Innovation and wellbeing: the perfect combination

Billed as a showcase for Halton’s passion for innovation and wellbeing, the opening of the Halton Innovation Hub in Béthune, France, on 30 May was a celebration of technology and forward thinking, reports Michael Jones

With Halton set to mark its 50-year anniversary in 2019, the grand unveiling of a new Innovation Hub in Béthune, France, on 30 May was a suitably fitting way to herald in some advanced celebrations.

Halton specialises in providing indoor ventilation and air solutions for “demanding spaces”, notably public premises, healthcare institutions and laboratories, marine vessels and commercial kitchens and restaurants via its Halton Foodservice strategic business unit.

For chairman of the board at Halton Group Mika Halttunen, investing in R&D and innovation has been an essential way for the company to grow and develop since it was founded by his late father Seppo Halttunen in Finland in 1969. “It’s been important to us from the beginning,” he told the assembled crowd of consultants, press and worldwide Halton executives at the opening of the Hub.

“We’ve always been driven by an innovative spirit,” said Kai Konola, president and CEO of Halton Group, who also stressed the importance of the company staying close to its customers throughout the R&D process and beyond.

“Those two things have led us to build this Innovation Hub. We now have eight globally, in Finland, France, Germany, UK, USA, Canada, Malaysia and China. We’re proud to be able to continue this innovation journey together.”

Experts to the experts

“These are exciting times in technology. We are right in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution. The scope and complexity is unlike anything we have ever seen before. But there are huge challenges too ­– climate change is the biggest threat to mankind,” said Halttunen.

“So, we want to be the experts to the experts,” he said, highlighting the importance of the new Hub, which will allow Halton to test, measure and monitor new ventilation and air and environmental quality products, while customers can view them in action in a state-of-the-art kitchen showroom environment.

According to said Georges Gaspar, president and director of Halton Foodservice and president of Halton Foodservice France, who also spoke at the event, Halton’s passion for this goal makes the difference. “Sharing our customers’ passion helps us to understand what matters to them and is pushing us to outperform. The Hub brings our vision to life.”

The customer is king

“We need to be close to our customers,” said Halttunen. “My father always used to say ‘The customer is king’.” For Halttunen, nothing has changed in that regard.

One thing that has changed is commercial kitchen environments are becoming safer, cleaner and more attractive environments through the research and investment of companies such as Halton and forward-thinking consultants who prize the wellbeing of chefs and foodservice professionals who work in them.

“The old saying is ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen’, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” said Halttunen, stressing his focus is to collaborate closely with customers (“our co-creators”) in order to make more comfortable, safe and productive working environments.

Happiness and wellbeing

For Halttunen, the end result is to see “happy chefs in high-performance kitchens.”

For Martin Rahmann FCSI, president of FCSI Worldwide, who was at the opening along with fellow consultants Frank Wagner FCSI, Stephen Arnold FCSI, the importance of keeping kitchen employees happy and promoting wellbeing cannot be underplayed. “Eating brings our body and soul together. There is a German proverb that ‘Food is emotion’. Chefs bring their emotions to the plate. It shows if chefs are unhappy or dissatisfied. Our biggest commodity in this industry is our people.”

Rahmann highlighted the high levels of lung cancer in kitchen staff (“the risk is higher than for smokers”) and stressed the need to invest in kitchen equipment that therefore enhances wellbeing. “Clear, healthy air creates wellbeing in employees. We need more innovation for that.”

Two Michelin starred chef Marc Meurin (L’Atelier de Marc Meurin), whose brigade provided a range of fabulous cuisine throughout the event, was certainly in good spirits and enthused how much he enjoyed cooking in the Halton Innovation Hub. “I’ve never seen anything this beautiful before. I’m enjoying the environment. It’s a great place to cook. I feel good,” smiled Meurin (pictured).

Vindication therefore that a happy chef, working in harmony with innovative technology that enhances wellbeing in a demanding environment, can really deliver.

Michael Jones

 

Main picture: Halton Group’s Mika Halttunen with Marc Meurin of L’Atelier de Marc Meurin and Camille Delcroix, winner of the 2018 edition of Top Chef

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