Fit for heavy duty Ponsse

FIT FOR HEAVY DUTY

Leading Finnish forestry equipment manufacturer Ponsse Oyj has introduced a range of powerful eightwheel harvesters to join its respected product portfolio. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the sales director, Juho Nummela, to find out more.

Founded in 1970 by forest machine entrepreneur Einari Vidgrén, forestry equipment supplier and manufacturer Ponsse Oyj is still located in the same Finnish city, Vierema, where members of the Vidgrén family continue to be part of the company.

Over the last 42 years, Ponsse Oyj has grown considerably. It is now a global corporation with subsidiaries in France, the UK, Hong Kong, China, Brazil, Russia and Uruguay, and in 2011 it generated net sales of €328.2 million with a workforce of 970. Active in the production, sales and maintenance of high quality forestry products, Ponsse Oyj’s machines are known for their durability, earning the company its strapline of ‘A logger’s best friend’.

New products keep strong

Industry Europe last spoke to Mr Nummela two years ago, when much of Europe was firmly in the grip of the economic crisis. Since then, the company has continued to build on its reputation and has been working hard to add new products to its roster. Mr Nummela said, “Since our last interview we have been particularly active in the field of new product development. 2011 and 2012 have been increasingly good years for us, with all our products and markets working well. In actual fact, 2011 was a year of high volumes for us, with 2012 not far behind with a few months to go. Even though the situation in much of Europe is still tough, we have been able to remain strong. Our Q2 figures have just been released and they show that we are performing well.”

The new product development at Ponsse Oyj was initially instigated at the end of 2009, with two new models now released. The new Ergo and the Fox are both eight-wheel harvesters, with their capabilities developed specifically to handle the conditions in northern Europe, where many of Ponsse’s customers conduct their forestry activities.

Mr Nummela explained, “Following cooperation with our customers, we have looked closely at what additional products would complement our existing offer, and I’m pleased to say that our two most recent additions – the eight-wheel Ergo and Fox models – are already gaining excellent feedback. Both models perform exceptionally well in the type of soft ground generally found in northern Europe, and indeed other territories, with great climbing ability on steep hills. The Ergo and the Fox are also better for the environment in terms of power consumption, yet still with the characteristic toughness of a Ponsse machine.”

With core clients in Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia buying from Ponsse Oyj, the company’s ongoing focus on developing forestry machines that are ideally suited to these terrains is certainly an important aspect of its continued success and marketleading position

Investment in equipment

Ponsse Oyj has also invested considerable sums in its Finnish factory – the corporation’s main production facility. Mr Nummela continued, “We’ve invested in the advanced automation and the machining capabilities of our flagship Vierema facility. We have a state-of-the-art factory that is unrivalled in the forestry machines industry, and we have the highly skilled workforce that is more than capable of using the equipment to its best advantage. We have also extended our factory, with a further 1,200m2 assembly space now available.”

Further investment is also set to be made in Ponsse Oyj’s service network. The company appreciates that in order to maintain its market-leading position its

infrastructure needs to be as advanced and customer-focused as its product range. Mr Nummela said, “This essentially represents a complementary shift in our investment strategy as we are spending large sums on product development and infrastructure development concurrently. We are building additional service centres for spare parts and maintenance of our machines, where customers can either get the parts needed for repairs to be made on site, or machines can be brought in, if appropriate for their location. As we aim to have service centres in strategic locations close to our core customers, this is a very effective and reliable service. Don’t forget that our machines are huge! So we have to make it as easy as possible for our customers to get the service they need so they can continue to operate their business. After all, it is our job to ensure Ponsse machines enable them to operate their businesses as efficiently as possible.”

New products soon to be launched will include a range of stable cranes and additional eight-wheel machines that offer excellent ergonomics for the driver. Ponsse Oyj understands that the comfort of the driver is paramount as they are often in the middle of a forest, sitting in the vehicle for up to eight hours. Mr Nummela concluded, “We look at the forestry machine 360 degrees. Comfort for the driver, efficiency in the forest, ease of maintenance for the business...we work with our customers every step of the way. As we continue to grow in Europe and beyond we will continue to bring this dedication to our customers worldwide.” n

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