Innovators at Work: Meet Erkki Laiti
Sustainable innovations are essential to driving Ahlstrom’s growth. With the industry's most expansive set of technologies at our fingertips, we have every capability to create safe and sustainable solutions that meet our customers' needs and address global trends. Behind every great Ahlstrom invention stands a team of experts. Let’s meet one of our scientists!
Let’s meet one of our scientists -Erkki Laiti! Erkki is our Senior Scientist, Material and Process Technology, located in Pont-Evêque, France.
What is your academic background (university, major, degrees)?
I have a Master of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Oulu, Finland. I carried out doctoral studies at the University of Umeå in Sweden where I earned a PhD degree in the field of surface chemistry.
How long have you been with Ahlstrom?
I have been with Ahlstrom for 24 years, 1 month, and 20 days (not that I am counting). I have always been part of the Group-level R&D organization and, over time, have worked with most Ahlstrom businesses. This work has included managing new product development projects, trouble shooting at our production sites, managing teams and services within Group R&D and, lately, new technology development.
What are the responsibilities under your job title?
I am responsible for the technology development of Ahlstrom’s Boundless Barrier innovation platform. In collaboration with the Global Food Packaging business unit, my team focuses on developing new, next generation sustainable barrier technologies and solutions for the food packaging market.
What is your current focus at work (e.g., specific innovation or solution)?
Our focus is on replacing synthetic plastic films and their aluminum laminates, which still dominate the high barrier performance packaging market, with more sustainable, paper-based materials. At the moment, this includes upscaling recyclable water vapor barrier papers with improved barrier performance. We’re also working on upscaling some novel technologies which offer substantially greater sustainability benefits.
Why it this work important for customers; what need/problem does it solve?
Today’s petrol based plastic film- and Al-laminates provide low-cost barrier solutions for packaging applications. However, these solutions often have severe drawbacks: difficult to recycle, high content of synthetic plastics that contribute to microplastics accumulation in our environment, and increased CO2 emissions. Our development efforts aim to minimize or eliminate these drawbacks and help customers achieve their sustainability goals while contributing to a more sustainable world.
Ahlstrom is focused on addressing global trends (clean air & water, personalized healthcare, sustainable packaging & protection, decarbonization of buildings, electrification) to drive growth. Which trend is your work related to?
The sustainable packaging and protection trend. Our goal is to replace synthetic plastic films and their aluminum laminates with more sustainable, paper-based materials.
What emerging technology or market most interests you?
New, sustainable coating chemistries that can provide barrier performance compatible with today’s plastic film barriers. Of course, the barrier performance of a final product depends on more than just chemistry. It is the result of a complex interplay between the coating, the base paper, and the coating process. This is what fascinates me.
What excites your most about Ahlstrom’s future?
Ahlstrom’s rating among the top 1% of companies in the EcoVadis Sustainability Assessment is impressive to me. It is proof that sustainability is not just talk but a true commitment for us. Also, innovation will play a key role in developing our sustainable product offering and sustainable manufacturing practices in the future. The ability to contribute to this vision is incredibly inspiring.
What do you consider to be a highlight(s) of your career so far (job titles, patents, awards)?
Generating economic results from R&D work, especially technology development, can take a long time. So it is especially satisfying when our development efforts finally do create concrete value, in the form of sales or savings. I am lucky to have contributed to some of these success stories at Ahlstrom. The road to success is always a team effort, involving us R&D experts, business experts, as well as our skillful technical staff at the manufacturing sites.
What do you like to do in your free time to relax?
Over the past 10 years I have developed a great passion for dog education. I practice almost daily with my two dogs and compete regularly in Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)-obedience trials. I also have a real passion for science and often relax with personal learning projects related to chemistry, physics, cosmology, canine psychology, and languages.