Powerful, profitable solutions Ponsse

In 1970 Finnish forestry entrepreneur Einari Vidgren searched to find forestry machines sufficiently powerful for his needs. Finding none available, he decided to build his own. These uniquely robust machines quickly made Ponsse a market leader in the ‘cut-to-length’ method of tree harvesting. Today his remarkable success story continues with the launch of new solutions for more profitable harvesting. Philip Yorke reports.

powerful, profitable solutions

Today Ponsse is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of forestry machines and related equipment. Its operations are still guided by its customers’ needs and the unrivalled expertise of its founders. The company’s products cover the diverse requirements and challenges of the global forestry industry. Tree species can vary greatly around the world, from old pine to eucalyptus. Therefore forestry machines must be able to endure tropical heat and arctic conditions without damaging the local terrain. They must also be capable of climbing the steepest gradients and covering the roughest uneven ground.

Ponsse’s head office is located in Vierema, Finland, at the very same site where the company was founded. Today its shares are quoted on the Nasdaq OMX Nordic stock exchange. The many Ponsse Group subsidiaries are operational worldwide, from Europe to North America and from the Asia Pacific countries to South America.

Ponsse specialises in the production, sale and maintenance of forest machines specially designed for the cut-to-length method of harvesting as well as their related information systems. Innovation lies at the heart of the company’s business, which remains an independent family-owned concern. From the outset Ponsse has been dedicated to meeting the precise and challenging demands of the global forestry industry as dictated by forestry owners and operators worldwide.

Fast-forward efficiency

In keeping with its commitment to an on-going programme of innovation and increased sustainability, Ponsse recently launched its most efficient load-handling machine, the K121. This powerful all-new loader offers a greater level of efficiency and speed for load handling than ever before. This exceptional loader extends the company’s series to a completely new size range. It combines high slewing torque with unrivalled lifting power, as well as increased reach, and an entirely new type of loader geometry.

The latest, ground-breaking innovations from Ponsse have come together to create the most powerful loader on the market. It enables shorter loading and unloading times, facilitates improved working conditions, and makes difficult terrain easier to manage. Here large trees can be processed on steep slopes, which demands significantly increased loading power.

Interestingly, harvesting on steep slopes is becoming increasingly popular worldwide and Ponsse’s new forest machines have opened up a completely new range of possibilities in this area. Its new highpower machines make it possible to harvest timber on previously inaccessible land.

Such difficult conditions also demand a large tilt angle for the machine’s crane pillar in order to ensure smooth load handling. Ponsse’s K121 loader has the largest tilt angle available which has been field tested under the most demanding conditions in Russia, Canada and the USA. Here they have been exposed to exhausting test procedures over thousands of working hours. The results clearly confirm the unrivalled capabilities of Ponsse’s new heavy-duty forwarder-loaders.

enhancing global services

Ponsse continues to enhance its customer service support programmes worldwide. A recent example can be found in Brazil, where Minas Gerais is a key forestry area and where Ponsse wanted to enhance its customer services offering. In order to achieve this, the company entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Sotreq S.A. on the sale, service and marketing of Ponsse harvester equipment in the Minas Gerais region.

Sotreq has been serving forestry customers in the area for over 75 years with its advanced tracked forestry machines. Now with the Ponsse product line it has significantly extended its forestry product portfolio. This new level of customer support and increased range of forestry products is considered to be an ‘industry-changing’ partnership in Brazil for both companies.

Today Sotreq has a total of four key service centres in the Minas Gerais region and in addition to being a leading tree harvesting equipment dealer, also operates in other industry sectors, such as mining, energy, oil & gas and materials handling. Founded in 1941, the familyowned business is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and has around 4500 employees located at 40 locations throughout Brazil.

Sustainable power

Ponsse retains its pole position as the leader of sustainable tree harvesting with the launch of its new ‘Stage V’ emission engines. The company’s new Mercedes-Benz/ MTU Stage V emission engines are both powerful and extremely fuel-efficient. All these engine versions offer higher torque, with maximum power achieved at lower RPM (Revolutions per Minute) than ever before. The latest engines have been extensively tested in diverse global markets.

The company’s forwarders and harvesters have been subjected to comprehensive testing programmes in both cold and hot climates in actual working environments. A major benefit of the new breed of Mercedes-Benz engines in terms of their use is the exceptionally strong engine design and configuration. The most significant difference from previous models is the new after-treatment exhaust system. In addition to the existing SCR after-treatment and EGR exhaust recirculation, there is now an added DPF particulate filter. The cleaner emission system is housed in a fully insulated catalytic converter unit.

Stage V European Union emission standards will come into force later in 2019, and Ponsse’s forest machines will switch to the Stage V Mercedes-Benz engines during the first quarter of 2019.

Powerful, profitable solutions

In August this year Ponsse presented its latest solutions for more profitable harvesting at the FinnMETCO Trade Fair, which was held in Jamsa, Finland. The new Bison Forwarder and Ponsse Cobra and Fox harvesters were also launched at the fair. These cuttingedge products now complement Ponsse’s already extensive forestry machine range.

For further details of Ponsse’s latest innovative and powerful forestry machinery and solutions visit: www.ponsse.com