Born in Kokkola and a lifelong resident of Södra Vallgrund, Jan-Peter Sandqvist has worked at Leinolat Oy for 48 years. Having graduated from vocational school in 1974 with a specialization in sheet metal work and welding, Sandqvist began his employment at Leinolat on June 3, 1974.
“School ended on a Friday, and the following Monday was my first day of work,” Sandqvist recalls.
Although Sandqvist officially retired on July 31, 2022, he still helps out at the factory from time to time. Passing on the expertise gained over his long career is important to him.
“The workplace community remains important to me, and I don’t want to leave my colleagues in a lurch. I have enjoyed working there throughout my entire career.”
A varied career at the same company
Sandqvist’s first job involved sorting metal scrap; as he gained experience, his career progressed to HVAC installations and demanding factory assembly work—not to mention the manufacturing of Bobi mailboxes. Having grown up in a Swedish-speaking village community, Sandqvist has also been able to make extensive use of his language skills at Leinolat.
“I moved from sorting metal scrap to working on construction sites installing HVAC ducts, a job I did for five years. I worked a lot in Närpiö because my language skills were an asset there.”
Leinolat was already supplying comprehensive solutions to its customers in the early 1980s. From 1982 onwards, Sandqvist was involved in producing combined elevator machinery and HVAC equipment rooms for the construction firm Nyman. In addition to this, Sandqvist has installed sheet metal roofing.
“I’ve done a wide variety of jobs at Leinolat. We acquired our first plasma cutter in 1988, and I was involved in the procurement process. That was my first encounter with CNC machines—though certainly not my last,” Sandqvist laughs.
Sandqvist’s career has also taken him on work-related travels, as he has participated in trips to procure various machines.
“I’ve visited Austria, France twice, Germany five times, and Switzerland on several occasions. I’ve also worked in Sweden. Within Finland, my work has taken me everywhere from Tammisaari to Kokkola.”
Sandqvist Enjoys Design and Development Work
The manufacture of Bobi mailboxes began at Leinola in 1991, and a welding robot was acquired for production in 2002. Initially, the welding robot did not perform as expected, and both production volumes and efficiency fell far short of targets. Sandqvist took on the challenge and immersed himself in programming the robot. Following this development work, the robot became capable of producing 200 mailboxes a day—a major leap forward at the time.
“I really enjoy development work. However, simply understanding the operating principles of a welding robot isn’t enough; it is crucial to optimize the product with the manufacturing method in mind. That is why a deep understanding of materials is important—something you only gain with time. Sometimes, you can’t even leave design matters at the workplace; an idea might strike while you’re picking up the morning mail, for instance,” Sandqvist summarizes.
Sandqvist has also been involved in developing a sheet-metal frame for HVAC solutions—a more cost-effective alternative to the welded iron frame previously used. The first prototype was created in 2017, and since then, units featuring the sheet-metal frame have been supplied to Leimec’s customers for use in power plants and other demanding industrial sites, ensuring reliable and efficient ventilation.
“We have refined the prototype over the years. The development process itself actually began back in 2010, so these are certainly not quick projects.” “Reliable and efficient ventilation comes down to small details, and there is always room to refine them,” Sandqvist explains.
Alongside his professional career, Sandqvist served as a shop steward at Leinolat Oy from 1996 to 2008. In his spare time, he has held the position of chairperson for several associations.
“All these roles have broadened my perspective on both my personal and professional life. Even when facing difficulties, you shouldn’t let them get you down; instead, you should always strive to do things better than before,” Sandqvist advises, drawing on his extensive experience.