From the lathe to retirement – Kalevi’s 45 years at Lojer

Kalevi Lähdekorpi built an impressive career at Lojer over nearly 46 years. During that time, he witnessed from a front-row seat the development of workshop work and the remarkable growth of Lojer as a whole.

When Kalevi Lähdekorpi first walked into the workshop in the spring of 1980, he was a slightly shy young man who had just graduated from vocational school. The workshop was looking for a new turner, and a job interview lay ahead.

“Of course the situation was a bit nerve-racking, but I went in as myself,” Kalevi recalls.

That interview marked the beginning of a career that ultimately lasted 45 years and 8 months. During that time, Kalevi witnessed from a front-row seat the development of workshop work and the remarkable growth of Lojer as a whole.

In the early days, all work was done on manual machines. In the mid-1980s, the workshop acquired its first CNC machine, marking the start of a journey toward information technology, automation, and modern production.

“It’s unique to have been able to experience the entire development.”

Yet for Kalevi, the most important part of the job was never just the machines. The greatest reward was the people.

“Good colleagues. That means a great deal. Things always worked well with the other turners, and I’m grateful for that,” Kalevi says.

Cooperation, trust, and straightforward communication – that’s how things got done. Kalevi was known in the workplace as someone who got along with everyone. Honesty was his guiding principle.

“When things are talked through openly, they get resolved – at work and in life in general.”

Over Kalevi’s decades at Lojer, there were countless moments that never made it into annual reports: funny, surprising, and sometimes slightly crazy experiences.

“Even if the lathe work occasionally felt monotonous, I always enjoyed my job. I’ve also always appreciated that Lojer has a clean workshop – a truly fine metal workshop. No fumes, no oil on the floor, and the noise level is moderate. These are the kinds of things that help people enjoy their work and keep going for the long term,” Kalevi explains.

When Kalevi decided it was time to retire, there was no shortage of people asking him to continue.

“There’s been some wooing,” he says with a laugh. It says a lot about the mark he has left on the workplace community.

For new Lojer employees, Kalevi has a few simple pieces of advice:

“If you do your job well, you’ll do just fine. Young and old should listen to each other. New knowledge needs to be applied, but experience is valuable too. ‘This is how it’s always been done’ isn’t an answer – but it’s also no reason to forget the past.”

Kalevi’s retirement days are already well underway. A woodshed is under construction, and there’s plenty of firewood to deal with. If the weather is too wet to head into the forest, Kalevi holds an ‘office day’ at home. There are also friends to tinker with.

“I always find ways to keep myself busy.”

How does Kalevi hope to be remembered as a colleague? At least for his reliability, trustworthiness, and for always being himself.

“In that sense as well, Lojer has always been a great place to work – you were encouraged to be yourself.”

Warm thanks, Kalevi, for nearly 46 years of dedicated work. Your story is part of Lojer’s story.