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Mika Pottala, who started as Production Manager at Best-Hall in April 2021, considers building manufacturing to be all about teamwork. Therefore, he sees his own role first and foremost as an enabler of the work of his colleagues in production.
Mika Pottala, who returned to the engineering workshop environment and the world of steel construction as Best-Hall’s new Production Manager, finds it important to be in tune with daily activities and support people’s strengths.
“Building manufacturing is ultimately about people’s efforts, and my job is to create conditions where everyone can do their job as smoothly as possible,” Pottala sums up.
The Production Manager’s morning starts with making the rounds. Pottala, who has previously worked in companies that operate internationally, likes the fact that Best-Hall’s entire production is located on the same site in Kälviä and every employee can be greeted face to face.
The tangibility of production led Pottala back to his roots
Pottala gained more than 10 years of experience in mechanical engineering at Ruukki, after which he moved on to become the head of a production unit at a company specialising in industrial high-pressure pipelines in 2015. Pottala took on the role of administrative director when four of the company’s employees took over the company’s business in 2018.
Building a new company was interesting, but Pottala felt that an administrative role in an international company of 300 people was not really something he wanted to do in the long run.
“I like working in a production environment close to the actual work. At the workshop, you can immediately and tangibly see what is happening and what effects your decisions have. At Best-Hall, I find it rewarding that everything is close by and manageable in size. We have our own clear product and I can get to know the people around me.”
What attracted Pottala to Best-Hall was the company’s approachable image and the equal culture of respect that matched his own values.
“Best-Hall does many things extremely well. It is great to be a part of this team.”
Project skills an asset in production management
Pottala, who describes himself as someone who specifically enjoys working with people, emphasises the importance of cooperation in ensuring efficient and smooth production.
“We have a team of just over 100 people in building production. It takes all of us to succeed.”
“The building production is divided into four processes: steel frame manufacturing, surface treatment, cladding manufacturing and installation. My responsibility is to refine the process to make it possible for everyone to constantly do things better.”
In addition to his versatile production vision, Pottala also considers his expertise in project business to be a strength.
“The client-oriented approach at the heart of Best-Hall’s operations also requires flexibility from production. If the project schedule or the client’s needs change, we need to be able to react along with the project.”
The ability to grasp the big picture and manage constant change while maintaining a good team spirit – this is how Pottala sums up the toolbox that he believes he needs most in his job as Production Manager.
Production manager Mika Pottala
