Scandic Grand Central

A stunning setting in the heart of the city – the Scandic Grand Central 

In spring 2021, the Scandic Grand Central opened at the Helsinki Central railway station. With almost 500 rooms, the hotel is one of Scandic’s largest. The Scandic Grand Central also features a conference centre and a restaurant milieu. You can hardly be closer to the centre of Helsinki: the hotel rooms overlook the National Theatre, the Railway Square, the station platforms and Kaisaniemi Park. 

The Scandic Grand Central consists of the original part of the building designed by Eliel Saarinen, a 1930s extension, and a brand new extension. The building was converted into a hotel in collaboration with the Finnish Heritage Agency, and many of the original details have been preserved. 

ETS NORD has supplied the site with, among other things, restaurant canopies and bespoke air curtains. 

Scandic’s Technical Service manager Petri Pakkala has been involved in the project from the developer’s side. He has ordered canopies from ETS NORD for previous construction projects and found them to be good. The Scandic Grand Central has about ten ETS NORD canopies, most of them in the kitchen and a few right next to the restaurant area.  Another thing that makes Pakkala a satisfied customer is that he feels he has had a say in product development. – “I have been involved with ETS NORD canopies for some time now and have visited their product development and production at ETS NORD’s factory in Tallinn. – I have made suggestions for improvements, and I have noticed that my suggestions have also been implemented,” says Pakkala.  

The kitchen staff are also happy with the ventilation in the kitchen. Ali Suviala, Head Chef at the Grand Central Helsinki, who has been involved in the project since the restaurant’s launch, praises the performance of the canopies. – ETS NORD canopies work exactly as promised. They have excellent technology and are user-friendly. In professional kitchens, it is particularly important that the canopies are easy to clean. These canopies deliver on their promise of high hygiene with no problem,” says Suviala. 

The food safety of NORDcanopy canopies has been verified with the HACCP International certification in October 2021. HACCP International certification can be awarded to equipment manufacturers whose products are used in the food industry and meet the criteria for best food safety practices. 

Pictures: Laura Lehtonen