Timo Saahko brings ten years of customer insight to Walki

What does a trusted supplier look like from the customer’s side? Timo Saahko has seen both sides. After several roles at Walki locations around the world, he spent ten years on the customer side, learning first-hand what customers struggle with and what they expect. Now he is back as Executive Vice President of Packaging Materials at Walki, putting that insight to work in helping customers move toward a circular future.

You have had a long career in the packaging industry, spanning more than 20 years. Why did you choose to work in this industry and what has kept you here?
As I grew up in Valkeakoski, one of the centres of the forest and paper industry in Finland, the industry was present in my life from an early age. When I was 15, I got my first job as a trainee at Paperituote, now part of Walki. That is when my interest really took off and I have been fascinated ever since.

What makes it so interesting?
The packaging industry is constantly evolving because the needs of the customers, including end customers, are always changing. The technology behind the materials is evolving too, particularly now that the demand for sustainable solutions is growing rapidly. This creates opportunities for new innovations and technologies. And then there is the challenge of making all the pieces fit together: production, customer needs and the requirements for sustainable solutions.

During your career you’ve worked in production and experienced the industry from both the customer’s and the supplier’s perspective. What has this taught you?
The most important thing is to truly understand the customer’s needs. Working in production gives you a very concrete understanding of the extra work and wasted money that can result when deliveries are inconsistent in quality or fail to meet expectations. Walki does not just supply raw material; we can play an instrumental role in how smoothly the customer’s business runs. I got to experience this first-hand during my ten years at the customer side. I appreciated not only the even quality that Walki’s plants provided, but also the overall service level: a continuous and constructive dialogue regarding our needs and proactive ideas on new innovations.

That is why good collaboration is always based on trust. Customer needs to be able to trust that we deliver consistent quality and dependable deliveries. Proactivity is important too, staying one step ahead and introducing innovations that help our customers develop their businesses and stay competitive. The best customer relationships are true partnerships in which both parties are committed to succeeding together. This spirit of true partnership is something I want to strengthen even further at Walki. Customer-centricity, high quality, delivery reliability and continuous improvement are at the core of this work.

Today customers need to balance functionality, a competitive price, availability and sustainability. What is your role at Walki in helping them solve this complex equation?
This really is a shared challenge, and no single parameter can be optimised in isolation. The cheapest solution is seldom the best when you take total costs into account. An inexpensive solution can seem like a good bet but if it causes problems on the production line, you may end up losing money. Our job as suppliers is to help customers balance all these requirements and find the optimal solution that delivers today but also remains fit for a sustainable future.

You have worked in several different countries and cultures, including Finland, Germany, Poland and China. What has this experience taught you about how customers make decisions and build trust?
While there are certainly many differences, one thing remains the same: people work with people. Trust is built in much the same everywhere: by keeping your promises, being open and working consistently. My experience in working in different countries and cultures has also taught me to listen and avoid jumping to conclusions. The better you understand a customer’s business, goals and local environment, the better equipped you are to create solutions that deliver real value.

What made you come back to Walki after ten years at the customer’s side?
It felt very natural. The company and its people were already familiar to me, and I also saw an opportunity to join Walki at a very interesting stage in the company’s development. I feel that my ten years on the customer side have given me new perspectives on how to serve customers. Now felt like the right time to bring these learnings back to Walki. I also appreciate Walki’s strong position in the market, the highly qualified employees and the ambition to create new sustainable packaging solutions.

In what respect has Walki changed during these ten years and what has remained the same?
Walki has doubled in size and has expanded into new markets and customer segments. Innovation and sustainability are now a central part of the strategy.  Although a lot has changed, I am happy to see that many things have remained the same such as the entrepreneurial spirit and the practical, hands-on approach. The positive, can-do culture I remember from my earlier years is still very much alive. It feels great to be back!