Marko Orpana has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Mäkelä Alu. Our current Managing Director Petri Mäkelä will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board. Orpana currently works as the CEO of Rauhala Yhtiöt Oy. He has extensive experience in managing service businesses.
“I believe that Marko has a lot to offer in this area, but above all I believe that he will provide strong and inspiring leadership. I look forward to working with Marko,” says Petri Mäkelä.
Marko Orpana will assume his position as Mäkelä Alu’s Managing Director on March 1.
“I am incredibly excited and humbled to join Mäkelä Alu. The company is large, but I appreciate its values and strategy. Especially with Petri, we share a very similar way of thinking,” says Orpana.
Long experience in management
Marko Orpana, who is originally from Kauhajoki, currently lives in Seinäjoki with his family. He has a Master’s degree in Economic Sciences. While living in Southern Finland, he was employed by Elisa Group and Itella, among others. After moving back to South Ostrobothnia, he worked for Ilkka Group for several years.
“When it comes to management, I like to think that I work in customer service and my customers are the people working in the company. I think it is important that I can enable the staff to work and that they enjoy their work,” says Orpana.
“I will lead by learning and listening, and talking with the staff. I am looking forward to this,” he continues.
In the new role, Orpana will be diving into a completely new industry. This was a strategic choice by Mäkelä Alu.
“We have an extremely skilled and committed management team that helps move our company forward. That is why we were not looking for special expertise in any area, but for good leadership, and that’s what I believe Marko will bring to us. The fact that Marko has extensive experience in service businesses is a great opportunity for us to move our own service business forward. In addition, when it comes to values, he fits well into our work community, which is a prerequisite for successful cooperation,” says Petri Mäkelä.
Responsibility and service production as competitive advantages
Marko Orpana sees Mäkelä Alu’s business model, in which a production product has been successfully developed into a service business, as a differentiating factor and a strategic competitive advantage. Many aluminium extrusion plants only manufacture products.
“Mäkelä Alu understands the genuine needs of customers, which may not always be identified by the customers themselves. This is at the very heart of the company’s operations. Mäkelä Alu genuinely wants to be part of the customer’s value chain and help our customers develop their business,” says Orpana.
For example, Mäkelä Alu offers a warehousing and surface treatment service for aluminium profiles, which is integrated into the customer’s own production process.
“Mäkelä Alu is a company that develops its business in a responsible way. Responsibility is a driving force in all its operations, from occupational safety and health to climate protection. The company takes responsibility for its activities and protects the planet to the best of its ability,” says Orpana.
You can find more information about Mäkelä Alu’s responsibility efforts in the Responsibility section.
