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Servica has a strong partnership with its owners

17.9.2025

For most people, the first thing that comes to mind about Servica is its food services, but that is only part of the company’s service portfolio. In addition, it provides transport and equipment maintenance services, facility maintenance and technical services, as well as comprehensive material logistics services. Servica is also involved in the steering group of the Centre of Expertise for Comprehensive Security project.

Servica was founded in 2012 as a provider of support services for the City of Kuopio and what was then the Northern Savonia Hospital District. The company’s headquarters have remained in Kuopio, even though over the years its customer base has expanded to include other municipalities and wellbeing services counties.

– However, the majority of our business activities still take place in the Kuopio region. In 2023, we moved to new premises in Haapaniemi, Kuopio, where we will continue to manage our core operations, says Servica’s CEO, Mika Takkinen.

Servica’s operations expanded significantly at the beginning of 2023, when the responsibility for organising social and healthcare services as well as rescue services was transferred from municipalities and joint municipal authorities to the wellbeing services counties. The company now operates in all municipalities of North Savo.

– In addition, we provide logistics and warehousing services to the wellbeing services counties of Eastern Finland, i.e. Central Finland, North Karelia and South Savo. However, their share is very small compared to the services we provide in North Savo, Takkinen adds.

Working for staff satisfaction

In the company’s early years, much effort was invested in harmonising operating practices, as employees joined Servica from both the City of Kuopio and the Northern Savonia Hospital District, each with their own established practices and cultures. This challenge became relevant again in 2023 when nearly 500 employees from various municipalities became part of Servica.

– We are continuously working for staff satisfaction. This way well-being at work also improves and we are able to serve our clients even better, says Takkinen.

In recent years, Servica has invested heavily in ensuring operational efficiency. The financial balancing measures of cities, municipalities, and wellbeing services counties have also been reflected in Servica’s operations. Indeed, the company has strengthened the role of procurement in its operations and has sought to gain cost-efficiency benefits through it.

Comprehensive security as a focus area

A new strategy was drawn up at Servica in 2023. One of its focus areas was the development of the company’s comprehensive security. Security is being developed comprehensively at Servica, with several ongoing projects aimed at strengthening the security culture.

– We have, for example, contractual preparedness measures and active training to prepare for various types of disruptions. In addition, we cooperate daily with different authorities and our customers on security of supply and preparedness.

Comprehensive security also encompasses responsible business practices. For a company of Servica’s size, legislation already imposes many obligations related to corporate responsibility. Servica’s goal is to exceed the statutory requirements and support its owners in achieving their responsibility targets.

Servica has won trust

Servica cooperates with the joint sister companies of its owners, i.e. group companies. They buy services from one another. Local companies have also been strongly involved in this cooperation. Servica organises procurement information sessions for them, presenting upcoming procurements. The idea is to encourage local companies to participate in the tendering processes and, through that, become Servica’s partners. This plays an important role in the development of regional vitality.

– The significance of partnership has been absolutely central to our development path. In practice, this means that we have a very open, honest and active exchange of information with our owners. Thanks to this, we have been able to make decisions based on mutual trust, Takkinen reflects.

Even in the light of the numbers, Servica has won a great deal of trust. It has been entrusted with new services to operate. The company’s turnover has grown throughout its history. According to Takkinen, without a partnership Servica would not have grown into a company of its current scale.

– My advice to other companies is to take care of your staff, and they will take care of your customers. And when customers are satisfied, they will want to buy more from you. That makes it possible for a company to succeed. This creates a positive cycle. Once a company is successful, it will be able to invest more in its staff, Takkinen advises.

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Servica’s CEO, Mika Takkinen, sees strong potential for the development of the service sector in the Kuopio region. The area has many educational institutions training professionals for different industries and services. He highlights the importance of maintaining the city’s attractiveness and ensuring that professionals also stay in the region.

– We have also been running our own Servica Academy for about three years now, through which, in cooperation with educational institutions and various projects, we have aimed to train and employ as many skilled professionals as possible.

The main target group of Kuopio’s 250th anniversary year is children and young people, who receive special attention from Servica. In schools and daycare centres, it offers weekly “wish meals” based on children’s and young people’s wishes. In addition, the city’s birthday will be celebrated on 17 November in schools and daycare centres. Servica will then offer a meal that highlights local flavours and regional traditions.

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Text: Minna Akiola
Photos: Servica Oy