Career story: “At Planmeca, we’re given as much responsibility as we are able to take”

To celebrate Planmeca’s 50th anniversary, we are releasing a series of career stories from our incredible employees. These stories introduce some of the experts behind our pioneering dental innovations and show a glimpse behind the scenes at Planmeca headquarters in Helsinki. In this article, Logistics Manager Kristina Juuso talks about her journey from summer trainee to the top of Planmeca’s supply chain.

Who:
Kristina Juuso, M.Sc. (Tech.)
Logistics Manager, Purchasing and Material Management
Planmeca Oy

Kristina Juuso grew up in Ylläs in the northern Lapland province of Finland and graduated from the University of Oulu. Starting out as a summer trainee in 2013, Juuso is a prime example of how a summer job can be a steppingstone in a long-term career. For Juuso, her summer traineeship led her to do her master’s thesis at Planmeca, and after graduating she was offered a permanent position with the company. 

After completing her thesis, Juuso worked as a supervisor and production planner in Planmeca’s imaging unit production before transferring to purchasing within the X-ray Division. Today, she manages internal logistics in the Purchasing and Material Management department.

From summer job to supervisor

“When I came here as a summer trainee in Spring 2013, daily management practices, whiteboards, and workplace engagement were still relatively new concepts to me, but I learned through experience as part of various development projects. That summer, I also conducted a value flow analysis of Planmeca’s X-ray production line. This actually served as the basis for my master’s thesis, which I then started working on at Planmeca. My work on the thesis was appreciated, and I was given plenty of time to do it – it was really a full-time job for me.

After graduating, I was delighted to be offered a permanent position as supervisor of the final X-ray assembly line. I accepted the challenge and had about 30 people working under my supervision. I also got to participate in production planning as well as change management, as we were making some changes to the production processes at the time. I both learned and grew in a lot of ways during those two years.”

Insight through experience

“Next, I went on from supervisor to working as a purchaser in the X-ray Division, where my knowledge of the equipment and solutions helped me take on new responsibilities. The job involved a lot of co-operation with suppliers as well as finding solutions to both expected and unexpected problems, which made daily work really interesting.

Today, as Logistics Manager, I’m responsible for ensuring that the flow of materials from reception to placement in production happens both smoothly and effectively. I really enjoy my work, and I also have a great team working with me."

Diversity of the work keeps the enthusiasm alive

“The best thing about working at Planmeca has been being able to develop, shape and be in charge of my own work. Transferring from production to purchasing and then logistics has allowed me to constantly discover new sides to the company, the business and the supply chain. My work is very versatile, and I like that very much. 

I really urge everyone to bravely try new things and switch departments without limiting yourself because of a fear of the new. If you want change, let your supervisor or manager know – just like I did at Planmeca. Here we’re given as much responsibility as we are able to take.”

Text: Reija Oksanen
Image: Dino Azinur

Planmeca Oy and Planmeca Group
Planmeca Oy is one of the world's leading dental equipment manufacturers with a product range covering digital dental units, CAD/CAM solutions, world-class 2D and 3D imaging devices and comprehensive software solutions. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Planmeca’s products are distributed in over 120 countries worldwide. With a strong commitment to pioneering innovations and design, it is the largest privately held company in its field. Planmeca Oy is part of the Finnish Planmeca Group, which operates in the field of healthcare technology. The Group's turnover in 2020 was MEUR 764, and it employs nearly 2,900 people worldwide.
www.planmeca.com

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