if there's like a natural I don't know If he attracted me But some how i got into It.

00:02:22: then i got a chance To join company working in the palpatine paper industry.

00:02:27: And here i am.

00:02:28: So it Was Like Natural growth path in my early career I have to say.

00:02:35: Service business, i like the deal with people and being a customer right on front of customers interface.

00:02:43: so i guess... In my early careers somehow wanted go do meals.. I want it solve problems for our customers.

00:02:52: this is service business services daily dealing with customers.

00:02:57: that somehow got me into that.

00:02:59: then Excellent.

00:03:01: Like most of us, you sort of fall in by accident don't?

00:03:04: You and then it's very hard to get out.

00:03:06: Yeah exactly

00:03:09: excellent.

00:03:09: Thank you for that.

00:03:11: Okay So service has become increasingly important for industrial companies.

00:03:16: Why have service becomes such a critical factor for pulp and paper producers today?

00:03:21: Well I think there's been always critical but the times are challenging getting more and more challenging day-by-day.

00:03:29: The competition between our customers' fears, which is then naturally driving the cross-marches down unfortunately.

00:03:40: And this is then the importance of asset management for all customers comes very critical and where the service comes into picture so really they care about assets.

00:03:53: more with less produce more with a less keep the assets up and running predictability these kind of things.

00:04:01: So more with less, I think that this is a good wording here and so... This the reason why it's just getting more critical.

00:04:11: Sure!

00:04:12: Onto your service organisation?

00:04:14: You lead a global service organisation where Android is truly global And It seems like could be huge challenge.

00:04:21: How does work in practice when comes to individual customer focus?

00:04:29: For us, it really all starts from the understanding.

00:04:33: The markets' understanding where our customers are and then we're really... It's clear for us that being very close to our customers is a really essential business.

00:04:46: so I mean being close having enough competent resources in those areas near to our customer is important than what you can meet Meet the challenges off and then respond to.

00:05:01: the challenge is of our customers.

00:05:03: So but it all really stand starts from the understanding of the markets.

00:05:06: where you want to invest very wanna do, and we're our customers

00:05:10: are Okay brilliant.

00:05:12: so that's very much local by global.

00:05:14: yes

00:05:15: okay Brilliant excellent!

00:05:18: So um From your perspective what does excellence service look like for a pulp in paper mill?

00:05:23: To be eats?

00:05:24: uh It's a partnership when we really If we are able to create a feeling that we're partners and if it's win-win solution, this is how the excellent service looks like.

00:05:37: It's good for us, it's good our customers... ...and then we both gain.

00:05:43: But in partnership you can only really create if you have the availability or if your customer relies on us.

00:05:51: That's all I mean.

00:05:53: but my answer is really the partnership feeling of the partnership win-to-win.

00:05:58: Yeah, yeah you're in it together.

00:05:59: yes

00:06:00: yep fantastic.

00:06:02: so can you share an example of where strong service support made a real difference for a customer?

00:06:08: this is what we like on our podcast.

00:06:09: would love to have these stories and anecdotes of.

00:06:11: you know what's going on the industry.

00:06:14: well let's say so.

00:06:16: we serve the industry.

00:06:18: thousands of our customers meals.

00:06:21: Some of the meals are newer, some of them is older.

00:06:24: Many of those meals suffer on problems and troubles.

00:06:29: so I say that we have several examples like life cycle long-term agreements We call it a force under synergy concept which has been developed.

00:06:43: So if you sit down at same table with our customers then they will look in the detail, what they are possibly having.

00:06:52: We create a plan and then we start to really work out problems together with our customers.

00:06:59: We put our best experts on that and solve the problem.

00:07:04: so long term agreement as I said earlier in partnership win-win.

00:07:12: So this is like an agreement type of concept for us.

00:07:16: And then of course, I mean unfortunately there are still unexpected sudden failures issues happening in some corner of the world and Then you have to be fast.

00:07:29: You have to respond and take that action immediately without too many questions who's gonna pay?

00:07:37: And so on.

00:07:38: to be honest I mean just go and start to help but be fast when this is this is still happening geared up to serve our customers pretty much in all corners of the world, it is kind of situation.

00:07:54: Sure so basically their problem becomes your problem with the synergy agreement?

00:07:58: Absolutely!

00:07:59: So this a good way to say it Marks or definitely there problems become our problem and we want to solve them.

00:08:08: I bet a day in your life is really interesting.

00:08:10: I'd like to follow you around one day, i'm sure that your phone has constantly ringing.

00:08:14: could You just give us an idea of what the day and Your Life looks Like?

00:08:18: Ah Hard To Say because if you asked What I did yesterday I do not remember Because Every Day So Different And There are Customer Calls South America China Internal Matter so Everyday Is Different.

00:08:36: I need to look at my calendar.

00:08:37: what happened yesterday, Mark if you ask.

00:08:41: But yeah it's nice and challenging but i like

00:08:45: it!

00:08:45: You looked really good on that one.

00:08:48: So as we all know digital technologies are becoming more important across all industries.

00:08:53: How is digitization changing the way services deliver to customers?

00:08:58: And what roles do tools such data analytics or remote support help improve operations today?

00:09:05: A very broad question mark, I mean as in all industries.

00:09:10: As you know daily life everybody's daily lives.

00:09:14: digitalization has changed everything and it is also changed our world totally.

00:09:23: How to summarize?

00:09:26: It like opened up an instant window for the industry To us.

00:09:32: they can see what this happening.

00:09:34: we can serve our customers remotely, faster immediately if something comes up.

00:09:42: So everything has changed of course.

