Hanna Joins Askalon as Quality Manager

Her goal is to develop Askalon’s quality management processes and drive continuous improvement.

- Transformation and improvement journeys are the most rewarding challenges there are, says Askalon’s new Quality Manager, Hanna Kipatsi.

A month has passed since Hanna Kipatsi started her role as Quality Manager at Askalon.

- I’m originally from Hammarö, and now I’m finally back on the island, she says.

After spending a year in Italy, Hanna first studied Art and Design in Gothenburg before changing direction and pursuing Industrial Engineering and Management. Throughout her career, continuous improvement has been a common thread. Among other positions, she worked as an Inbound Volvo Project Manager at Volvo Logistics.

- I was responsible for all factories across Europe as well as suppliers in the Nordic region. At Stora Enso Logistics in Gothenburg, I worked as a Logistics Analyst, optimizing flows, analyzing transportation data, improving efficiency, and reducing costs related to transportation, logistics, and returns.

After several years in Gothenburg, Hanna wanted to return to Värmland, where she was given the opportunity to work as a Production Development Consultant at Semcon.

- I had assignments at Saab and Uddeholm, where I delivered training in logistics, lean manufacturing, and environmental management. I have also worked as a Transport Coordinator and as Quality and Sustainability Manager at VSV Unite, Business Developer at Nobina, and Quality Assurance Manager at Skogsmat, Hanna explains, adding that Askalon has long been a company she admired.

- When I saw the job advertisement, I felt it was written for me. I have always had a very positive impression of Askalon. The company has an excellent reputation.

What was your first impression of Askalon?

- I experienced a very positive atmosphere. There is a great deal of expertise and strong resources here, and the organization feels reliable, secure, and stable. Before I was offered the position, I had the opportunity to walk around and meet people, and everyone was so welcoming. That meant a lot to me. I truly feel that I’ve come to the right place.

What has been the biggest challenge during your first weeks?

- Getting to know the organization and understanding how it operates. I want to learn as much as possible, gather knowledge and experience, and apply it when the time is right. I can’t implement changes before I fully understand how things work. Once I have that foundation, I want to strengthen our complaint-handling process and ensure that non-conformance reports are submitted consistently. We will do this together, with the goal of making things better for everyone. Bringing people along on the journey is what I enjoy most.

What are your goals and vision?

- I want to contribute to the development of Askalon’s quality management efforts, improve processes, and leverage knowledge and best practices from other industries that can be applied here. Quality management is fundamentally the same whether you are working with timber logs or control valves.