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www.salcomp.com 12 N ews 6 A MAGAZINE FOR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS 2:2008 15 Salcomp´s global R&D functions are growing fast! The Mobile Market in Brazil is booming! 11 Matthew Towers, IMS Research: ”Close ties with end- customers differentiate from the competition” Corporate Responsibility: Hand in Hand

A MAGAZINE FOR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS - …salcomp.smartpage.fi/news208/pdf/Salcomp_208.pdf · A MAGAZINE FOR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS 2:2008 15 ... of the Mini-charger this summer

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www.salcomp.com

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News

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A MAGAZINE FOR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS 2:2008

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Salcomp s global R&D functions are growing fast!

The Mobile Market in Brazil is booming!

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Matthew Towers, IMS Research:

”Close ties with end-customers differentiate from the competition”

Corporate Responsibility:

Hand in Hand

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Vanishing Giants

At a glance

A Photographic book by Palani Mohan:

¢ The Elephant is a pan-Asian symbol. Its figure can be seen in many forms – as a God and a product logo, a king and a commoner.

Elephants are used as tourist attractions, transportation, and raw muscle power.

The elephant population in Asia is less than 40,000 and despite the animal’s versatile role, the numbers are decreasing. Even though the elephant looks tough, its skin for example is very sensitive and heals slowly.

http://www.elephantsofasia.com

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www.salcomp.com

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Contents 2/08

Salcomp NewsVol. 2/2008Salcomp News is a magazine for Salcomp´s customers and partners

Salcomp News is published by Salcomp Plc.© Salcomp Plc. All rights reserved.

Printed by Finepress Oy. Cover photo: Pasi Leino

A Strategic Approach to Energy Effi ciency

Editor-in-Chief: Seija Laaksonen, e-mail: [email protected], tel. +358 201 875 411, fax: +358 201 875 450.

Edited by Viestintätoimisto Sanakunta Oy.

Please send your feedback to [email protected] e-mail addresses: fi [email protected]

Technology:

2 At a glance: Vanishing Giants

5 CEO´s Blog

6 Salcomp Today: Research and Development

9 Cultural Differenciesin Project Management

10 Energy Effi ciencyWishing on a Star

11 Brazil is Booming!

12 Hand in HandCSR Project in India

14 Economy: Challenges and Strenghts

16 Crossing Borders:Sharing and caring

17 Stories from the Road

18 News in Brief

19 Appointments and Changes in Responsibilities

6 “The Model of Cooperation is revalued with each Customer”

14 Shared Chal-lenges in the Charger Market

Research and Development

In Tune with Customer Needs

One of our strengths is our global R&D organization including concurrent engineering in product development phase as well as product engineering in mass production phase. As our R&D organization is spread across four countries, the challenge is to make the process lean across time zones. Modern technology helps as material can be sent electronically across continents. Being so close to the customers, our teams are able to serve 24 hours globally and in any needs that might come up.

Read more on the R&D operations on page 6.

How Small Can You Go?

The world is getting smaller and smaller. Salcomp is facing this challenge by introducing a new generation of the Mini-charger this summer. These chargers are mini only in size, not in their features: The charger meets all the Energy Star level V requirements in energy effi ciency, latest USB charging specifi cations and is adaptable with different end applications, such as mobile phones, wireless headsets and MP3 players through various output connector possibilities.

More info on the novelty in the back cover!

Economies of Scale

As we possess the largest manufacturing capacity for adapters and chargers globally, our strong competitiveness is based on unbeatably effi cient production and logistics. The goal is to further continue increasing our effi ciency and keeping our manufacturing capacity growing at a higher rate than the market on average. For this year this means reaching a capacity of over 400 million units per annum. We are ready for the peak season 2008.

Read how Matthew Towers from IMS Research sees the market on page 14.

Energy Effi ciency in the Spotlight

Environmental values are an increasing trend. At Salcomp, we follow these issues carefully. Actually, we want to be involved in setting standards in the market and being a forerunner also in this area. We co-operate with other key players in the industry, through the EPSMA, which we recently joined. Our commitments to energy effi ciency requirements set for example by Energy Star and CoC are in line with our strategy. We see environmentally friendly product as key competitive advantage for us and our customers.

Read how we approach energy effi ciency on page 10.

Our Men in Red

The Formula One season is gaining momentum as the competition tightens. Our men in Salcomp Red, Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen from Finland and Felipe Massa from Brazil, are head-to-head, fi ghting to take the lead.

Hope to see you in Sao Paulo in November! Read more on the booming Brazilian mobile market on page 11.

