Valmet Automotive – a company known for its car factory – wanted their Helsinki office near the airport. Avia Pilot ensures easy mobility for them, because the company’s main markets are in three different countries. Here are Chief Financial Officer Juha Torniainen’s experiences of the new office spaces two years after moving.
Since the founding of the company in 1968, Valmet Automotive has been a top service provider for the automotive industry. The company has manufactured over 1.7 million cars, but there is also other considerable activity in the company’s portfolio.
− We are often recognised as a contract manufacturer of cars, but we have two more businesses of considerable scale: roof and kinematic systems in Poland and Germany, and the newly launched battery systems activity. The battery packs are mostly manufactured in Finland, but there are related activities also in Germany, the company CFO Juha Torniainen explains.
Torniainen works in the Helsinki office as a member of the company’s team of seven. Overall, the company forms a community of 4500 employees working in three different countries and representing more than 70 nationalities. With operations in such a large geographical area, the company was looking to move their Helsinki office to a place more accessible from both home and abroad.
− The spaces where we worked previously were quite near to the airport, but not near enough. Since we have a lot of regular traffic from Salo, Uusikaupunki, Germany and Poland, this is the centre of action for us. We are happy to have found a space solution that made it possible to move even closer to the airport, Torniainen says.
And off they went to their new spaces at Avia Pilot from where magnificent views open to the runway.
AIRPORT LOCATION COPIED IN GERMANY
The Valmet Automotive team of seven persons have now worked in the new spaces for two years. The office tower’s windows on the sixth floor overlook the runway, and the central and highly connected location makes it easy to handle daily routines. The company has over 200 square metres of office space.
The workday seems to go smoothly for the employees of this mobile company working in the proximity of the airport. Thanks to the spaces, it now is easier to arrange joint meetings and events. The pandemic has naturally caused the volumes of business travel to come down, but the demand for a central venue remains.
− We normally have considerable air traffic moving in and out of the country. We meet a lot of customers and suppliers and there is, of course, also traffic within the company. Since we have activities in Finland, Germany and Poland, we often gather here from these places, at the Helsinki airport. Here is quick and easy to come from different directions, Torniainen says.
The airport location has supported the business activities so well that the company decided to copy the same concept in Germany where the Valmet Automotive Group is running their battery, roof and cinematic system businesses.
− For a company of this kind, the airport is the main business hub; being at the airport makes sense for us. Having noticed in practice how well the location worked here, we wanted the same space arrangement for our Group at the Frankfurt airport, Torniainen says.
GREAT CONNECTIVITY, AMPLE PARKING AND EFFICIENT LOBBY SERVICES
Working at Avia Pilot has proved feasible in every respect. It is especially the easiness of coming, going and parking which makes the day go smoothly for Torniainen.
Most of the team commutes by car, however, good public transport is always welcome. A large parking area with visitor parking makes sure also the company guests find it easy to arrive here – quickly and neatly.
− Many of us live nearby, in the greater Helsinki area. Commuter traffic and the time used for travelling are quite different from, say, downtown Helsinki. You travel the same distance in a much shorter time, plus you don’t need to search for parking, Torniainen establishes.
The lobby services on the office tower’s ground floor add to the everyday comfort. Here, you can order the necessary reception, meeting and mailing services. You can stop by the lounge to read the newspapers and have a hot drink. When it is time to travel again, you can use the check-in automat in the lobby and take your time before hopping on the plane.
− All of the services we need on a daily basis work well here, including the reception, meeting, mailing and catering service. They work extremely well, run by good personnel. You can grab a quick lunch, there are even quick meals for sale in the lobby. There is not much more I could hope for, Torniainen concludes.
− And, even if the airport was a bit quiet during the pandemic when there was little air traffic, there is still the airport atmosphere – now that you don’t have elsewhere, he adds.
”EVERYTHING HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SMOOTH.”
Valmet Automotive have met with the lessor’s representatives annually, and Torniainen wishes to send his thanks to them. Avia Real Estate have been a pleasant partner to work with, but Torniainen is particularly happy with the lessor’s solution-oriented approach to ensuring the moving-in phase.
− We needed some changes to be made in the new spaces, and I must say that both the space modifications and moving-in went really smoothly, which is not always the case. The people at Avia Real Estate were flexible, and the spaces were tailored to best suit our demands.
Looking back at the co-operation, there is a strong feeling of good and reliable partnership.
− We keep contact with Avia Real Estate at least once a year, and we have met whenever needed. In our experience everything is well taken care of here, and the co-operation with Avia Real Estate is good, Torniainen summarises.
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