Tata Steel Oy is an international steel company that tendered the full-service maintenance of its Naantali plant in 2024. The previous partner relationship had been long-standing, but a lack of efficiency and development prompted consideration of a competitive bidding process. The “this is how it has always been done” mindset was no longer sufficient, and it was time to look for a new maintenance partner.
Suitable candidates for the tender were identified through both search engines and recommendations. ETH Group Oy emerged through recommendations and was invited to participate in the process.
“What set ETH apart from the competitors was the trust created through their professional approach in the sales phase. It was not just about selling, but clearly showed a genuine understanding of our needs,” says Ossi Varjoranta, Operations Manager at Tata Steel Oy.
Varjoranta also highlights ETH Group’s strong financial position, private ownership structure and positive reputation as key selection criteria. It was also appreciated that contact persons and their details were clearly available on the company’s website.
One year of cooperation completed – concerns about changing partner proved unnecessary
Changing a maintenance partner involved several concerns, such as incomplete maintenance documentation for production lines and how new personnel would integrate into the existing work community. The potential additional workload caused by the transition was also a concern, but ultimately proved unfounded.
ETH Group’s expertise in the onboarding phase was exceptional. A structured integration plan for the new team was prepared before the contract period began, which ensured a smooth start to the cooperation. Credit is also given to the previous partner, as cooperation continued professionally until the end, and the transition did not cause disruptions.
“Once the contract period began, the new personnel approached their work with strong professional competence. Their eagerness to learn about the new operating environment has driven improvements across several areas. It is admirable that existing issues are not ignored, but there is a genuine willingness to develop operations,” Varjoranta comments.
“In our onboarding plans, we always consider the customer first. With years of experience, we are able to select the right personnel and define the right actions for a successful transition. A proactive mindset and flexibility must always be maintained on site,” says Eero Mäntylä, Development Director at ETH Group.
ETH Group’s personnel are more than the sum of their parts
While the core purpose of maintenance is to ensure that the customer’s production runs efficiently, the right partner delivers broader impact. An active approach from the maintenance partner has improved both service quality and overall safety.
“We have, for example, modified production machinery, enabling higher output while improving safety on the lines. We have also identified bottlenecks in the production process, which has increased overall efficiency,” says Varjoranta.
Additional needs such as pump station renovations and compressed air network upgrades have also been successfully handled through ETH Group’s one-stop-shop approach.
“ETH has a strong pool of expertise within the company, and it has been great to see how knowledge flows between personnel regardless of location,” Varjoranta adds.
In the end, we simply had to make the decision to change our maintenance partner and trust that things would improve. In our case, they truly did. We should have made the change earlier.
Ossi Varjoranta, Operations Manager, Tata Steel Oy
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