Tuomas Tiainen, who worked in an international company for a long time before joining Steveco, appreciates the Finnish work culture.

Tuomas Tiainen started as forwarding manager at Steveco in September 2022. He works in a five-person team that includes another forwarding manager, a logistics manager, and a customs expert, as well as the head of the logistics unit, Pauliina Lindholm, who leads the team.

After transit traffic to Russia stopped, Tiainen's job now focuses on the road transport needs of various customers. Sea freight is also part of Steveco's full-service package.

Steveco offers its customers the entire logistics chain on a door-to-door basis in the Baltics as well as in Eastern and Central Europe.

Goods never stand still

According to Tiainen, Steveco still enjoys a reputation as the company that loads large quantities of goods onto ships in port. Of course it is that, but the company's service concept also includes delivering a 100-gramme package to a customer. The entire service offering includes forwarding and customs services as well as sea, train, road and air freight.

"The purpose of logistics is to bring added value to the customer," says Tiainen. "Compared to many other forwarding companies, Steveco's advantage is that it is also a port operator, meaning the entire logistics chain is in its own hands."

Tiainen takes a moderate approach to the drying up of transit traffic and its effects. The gap it left can be partially filled in the European internal market.

"Sooner or later we will see in which direction we are headed. And the situation is the same for all companies. Goods have always moved. Now we just reshuffle."

Extensive experience of Finnish ports

Tuomas Tiainen, born in Pyhtää, joined Steveco from Bruhn Spedition, a family-owned German transport company. Tiainen worked at Bruhn Spedition for 17 years as technical director. Until 2011, Tiainen's post was the port of Hamina, which changed to Mussalo with the transfer there of container traffic.

In 2013, transit dried up completely at Bruhn, and Tiainen's workplace moved to Helsinki. With the relocation came a new job description as managerial and administrative responsibilities were replaced by development assignments. These new tasks took Tiainen to ports all around Finland from Hanko to Kemi, and he clocked some 65,000 kilometres on the road per year.

"Finland's largest ports have become familiar to me. I've seen how they do things in different ports."

The work move to Helsinki also meant that the daily commute for Tiainen, who lives in Kotka, became considerably longer, as did his work days.

A good time for a job change

The length of the commute was one reason Tiainen applied to work at Steveco, but not the only one. He also wanted to do something new.

According to Tiainen, changing from a long-term employer to a new one is not a simple matter. However, applying to Steveco was made easier by the fact that in his previous job he had cooperated a lot with the country's largest port operator, and many of his current colleagues are familiar from his earlier work.

"When you've been in the industry for a long time, you inevitably get to know everyone."

In Tiainen's opinion, this was an opportune moment to change jobs as his children had grown up.

"Now there is a new road to travel," says Tiainen, admitting that he was nervous about the call that would come from Steveco after going through the application process.

"After everything, the call was a relief, of course."

Outside the box

Tuomas Tiainen believes that he will be able to bring added value to his new employer precisely because of his long and solid industry and logistics experience.

"I hope that I can bring to the table broader perspectives and out-of-the-box thinking."

Tiainen praises the Finnish work culture as very flexible and productive, and the atmosphere in workplaces as open and positive. Unlike for example Russia, there is no hierarchical rigidity in Finland, nor control, strict order, and respect for authority in Germany.

"Finnish employees dare to express their own opinion."

Steveco is known for the long careers of its personnel.

"To me, Steveco's long work careers indicate that this is a good place to work."

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Tuomas Tiainen

• 45-year-old logistics professional.
• Started as forwarding manager at Steveco in September 2022.
• Completed a special professional qualification in management (JEAT) while working.
• Lives in Kotka. The family includes his partner and two adult children (23 and 18) -- the older now lives on his own -- and his partner's children (12 and 18).
• Enjoys defendo, fitness wrestling and cycling in the summer.

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Text: Eija Anttila Photos: Johannes Wiehn

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