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Last year the company’s R&D functions com-prised 110 people on average, and the R&D costs amounted to 1.7% of net sales.

Salcomp Today

Text Maarit NiemiPhotos Pasi Leino

Along with the growth in Salcomp’s business, the development of research technologies and new products are in focus. This will ensure that the company is hitting the right tracks – that the correct competencies will serve clients’ increasing needs in the future.

Growing R&D organization is looking for

Real-life Gyro Gearlooses?

6

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Salcomp’s Research and Development functions combine cross-cultural know-how by locating both in Salo, Finland, and Shenzhen, China. In Finland, 30 people are focusing on screening out new potential technology areas and further verifying their usability for the company’s product range.

“Can it be applied in our products or does the new technology bring any business advantage are the questions that need to be answered,” says Juha Raussi, Salcomp’s Vice President for R&D.

Salo is producing the technology platform for a charger, whereas Shenzhen, with its 80 people, is continuing with product realization and mass production. Hence, all Salcomp chargers are born in China, where product variation is produced.

Careful Cost Leadership Constantly looking for and developing new technologies seems a somewhat challenging task for any R&D department. Is there, perhaps, a Gyro Gearloose with a propeller hat visioning the future?

“Unfortunately not,” Raussi laughs. “Our business sets limits on innovation since we don’t develop these new technologies. That is done by different actors around the world,” he continues.

The charger itself is a relatively old product with mature technology. Therefore, no giant leaps are taken. This does not, however, mean that the development is stagnant.

“For instance, after 2005, new primary IC-technologies started to come ashore. Yet they are still on their way to catching on since new technology tends to cost more,” Raussi explains.

The costs restrict the possibilities of adopt-ing some of “the coolest technologies” in the charger industry. The challenge lies in ensuring that the cost structure stays healthy – that the new technology is worth adopting. At times, it has to be acknowledged that the time for some technology has not yet arrived. According to Raussi, “the world is full of interesting technologies waiting for engineers to play with them.”

One remarkable trend is green values, fi nding favor universally and with the customers. The green trend contributes to the technology as well, one of the main future challenges being improving the energy-effi ciency of the chargers and reducing the stand-by energy consumption.

Customers’ needs determine the features of new chargers. However, the clientele can be roughly divided into two according to the level of tailoring required.

“Some of our clients have a clear perception of what they want, whereas, sometimes a customer comes to us with a more open scenario that is further evolved in co-opera-tion,” Raussi clarifi es.

Along with their long-term partners, Salcomp has come to an operations model where the engineers from both parties sit at the same table. This is not, however, the ideal way of working in all client cases.

“The model of cooperation is revalued with each customer and project,” Raussi says. >

Juha Raussi, Sari Alatarvas and Tomas Jakobsson all have a role to play in the R&D organization and customer service.

Reducing Design Cycle TimeSalcomp’s Research and Design functions are growing fast, and the target is set to hire 30 more R&D people in China during 2008. Additional resources are needed in order to answer the booming market.

As the head count grows, so more space is required. This call has been answered by sourcing a new R&D Center, scheduled to be completed this summer. The build-ing has a fl oor space of 3,200 square meters.

“It will house both the R&D and Sourcing departments, where the headcount of the two departments can be expanded up to 140 and 60 respectively. This number is expected to support Salcomp’s expansion in the mobile phone charger business and potential new business areas,” states Liew Yew Hua, General Manager of Shenzhen R&D.

The new premises offer a state-of-the-art product safety evaluation lab, as well as a design verifi cation and qualifi cation lab with a newly invested EMC measurement chamber.

“In general, the entire setup allows most product evaluation and testing to be conducted in-house. This will signifi cantly reduce product design cycle time,” ap-plauds Hua.

In addition to achieving more space, the new R&D Centre will give a well-earned face-lift to Salcomp´s Research and Development functions in China.

“The new building is designed to be a fl agship for the company’s R&D functions and Sourcing. The brand new center might also attract potential new employ-ees in the long run,” Raussi envisions.

Even though the starting point is that all three Salcomp sites will produce products for global market, there are also localiza-tion needs due to, e.g., legalization and customs.

“In India, for instance, the more local materials can be utilized, the more profi t-able it gets,” Raussi calculates.

For the rest of 2008, and in 2009, the emphasis will be on strengthening Shen-zhen’s R&D capability in order to support Salcomp’s business development plan.

“We need to ensure adequate capacity and know-how for testing, as well as suf-fi cient automation and machinery. Only in this way can we ensure that all our three production plants are, where necessary, able to approve their product designs and output in China. Coordinating this process will require extra attention,” Raussi says.

