Celebrating over 40 years of service

On Friday April 28 2023, AFT Oy held a special breakfast in Varkaus to celebrate the retirement of two long-term employees, Heikki Tsupari and Kari Kinnunen.  The breakfast was held at the Keskuskonttori, formerly a central office for Varkaus factories that today functions as a restaurant.  The central office served as the administrative center back in the days of Ahlström, which is when these two retirees began their careers.

Heikki Tsupari started working at Ahlström on June 4, 1974.  He continued his career as a sheet metal welder and chief shop steward when the company became part of AFT, accumulating over 47 years of experience over his long-term career. 

Kari Kinnunen also started his career at Ahlström on June 1, 1977 as a plumber's apprentice.  After a few years of work, he trained as a technician and became a technical draftsman. Following a long career as a product designer and occupational health and safety representative, he is retiring from AFT with more than 41 years of experience.

In attendance at the celebratory breakfast were several previously retired AFT employees who were more than happy to offer advice and guidance about this new phase of life.  Special recognition was also given by Risto Weckroth, VP of European Sales and Operations, and Jacques Beauchemin, President and CEO of AFT.

Many thanks to Heikki and Kari for their extensive years of service with AFT and their important contributions to the development of the company’s operations. We wish them both a long, happy and relaxing retirement!

Pictured L/R: Risto Weckroth, Jacques Beauchemin, Kari Kinnunen and Heikki Tsupari