Setting the Standard: in Soili Kuusisto's team, even the good things can always be improved

Soili Kuusisto's Order to Delivery team ensures that UPM Timber's shipments of sawn timber reach the customer on time. The best way to get the timber packages moving is for the team to stick together and to discuss challenges and other issues openly.

Who are you and what do you do at UPM Timber?

I am Soili Kuusisto, Senior Manager, Order to Delivery. I am responsible for UPM Timber's order to delivery processes, which is part of UPM Timber's supply chain concept.

My team is closely involved in daily operations. I have six direct subordinates and my team covers the whole UPM Timber order to supply chain. My team consists of specialists in order processing, transport ordering, invoicing, shipping and logistics.

I have been with UPM Timber for five years and with UPM for more than 20 years continuously. Almost 30 years ago, I started in the timber business as a summer trainee. This means that five years ago when I came to UPM Timber, I went full circle back to where my career originally started.

What does your typical working day consist of?

My working days consist of weekly meetings with my team, as well as supply chain management team meetings. Also, the operational side of things requires meetings at a fairly intense pace.

For my team, I want to be someone who is present and listens. I like to have a coaching approach, so I set aside a lot of time with my team for discussion and joint problem-solving. I believe that these discussions support my team members and help them to succeed at UPM Timber.

The meetings are face-to-face at the Tampere office or via Teams. The people responsible for shipping work at UPM Timber's sawmills in Pori and Lappeenranta. Sometimes I also visit the sawmills to see how the work is progressing and meet people. I don't want to be someone who sits in the office all day. When you hear the logs rattling and the sawmill running, you get a much more concrete picture of our processes.

What are you most proud of in your own work? 

During the time I've been at UPM, the company has made big changes and big decisions. UPM is always moving forward with determination. It has been great to see how UPM has evolved from a traditional paper industry company into one that develops new innovative and sustainable solutions. I am proud of that.

During this time, I have also learned to see the big picture. I can see what's underneath the surface and this is very useful in my work. I maintain contacts and build interfaces in every direction, with the team, with the supply chain, with UPM Timber. I can be proud of the fact that this communication and networking is working well.

Setting the Standard means to me that UPM Timber wants to be a pioneer. In my own work, it means service and reliability, especially in logistics.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Building relationships also means being vigilant at the right time and in the right place. Knowing when to let things take their own course and when to get down to business. UPM is a big group, and there are also many things that you have no control over. This is part of the demanding nature of working in the company. But that is the way forward.

How is your handprint reflected in UPM Timber products? 

My handprint is reflected in the delivery of UPM Timber's service promise. We deliver quality products reliably and our logistics work well. The dispatch business itself is very hectic, but in the whole chain it is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other things that have to succeed before that.

What does our new customer promise, Setting the Standard, mean to you? 

Setting the Standard means to me that UPM Timber wants to be a pioneer. In my own work, it means service and reliability, especially in logistics. Customers pay the salaries of all of us. That's why customer promises and living up to them is so important.

It has been great to see that we are working even more with long-term customers, and we are striving to develop these partnerships further. We are also making constant progress in sustainability and environmental issues. For example, documents still travel by physical courier mail by air to destinations around the world, and plans are underway to make this process electronic. Of course, this will require a lot of cooperation with different actors, from customers to banks, but it is possible if the will is there.

There is always room for improvement, and that is a good thing.

In the Setting the Standard series, we feature UPM Timber employees from a variety of job profiles, both at the headquarters and on the production lines. All our employees are committed to our customer promise Setting the Standard to continuously strive for better results. In the series, staff members share their own work and how they raise the bar every day.

Read our previous Setting the Standard story about Jarno Merisalo.

Read about how satisfied our customers are with our service.