Quest for Future TalentResearch stemming from the academic world provides one source for techni-cal innovations. Salcomp is planning to foster its cooperation with the Chinese

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universities; four of which are specializing in power electronics.

“Possible areas of collaboration with universities are joint research programs where the research topics are defi ned together. Furthermore, Salcomp might subsidize the research projects in the form of consultant’s fees for lecturers, scholarships for students, or support for equipment and components,” Hua ponders.

According to Hua, a key success factor for such programs is in the defi nition of research topics. “The research topics must be of academic interest to the universities and of commercial interest to Salcomp. In addition, Salcomp needs to clearly defi ne its product roadmap in order for a corresponding technology roadmap to be generated. Then, the research topics can be defi ned on the basis of the technology roadmap,” he clarifi es.

Joint projects with universities might also open doors for new technical talents to step into Salcomp. In addition, the up-to-date knowledge of the current employees could be ensured by providing them with an opportunity to pursue further studies in the universities.

“Collaboration programs with universities will most probably be activated in 2010 and onwards, when Shenzhen R&D has a solid foundation for expansion,” Hua concludes.

Latest tour-de-force: a new generation of Mini adapters.

Text and Photo Semat Group

Big economic powers and mul-tinational companies are invest-ing wholeheartedly in China. The country is an enormous opportuni-ty, the El Dorado of our times. Ac-cording to Pasi Kivelä, CEO of the Semat Group, a project service pro-vider, success hinges on commu-nication and insight into cultural differences.

“Project monitoring is a fi eld that often presents challenges to company management,” says Kivelä.

Cultural dissimilarities be-tween Finland and China involve more than just the six-hour time difference. To succeed in China, companies must agree on common rules and identify bottlenecks. To answer this challenge, the Semat Group created its Chindia training programs.

The China phenomenonThe Semat Group cooperated with Salcomp to organize project man-agement training in compliance with the Chindia concept for Chi-nese project managers in Shenzhen in the fall of 2007.

Salcomp’s Chinese operations are characterized by not only produc-tion but also customer-specifi c product development being locat-

In China, foreign companies meet a multifarious business environment that differs completely from that in Europe or North America.

The Eastern El Dorado

ed in China. This results in cost-effective product development projects.

“Most of the challenges related to project management are the same in China and Finland,” says Furong Xu, a project management trainer at the Semat Group.

“The biggest difference lies in the attitude to project planning. A Chi-nese project manager believes in doing what is most important at any given time, a Finnish project manager sticks more closely to the plans and believes in good plan-ning taking you halfway to re-sults,” says Xu.

The training, customized to Sal-comp’s Chinese project manag-ers, aimed to enhance communica-tion in projects and make project planning and management more systematic. Other goals includ-ed boosting the use of a common project process, enhancing insight into cultural differences, and of-fering practical tools for routine project management tasks.

“The seed has been sowed”According to Juha Raussi, Vice President R&D at Salcomp, the training was a great success and helped all parties to agree on com-mon rules. Training also improved team spirit and communication across organizations. In addition, project managers learned many things from one another.

“The seed has been sowed and we are now waiting to see the results,” says Raussi.

Kimmo Laiho, Program Manag-er for Salcomp’s R&D, has no-

ticed a clearly positive change in the atmosphere after the training. Laiho has seven Chinese project managers on his team.

There seems to be good demand for training in Salcomp’s processes and cultural differences. To meet this demand, Salcomp and the Se-mat Group have agreed on further training, which will be arranged in the fall of 2008 and will focus more closely on these topics, among oth-er things. <

9

“Most of the challenges related to project management are the same in China and Finland”

Furong Xu trained Salcomp´s project managers in the Chindia training

program.

What does energy effi ciency mean for power supplies?

“It usually refers to two things: Ac-tive Mode Energy Effi ciency and Stand-by Power Consumption. The fi rst one means the effi ciency during use and the latter one the amount of power the supply draws from the power network when idle,” Jarmo Minkki-nen, Global Technology Manager, Electronics at Salcomp describes.

The challenge for product development is to make products that are both energy effi cient

and competitive in the price-sensitive mass markets.

“New requirements affect the chosen circuit topologies and components. There is also always room for new innovations,” Minkki-nen adds.

Elements of controlThere are two main energy effi ciency stand-ards that Salcomp is committed to: Energy Star and CoC. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-cy and the U.S. Department of Energy. It pro-

Wishing on a StarA strategic approach to energy management produces twice the savings, both for the bottom line and also for the environment. The key word is energy effi ciency.

motes energy-effi cient products and practices that save money and protect the environment.

