A site the size of a city – still easy to manage
SSAB is a global steel company and a leading supplier of high-strength steels and related services. With employees in over 50 countries, the company has a strong worldwide presence. The Raahe steel plant covers about 500 hectares — practically a small city — with “factories inside a factory” and around 2,500 SSAB employees on site, plus hundreds of contractors and partners.
According to Safety Specialist Ari Koskinen, the starting point was simple: get visibility and control of everyone moving around the area. First, the sign-in process for visitors and drivers at the main gate was renewed, followed by the implementation of registration requirements at individual plant areas. Today, Systam Visit visitor management handles all visitor flows, while Systam Pass safety inductions take care of mandatory training — keeping everyday operations smooth, safe, and easy.
Image: SSAB
Safety first, always
At the Raahe plant, safety is the baseline for everything. Drivers and visitors complete a tailored safety induction before entering the area. Drivers undergo equipment checks, and visitors watch a brief safety video. This ensures safe movement and visitor access control across the site — and the right people are notified the moment visitors arrive.
In addition to visitors and drivers, SSAB employees and contractors sign in when entering factory buildings for work. Thanks to the service, control rooms and supervisors always know who’s working on site. Area supervisors also see in real time where people are working. According to Koskinen, this visibility brings essential certainty to daily operations.
Safety comes first. We need to know who’s present — and we need that information immediately.
Comprehensive analytics on visitor volumes and timings have also helped streamline operations. For example, in logistics, statistics have improved planning for loading needs.
High-quality devices for demanding use
The plant uses around twenty Systam X self-service kiosks, built to withstand heavy use and industrial conditions. Manufactured in Finland, the devices are designed specifically for visitor sign-ins and safety inductions. Not a single unit has needed to be replaced, and Koskinen sees Systam’s unique hardware as a significant advantage.
Light tablet setups wouldn’t work in our environment. The devices need to be durable — and these have proven they are.
Developing the solution together from day one
Since the collaboration began in 2018, the solution has been continuously refined to meet SSAB’s needs, with new ideas still emerging. Systam’s agility and personal approach have been key strengths. According to Koskinen, whenever questions come up, answers come quickly, and things get done.
It’s important that the supplier isn’t a faceless institution — there are real people behind it. The entire Systam team is top-notch.
Systam’s Key Account Manager Mikko Martikainen says the partnership with SSAB is an excellent example of what happens when technology is shaped around the customer’s everyday work.
SSAB knew precisely what was needed, and we wanted to find the best possible way to deliver it. Building a solution that genuinely makes daily work easier and improves safety has been a privilege. For us, this is ongoing development — not a one-off delivery. We’re proud to be part of SSAB’s journey.
