Bertin Environics Team

Miikka, who joined the team in February 2023, is a 32-year old proud citizen of Mikkeli which he considers “a nice city to live, full of nice people”. Before joining Environis he has been working at a furniture store as a warehouse manager. In his freetime Miikka enjoys playing videogames with friends.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
Well, I haven’t heard of CBRN before and I didn’t know the acronym meaning, so I went to the job interview wanting to hear more… and here I am today!

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
My daily tasks include receiving arriving goods, organise them, keeping the warehouse in good order, packing the leaving goods for customers etc. It is difficult to tell all about my tasks because I am just getting started, so there are still many new things to learn about this job.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
I find this job interesting because of the versatile tasks, and of course because of working with nice colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.

Arto is one of those Bertin Environics’ old-school personas, who joined the team almost 18 years ago. Holder of a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, after working 7 years in pulp and paper industry, he got the opportunity to jump into the interesting world of CBRN, and never looked back!
When Arto is not supporting our sales team in our many naval related cases, he is most likely chilling to the sound of his favorite rock n’roll classics.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
A couple of decades ago I knew people who were working for Environics and they got me interested in the company. The company’s international business side was especially tempting me to join in. Now I have worked for Environics for almost 18 years, and I still find passion for the CBRN business.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
If I’m not travelling, which luckily I can do often, I utilize my rather long experience to give our sales team my full support to enhance our success, especially in the naval CBRN business. Our aim is to grow the naval CBRN business into an even bigger part of the company’s operations than it already is. Searching for new market opportunities and planning business activities to achieve established goals is an important part of my job.
My everyday office work includes preparing CBRN system proposals for naval applications, giving technical support and helping to create marketing material, such as blog texts and white papers, for our marketing team. Part of my time goes also for supporting the delivery projects, in which I’m also involved.
During my business trips, I mostly meet old and new potential customers and partners to discuss with them about on-going or new projects.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
Bertin Environics team is quite a small community but still, we are delivering our solutions to most parts of the world. Being part of this team makes me feel proud. And of course, travelling to interesting places, where I wouldn’t probably go otherwise, is a great bonus. Meeting people with different ethnic backgrounds is a benefit which comes with the job, and I enjoy that a lot. This job has brought many interesting people into my life and many of them I can even consider as my friends.
I was born in Mikkeli, which is the hometown of Environics, and I feel it is important to help to creating well-being in the area. My way to do that is being part of Environics team, creating a good global business, and bring some income for our area’s benefit.

Veli-Matti joined Bertin Environics in September 2018 as Area Manager for Asian market and is currently located in Bertin Environics Malaysian office, in Kuala Lumpur. He holds a M.Sc. (Tech) in Production Economies and has studied in Tampere University of Technology. Music has always been his big interest and during his spare time Veli-Matti enjoys playing trombone and piano. Veli-Matti worked in various international sales and product management roles in Vaisala for 18 years, before joining Environics. During Vaisala times, he was assigned to Malaysia for 5.5 years (2012 – 2017), which gave him a lot of insight and experience of the Asian market place.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
Bertin Environics, as a well-known high-tech company and customer of Weather transmitter, was familiar to me already during my earlier career. In 2018 Bertin Environics was strengthening their sales and presence in Asia. The new position sounded lucrative to me and my background matched well to the job requirements, thus, I ended up to the CBRN world, Bertin Environics, and back to Asia.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
Developing and fostering my area’s partner network is among the main tasks in my work. Naturally every area has its yearly sales targets, which keep Area Managers busy and active searching for new opportunities and closing deals to meet targets. Me being in the Asian time zone gives our Asian partners fast response times to both their inquiries and support needs.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
Bertin Environics has unique, highly positive spirit among its personnel and we have some world leading products to offer. Of course, building new business partnerships and getting that big deal is every salesman’s goal!

