Meet the team: Shelter heroes Heikki and Antti

Finbin's shelter point is not just a production point – it is a place where durable solutions tailored to customer needs are created. The demand for shelters and bicycle parking solutions is growing, and production at the canopy point is now in full swing. In this episode of the "Meet the team" series, we get to know two production professionals who ensure that every product meets customers' high expectations: Antti Leponiemi and Heikki Rantanen.

Their workdays are much more than just assembly – they involve problem-solving, collaboration, and continuous development. But how did they end up at the canopy point, and what does their work actually entail?

Diverse work requires precision and creativity

Antti is already a veteran at Finbin. His task is to ensure that shelter products are delivered to the customer in the correct condition, with all parts and clear installation instructions. "Order entities are often massive, consisting of hundreds of different components, and the amount of goods also affects other production in the factory, such as surface treatment. To streamline the process, we work closely with supervisors and other departments to ensure that products are in the right place at the right time and that things don't get 'stuck' at any stage of production." Each shipment is carefully considered to make the customer's installation process as easy as possible. "Shelters are often shipped in parts, unlike other products, which are delivered pre-assembled," Antti clarifies.

Heikki began his career at Finbin manufacturing waste shelters, i.e., Moduli products. Over the past year, he has also started making canopies, which are more demanding to implement. "With Modul, the work is straightforward and clear, but shelters assembly is more challenging – practically every order is unique," Heikki says.  

Currently, Finbin shelter and bicycle parking solutions are growing products in terms of sales, which means that the canopy point is busy during peak season. In winter, however, the work changes: then the focus shifts to manufacturing new prototypes and developing canopy solutions. Antti has been involved, for example, in the development of ViVa shelters from the very beginning. He finds collaboration with design meaningful, as it enables the development of practical solutions that meet customer needs.

(Pictured left: Heikki, right: Antti)

Career paths that led to Finbin

Heikki's and Antti's career paths took different routes before they ended up at Finbin. Heikki started as a car mechanic but moved into childcare before finding his way into factory work through summer jobs. He immediately felt that factory work was his field, and he has now been at Finbin for three years.

Antti, on the other hand, is at Finbin for the second time – he has been with the company for a total of six years. In between, he worked making gravestones and had a long career in construction before Finbin. "Finbin has been a popular employer among my friends, and for over twenty years, at least one of my friends has always worked here," Antti says.

Teamwork and variety in daily life

Teamwork is at the heart of everything at Finbin shelter station Antti works closely with other production departments, such as the paint shop and primary production. Workstations are flexible, and the canopy point can transform into, for example, a Bermuda assembly point or a charging locker assembly point.  

One of their most recent work highlights was the CERN project, where they were able to utilize their creativity and experience, and the end result was very successful. "The customer was satisfied, and projects like these bring pleasant variety to daily life," Heikki states. "The project is significant and an important breakthrough for the company. You only get to make a first impression once," Antti continues.

Fun facts – and a real-life MacGyver

In addition to work, Antti and Heikki are interesting personalities in their free time. Antti studies Kalevalan bone setting alongside his work – with the intention of becoming a part-time entrepreneur in the future. Heikki, on the other hand, is known as an animal rescuer – he has saved several animals that have wandered into the hall. In his free time, Heikki enjoys tinkering in his garage with various projects. His latest creation is a cat entertainment center.

Finbin – a place where team spirit flourishes

Both men agree that Finbin is a good employer: "There are many people here who have tried other jobs but eventually returned, myself included," Antti says. Employees are listened to and involved in development work, which has made the work particularly meaningful.

The work atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful. "Sometimes we laugh until we cry," Antti and Heikki say. The trust between management and employees allows everyone to focus on what is essential, and the strong team spirit makes work enjoyable.

According to Antti, working at the shelters point is like "decorating a cake," as primary production and the paint shop have already handled a large part of the work. The finished product leaves expertly completed, delighting customers and users. Finbin's investments and employee commitment are reflected in both product quality and the well-being of the work community.

Heikki and Antti are perfect examples of how Finbin employees' experience and creativity go hand in hand, bringing forth both new solutions and a cheerful spirit of doing – season after season.