Innovative VR Safety Training at Stora Enso with ThingLink and Meta Quest

Kyla Ball November 26, 2024

Background

Stora Enso is a company based in Finland and Sweden, and develops solutions based on wood and biomass for a diverse range of industries and applications worldwide. These include building, retail, food and beverages, manufacturing, publishing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, confectionery, hygiene and textiles. Many of their products and technologies are designed as low-carbon alternatives to those made from fossil-based or other non-renewable materials, such as plastics, concrete, glass and metal.

Stora Enso is in fact one of the world’s oldest recorded companies, with records dating back to the 13th century. Today, they employ over 22,000 people and operate around the world. They are an organization that has consistently innovated over the centuries as they have expanded and diversified. As well as innovations to products and technologies, Stora Enso are also innovators in all aspects of their operations, including supply chains, logistics and human resources.  

Learning and development innovations

Employee learning and development is just one space in which Stora Enso is always innovating. In particular, safety training for their warehouse employees worldwide is of fundamental importance to the organization. 

Safety training paramount

In a busy warehouse environment, it’s vital that all employees are aware at all times of the potential risks posed by forklift traffic. One of the main reasons that these vehicles can be hazardous is the limited driver visibility from the cabin. For this reason, Stora Enso wanted to deliver engaging and realistic safety training for all employees – both drivers and non-drivers – by developing a lifelike simulation of the driver experience. By putting all employees in the “driving seat”, the training would create a more memorable and compelling impression of how they should behave around these machines to keep everyone safe.

The training content had to be available in multiple languages so that all employees worldwide could access it as easily as possible. Stora Enso required immersive training content that would instantly engage employees, which would in turn increase training completion rates as well as improve knowledge retention. 

Stora Enso Headquarters, Helsinki

Joint development project: ThingLink and 3D Talo

Stora Enso approached interactive training specialists ThingLink and 3D Talo with a clear vision of learning objectives and the basic structure of the training they envisioned. In turn, 3D Talo and ThingLink proposed a joint development and delivery solution. 3D Talo would develop VR simulation training delivered via Meta Quest headsets, whilst ThingLink would simultaneously build the content to be completed both before and after the VR simulations. This would incorporate initial training on how to use the headsets and VR content, and the interactive tests that employees would complete afterwards to provide proof of understanding and debriefing. 

The final training package provides an exceptional example of the Simulation Pedagogy approach, where the core simulation scenario is preceded by a comprehensive preparation and introduction section, and followed up with an assessment. 

3D Talo created immersive 3D and 360 simulations of the warehouse and cabin interiors using the Unity platform. By interacting with the simulations in Meta Quest VR goggles, the trainees would experience a highly realistic simulation of the first-person driver experience. Simultaneously, the ThingLink team created the initial orientation material using snapshots of the VR simulations, using ThingLink’s Unity plug-in. 

Regular feedback and development

The training materials were continually developed in discussion with Stora Enso in bi-weekly meetings, with new material added and iterations made as the simulation progressed. As well as Stora Enso’s own existing material that could be used in the ThingLink content, such as photos and videos, the ThingLink team also created new photos, videos, 360 media and 3D models. 

An initial mock-up of the orientation material was built, and developed in cooperation with Stora Enso and 3D Talo. After 3D Talo had completed the VR simulation, the final orientation and test in ThingLink were completed and 11 language versions were created. Similarly, 3D Talo were able to refine their language versions and details based on the ongoing feedback from Stora Enso. During these iterations, they also developed a method of delivering the training on headsets without causing motion sickness.

“Using a combination of real-life 360 and 3D content with interactive simulation scenarios, ThingLink and 3D Talo have developed much more realistic training materials than our employees have seen before. Because we now have training in 11 languages, we’re able to let employees in all our global locations experience just what it feels like to operate the forklift – without putting them or anyone else in danger. Employees enjoy the training and that’s reflected in higher engagement and completion rates.”

Jolanta – Safety Manager, Stora Enso

A snapshot of the 360 training environment with interactive tags to explore

Results and benefits

Safe environment for learning skills

Both drivers and non-drivers can now practice skills in a safe, secure environment where they don’t pose a danger to themselves or to other employees. They are also able to familiarize themselves with the operation of expensive, powerful and heavy machinery without any danger of damaging it, or anything in the warehouse environment around them. 

Higher engagement and retention

Stora Enso reports higher training engagement among employees, resulting in higher rates of knowledge retention.

Higher training completion rates

Training completion rates have increased compared to previous training methods, meaning that training doesn’t have to be restarted.

Increased accessibility

Multi-lingual versions have increased accessibility for a diverse workforce, ensuring safety for all employees in Stora Enso’s global operations.

Scalable and flexible training

The material was designed so that it can either be used self-paced individually, or with a trainer, depending on the specific needs of the individual employee.

Re-usable training content

During the project, 3D Talo created effective interactive controls for a simplified forklift simulation, which can be re-used in other scenarios and virtual training content in the future. 

Cost-saving

Stora Enso have so far purchased 15 Meta Quest 3 headsets, in addition to their bank of 10 Oculus Quest 2 headsets – meaning that the immersive training can be completed simultaneously by 25 employees. This is a far more cost-effective training solution for training individuals effectively than engaging a trainer. 

Further Reading: Interactive Employee Training with ThingLink

• Transform Training With ThingLink XR For Meta Quest

• How Mitsubishi Electric is Creating Innovative VR Training with ThingLink

• Enhancing Operational Resilience through the Gradual Adoption of XR Solutions

• New and Improved: ThingLink Scenario Builder Makes Creating Immersive Learning Experiences Quick and Easy

• ThingLink’s New AR App Helps Keep Water Flowing