Ovako employees challenged world champion Daniel Ståhl – Now they met him at Finnkampen/Ruotsi-Ottelu

The challenge engaged employees across Ovako's operations and combined creativity, collaboration and a healthy dose of competitive spirit.

The winning entries came from:

• Amanda Engström
• Satu Tähkä
• Riina Heikkinen

Their challenges tested coordination, precision and concentration:

• Picking up uncooked rice grains using chopsticks
• Writing a name in mirror writing with both hands simultaneously
• Keeping a hula hoop spinning for as long as possible

Daniel Ståhl personally selected the winning challenges and accepted each one, recording videos in which he attempted to match the employees' skills.

As part of their prize, the winners got to travel to Helsinki to attend Finnkampe/ Ruotsi-ottelu, one of the most prestigious athletics events in the Nordic region, where they had the opportunity to meet Daniel Ståhl in person. They also got to cheer him on as he won the men's discus event with a winning throw of 69.06 metres.

“The Ovako Ståhl Challenge was about much more than competition,” says Saiva Zalkalns, Director and Head of Group Communications at Ovako. “It brought colleagues together across countries and functions, encouraged participation and creativity, and showed the fantastic engagement that exists throughout our company. What I appreciated most was how personal it became. Employees shared challenges that reflected their personalities, hobbies and sense of humor, which created a genuine connection between Daniel and our colleagues.

Daniel Ståhl says:

“I was genuinely impressed by the creativity of the challenges. Some of them looked easy at first – until I tried them. It was great fun to take on the employees’ challenges and see the enthusiasm from everyone who participated.”

One of the winners, Satu Tähkä, says:

“The competition was a fun way to showcase our employees’ creativity and challenge Daniel in completely new disciplines. Having my challenge selected was a total surprise, and it was a real pleasure to meet him at Ruotsi-ottelu/ Finnkampen"

The challenge was promoted to employees globally through Ovako's internal channels and generated strong engagement throughout the activity period. Employees were invited to submit either video-based or written challenges, all of which were reviewed and judged by Daniel Ståhl himself.

At Ovako, we specialize in clean, high quality engineering steel tailored to the needs of customers in the bearing, transport, and manufacturing sectors. Our high-quality steel, based on 97% recycled steel, not only ensures lightweight and resilient products but also enables more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. With 2500 dedicated employees and a global presence spanning over 30 countries, along with approximately EUR 900 million in sales, Ovako, a subsidiary of Sanyo Special Steel and a proud member of Nippon Steel Corporation, stands at the forefront of the steel industry. Our purpose is clear: Together we create steel for a decarbonized society. Discover more about our innovative solutions at www.ovako.com, www.sanyo-steel.co.jp, and www.nipponsteel.com