Diagnostics, Inspection & Locating In Santa Claus's Neighborhood
When visiting Finland, one of the most important places you must have on your list is the Santa Claus Village. It is situated in the northernmost part of Finland, in Rovaniemi, Lapland, and welcomes guests year-round. Even if there are 10 months left until Christmas, a stop by Santa Claus Village always sounds like so much fun! To us, it’s also mandatory to pay a visit to our friends from Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy, a company in Finland which is specialized in drain and sewer inspection, maintenance and repair. They opened for business in 2020 and ever since they have been a reliable partner, always ready to go the extra mile for their customers’ comfort and peace of mind.
Working close to the Artic Circle may be challenging, so we discussed with Olli and Abdullah from Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy to discover details about their activity. Happy reading!
Hello! What’s your name and job role? When did you start working for Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy?
O: My name is Olli Nurmela. I am the CEO of Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy, a company founded in April 2020, right after the Covid Pandemic started in Europe.
A: My name is Abdullah Al-Jbawi. I studied for a year and a half, then I started a training program at the Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy company. I am officially part of the team since 2020. My work is mainly in sanitary installations, central heating and repair of kitchens and bathrooms.
Tell us about your everyday work: what type of services do you offer? Which tools and technologies do you use?
O: We mainly offer HVAC maintenance service for the public sector, but also for private companies. We also inspect pipes and sewers, clean them and repair them when it is the case.
We primarily use RIDGID SeeSnake Cameras and Monitors, SeekTech locators, water jetting machines, drain cleaning machines (FlexShaft) and pressing tools for the HVAC jobs.
How and when did you discover RIDGID?
O: Before starting the company, I researched online for tools I could start with. As I have previously had some experiences with RIDGID and I knew how qualitative they are, I went for them.
A: I discovered RIDGID while working for Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy. I liked the camera and the locator I was working with and I took a look to see which brand they are. :D
Which are the RIDGID tools you mostly use? And which is your all-time favourite? :D
O: We predominantly use the SeeSnake Cameras and KJ1590 water jetting machines. These tools help us get our jobs done faster and more efficiently. My all-time favourite tool is the SeeSnake Nanoreel inspection camera. It has it all: it’s very small, light and easy to use.
A: I mostly use the SeeSnake Cameras and FlexShaft. My all-time favourite is the large camera, the Compact C40.
What’s the best part of working in diagnostics, inspection and maintenance? What about the most challenging one?
O: The best part is when you locate the drain issues because you know you’re one step away from solving them. Getting the job done is one of the most fulfilling feelings ever. The most challenging thing is to solve difficult sewer jams at night or on weekends. There are a lot of urgencies that we need to tackle outside of the 9 - 5 working schedule.
How is work on the field during winter in Rovaniemi? Did you have any jobs in Santa Claus’s village? Outside of working hours, are you part of Santa’s elves crew? :D
O: Winters in Rovaniemi can be tough. We make sure to get dressed properly and we try to be as efficient as possible. We are happy to report that the RIDGID equipment works extremely well in our climate. Occasionally we have jobs in Santa Claus’s village and it’s pretty easy to blend in with the elves. We have the same red clothes as they do. :)
A: Now I live in Kuopio and I work for a different branch of Suomen Verkostohuolto Oy. But back in the days, when I was in Rovaniemi I had a job in Santa Claus’s Village. It was fun.
Which is your favourite activity to do during winter in Rovaniemi?
O: All the fun activities are somehow related to the snow. We do country skiing, skating and, of course, ski jumping. My children’s hobby is ski jumping in the Ounasvaara ski centre.
Do you have a message for us?
O: We are waiting for you, and the people who read this article, to Santa’s hometown. Rovaniemi is an international city where you can get a Christmas feeling every day. We can be your guides. :D Also, greetings to Jukka Puurunen, the RIDGID sales representative in Finland. The collaboration with Jukka and the whole RIDGID Europe team works very well.
A: Thank you for your attention! RIDGID is a fantastic brand and has all the right tools for our daily jobs.
You can find Olli and Abdul on Instagram, where they post pictures and videos from their daily jobs. Make sure to follow them!