Ismo is one of Bertin Environics “veterans”, who has joined the team over 25 years ago. Holder of a B.Sc, in Environmental Engineering, Ismo is without any doubt a seasoned CBRN professional and an important part of the back bone of our organization.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
I got my first contact with the CBRN field already during my studies and after my graduation I started working for Bertin Environics. I have worked here for more than 25 years in various positions such as test engineer, product manager, technical support manager and now for the last five years I have worked as a bid manager. Therefore, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work extensively in a variety of jobs.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
As a bid manager, my job is to ensure that our offers meet the customer’s needs. My responsibilities include preparing commercial offers and managing bid projects.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
I have the pleasure and honor to work with the great professionals of our company and challenging projects make the work interesting and varied. And, of course, our very good work atmosphere and amazing colleagues make working here even more enjoyable.

Olli, who worked in several different roles related to supply chain management for roughly 10 years, has been part of our team since 2017. Holder of a Master of Science (Technology) in Industrial Management, he has accomplished on his dreams by becoming the Purchasing Team Leader of Bertin Environics.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
I grew up in Mikkeli, the hometown of Bertin Environics, so it was already around early 2000’s when I was first introduced to the company and its IMS technology. Already back then it felt like a cool place with own production of high-tech instruments, scientists in their lab coats and stuff. After spending several years elsewhere studying and working, I finally ended up to return to Mikkeli and join Bertin Environics in 2017.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
The purchasing team ensures the goods/components are available when needed. This means following up what will be the plans in our production and future projects, sending out RFQs, comparing offers, maintaining the information in our systems, placing orders and following up the deliveries. On top of the day-to-day purchasing, we are continuously developing our own products at Bertin Environics. Therefore, we regularly discuss with our R&D and look for new potential technologies and partners around the world. The purchasing team shares the information about the products, prices and lead times to our sales team, so that they can propose the most suitable solution to our customers. I also interact with our sales people to forecast what components are needed in the future, which in the current global situation means planning up to 18-24 months ahead.
In principle there are clear routines but in practice the tasks are varying and every day is different, you just can’t know in the morning what will come up during the day. One day you can procure analytical instruments and office furniture, and the next day plan new fabricated carry bags and assess new sensor technologies. Sometimes the components are totally new in the market and need further testing in the lab, and sometimes it can be even nearly 30-year-old technology that needs support and some spares to be found. Luckily, we have a great team of different experts available at Bertin Environics.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
People and technology. It’s thrilling to work with very experienced professionals, within Bertin Environics and our large network of suppliers, trying to solve demanding problems: producing innovative and complex technological solutions which should work reliably in the harshest environments. And due to the persons involved, working out these challenges can even be fun!

Ana, who joined us back in 2016, landed in the team during her over 5-year time of residence in Finland. Holder of a BFA in Communication Design and a MA in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects, not in her wildest dreams she has ever expected to end up collaborating with an organization in the CBRN industry. She likes to think of her role in Bertin Environics as something located in a limbo where visual culture meets science and technology.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
Let’s first make it clear that coming from a fine arts background, I had no idea a business such as CBRN existed, until the day I was interviewed at Bertin Environics headquarters, almost 5 years ago. After graduating from the Fine Arts Faculty of the University of Porto and before joining Bertin Environics , I have always worked in web-design-oriented studios. I can honestly say that it took me around 2 weeks to get the basic grip of the industry mission, customer segmentation, and the product / solution portfolio…

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
On top of everything, it is my duty to cherish for Bertin Environics branding. It thrills me to develop visual concepts and assets together with CBRN experts, that reflect the company’s various approaches in different socio-cultural contexts, for military and civil audiences. Apart from that, I am also deeply involved in the company’s digital marketing strategy and actions. So, long story short, in the same day I can design the stand walls / podiums for a defence exhibition happening in Turkey, make a rollup to be used in the USA, create a brochure with Greek characters, and design a landing page and ad groups in Spanish for a country-based Google Ads campaign.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
This plurality and diversity of tasks, conducted together with the best team mates, leading to a continuous learning process. During this journey I feel I have developed an outrageous amount of soft and hard skills – from Marketing concepts to CBRN (superficial/light) knowledge, and the awesome Finnish way of working – I can only point out positive aspects.

