New Eurosaha plant crowns 12 years of cooperation
The revamped plant of sawn timber pioneer Versowood lets the forest be seen and heard. “Versowood’s revamped Eurosaha plant represents not only the forestry sector, but also the company’s modern identity and willingness to take good care of its employees. The largest privately owned sawmill in Finland has been turned into an experiential forest environment with a contemporary twist,” says Jenni Herkama, Lead Designer for the client.
The revamped, versatile supervisor’s room can be used for meetings and workshops, and this is where visitors watch the introductory video and put on safety equipment at the start of their visit. There is working space for two people behind the auditorium stairs.
The future grows in forests
The extension of the Eurosaha plant in Vierumäki was an investment in a top-notch saw production line, job satisfaction, well-being and a great visitor experience. “In the last 20 years, employee satisfaction and motivation have been playing a more important role. The aim was to motivate employees and make the workplace a nice place to work in,” says Ville Kopra, Versowood CEO. Another important perspective in designing the plant extension was Versowood’s updated brand message, “tomorrow is renewable”.
Photos Mikael Pettersson
Important perspective in designing the plant extension was Versowood’s updated brand message, “tomorrow is renewable”
The design drivers for the project were:
- being a pioneer in the forestry sector
- promoting employee well-being
- updating the visitor experience to match the new brand message
Rune & Berg Design was responsible for the interior architecture and graphic design of the Eurosaha extension and for project management. We also worked on the internal communication of the head office together with the Versowood team.
Well-being and quality from forests for the next generations
The user experience of the Eurosaha extension and the various spaces were carefully analysed from the point of view of the well-being and experience of both Versowood employees and visitors. Elements that enhance well-being include the forest-like lobby and soundscape that welcome visitors and the new changing rooms and break room where people can relax or even exercise while waiting for their coffee to brew. The high-quality break room and kitchen also serve as a visitors’ centre, and the supervisor’s room can be used for meetings and workshops.
“We wanted to show that we care and live up to our values. We went beyond the ordinary in this revamping process,” says Mia Kärkkäinen, Marketing Manager at Versowood, describing the background of the carefully executed development of Eurosaha. The revamped Eurosaha will serve as a benchmark for the development of other units. “Eurosaha looks great, and we are proud to present it. When I visit the plant, I see smiling faces all around me,” Ville says.
Cooperation since 2012
Rune & Berg Design and Versowood have been cooperating extensively since 2012. The two companies have had all kinds of shared projects over the years: from facilitating the new vision for the head office to extensive work environment design and culture projects and individual graphic designs. Rune & Berg Design has designed, for example, the renovation of the current Versowood head office in Vierumäki, the “forest office” or ground-floor customer service space in Mikkeli, the yard areas, a fair stand and various truck decals and workwear.
One of the largest work culture and graphic design projects was the occupational safety project, the aims of which were to integrate safety thinking into daily work and achieve the target of zero occupational accidents. The posters created during the project can also be seen in the revamped Eurosaha plant, at carefully selected points along the workday path. The aim is to use the material for many years to come to promote occupational safety across Versowood’s offices.
The Versowood team is happy with the long cooperation that is characterised by joy and playfulness and the courage to think about the future: “You are extremely kind, positive and helpful. You have excellent professional skills, relevant experience, a future-oriented approach and new tools for utilising research-based information,” says Mia. “You are easy to work with. You work approach is positive, and you know how things are done in our company. This makes it easier to get things started,” Ville adds.
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