Many careers at CH-Polymers’ production plant in Kaipiainen last over twenty years, and in some cases even over forty. That makes process manager Jouko Suhonen a newcomer in the group, and he utilizes the fresh perspective to help update the production processes. As the process manager, Suhonen ensures that customers receive high-quality products on time, and that the staff can work in a good, safe environment. Suhonen describes himself as a jack of all trades who jumps in wherever necessary at the Kaipiainen plant. Before joining CH-Polymers, Suhonen gained extensive experience in the chemical industry working for an international corporation, performing various tasks ranging from production to maintenance and research. Experience has taught him to prioritize aspects that are crucial in production. – Production serves the customer, and meeting customer demands is the most important task. I constantly assess which functions are essential and if there is anything that does not add value. To ensure profitability, I also consider efficiency and strive to minimize waste, says Suhonen. Solutions through teamwork During his first year and a half, Suhonen has been able to assess CH-Polymers’ processes from a fresh perspective. – I try to keep my eyes open and raise questions […]
Greetings, I am Misla Lagus, Research and Development Manager in the Paper & Packaging business unit at CH-Polymers. I would like to share my experiences on work-life balance, flexibility, and professional development within our team at CH-Polymers. I started my journey at CH-Polymers back in 2016 when I joined with my master’s thesis from Åbo Akademi, focusing on the surface sizing of testliner. Since then, my role has dynamically evolved, encompassing responsibilities from Project Engineer to R&D Engineer, Project Manager and Lab Manager. Currently, I proudly serve as R&D Manager during the day, and as “mamma” by night. Returning after a fulfilling 9-month maternity leave, I have come to appreciate the unparalleled joy of parenthood. However, when this is combined with a demanding professional career, you need to balance the two. At CH-Polymers, we provide an environment where we support team members through these significant life events. A cornerstone of this support is our commitment to flexible working hours and remote work possibilities. This has allowed me to find a balance between my role as an R&D Manager and the responsibilities of parenthood. Working remotely from home a few days a week has given me the flexibility to be […]
During these challenging times in the world of geopolitical uncertainty & wars we are focusing on building the future. A natural outcome is to support the children in our area. Our Christmas present funds are donated to Pelastakaa Lapset (Save the children) charity. Our factory will be closed 23.12 18:00 – 26.12.2023 18:00. Please note deliveries will not be affected. We wish everyone Happy Holidays and happiness and success for the New Year 2024!
We will be at ECS in Hall 5, Stand 5-321. Come and say hello if you’re there!
Business Unit Director Christian Höglund, who leads CH-Polymers’ Paper & Packaging unit, believes that strong R&D paves the way for continuous improvement in sustainable business. The packaging industry is undergoing a major global transformation. – All the large brands have ambitious sustainability goals for the coming years, and usually those goals include reducing the amount of plastic in their packaging and replacing it with more environmentally friendly materials. That’s where CH-Polymers’ expertise and innovation come in. We facilitate the change with options like vinyl acetate acrylate and water-based barrier coating, Business Unit Director Christian Höglund lists. Dating all the way back to the years as part of Raisio Chemicals, CH-Polymers has a long history of using cutting edge technology. According to Höglund who has worked in the packaging field his whole career and who now leads CH-Polymers’ Paper & Packaging team, the company’s emphasis and investment in product development is exceptional. – To us, sustainability means continuous improvement. When we develop our products and processes, we consider the effects on the environment, safety, health, as well as the well-being of our society. We’re always striving to get better, Höglund says. Change is accelerating Traditionally, CH-Polymers has dealt with customers […]
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023! Thank you for the co-operation in 2022. We all at CH-Polymers wish You the best for the New Year! Our factory will be closed for Christmas from 18:00 on the 23rd of December until 26th of December 18:00. Customer service closes at 12:00 on the 23rd of December and opens again on the 27th of December at 08:00.
Laboratory technician Ayan Abdirahman is naturally curious, and that trait led her to choose chemistry as her field of study. Now, as she works full-time at the CH-Polymers R&D center, she enjoys the research aspect even more. As a chemistry student at the Turku Vocational Institute, Ayan Abdirahman was looking for a place to do her internship. She searched for potential laboratories in the Turku area and came across CH-Polymers. Her application was a success, and she began her career as an intern at CH-Polymers R&D center in Raisio in early 2022. – Everyone at CH-Polymers was very welcoming and it felt easy to become part of the team. Anytime I’ve needed support, the team has been there to help me, she says. After finishing her internship, Abdirahman took on a project as a full-time laboratory technician. Her responsibilities include doing chemical syntheses and analysing and testing the results – in other words, testing whether a certain product or formula is ready for commercial production. Abdirahman appreciates the versatility of the job. – I chose to study chemistry because I find exploring and testing different hypotheses fascinating. Actually working in the field has only increased my interest in chemistry, she […]
Last June, CH-Polymers’ former managing director and CEO Sauli Laakso handed the baton to Tuija Andersson. Laakso looks back at his twelve years of leading CH-Polymers with satisfaction: the business grew steadily and established a status as a good place to work. In 2009, Sauli Laakso took charge of the newly formed CH-Polymers. He already had over two decades of experience in production, sales, and global buying. My entire career I’ve worked for companies originating from Raisio Chemicals, so there has always been a Raisio kind of culture. I wanted to nourish that atmosphere of a good place to work at CH-Polymers, focus on the people and give the employees space to think for themselves, says Laakso whose role as a senior advisor is now to pass on his invaluable knowledge and contacts he acquired as the CEO. Laakso recalls that times were tough in the beginning when CH-Polymers was a small competitor in a field of many big players. His goal was to maintain and grow a dynamic business and establish a solid source of income for its employees. He can now look back with satisfaction. In twelve years we grew from 27 to around 60 employees, increased our […]
CH-Polymers is participating in the HiPer project (High performance cellulose based composites) to create biocomposites for use in automotive, construction and furniture industries. This project is funded by Business Finland and companies through the entire value chain are among the participants. The use of natural fibers instead of plastic fibers and using new forming methods such as foam forming create a need for increased strength properties and thermoforming features. CH-Polymers’ binders , both high performance traditional ones and new biomaterial containing innovations are tested to achieve the best possible total carbon footprint and performance of the final product. Read more (in Finnish): VTT ja yritykset kehittävät ympäristöystävällisiä biokomposiitteja uudella teknologialla – tavoitteena on edistää uutta liiketoimintaa Suomessa
In March 2022, David Greener joined CH-Polymers as the director of the paints and coatings business unit. The sociable Englishman brings in decades of experience, a valuable non-Finnish perspective, and a keen interest in a greener future. In addition to managing and developing the paints and coatings unit, Greener plays a key role in serving CH-Polymers’ customers. – Being new to the company, I’m working on building a relationship with existing customers and helping them navigate through this difficult post-pandemic period. I’m also using my wide network in the Nordic countries as well as in Eastern and Southern Europe to push geographical expansion, says Greener who has been working in the paint and coating industry for 32 years and speaks both French and Italian fluently. He describes CH-Polymers as a small and flexible company with efficient communication, rapid decision making, and laboratory and tech assets that compare with multinational giants. – We’re just easy to do business with; thoughtful but quick, he sums up. – What originally appealed to me about CH-Polymers is the company’s competence to manage a very difficult situation. During the pandemic, the majority of companies in the industry were not able to deliver to their customers. […]