00:09:44: then they come to the solutions like e-commerce, robotics.

00:09:48: but this is everybody knows this.

00:09:50: I mean it does not need be in a public paper industry.

00:09:53: We just need keep on with development.

00:09:56: This happens everywhere and Our variety and the portfolio of products in a bulk of paper mills is very large.

00:10:07: So that process isn't simple, it's complicated processes but I mean by digitalization.

00:10:15: we can keep up We can serve our customers better And It IS A MUST.

00:10:21: There's no question about that!

00:10:22: We need to keep up with development.

00:10:25: Yes That's what we are doing.

00:10:27: Great I understand that you're making advances on AI.

00:10:31: You can actually now talk to your DD washers, a pilot producer who speaks the DD wash with using AI technology?

00:10:38: This is one example of thanks for bringing it up.

00:10:41: so this is an example of the AI.

00:10:44: definitely there was a co-pilot and which product we have launched and that this washer is a complicated washing machine in the bulking lines.

00:10:56: And yes, we've provided an AI solution where our customers can directly ask for the pilot to pay what they need do or the pilot of course online giving them instructions and advice.

00:11:10: so it's one example.

00:11:11: Yes!

00:11:11: We are going to widen the portfolio with other equipment as well

00:11:17: Brilliant.

00:11:17: That's a real example of the future that is actually talking to your machines, it's just incredible.

00:11:22: Yes.

00:11:23: And what about sustainability?

00:11:24: Environmental excellence is becoming a key focus for many many mills.

00:11:29: We're often writing about in Spectrum magazine.

00:11:32: So how can service solutions help pulp and paper producers improve their environmental performance?

00:11:38: Here I would say there Is nothing new for us because this isn't we have been doing Since I remember, of course nowadays we talk about sustainability more than in my opinion ten years ago.

00:11:53: But still the customers had same challenges.

00:11:57: they wanted to use less energy and spend less for raw materials.

00:12:05: that all is despite sustainability now a days.

00:12:08: But we have been providing and developing this type of solutions, technical processes for our customers already a long time.

00:12:15: And they keep on doing that.

00:12:16: so in that respect I don't see anything new.

00:12:21: but then it's about the paper services.

00:12:25: We run seventy service manufacturing and the service set their locations all over the world, seven zero location.

00:12:33: So what comes to our own facilities?

00:12:38: every day to meet up with the green targets, such as emissions and emission reductions.

00:12:48: Of course we are working on that in our own facilities

00:12:53: too.

00:12:55: Last but by no means least safety.

00:12:57: how has new technologies like robotics or automation helping safeties for service teams?

00:13:03: And of course ultimately your customers.

00:13:06: Let's start with the customers.

00:13:08: That's the most important thing.

00:13:10: So basically, if I now just be instantly here thinking about the robotic solutions that we have developed taking as an example to spark a smoke spout cleaning robot so all this started because of safety.

00:13:28: All these are our robotic solutions.

00:13:30: what we've developed and what we're having under development is safety-driven topics in the difficult, dangerous places.

00:13:42: In the middle of a safe peace and issue.

00:13:45: so our customers have really... And today's robotic technology enables all that.

00:13:50: So safety is the driver here definitely for the robotic solutions.

00:13:57: In our own manufacturing unit.

00:13:59: it's same thing of course safety but then efficiency.

00:14:04: we can do something more efficient with the robotics and then we are doing that.

00:14:09: But many development projects going on in this area, absolutely we will continue all of it.

00:14:19: Excellent thank you.

00:14:21: so to finish let's look forward to the future.

00:14:24: what trends do you think will shape the future of service in the pulp and paper industry over the next decade?

00:14:29: So what will service look like in ten years time?

00:14:33: I wish i would No Mark, but I would say that what i already mentioned earlier in this session here is more with less.

00:14:45: Symptom will continue.

00:14:48: definitely the competition is tough.

00:14:50: so it's going to continue and I think which is interesting today if you look at these industries really innovation here new fiber based products developed all the time because of less plastics.

00:15:08: We have a fiber-based textile industry, and also we have different types of side products coming out from the popular recovery island linked by your fuels.

00:15:20: so as a side of that traditional pulp or paper making is really opening us to new possibilities for the service business.

00:15:35: I mean, we are confident and very optimistic that we have a good future because of these reasons in the bubble paper industry also to service of the bubble-paper industry.

00:15:51: i think our customers looking more into new kind of service concepts where they can reduce their OPEX costs maybe different type of outsourcing concept to us as OEM supplier.

00:16:11: But I think we have to remember the basics, he will be still dealing with heavy duty process machinery That is not going to go away.

00:16:23: So the big machines even getting bigger and bigger, The plants are growing and they're getting bigger.

00:16:29: They have producing more.

00:16:31: so that will be there at the machines Will stay?

00:16:33: And we need to understand the mechanics of the process.

00:16:36: is that's the key Of all this?

00:16:39: AI digitalization comes fine We'll handle but you need still understand the basics the heavy duty machines and this process, how the end product is processed.

00:16:55: So I think we have a good future.

00:16:57: Fantastic!

00:16:58: It's been fascinating to talk with you Tommy.

00:17:00: thank you so much for that.

00:17:01: Thank You.

00:17:05: As we see service plays a key role in keeping mills running efficiently safely And improving sustainability as We've heard today.

00:17:14: digital technologies an innovation will continue To transform our services delivered In The Future.

00:17:20: Thank you to all our valued listeners for joining us on this episode of Spectrum Podcast.

00:17:25: If you enjoyed the conversation, stay tuned for more episodes where we will talk with experts about technologies and trends shaping the future in industry.