Keen for all things marine
With environmental concerns gaining traction, Sammet’s Key Account Manager for the marine industry, Mr Rami Tammisto shares his secrets for successful product development and what drives his enthusiasm for innovation.
Sammet delivered its first marine dampers, also known as dampers for scrubbers, over 10 years ago. Subsequently, it has become the foremost supplier to the marine industry. Little wonder then, that Sammet’s Key Account Manager for the marine industry, Mr Rami Tammisto, is a hard man to catch. Unavailable for the last edition of Sammet Review, Mr Tammisto promised to schedule an interview for this edition. With true Finnish honesty and a penchant for keeping promises, he appears as scheduled. His first comment is about the weather in Finland. “The unseasonable temperatures remind me that my work is important. Sammet marine dampers are good for the environment and the marine industry”, declares Mr Tammisto.
“Together, as partners, we work through customer challenges and find the best solutions”
Understanding any industry requires unwavering commitment. Despite almost 20 years of experience servicing businesses in the marine industry, Mr Tammisto looks forward to each morning because it brings opportunities to learn. The focus of his career has been customers in the Asian region and at one point, Mr Tammisto moved to South Korea to turbo charge his learning and the local sales pipeline. “To provide the best sales advice and service, I strive to understand the operational issues owners face, their operating profile and business model”, he states. Understanding the nuances of operating a business in the marine industry from an owner’s point of view provides an edge in this competitive industry and is what makes Mr Tammisto Sammet material. “Customers know they can always contact someone with extensive experience in the marine industry, starting from ship design and ending with after sales service”, he emphasises.
Sammet dampers are sold to customers all over the world. Working with a diverse range of customers requires a blend of technical and soft skills which take local habits into account. Mr Tammisto also believes in being close to the action. “Gaining an intimate understanding of a customer’s business and way of working requires direct contact”, he explains. Regular site visits are a staple and a perfect way to connect with customers. Sitting in a distant office and learning about an industry from a book or magazine is not enough for Mr Tammisto. To perfect his craft and analyse customer needs, Mr Tammisto sees his career as a continuous, real life, technical sales education programme. “Experiences gained throughout my career would be impossible to learn in a classroom”, he states.

“Experiences gained throughout my career would be impossible to learn in a classroom”, says Mr Tammisto, Sammet's Key Account Manager for marine industry. Photo: Tero Takalo-Eskola.