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Valtra ranks first in terms of employee initiatives for second year in a row

08.05.2006

Finland’s JTO School of Management has awarded Valtra for the second year in a row for its success in generating feedback from employees.

Last year 1548 initiatives per 100 employees were made at Valtra’s Suolahti factory. Second place went to Georgia-Pacific Nordic Oy, which generated 1506 initiatives at its Nokia paper mill, and third place to Valmet Automotive Oy, which generated 1216 at its car plant in Uusikaupunki. Altogether 187 industrial workplaces in Finland were compared. The average number of initiatives per 100 employees was 91.8.

“The large number of employee initiatives reflects their dedication to continuous improvement, as well as one of our basic principles: own initiative. Coming in first is an impressive achievement for our personnel,” comments Managing Director Matti Ruotsala.

Valtra employees are encouraged to offer feedback for both short-term and long-term improvements. Short-term continuous improvement initiatives are particularly popular. Employees can post their continuous improvement initiatives directly on the bulletin board at their workstation. Both the employee and his or her department are rewarded for initiatives that can be implemented. Employees are nominated to ensure that the initiatives are implemented as fast as possible. The most active employees make over 50 initiatives a year for improving their own working environment.

The high number of initiatives is not the goal in itself, but the way in which they help to develop operations and improve products. Rapidly implementing these suggestions helps to motivate employees, increase work safety, and improve the competitiveness and quality of our products.

More information:
Esa Myllymäki, Development Manager, +358 (0)400 428 767, esa.myllymaki@valtra.com
Tommi Pitenius, Communications Officer, +358 (0)40 8333 214, tommi.pitenius@valtra.com

Valtra Inc. develops, manufactures, markets and services Valtra tractors. Valtra is the leading tractor manufacturer in the Nordic countries and the second most popular brand in Latin America. Net sales in 2005 amounted to 874 million euros and the number of employees to 2400, including SisuDiesel and Valtra do Brasil. Total production in Finland and Brazil amounted to 18,000 tractors. Valtra is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation.

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