Marko Sundholm, Country Manager of plumbing supplier Oras Oy, sees special value in the fact that building services companies also have a home base in RT along with the entire spectrum of other construction industries, as a member of the Finnish Building Technology Industry and Trade Association, or Talteka.
Oras Group is a major European plumbing supplier, focusing on plumbing solutions for private and public spaces. The Nordic market leader operates under two brands: Oras and Hansa. The group's headquarters and some of its factories are located in Rauma.
Oras believes it is important that RT provides a platform for the entire construction industry. “We would miss out on that if we were not involved in RT through Talteka,” says Marko Sundholm, Country Director and Chairman of Talteka.
"The connection between building services companies and the construction industry is not as clear as, for example, construction companies or building factories, even though building services are an essential part of the building. The protection of the labor policy interests of building services equipment manufacturers and HVAC wholesale companies falls under other business organizations, but other protection of interests naturally takes place within the framework of Talteka and RT."
Influence through RT also at the EU level
"RT has considerable resources to influence legislative matters. In addition to advocacy, we find it important to take a stand on various projects and also exert influence at the EU level," Sundholm states.
"RT is involved very extensively in everything related to construction – the contact surface and stakeholders are enormous. Talteka alone would not be able to have this kind of influence, let alone an individual company. Also, for example RT's TOP10 goals are important to us.”
“We also see EU advocacy and the implementation of EU legislation as important tasks for employers’ organizations and one of the reasons why we are involved.”
Construction players under one umbrella
Marko Sundholm is not only on the board of Talteka as chairman, but also on the board of RT. Talteka's CEO Ilkka Salo is involved in certain RT working groups that are important to Talteka.
"Company representatives have the opportunity to participate in working groups whose subject area touches on the company or industry in question and have an impact through that. It is also one of the key ways to be involved in the activities," says Sundholm.
"Where government work focuses on decision-making and monitoring, working group work is a slightly faster-paced way of taking a stand on pressing issues."
However, what is most important to Oras is the large umbrella under which RT brings together all construction sectors.
"RT provides a broad basis for forming different groups, where different issues and themes from occupational safety to sustainable development can be taken forward. When there are actors from civil engineering to housing and commercial construction, it is important that the entire industry is under the wings of RT. As one major actor, RT can thus influence the development of the industry and anticipate future events in a rapidly changing operating environment."
Text: Nina Ronkainen
Oras Group
- Operating area: Northern and Central Europe (brands Oras and Hansa)
- Turnover €200 million (2024)
- Personnel 1100 (2024)
- Websites
Talteka (Talteka)
- Economic Policy Cooperation Organization
- 57 member companies (2024)
- Members include the most significant manufacturers of building services equipment and HVAC wholesale companies operating in Finland.