Botnia Print
- newspaper factory emphasises uninterrupted production
Botnia Print, based in Kokkola, Finland, is a newspaper printing company that is the only one in Finland to have a waterless press. The high quality of the magazines printed using dry offset technology has also received international recognition. The company has been a member of the prestigious international WAN-IFRA Quality Club since 2012.
The collaboration between Botnia Print and Protect started around the same time as the dry offset press was launched in spring 2010. Printing work is strictly scheduled, which is why the newspaper factory emphasises uninterrupted production. Having safety in place also reduces the risk of production downtime.
-We needed a rescue plan for the new printing house. Based on my previous work experience, I knew what was involved and, as we did not have enough time and resources at the time, we contacted Protect. The starting point was clear: we had the need and they had the expertise. At the same time, we also carried out a safety inspection of the premises," says Botnia Print's factory coordinator, recalling the start of the collaboration.
The mailroom of the newspaper factory has a shredding system, which generates paper dust and part of the room is classified as explosive. An explosion protection document was therefore also required.
Staff are aware of the importance of safety
-PRO24 started to be built for us in 2012. For example, we use it as a chemical register, which contains the necessary information about the chemicals we use. PRO24 also contains an emergency plan and information on staff training and areas of expertise. The system also contains various indicators that allow us to measure, for example, productivity, efficiency and the number of makkelin, so the whole system is tailored to our needs.
Thanks to its waterless nature, Botnia Print uses fewer chemicals in production than traditional printing houses, but there are risks involved in handling paper rolls and reels weighing up to 1,500 kg.
-"Safety has always been close to my heart and I am very pleased that in cooperation with Protect we have created a safe working environment at Botnia Print. In addition to training, we have had a rescue drill for all employees. The staff is very aware of the importance of both safety at work and safety in the company. PRO24 ensures that we always have the most up-to-date version of the various documents," he says.