More Than Just a Surface – The Collaboration Between Löfs and ABB
Löfs is a service provider that operates according to the same principles that ABB itself follows.
Raine Kuusisto
Global Process Specialist
ABB Large Motors and Generators
Raine Kuusisto, Global Process Specialist responsible for global surface treatment within ABB’s Large Motors and Generators product group, explains the requirements they set for their surface treatment service providers. He has global responsibility for surface treatment at eight production facilities located around the world, as well as 35 years of experience in surface treatment, ranging from hands-on work to production management roles.
ABB has a comprehensive evaluation system
ABB has a comprehensive evaluation system in which all service providers are evaluated using the same criteria. The evaluation is based on numerous areas, ranging from corporate management practices to the final delivery of products and services.
Quality, environmental considerations, occupational safety, chemical safety, productivity, and on-time delivery are just a few of the factors taken into account when selecting suppliers.
How did ABB and Löfs’ paths cross?
“Löfs has collaborated with ABB’s Vaasa unit,” says Raine Kuusisto. “The company’s expertise and capacity, as well as the high quality of its work, also caught the attention of ABB’s Large Motors and Generators unit. The versatile possibilities of powder coating drew particular attention.”
Today, ABB makes use of Löfs’ services on a daily basis. Löfs performs powder or liquid painting on parts manufactured by other suppliers in Ostrobothnia.
ABB verifies the competence of service providers through an annual audit of surface treatment processes. The initial audit determines whether the partnership will continue, but subsequent audits verify that the agreed-upon methods and work practices are being followed and that quality assurance is at the appropriate level. Löfs has a separate quality assurance plan for ABB, which is used as the primary documentation during the audit.
A service provider must always add value to operations
In what ways does Löfs provide added value to ABB? Raine Kuusisto first mentions the consistency of surface treatment. He explains that once quality criteria have been defined, quality control becomes easier because ABB also inspects all incoming goods. According to him, Löfs has performed well in its work, which reflects the company’s commitment to delivering the required quality.
What has Löfs done to ensure it remains competitive in the future?
Raine Kuusisto commented as follows: “Löfs is an independent company that continuously invests in equipment, processes, and people. The company has also taken health, safety, and environmental quality to a whole new level, so it feels relatively safe to work with a service provider that is able to operate according to the same principles that ABB itself follows.”
He also appreciates Löfs’ commitment to the well-being of its staff, as well as its investments in various high-quality training programs, such as FROSIOcertifications, or the implementation of the 5S method to organize the work environment and streamline work processes.
Raine Kuusisto says that cooperation between the companies has gone well now that they have gotten to know each other. He acknowledges that ABB’s requirements for service providers are high, but Löfs has been on exactly the right track so far.
“The number of our service providers is steadily declining, but those who remain have already managed to meet many of the required criteria,” Kuusisto concludes.
