Process cleaner Matias Sirkiä ensures functioning industrial processes and a long life cycle for the equipment. The work is mostly customer service.
Matias Sirkiä is carrying on a family tradition of sorts: he belongs to the third generation to work for L&T or its predecessor.
“My father worked here, as did my grandpa, and I ended up here too. And that’s just fine by me; this place offers challenges and opportunities to develop and advance on your career path as long as you’re interested”, Sirkiä says.
According to him, L&T provides the best job opportunities when it comes to equipment and developing your professional skills. Various training is available, and Sirkiä has, for example, gotten a lorry driver’s licence with the aid of his employer.
“The atmosphere in the work team is nice and relaxed, with plenty of light-hearted ribbing. You need to a sense of humour in this line of work, otherwise you probably won’t make it far”, Sirkiä says with a laugh at the Naantali depot where he works with about thirty other people.
All work is circular economy
A process cleaner’s job description is a versatile one: high-pressure scrubbing for industries, recording and opening sewers, emptying cesspools and removing concrete from bridges with robotic equipment. Customers include private households as well as large companies.
“At the end of the day, it all has to do with promoting a circular economy. Preventive maintenance and the cleaning of industrial process equipment increases the equipment’s lifespan and reduces the need for replacements. Cleaning also ensures the optimal functioning of the equipment, keeping emissions at a minimum. And when processes are in order, it also saves money for the customer.”
Sirkiä sees the importance of his work.
“Somebody else has calculated the benefits that the measures reap for the customer, and I do the work in practice. That’s why my role is pretty big.”
Sirkiä has worked at L&T for ten years and sees his work as responsible and independent: he is able to influence his own work schedules and methods, and the work itself is versatile.
“I work both alone and in a group. For example, you always need to have a partner along during process cleaning for safety reasons.”
The customer is always involved
The highlight of the work for Sirkiä is the customers. The customer is present every day while the work is being done – Sirkiä emphasises that a process cleaner’s work is mostly customer service.
“A good customer values our skills and trusts that we know how certain jobs should be done – and we have to explain things to them as necessary. A good customer also understands that professional quality has a price.”
The word ‘professional’ gets repeated a lot in Sirkiä’s speech, and he is filled with a healthy sense of pride in his work.
“Customers could have someone else do the job, but I provide the best service and top quality”, he remarks with a grin.
Sirkiä has a small child of his own, and that’s why he has begun to give more and more thought to environmental issues.
“We’re living at a time when decisions have to be made. The time for idle chatter is over. Parenthood changes your way of thinking a lot, and I want my child to be able to enjoy a clean environment after I’m gone. If I’m able to do something to make that happen, I’ll gladly do it.”