“In order to use the Energy Star sign, the product must be pre-registered. This means measuring the product and sending the results to the Energy

Start organization, who accept the product into a list that is published on their website,” says Minkkinen.

The producer must also be a member of the organization.

The Code of Conduct on Effi ciency of Exter-nal Power Supplies (CoC) is an EU level con-tract for improving the energy effi ciency of power supplies in Europe.

“For the CoC system, new products are re-ported once a year according to their energy effi ciency. This is demanded from the com-panies that are committed to a contract by signing it, as Salcomp has done among the fi rst companies,” Minkkinen describes.

PredeterminationA new commitment is required every time the standards change, which means before new limits take effect. The technical cooper-ation between the different participants cre-ates a dialogue to defi ne the standards for the limits.

Heading for too aggressive goals in ener-gy use might have a negative effect on the whole, as the products might require addi-tional materials.

“As the new proposals are published, the in-dustry is also consulted in order to reach the best potential end result. This way it is pos-sible to take the total energy effi ciency in-to consideration, including the possible addi-tional costs,” Minkkinen sums up.

The demands to fulfi ll the requirements for different energy effi ciencies usually come from the customer. But what happens if the customer has no requirements?

”We are committed to meeting at least the minimum requirements in the respective mar-kets, as well as CoC’s voluntary requirements for products sold in the EU,” Minkkinen an-swers.

“We also strive for the best possible energy effi ciency spontaneously,” he adds.

TechnologyLatest trends and product innovations

Text Kaisa Alapartanen Photo Pasi Leino

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The buying power in Brazil has increased in the past few years. Also, the availability of credit has increased mobile phone sales to record-breaking fi gures at the beginning of 2008. This period is usually weak for the retail trade after the end of year’s Christmas season followed by the expenses at the beginning of the year, like house and car tax settlements, school materials for the children and so on.

Talkative Year 2007Traditionally, sales used to increase after April in order to fi ll up the retail stores with products for Mother’s Day in Brazil. The optimism in the economy is also driving the

Viva Brazil!The Brazilian mobile phone and charger market in Brazil is warmer than ever. According to The National Telecommunication Agency in Brazil (Anatel), the number of new mobile phone subscriptions in February was 69 percents higher than the same period a year ago.

lower income classes to extend their number of phone subscriptions by taking advantage of the special “Family Packages Promotions” offered by phone carriers.

The higher production scale and the devaluation of the dollar against the Brazil-ian currency have also contributed to this continuous growth since the majority of mobile phone costs are based on imported components.

In 2007, the Brazilian installed mobile phone park grew by 21 million new subscriptions, rising to a total of 120 million subscriptions. According to Anatel, the mobile phone penetration in Brazil also increased from 53.2 to 63.6 percents during 2007.

A Promising FutureThe future also looks promising in the Brazil-ian markets; 3G has fi nally started in Brazil and the territory coverage for mobile phone is continuing to grow. There is also a lot of technologic convergence on the market and more people are using mobile phones for services such as email, Internet, camera, music and video players, and payments. The recently started digital television broadcasts have also made mobile television possible.

All this progress has also increased the charger markets in Brazil, and Salcomp is more than prepared to follow the growth. The company’s total capacity has increased and there is the implementation of a new distribution hub. The new facility in the southeast area of Brazil will allow Salcomp to enjoy the same tax benefi ts as in the Manaus free-trade zone. The new hub provides Salcomp’s customers with greater fl exibility than ever before!

Text and photos Paulo Luisada, Salcomp Sao Paulo

Mobile phone penetration

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The CSR project was formally inaugurated on 15 April 2008. The function was organized in Kolathur village, around 7 kilometers from the Salcomp Sriperumbudur facility. Kolathur

has been chosen for the implementation of environ-mental pillar of the CSR activities: the village will be converted into a 100 per cent green village with-in a year.

“Our joint target is to focus on providing vocation-al training, environmental technologies, sanitation equipment and health services, and thus enhance the standard of living of people in Tamil Nadu in a

Giving Back to the Society

Hand in HandSalcomp, together with its biggest shareholder Nordstjernan, has started a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project in Tamil Nadu in India. The purpose is to give back to the society that hosts the company’s latest production facility.

sustainable manner,” describes Markku Hangas-järvi, President and CEO of Salcomp.

Acting locallyA Public Charitable Trust, Hand in Hand is respon-sible for implementing the CSR project. The Trust commenced operations in Kancheepuram District in 1988 and is currently in 13 districts in Tamil Nadu. The organization now also has a global presence.