Mikko is a seasoned project manager who has joined Bertin Environics in May 2019. After graduating in 1994 (BCs. Automation technology), he was hired by Measurex-Roibox (later Honeywell at ‘97), a high-tech company that supplied paper measurement systems to paper mills. Mikko worked first as project engineer, later as a project manager, and last as a Technical Manager of Sensor TAC. At the end of 2012, Stanley Security hired him to lead the Security Systems Implementation Team.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
I had been following Bertin Environics for some time, so, when the project manager position opened, I seized the opportunity. I’m strongly technically oriented (a geek 😊 ) so cutting-edge technology, together with the global playing field, fascinated me and it was just way too good combination to pass. I have now worked at Bertin Environics for over two years, so I’m still quite new in this business area. There is still lot to learn, however I think that lessons learnt from my previous work places have somewhat facilitated my career start at EOy.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
I’m a project manager so my main tasks concern to taking care of CBRN System projects. I have to make sure that the delivery project goes according to plan, will be delivered on time and within the budget. Daily communication, meetings etc. with stakeholders and customers are also an important part, in order to synchronize our production and engineering with deliveries. I have also responsibilities to develop project methods by looking for best practises and tools which facilitate project deliveries and have a positive financial impact.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
There are so many small things, but definitely technology and people. I am grateful to my competent colleagues because they really make my job meaningful and fun. While it’s fun, it doesn’t mean it would be always easy, but I’m confident that with this team we can handle even the most challenging projects. In addition, the global playing field gives its own spice, although COVID-19 currently restricts travel abroad.

Mikael joined Bertin Environics back in 2014, as a trainee, when writing his master thesis. Nowadays, he holds a Master of Science (Technology) — major in Software Engineering and minor in Industrial Engineering and Management — a degree obtained at LUT University (Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT), a pioneering science university in Finland, bringing together the fields of science and business since 1969. Mikael graduated in 2016, and in the same he was promoted to Software Team Manager!

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
Well, I was young and needed an employer who would provide me a thesis topic. Like most of the world, I hadn’t heard the acronym, let alone knew what it stands for. So, I’ve been in the CBRN field since joining Bertin Environics about six years ago.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
I would say my days are very diverse, but an outside observer may disagree. I may appear to be only either typing nonsense to a computer or talking about typing nonsense. In reality, I work on product development, be it new features for existing products or entire new products.
As a manager, I get to take part in all the phases of the software lifecycle. From the very exiting ideation of new solutions, to the epic bug hunts. As I said: very diverse, but requires attention on ergonomics.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
Software eats the world, someone wise said. Nowadays there are many contexts where one could work as a software engineer. I would argue that the CBRN field is definitely an interesting niche to get to be part of.
Bertin Environics has similar small-town appeal as its home town. Large enough to have interesting things going on, but small enough to allow you to grasp most of it. I get to see and know different field of design and engineering. And other aspects of the business too, from science to sales.
Oh, and some of the colleagues have a sense of humour.

Captain Toni Leikas retired from the Finnish Defence Forces, when he was recruited to the defence industry. He gained his CBRNE and training expertise from various CBRNE positions in Engineer & CBRN branch duties. During his nearly 10 years of collaboration with Bertin Environics, Toni has shared knowledge and practical tips not only with customers, but also with the rest of the team and company partners.
In addition, Toni is one key player is CBRNE standardisation in Finland, and in Europe, being convenor of CEN/TC931/CBRNE working group and team leader of the European CBRNE Glossary standard.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
I got my first experience of CWA’s when used the term ABC back in 1999. I started to specialise and conducted a 1,5-year full-day learning in this area when NBC was in use. During my military duties, the term slowly changed first to CBRN and later to CBRNE. So, I got over 20 years of expertise on all topics related to CBRN protection and counter measuring.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
My normal day starts with many cups of black and dark coffee! I’m responsible for creating training offers and plans as part of normal system offers. I create and update training material and check that they are aligned with manuals. As Bertin Environics main trainer, it is also my duty to execute system and some special customers device trainings. Lately, my days have been more and more filled with online and e-learning courses development, and training materials updating.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
I can do tasks and duties that I have been trained for: CBRN and training. In my position it is also possible to learn new things almost every day. As Bertin Environics is an international company, meeting and teaching new customers, and different end-users, also boosts the working. On top of all of that, of course seeing locations that a normal traveller is not able visit or see is a great bonus too!

