In late spring, we welcomed a new member to our HUB team when Mika Kainulainen joined the Turku office as a supervisor. With a long career in logistics, Mika enjoys a diverse and dynamic work environment. The shipyard setting was particularly appealing to him when applying for a position at HUB. Let’s get to know our new supervisor a bit better.
I found my way into logistics right after finishing comprehensive school. I never actually started my studies in construction, as I decided to stay at Posti after a summer job there. I spent ten years working at Posti, doing various logistics jobs. I began with sorting, moved on to handling parcels, and even worked in customer service, where we handled special stamps. I also tried my hand at postal delivery.
After Posti, I transitioned to Suomen Logistiikkatalo (now Postnord), where I started as a forklift driver and later became a supervisor. I was also a partner in the 3PL Turku office when it was established. That was a great and educational experience. In 2022, I decided to take a break from logistics and drove a taxi for a while, until I realized that’s logistics too. These experiences together have shaped me into a versatile logistics professional.
I’ve witnessed the development of the industry over the years. The role of information technology and digitalization has grown significantly, and learning new things is continuous. I’m eager to participate in courses and training sessions to develop my skills and expand my knowledge. This requires time and effort, but I’m always enthusiastic about learning something new.
A shipyard provides an interesting work environment
A friend tipped me off about an open position at HUB logistics, and I decided to take the plunge and apply. With my long career in logistics and experience in supervisory roles, I felt I had something to offer HUB as well.
What solidified my decision to apply was the fact that I had never worked in a shipyard logistics environment before, and that particularly interested me. I’ve previously worked in smaller units where tasks were more warehouse-focused. The shipyard is a large area, and we operate more broadly here, especially in outfitting logistics.
In the 2.5 months I’ve been here, I’ve learned a lot about both HUB and the work environment. While the work environment is different from my previous experiences, the operating model remains the same: serving the customer as well as possible and as efficiently as possible. One thing that fascinates me about logistics is its customer service aspect.
Ensuring smooth daily operations as a supervisor
As a supervisor, my workdays include monitoring and planning work shifts. I assess the day’s workload and guide employees to their tasks. I monitor the situation throughout the day and participate in meetings. Projects starting at the shipyard take time, and I’m involved in both the return logistics project and the pre-picking project.
We play a significant role in ensuring that shipbuilding stays on schedule and that outfitting logistics run smoothly on a daily basis. As a supervisor, I can influence this by ensuring that resources and employee skills are well-managed. When employees are in the right place at the right time and everything runs smoothly, I know I’ve done my job well.
At the beginning, you learn something new every day, and that’s great. It keeps the job interesting. It’s a good feeling to head home at the end of the day, knowing I’ve learned something new.
Our unit currently has about 45 people, with more new employees expected to join this fall. As a supervisor, I’ll be involved in interviewing new employees. The work is growing, which requires particular sensitivity and adaptability from the supervisors to lead a rapidly expanding unit. My areas of responsibility, such as return logistics and pre-picking, will be expanding in the near future.
Open and innovative work atmosphere
I was warmly welcomed, and I’ve really enjoyed my time at HUB. The workdays are varied, which suits me perfectly. This is not assembly line work.
HUB has an open and receptive work atmosphere. Ideas are listened to and valued. I have the freedom to operate, and all ideas are accepted without prejudice.
The first few months at HUB have flown by, and I’m happy to be part of such a professional team. There is still much to learn, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. My expectations are that I will be able to do quality work, ensure the smooth running of our customer’s logistics, and develop operations together with my team.
Read more employee stories