“As a signifi cant employer, we are aware of our re-sponsibilities, especially in those areas in which we operate. Hand in Hand was chosen as a partner be-

cause of its excellent reputation and ways of em-powerment in Tamil Nadu,” says Hangasjärvi.

“We thank Salcomp and Nordstjernan for choosing Hand In Hand to execute its Corporate Social Re-sponsibility program in Sriperumbudur,” says He-mantha Kumar Pamarthy, Managing Director of Hand in Hand.

Hand in Hand has an initial focus on child labor elimination, education, and the empowerment of women. The organization has an unblemished record in integrating community development ac-tivities.

“We realize that although Salcomp has only been established here since 2006, their commitment to the local communities is deep and we at Hand in Hand will strive to carry out this program on the ex-pected lines,” Pamarthy promises.

Text Kaisa Alapartanen Photos Salcomp

n The projected timeline is 24 months

n The theme is to help and support people in selected areas, mainly in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India, and enable them to improve their lives

n The focus is on vocational training, as well as basic technical skills for 2,250 people

n Salcomp and other companies in the area could be potential employers after the training

n In addition, environmental technologies, sanitation equipment and health services are provided to 10 different villages.

Find out more:

www.hihseed.org/

www.salcomp.com

CSR Project in Brief

13Mr Hemantha Pamarthy (left) and Mr Markku Hangasjärvi signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Salcomp and Hand in Hand during the inauguration.

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Economy

Text Marja BerisaPhotos Antti Kuronen, IMS Reserach

The mobile phone charger market is facing various shared issues: while customers expect quicker deliveries with lower prices, high raw material costs place many players between a rock and a hard place. Salcomp is tackling the challenge with a variety of complementary tactics.

Shared Challenges, Individual Strengths

“We have no unnecessary capital tied up in inven-tories, and combined with the input from dedicated suppliers, we run a pretty lean machine. “

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Economies of scale and a diversifi ed customer base combined with strong production and logistics capabilities go a long way.

“It seems unlikely that the pricing pressures will recede in the short or medium term. Whilst handset volumes are continuing to rise strongly the effects can often be mitigated by production effi ciencies and other savings. If handset volumes start to stagnate at some point the challenge to reduce costs will inten-sify,” says Matthew Towers, Managing Director of London-based IMS Research.

He goes on to say that the good news is that Salcomp is not alone in facing these issues. Also, close ties with the end customer, through key account, value-added marketing will become increasingly important in order to dif-ferentiate Salcomp from its smaller competitors.

Smart inventory and sub-contractor management “This means we manage our inventories close to the customer, and with the help of dedicated Key Account Managers. Our deliveries are on-demand, and our storage facilities are moving closer to the mobile device manufacturer – in some cases storage takes place at the custom-er’s own facilities or nearby. This is one of our logistical advantages,” explains Osmo Oja, Vice President of Salcomp´s Global Operations.

In Shenzhen, China, Salcomp’s sub-contractors are all located closeby, the furthest being only a 3-hour drive to the plant. The suppliers’ opera-tions run based on either on a Vendor Man-aged Inventory or Logistic Concept Agreement model, meaning that raw materials inventories are managed according to the customer’s production needs.

“Salcomp’s inventory management is of world-class quality. We have no unnecessary capital tied up in inventories, and combined with the

input from dedicated suppliers, we run a pretty lean machine,” says Oja.

Still, there is work to be done in integrating local suppliers into Salcomp’s network. Volume production is key to the company’s profi tability, but this is not to say smaller revenue fl ows don’t matter.

“The challenge is to make use of our standard-ised platforms when catering to the needs of smaller customers. If our platforms are fl exible enough, we can serve both large and small customers with the same effi ciency.”

The Indian plant is undergoing a capacity up-grade, which will increase operational effi ciency in the future. At the same time other Salcomp locations are sharing best practices.

“In 2002 our Shenzhen plant implemented the highly automated, streamlined production process that was initially developed for the company’s Kemijärvi operations in Finland.

Now the same concept is being copied at the sites in Brazil and India. We’re also putting new production line investments in place. The goal is to double the output and make even more advanced use of automation.”

Due to the long delivery chains and costly sea transports, trimming the logistics in Brazil and India is of pressing importance. According to Oja Salcomp is actively looking for ways to speed up the chain. One tool to use is IT – Salcomp’s SAP and APO systems are being upgraded with the goal of trimming down the material fl ows. The upgrades are being implemented in India during Q2 and in Brazil in Q4. Also, the India site will implement a volume upgrade – at the moment the plant is not yet running at its full capacity.