Matleena, who has educational background and master degree in marketing, jumped into the exciting CBRN world more than seven years ago, from a totally different work environment. Marketing has played a big role in her whole career in Bertin Environics, but service business development, ILS issues and team management tasks have enriched her daily work life for the past five years. Currently, Matleena is a team leader of the Bertin Environics Marketing & Application Team.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
My start in Bertin Environics was rather fast. The time gap between the first phone call and the first work day was less than a week! Thanks to the help of my mother-in-law, a quick jump from maternity leave back to the work life was possible. The possibility to work and develop marketing within an international business field definitely got my interest in first place, and new work opportunities, as well as a global customer and partner network, have kept the motivation and interest up already for over seven years now.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
I have the privilege to run our talented Marketing & Application Team which takes care of the various tasks at the beginning of our customers journey with Bertin Environics, and on the other hand my tasks with service business development provide me opportunities to be part of the customer journey also after the original procurement phase. My daily work varies from strategic planning, to resource management, and from offer support to exhibition building.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
The first “thing” is my colleagues, and this unusual year has highlighted their importance even more.
Second is the international customer and partner network. There is something really fascinating about different cultures, and I cannot wait to replace some of the virtual meetings with face-to-face encounters in different parts of the globe.
Third is the variety of my work tasks which keep (almost) everyday fresh and interesting.

Bertin Environics CEO – Kirsi – is a 50-year-old married and well succeeded woman. Kirsi is the holder of a Master of Science in Industrial Management obtained in 1994, and a Doctoral thesis concluded in 2008. Her life has two main focus points: taking responsibility for being Environics President since 2012, and being the mother of two teenage kids. And who knows which one is more demanding!
Kirsi’s career was initiated in her graduation year in a plywood industry company, and 15 years later in 2009, she joined Bertin Environics as Vice President for Business Process Development.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
In my previous work place I was as a Management Consultant and Bertin Environics was one of my customers. Based on our long cooperation, at the beginning of 2009 I was asked to join Environics. I was very interested in this niche business and Environics as a developing organization, so I was more than eager to learn more and try my best to develop the business, as part of the team. Therefore, I have been in the CBRN business for the last 12 years.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
My main tasks concern to the development of the organization strategic plans, meaning preparing new ones while ensuring the previous plans are still being followed. I cooperate closely with the whole Management Team and with our Board of Directors.
Helping team members on meeting their individual goals, which support the achievement of our business goals, is one of my important tasks.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
Working together with Bertin Environics team towards our common goals is what definitely thrills me the most. I have a problem-solver mindset, therefore dealing with diverse challenges and guiding my team mates to a solution, it’s just my call. I also love getting familiar with a wide variety of nationalities and international team members!

Mika, who holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, has been working with Bertin Environics for over twenty years, having gained versatile work experience with different work roles in the company. From HW designer, to project manager, and finally to his current role as Vice President of Operations, Mika is for sure part of the back bone of our organization.

🔵 How did you get into CBRN field, how long you have worked with CBRN?
I entered the CBRN field when I arrived to Bertin Environics approximately twenty years ago, as an electronics designer. My first work project concerned to participating on the electronics designing of the ChemPro100 detector, which development project had just begun.

🔵 Can you share an insight on your daily tasks and routines?
As Vice President of Operations, my daily chores include the management of the different sections and teams, including delivery project experts, R&D-teams, laboratory crew, purchasing team, and production.

🔵 What excites you the most about working in Bertin Environics?
The interesting and versatile work tasks, project diversity, the amazing colleagues, and – last but not the least – the relaxed working atmosphere.