Eino Mikkola
Sales Manager

Eino Mikkola knows Lahti Glass Technology, its technology and the glass industry from years of hands-on experience. Now he is bringing that knowledge into a new role as Sales Manager, together with something he did not have the first time around: two years of experience on the customer side of major industrial investment projects.

For Lahti Glass Technology’s customers, the combination is valuable. Eino understands how industrial solutions are designed and implemented, but he has also seen first-hand what happens on the other side of the table before an investment decision is made.

From blueprints to both sides of the table

Eino’s career path has given him a broad view of industrial projects. After graduating as a mechatronics engineer from Lahti University of Applied Sciences, he spent five years at Raute, a company known for wood processing machinery. He started as a mechanical designer and worked his way up to chief designer on veneer patching line projects, taking responsibility for projects from the first sketches to final delivery.

In 2018, when Lahti Glass Technology had just spun off from Lahti Precision to become an independent company, a colleague’s tip led Eino to reach out. He came expecting a job interview. There was a contract waiting on the table instead.

During the following years at Lahti Glass Technology, Eino worked on glass industry production plants and projects around the world. He became familiar not only with the technology, but also with LGT’s customers, their production environments and the practical challenges behind successful projects.

Then came an opportunity to see industrial investments from a completely different perspective.

Eino spent two years at UPM working on procurement and investment projects. Instead of designing and delivering the solution, he was now involved on the customer side, evaluating investments and seeing what happens long before a supplier receives an order.

The experience added another layer to Eino’s understanding of customer needs. Today, he can look at a project from both perspectives: what is technically possible and what the customer needs to consider before making an investment.

A Sales Manager who can challenge the customer

Moving into sales does not mean leaving engineering behind. Quite the opposite.

Eino’s years in mechanical design give him a strong foundation for understanding production processes and discussing solutions directly with customers. His experience on the customer side helps him understand the questions, alternatives and uncertainties that may sit behind the initial request.

That is particularly useful when the obvious solution is not necessarily the best one.

For Eino, good sales is not about simply presenting what LGT can supply. It is about understanding what the customer is trying to achieve, asking the right questions and being prepared to challenge the original idea when another approach could deliver a better result.

That is also where his experience at LGT matters. He already knows the company’s capabilities, the people behind the solutions and the realities of glass industry projects. Customers are not starting from scratch with a new salesperson – they are working with someone who has already spent years solving technical challenges in the industry.

Eino has worked on projects across three continents: North America, South America and Europe. Different cultures and ways of working have also taught him to adapt his communication to the customer.

Coming back to Lahti Glass Technology

Eino’s return to Lahti Glass Technology also says something about his relationship with the company.

The early years of Lahti Glass Technology were not always easy. The newly independent company faced the challenges of building a business and was soon followed by the pandemic. The core team stayed together through difficult times, and that experience created strong relationships.

When Eino later left Lahti Glass Technology for UPM, the connection never disappeared.

And when the time eventually came to look for something new, things moved quickly.

For Eino, returning was an easy decision. He already knew the company, the people and the industry. This time, however, he was coming back with a new perspective and a new role.

Now, as Sales Manager, he can combine what he learned designing industrial systems at Lahti Glass Technology with what he learned evaluating investments from the customer side.

For customers, that means conversations with someone who understands both where they are coming from and what Lahti Glass Technology can do to help them move forward.

Ask Eino what makes Lahti Glass Technology a good place to work, and the answer comes quickly.

For those considering Lahti Glass Technology as an employer, Eino highlights the variety of the work, international opportunities and the chance to work with meaningful technical challenges in a global industry.

And his own return perhaps says something too. Sometimes you need to sit on the other side of the table to see familiar things from a completely new angle – and to realise where you want to come back to.

Outside the office

When he’s not at work, Eino is likely to be outside, running, cycling or making the most of the warmer months in the Lahti region. He follows local football clubs FC Lahti and Reipas closely and tries to catch several home matches each season. Football has been part of his life since childhood, and the local connection runs deep.