Segment expansion to secure future growth

While production and logistics upgrades help tackle the increases in plastics and copper prices, Salcomp is also taking steps on the way to strategic expansion of both product and customer portfolios.

“The timing of this move looks ideal bearing in mind the forecast for slower volume growth in the mobile handset market over the next 5 years. Bluetooth headsets and other sectors such as routers or modems also represent large and growing opportunities,” says Towers.

“However, the challenges vary by sector and should not be under-estimated. They include trying to displace entrenched competitors, dif-ferentiating products in a commoditised market and understanding the different channels to market.”

“Looking ahead it is diffi cult to see how major changes could take place as operators and handset providers tend to protect their own commercial interests and hence the status quo. China has the ability to change things in its own market if its government takes a strong “pro-China” role to promote its own handset or accessory makers. However, any moves of this type are unlikely to affect markets outside China. One danger could be the move by con-tract manufacturers into the adapter market, an example of which is the move by Flextronics to buy part of FRIWO.”

On the hardware or technology side, products continue to evolve very rapidly, and this will undoubtedly provide further opportunities for Salcomp in the medium and long term.

“The emergence of new MPEG4 players and other hand-held multi-media devices could be one such opportunity. Developments in battery technology ‘wireless charging’, fuel cells, embedded solar power and other new technologies could provide both opportuni-ties and threats looking ahead into the longer term,” concludes Towers.

“It seems unlikely that the pricing pressures will recede in the short or medium term. ”

Crossing BordersOutstanding personalities from around the world.

Outstanding

Text Marja Berisa Photo Arto Wiikari

Professor Leena Peltonen is one of the leading researchers in genetics. Over the years she has played a key role in discovering 15 genes in the genotype of Finnish inherited diseases. Not one to stay hidden in the laboratory, Peltonen has actively demystifi ed genetics, encouraged women to stand up in the academic circles and crossed borders – or lines, according to some.

Outspoken, Outgoing,

“I’ve made a conscious choice to make my research visible and tangible. I’ve often been criticized for not avoiding the spotlight. I feel strongly about my work and sharing its results - after all, its aim is to benefi t the wellbeing of people.”

Looking for Girl Power Peltonen says that the idea of top women research-ers as rarities crossing borders is getting fairly old. Still, she hopes to set a living example of how to combine different aspects of life.

“We lose promising Ph.D.-level women – it’s as if they disappear into a black hole. It’s a tragedy, but often women feel the need to compromise when it comes to building a career or sharing domestic re-sponsibilities.”

The foundation for Peltonen’s career has been sol-id: parental support from early on and increasing-ly tougher challenges and chances in a profession-

al setting. Her husband is also a researcher, which means job-related pressures and successes can be shared bi-directionally.

“I think that one of my ways of crossing borders was to look at the individual or the human as a neutral target of research. When it comes to the molecular level, mice and men are pretty much the same. You can apply the same research strategies.”

Nurture or Nature?Finland is, of course, an ideal location for a gene-tician; an isolated population with a peculiarly sta-ble genetic ‘backbone’. For this reason, 37 heredi-tary diseases appear in Finland with a frequency un-known anywhere else in the world. Finnish disease profi les, lifestyles, eating and exercise habits have been studied for decades and now, when the un-folding genetic information can be superimposed on the existing data, the opportunities are over-whelming.

“We can now start addressing the question of what is the interplay between genetic and life style-relat-ed risks: what eating or exercise habits can trigger a metabolic syndrome, different forms of cancer, de-pression, for example.”

Peltonen and other leading genetics researchers bring both good and bad news to ordinary people. Whereas earlier the role of the individual’s lifestyle combined with environmental factors were deemed decisive in, for instance, predicting weight problems or different addictions, now the origin of various health risks may indeed be genetically predefi ned.

“However, there’s a difference between tendency and what really happens. So eat well and exercise,” says Peltonen, who confesses to being a workaholic with a sweet tooth.

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Name: Heikki Jyrkkä, Global Key Account Manager

Joined Salcomp in 2001

17

Heikki Jyrkkä’s responsibilities and tasks are global. The job is challenging but al-so very rewarding. Jyrkkä is happy to be backed by such a strong organization.

“One does not have to deal with every-thing alone, there are many skilled peo-ple and a well-functioning organization to give support,” Jyrkkä says.

In April the global sales organization gath-ered in Chennai, India. Jyrkkä joined his colleagues for a shopping trip. He wanted some gifts to take home to his wife and two children.

