Sako Oy improves project management with the Microsoft Project for the Web tool, enhancing processes and ensuring the success of projects.
Sako Oy is one of Finland’s most famous gun and cartridge manufacturers. The company was founded in 1921 and has a long history of producing quality guns known for their accuracy and reliability.
After Finland gained independence, Sako Oy initially focused on repairing weapons and manufacturing new rifles. The company’s products, such as rifles, shotguns, and pistols, are used not only by hunters and sports shooters but also by the police and defense forces of different countries.
The weapons of Sako Oy, which nowadays is part of the international Beretta group, are used all over the world. The company is still committed to offering high-quality products and innovative solutions to its customers. In Finland, more than 450 people work at Sako.
Among other things, Sako and Tikka guns have been granted the right to use the prestigious “Design From Finland” trademark, which speaks of professional, responsible, and user-oriented design made in Finland.
A new tool to boost the management of defense force projects
In recent years, Sako Oy has been involved in a significant project developing automatic weapons for the Finnish and Swedish defense forces. With the project, Sako Oy adopted the Microsoft Project for the Web tool, known today as Planner with premium features, which has been a critical part of project management.
Inessa Taneli, a project manager in Sako’s official sales department, says the introduction of the tool has been a decisive factor in the project’s success.
“Previously, we didn’t have a project management tool; we used Word and Excel, “ says Inessa.
“We started implementing the new tool primarily for this particular project and for use by the product development department as well as possible projects in production.”
Ease of use and visuality support project work
Inessa feels that Microsoft’s easy-to-use project environment best enables forming a project team and working together so that all parties can monitor the project’s progress in real time and react quickly to possible changes.
This has been particularly important in defense forces projects, where schedules and resources are often tight, and requirements are high.
”Project for the Web is the best way to illustrate how much time is spent on which task and which tasks are linked or dependent on each other.”
Inessa Taneli
Project manager, Sako Oy
In addition, other features of the tool, such as intermediate goals and determining critical paths, have helped manage a multifaceted and multidimensional project from the very beginning.
Multidimensional project work
Inessa’s job description includes forwarding the customer’s wishes within Sako. In this case, in addition to customers, she deals with Sako’s product development, production, quality control, and the departments responsible for product safety, verification, configuration management, and instructions and training related to the use of the product, among other things.
“There are plenty of stakeholders, and when there is a new product range, this is completely new for us,” says Inessa when talking about the relevance of the ongoing project with the Finnish and Swedish defense forces to Sako’s operations.
Among other things, the factory in Riihimäki, which has been operating since the company was founded, underwent an expansion to ensure the production of automatic weapons on the necessary scale.
According to Inessa, recording hours and reporting with the Power BI tool has also made working and reporting to customers easier.
“When we are talking about such extensive projects, and especially when we have many projects going on simultaneously, it is good to show how much resources we have tied up somewhere visually. If, for example, prioritization decisions need to be made, then this has been a helpful tool.”
Inessa Taneli
Project manager, Sako Oy
Functional cooperation guarantees efficient use of the tool
In a project like this, which requires close cooperation and constant communication between different parties, it has been essential that the tools and processes are as efficient and clear as possible.
Cooperation with Solu Digital has allowed Sako Oy to focus on its core operations, while the introduction and application of digital solutions to meet Sako’s needs have gone smoothly.
“I think the level of communication, responsiveness, and helpful and supportive attitude of the people in Solu have played a huge role in our cooperation.”
Inessa Taneli
Project manager, Sako Oy
She feels that effective collaboration is the basis for implementing any tool: “If there is good software, but collaboration doesn’t work, then it’s a pretty pointless tool to use if you can’t ask stupid questions and get clear training like we’ve received.”
“I would recommend Solu Digital as a partner because they respond quickly, listen carefully to your needs, and always strive to meet them in the best possible way. If more challenging situations arise, they immediately start investigating and exploring solutions – I’ve found this especially valuable.”
Inessa Taneli
Project manager, Sako Oy
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