Suomi Teline Chief Executive Officer Peter Korhonen and Chief Business Officer Ahto Pärtma have worked together for 25 years. Along the way, they have built a lasting friendship, completed countless demanding projects and weathered changing market conditions. Through it all, their shared direction has remained steady – always upwards.

Peter and Ahto first met in 2001 at a job interview in Tallinn. “I remember it as if it were yesterday. I remember Ahto walking into the interview. That’s when the rock ’n’ roll began,” Peter recalls. Ahto became one of the first employees to come from Estonia to work in Finland, marking the beginning of a long professional partnership and friendship.

“At first, it did feel a little strange to come to Finland for work. I was only planning to stay for a couple of years, but somehow 25 years have passed,” Ahto says with a smile.

A quarter-century of shared experience in the scaffolding industry

Peter and Ahto have worked together for 25 years across two different companies. Their first project together was the Neste turnaround in 2001. Since then, both together and separately, they have worked at countless sites and delivered successful projects. “You never forget the projects – the apartment-building balcony lines, the shipyards, or the nuclear power plants in Finland and abroad. They stay with you,” Peter says.

Over their quarter-century in the industry, they have seen a great deal change. At the turn of the millennium, for example, employing international workers was still uncommon. The situation then changed rapidly, and within a few years there were more Estonians than Finns working in the scaffolding industry in Finland. Safety has also undergone a major transformation: compared with today, scaffolding safety was still in its infancy in 2001.

Strong teamwork and lasting friendship

Over the years, their teamwork has become seamless, and each has learned from the other. Whenever disagreements arise, what matters is how they are resolved. As Peter puts it: “Mutual respect and accepting each other’s views are the most important things.” Naturally, the interests of the customer and the project must always come first.

Their long partnership also comes with shared traditions: by mutual agreement, shorts serve as their work uniform from the beginning of May until the end of September. Peter does have to admit to a small lapse in style this year, when he wore long trousers for one day. Perhaps it is simply a reminder that even on a long journey there is room for the occasional exception, as long as the direction remains the same.

A clear sense of gratitude runs through the conversation. “I’m grateful for our professional partnership and our friendship,” Peter says, adding: “We have many years behind us, but there are still many more ahead.” Ahto agrees: “We’re not only colleagues – we’re also friends outside work.”

Exceptional expertise and long-standing customer relationships

Their long partnership and exceptional expertise are valuable assets for customers, too. Peter and Ahto have a clear shared message for customers and partners: “Every customer is important.”

For customers, their expertise is reflected in reliability and long-term commitment. “We do not give up easily, even when the situation is difficult. We do the work properly. The customer can trust that the work will be completed,” Ahto sums up.

Long-standing customer relationships are a sign of trust. Cooperation with many partners has continued and expanded year after year. Suomi Teline’s customers include some of Finland’s largest and most successful construction companies, and the company also takes on a wide range of specialist projects.

Their extensive experience also shows in safety and planning. They know the safety regulations and requirements inside out, making it easier to find the right solutions even in challenging situations.

“Two heads certainly think better and faster than one,” Peter says of the benefits of working together. He also points out that he and Ahto are exceptionally good at standing in for one

another: “Very few people are able to stand in for each other as well as we can. That is a considerable advantage for the customer, too.”

The journey continues

The outlook is clear: Suomi Teline is still heading upwards.

“We are ready for the next upswing. The construction industry is already at such a low point that it can hardly fall much further. We have built a scalable and efficient operation, so we are ready to receive a significant increase in orders when the market strengthens. We have built the company to be ready for growth. When the economy picks up, the scaffolding will rise with it,” Peter says.

“And we will rise with it,” Ahto adds.

Contact us

Peter Korhonen
Chief Executive Officer
+358 400 225 259
peter.korhonen@suomiteline.fi

Ahto Pärtma
Chief Business Officer
+358 400 150 416
ahto.partma@suomiteline.fi