“We headed for a silk shop, where I fol-lowed the sale. Nothing seemed to be im-possible for the seller,” Jyrkkä recalls.

Jyrkkä’s colleagues soon closed their silky deals, which left the shopkeeper smil-ing. By now Heikki Jyrkkä was hungry for

Stories from the Road

Salcomp’s global players travel around the world. This time the

destination is Chennai, India.

Text Kaisa Alapartanen Image Erkki Kiiski

Smooth as Silk

more information and was welcomed be-hind the sales counter to compare the silk selection and to look for suitable combi-nations.

“Some customers entered the shop and I cordially asked how I could be of assist-ance. The question made the custom-er smile and he was interested in hearing where I was from,” Jyrkkä describes his new surprising role in the silk shop.

In the end Jyrkkä and his customer shook hands and exchanged happy greetings. After this experience Jyrkkä began to think more about the differences in custom-er service.

“Indian service takes the customer’s needs well into consideration. The shopping sit-uation is social, genuine, pleasant and memorable,” he says.

Jyrkkä was also able to compare the cus-tomer service with Salcomp’s own func-tions.

“We have received excellent feedback on our service as we have managed to keep the service similar all over the world. Our service personnel are professional and committed to their jobs.

This makes it possible to serve customers globally and to secure trustworthy global deliveries.”

But let’s get back to the silk shop for a while. Did Heikki Jyrkkä make a satisfacto-ry purchase?

“In the end I managed to purchase excel-lent silks for souvenirs. The salesperson gave me some collegial tips and I was able to fi nd the selection I wanted!”

Heikki Jyrkkä joined Salcomp’s global sales conference in Chennai. Besides luxurious souvenirs for his family, he came home with an experience he had not bargained for.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Salcomp Joins EPSMASalcomp has decided to join the European Power Supply Manufacturers Association (EPSMA).

The aim of EPSMA is to provide a discussion forum for the power supply industry in Europe. The association currently has around 30 members from 13 countries, including all the top power supply manufactures globally. Salcomp will also get a seat on EPSMA’s Management Committee.

EPSMA has activities in several areas, such as regulatory and standards issues, tariffs and barriers to trade, links between the industry and further education with power electronics, benchmarking and continual improvement, as well as liaison with other industry organizations such as the US-based PSMA. In addition, EPSMA aims to be an effective lobbying group during the formation and introduction of new legislation within the EU and also internationally.

”Joining EPSMA gives Salcomp a new forum to discuss issues of common interest with the other power supply industry actors and receive information on the regulatory and standardization issues. It also gives Salcomp a new channel to infl uence regulatory activities together with the other companies within the industry,” says Markku Hangasjärvi, President & CEO.

Further information: www.epsma.org

Salcomp’s second Supplier Day took place in Shenzhen, China. Key suppliers from around the world were invited to deepen their co-operation with Salcomp, as the main purpose of the event is to enhance transparency and openness.

“We want to share our directions and strategies with our suppliers so that they are able to align them with their own plans. It’s also important that the top management from both parties meet to discuss and share ideas face to face,” says Hannu Hyrsylä, Vice President, Global Sourcing for Salcomp.

This year’s event, held on 14th May, was truly global, with Indian and Brazilian suppliers involved. Suppliers from China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan also met Salcomp’s representatives, amounting to approximately 130 people.

Supplier Day opened up the possibility to share real-time information, leading to important

updates on today’s business situation as well as future directions.

”The audience was very pleased; for many, it is a totally new thing that a customer wants to share so much information with them. It also gives suppliers confi dence to plan their future, as well as assurance that Salcomp really is able to provide support when they are tackling the challenge common to all – developing suppliers’ business operations in collaboration,” he adds.

In addition, a total of six suppliers were rewarded in two categories: Excellence Awards went to three suppliers that performed the best scores in 2007 based on Salcomp’s Supplier Scorecard. In the second category, Special Awards were given to three suppliers who have contributed to Salcomp’s business in some special way during 2007.

“As the day turned out so well, we will defi nitely continue to hold this session once a year,” Hyrsylä promises.

“I’m in Monaco...no, in Italy!”

Hand-in-Glove with the Suppliers

The European Commission has set out rules for in-fl ight mobile use. The formal agreement covers legal and technological conditions for all EU nations to permit mobile use in their airspace by the end of the year. Some airlines are already planning pilot projects to test passenger reactions to on board mobile use.

Since board charges will probably be in line with international roaming rates, the biggest puzzle to solve is how to answer when somebody asks the classic questions: “Where are you?”...18

Earthquake in ChinaThe earthquake that hit southwest China on May 12th 2008 was meas-ured 8 on the Richer Scale, and left tens of thousands killed and more than 220 000 people injured. On May

Flags in half-mast

19th, China began a three-day nation-al mourning for the earthquake vic-tims.

