”Many companies run their own paint shops, but they might be lacking high-level know-how or the latest knowledge in the industry. We can offer companies the training they need to bring their knowledge and know-how up to date,” promises Sami Pappinen, Surface Treatment Specialist and Quality Manager at FSP. His work includes helping various occupational groups understand the requirements and possibilities of surface treatment.
– Inspections, surface treatment methods, predicting surface treatment needs and evaluating current surface treatment processes and methods. We can offer training in every aspect of FSP’s expertise, says Sami Pappinen.
Pappinen started working as Surface Treatment Specialist and Quality Manager last autumn. He immediately noticed that there is demand for training and consulting services.
– I have been contacted directly about training, and some of the inquiries have come from elsewhere in the organization.
ONLINE OR ONSITE, ALWAYS TO CUSTOMER NEEDS
Sami Pappinen trains surface treatment professionals but also specialists of other fields. He has recently trained for example maintenance professionals. They need the capability to predict surface treatment needs
– in other words, to notice when surfaces need maintenance painting or a completely new paint finish.
– Like all of our trainings, this one was also planned in cooperation with the customer, Sami Pappinen says. – I usually like to visit customer premises to get an idea about the situation there and learn about the customer’s wishes and needs for training. After that, I plan the overall training structure. Every training is tailored to customer needs.
Pappinen does not prefer trainings where he just lectures by himself. He believes that with cooperation and dialogue new things stick to mind better than just by listening and following a presentation.
– Through cooperation and discussions we can find the right questions, but also answers. Open conversation usually brings the most value, he says.
A training session can also be carried out as remote training.
– Coating planning or general surface treatment issues, for example, are quite suitable subjects for remote training. On the other hand, if we are discussing the coatability of a specific material or surface, workpiece accessibility or the fulfilment of coating class criteria, it is usually easier to meet face to face and go things through onsite.
FORWARD WITH CONSULTATION
Besides training, Sami Pappinen’s work includes consulting. He thinks that the need for consultation and training increases as companies of various fields no longer have the latest or extensive enough expertise in surface treatment.
– Many companies still have their own paint shops, but gradually the know-how of actual surface treatment processes has declined. In these cases, improvements are usually not implemented, but work is carried out as it always has, year after year, Pappinen describes.
In such case, a consultation visit can help develop and simplify practices and processes.
– On a consultation visit, I acquaint myself with the paint shop’s current situation and map out alternatives for production and coating processes. I can often immediately share information on new alternatives, and I always draw up a summary of my observations and recommendations. Consulting resembles training in that it usually acts as an eye-opener. Once the customer has heard the development areas and suggestions, they can start renewing their operations with fresh insight.
Training and consultation is not only important for FSP, but for the business in general.
– As we share our know-how, we are helping customers develop their business and stay competitive. At the same time, we are developing the entire surface treatment industry, Sami Pappinen says. – The larger the solutions that we can offer to our customers, the happier can both parties be.
