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Life at Konecranes A 17-year journey as a second-generation employee

CAREER STORY

Meet Ville Hoppu

Second-generation Konecranes employee

Before starting his extensive career at Konecranes, Ville was introduced to our company through his father, who had also been a long-term employee. Recognizing the value the company could provide, Ville started out working at Konecranes during many of his summers as a student, operating in various roles. After working in other companies as well as abroad, he later shifted to the position of Project Manager at our company. Hence, he engaged with Rubber-Tired Gantry Crane (RTG) customers globally. Through his experiences with Konecranes, he has been able to explore the world and immerse himself in diverse cultures.

“I’ve learned important lessons from the previous generation of Konecranes employees, customers, and partners while also bringing new ideas to the table,” Ville elaborates.

Managerial experiences

Today, Ville works within our global Research and Innovation (R&I) unit as a Partnership Manager. In simpler words, Ville scouts for new co-innovation possibilities with other companies, and manages Konecranes’ innovation management, where the focus is on turning new ideas into business. He does this with the help of his dynamic team that collaborates both with internal and external stakeholders, and manages a learning program that focuses on building entrepreneurial mindset at Konecranes.

Being a manager in a collaborative environment has made Ville’s everyday life at Konecranes particularly exciting. He values the sense of community and appreciation provided within our company, and the supportive atmosphere has enabled him to freely express his ideas and manage his team effectively. In Ville's perspective, it’s important for him to ensure that his team members can collectively learn and succeed, creating the foundation for successful collaboration among our company’s wider networks.

“My team is a test lab, where we truly collaborate to learn, strive, and shine together. This is also the foundation for successful collaboration with the wider network – our ambition is to ensure that the great business ideas are developed further and launched for customers.”

Moreover, Ville’s career has evolved significantly over the years due to his out-of-the-box thinking and a constant need to develop himself in all ways possible. Considering this, he has been able to find a field that combines his interests in new products and business development – an area where his global experiences and customer interaction skills are vital assets to our company.

Harmonica player and throat singer

With a touch of humor, Ville shares that his effort to combat the boredom of his commute to work led him to pick up the harmonica – he even attempted to start throat singing.

“I like to think outside the box and am constantly eager to try new things.”

Though these hobbies didn’t stick for long, they highlight his playful personality and willingness to learn new things; these are skills that more than likely translate to his work.

Vast set of skills

Ville emphasizes that his role at Konecranes has equipped him with a diverse skill set. From the ability to communicate in empathetic ways to networking and project management, these skills have greatly shaped his career to this day.

Due to our company’s commitment to professional development, Ville believes that the formal training sessions and self-learning opportunities provided at Konecranes have been very useful in his career evolution.

In addition to these positive aspects of the company, Ville highlights the opportunity we all have to express our individuality. Due to the agency Konecranes provides, Ville believes employees can contribute meaningfully to things they consider important.

“Konecranes provides a very safe culture. People here respect each other, and ideas can be expressed freely. I also value our commitment to sustainability – the proven results of ongoing activities are an important factor for me.”