Salcomp also took part in the mourn-ing on May 19th. The Chinese and Finnish national fl ags at Salcomp’s Shenzhen factory were at half-mast to respects those killed in the earthquake. All employees paid their respect with a three-minute silence while air raid si-rens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships wailed in grief.

Support for victims

In order to support the rescue operation and help the people who live in the quake area, the employ-ees of Salcomp’s Shen-zhen factory have raised a substantial sum, that to-gether with the amount donated by Salcomp will be directed to the Red Cross of Shenzhen in China.

19

Mr Mika Ulkuniemi was appointed Global Product Engineering Manager on 11 February 2008. He is located in Shenzhen.

Mr Ulkuniemi is in charge of developing the Product Engineering function on the global level and building up local PE functions to support local product support needs at Salcomp’s factory sites.

“My responsibilities include the product technical main-

tenance and development of our Chinese, Indian and Brazilian factories. This in-cludes receiving the products, introducing them into mass production, product technical and cost improvements and supporting the ramp-up at the different sites,” Ulkuniemi says.

Ulkuniemi fi rst joined Salcomp in 1996 as a Production Su-

pervisor in Kemijärvi. In 1997 he became a Production De-partment Engineer and in the years 1999 to 2005 he worked as a Project Manager for R&D. In 2005 he moved to Stora Enso/Fortek Kemijärvi Pulp Mill as a Business Unit Manager and Maintenance Manager before returning to Salcomp in

2008. His long years in produc-tion and maintenance will help him in his new job.

“I am also familiar with CE projects and customer require-ments through the countless product development projects I have done for Sony Ericsson and Nokia,” Ulkuniemi adds.

For Ulkuniemi, the best part of his new job is its versatility. In-

teracting with other functions such as sourcing, production and quality control also adds value to his daily chores: “The job is not tinkering with details, but controlling larger entities.”

Ulkuniemi’s family, his wife and three daughters arrived in China in May.

“I spent the fi rst few months arranging domestic issues and getting to know Shenzhen and the possibilities it offers for free-time activities.”

The family’s summer plans include settling down in China and a trip somewhere near-by. For Ulkuniemi, visiting new places and continuously learn-ing new things is very motivat-ing: “One is never fi nished as a person.”

Mr Matti Kivekäs has been appointed

as a Business Controller for Salcomp

India on February 1st, 2008. Mr. Kivekäs

is based in Chennai, India.

Mr Sasikumar Gendham has been

appointed as a Account Manager, Sales

& Marketing on April 1st, 2008. He is

responsible for managing the sales and

marketing, customer service activities

in India.

Appointments and Changes in Responsibilities

Salcomp Chennai

Mr Tommi Välimäki has been appoint-

ed as a Business Analyst on June 1st.

Mr Välimäki works in strategic planning

processes and projects. He is located in

Finland.

Salcomp Salo

“The job is not tinkering with details, but controlling larger entities.”

Headquarters

Salcomp Plc

Salo, Finland

Tel. +358 201 875 511

Fax +358 201 875 450

Salcomp Plc

Kemijärvi, Finland

Tel. +358 201 875 511

Fax +358 201 875 545

Salcomp (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen, China

Tel. +86 755 2725 5111

Fax +86 755 2725 5255

Salcomp USA, L.L.C.

Leesburg, VA 20175, USA

Tel. +1 817 307 1185

Fax + 1 703 669 1090

Salcomp Ltda

São Paulo, Brazil

Tel. +55 11 3167 0250

Fax +55 11 3167 2199

Salcomp Industrial

Eletrônica da Amazônia Ltda

Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

Tel. +55 92 2127 2600

Fax +55 92 2127 2690

Salcomp Manufacturing

India Pvt Ltd.

Chennai, India

Tel. +91 44 3717 7777

Fax +91 44 3717 7778

The Mini platform adapter family is being renewed with even more attractive design options for our customers. The adapter is now available with a cable and a mini/micro USB connector or customer-selected output connector. All Mini adapters are being targeted at portable device charging, such as Mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets and other personal handheld devices.

Among other things, the Mini adapters fulfi l the USB specifi cation requirements for powering up from a dedicated charger. Salcomp will offer a choice of seven different input plugs and all of these adapters will meet the Energy Star level V effi ciency standard.

The Mini adapters will be available at the end of the summer in 2008.

NEW GENERATION OF MINI FAMILY