The annual service agreement ensures the functionality and security of Itis’s equipment

“When we handled the inspections ourselves, things were easily overlooked. Now it’s much easier for us, as we can trust that the inspections will be carried out on time, year after year,” says Matias Lehtomäki, Itis’s Maintenance Manager. The inspections cover, among other things, elevators, escalators, electric overhead doors, and sprinkler and fire alarm systems.

Annual review supports decision-making

The expanded contract includes an annual review, which the shopping center’s management considers essential, to examine the most critical aspects of the extensive equipment inventory. This also allows for the planning of preventive maintenance and any potentially more costly repairs, which in turn facilitates budgeting. “Although a year is, in a way, a long time, in our line of work it’s an appropriate cycle to pause and take a look at the big picture,” says Lehtomäki. Of course, critical safety-related issues are addressed immediately. The inspector is always accompanied by facility maintenance staff who can immediately direct the appropriate technical team to fix the issue.

This collaboration also includes an annual billing model that keeps cost tracking simple and transparent, and enables straightforward annual budgeting. Invoices are sent quarterly, which simplifies the work of financial administration, and the cost can be easily distinguished from other expenses related to equipment maintenance.

Communication Strengthens the Partnership

According to Lehtomäki, communication and collaboration with Kiwa have been good and active on many levels, both during inspections and in the annual review. Lehtomäki also says he appreciates Kiwa’s practice of promptly highlighting changes to regulations and laws related to inspections, ensuring they do not come as a surprise. “We don’t have the capacity to actively monitor changing regulations, so Kiwa’s proactive approach provides us with added value,” Lehtomäki notes.

According to Lehtomäki, scheduling inspection dates has been handled independently and flexibly, with Kiwa’s inspectors communicating directly with the property management team. Lehtomäki says the property management team has praised the knowledgeable inspectors, with whom it is straightforward and easy to work.

Inspections blend seamlessly into the shopping center’s daily routine

According to Lehtomäki, the inspections have not caused any disruption, even though they are conducted while the shopping center is open to the public. “This shows that they understand how the shopping center operates and are able to inspect equipment in use by customers very discreetly,” Lehtomäki notes. In his view, the inspections are successful when they are not directly visible or do not otherwise affect the lives of their customers, other than by ensuring that the equipment is safe, functional, and in compliance with laws and regulations.

Itis has recently completed a two-year renovation project costing approximately 40 million, during which all customer areas were renovated and some of the shopping center’s structures were also modified. The equipment inventory has been expanded, and old escalators and automatic doors have been removed and replaced with new ones. Lehtomäki is pleased that the inspections have proceeded without a hitch and that cooperation has gone smoothly even amid the chaotic years of change. The key to successful collaboration has been effective two-way communication.

Itis is a SHORE-certified property, and the audit also includes monitoring of inspection processes. Given Itis’s foreign ownership structure, the transparency and systematic nature of the audits are also key considerations. Kiwa’s clear and straightforward audit system facilitates the verification of periodic audits for both foreign auditors and other stakeholders.