CUSTOMER AND STAKEHOLDER MAGAZINE 2/2022
PONSSE NEWS PONSSE EV1 AN ELECTRIC FOREST MACHINE THE ANNIVERSARY OF STORA ENSO AND PONSSE’S COOPERATION IN CHINA
THE KAUHANEN FAMILY HAVE BEEN LOGGING
FOR FIVE DECADES
PONSSE NEWS CUSTOMER AND STAKEHOLDER MAGAZINE 2/2022 PUBLISHER
Ponsse Oyj, Ponssentie 22, FI-74200 Vieremä, Finland EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Hanna Lehtonen EDITORS & CONTENT
Ponsse Plc
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ISSN 2489-9488 (print) ISSN 2489-9496 (online publication) EDITORIAL STAFF
Juho Nummela, Hanna Lehtonen, Jenny Huttunen, Juha-Matti Raatikainen, Marika Ryytty, Jarmo Vidgren, Marko Mattila and Jussi Hentunen LAYOUT
Luova Työmaa COVER PHOTO
Ponsse Plc ILLUSTRATIONS (PONSSE KIDS)
Henna Ryynänen PRINT
Painotalo Seiska PAPER
Cover: MaxiSilk 150 g/m2 and pages Galerie Art Matt 100 g/m2. ADDRESS SOURCE
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4 THE KAUHANEN FAMILY AND PONSSE
Partners for five decades 8 PONSSE INNOVATION
PONSSE EV1 - An electric forest machine 10 FINNMETKO 2022
New solutions comprehensively demonstrated 15 PONSSE NETWORK IN CHINA
Anniversary of Stora Enso’s and Ponsse’s cooperation in China
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8 18 METAL WASTE RECYCLED 19 PROFILE
Managing director Jean Sionneau, Ponssé S.A.S. 20 PONSSE MOMENT 22 PONSSE HARVESTERS
Reliable solutions for wood processing 24 PONSSE SCORPION FUTURE CABIN 26 PONSSE IN HUNGARY
CHERISHING EVERY MOMENT
15 28 PONSSE NETWORK GROWS AND DEVELOPS 30 EINARI VIDGRÉN FOUNDATION
Rewards forestry professionals for the 17th time 32 LOGGING NEWS 35 PONSSE KIDS 36 PONSSE SHOWS 2022 38 PONSSE COLLECTION
It was a spring day in 2005 when I was at a job interview at Ponsse in Vieremä. I was sitting next to Einari. He didn’t speak much, mainly watched from the sidelines. When our interview was about to end, he suddenly asked: “Would you move here if you were selected?” I believe Einari wanted to know how committed I was. The question was very relevant at the time: moving to the location would prove that the applicant wasn’t just trying to see what was out there but was ready to really commit themselves. Working life has undergone major changes since then, and the place of residence is no longer as relevant. However, the significance of true motivation and long-term cooperation doesn’t go away. Multi-location work is here to stay, but it also needs Paula Oksman will retire at the trust between people to be effective. Trust cannot beginning of 2023 after working at be built without knowing one another, which is Ponsse for more than 17 years. why we also need to see each other other in person. Ponsse’s goal is to be a good workplace for its people, and we have fostered the Ponsse spirit in various ways. We have a strong set of values, and to achieve them, we have defined the One Ponsse principles and leadership goals that aim to guide our activities in every situation. Experience has shown that especially when facing adversity, we tend to forget any constructive behavioural patterns that feed cooperation. When we come face-to-face with challenges, we easily draw our attention away from our own actions and try to find something or someone else to blame. We can’t influence everything. However, what we can influence is what we do, and how we bear responsibility for the effectiveness of cooperation, and how well we are committed to common goals, both during good times and bad. The last three years have been challenging and difficult in many ways, including for everyone at Ponsse. The coronavirus pandemic isolated us from each other and changed our We have a strong set of values lives more than we could at first and, to achieve them, we have defined the One Ponsse principles imagine. At the same time, the and leadership goals that aim world has become more uncertain, to guide our activities in every frightening even. Now more situation. than ever, we need each other and Ponsse’s way of working, in which the customer is at the core, cooperation is effective and responsibility is taken, activities are agile and transparent, our practices are shared by everyone, and communication is open and active. Each of us can maintain a fair mindset in which no one is left behind. I said to Einari that of course I’d move here and not get my foot in the door just to get back to the past. I’ve never regretted my answer, and I’ve cherished every moment. Thankfully and gratefully, Paula Oksman Director of Human Resources
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REPORT / METSÄKORJUU KAUHANEN OY
THE KAUHANEN FAMILY AND PONSSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN
partners for five decades
Managing Director of Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen Oy Ismo Kauhanen (on the left), Ismo’s daughter Katariina Kauhanen and the founder of the company Olavi Kauhanen.
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Professionals from Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen have worked on logging sites from Savonia to Germany and from the Soviet Union to Sweden and France. Wherever they have worked, they have always relied on Ponsse, a strong work ethic and showing appreciation to their employees. “My father taught me that if you were fair to your employees, they would be fair towards you and the business,” says Managing Director Ismo Kauhanen. < Olavi Kauhanen sits in the driver’s seat of the first PONSSE prototype, while Einari Vidgrén checks the situation standing on the tyre.
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hen Olavi, Ismo and Katariina Kauhanen sit at the same table, they offer three generations of vision and experience of the past, presence and future of mechanical silviculture. Olavi, who is now over 80 years old, started as a forest contractor in 1974, meaning that the 50th anniversary of the Kauhanen family-owned business will be celebrated two years from now. “Of course, much can happen in two years, but working 50 years in the same field is a cause of celebration. We’ve certainly produced many logs and driven many kilometres in that time. The years have been filled with moments of both joy and sorrow,” says Olavi’s son Ismo Kauhanen. “If you continue for the next 50 years, you can then celebrate the 100th anniversary,” says Ismo, passing the baton to his daughter Katariina.
LOGGING SITES IN NORTHERN SAVONIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD
Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen Oy, a company
that brings together three generations of the Kauhanen family, has mainly been engaged in mechanical harvesting in the region of Northern Savonia. However, its operations really picked up far from Savonia, when Olavi heard, at logging sites in Kukkomäki, Finland in the summer of 1974, there was work to be done in storm damage areas in Germany. “At the same time, Finland introduced fixe cubic metres and simplified delimbing as new practices. As you got paid seven Finnish marks for piled wood, which would be just little over one euro today, and a mark more for a fixed cubic metre, I calculated that work wasn’t profitable. And simplified delimbing meant that load operations became tedious. I was ready to go to Germany,” Olavi says. In the end, three work teams headed to Germany from Savonia. Olavi partnered with Einari Vidgrén, Ponsse’s founder, who was working on his first big-wheeled PONSSE machine. Having been completed in the autumn, the machine was delivered to Germany, where it proved its mettle. “Einari always found the right words. Even though I was already engaged and employed in the vehicle business by transporting timber to the port, he found work for me and hired me,” says Olavi, who already met Einari in the 1960s. One of his fond mementos of those pioneering years is a well-known photo in which Olavi is sitting at the controls of the first PONSSE prototype and Einari is standing on one of its wheels. “That’s how Ponsse’s story started, and with good results. In Germany, we were asked to deliver more machines. This inspired Einari to build more machines, and he started to do
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REPORT / METSÄKORJUU KAUHANEN OY
< ”I believe we have a positive team spirit. Whenever we go to a worksite, the first thing you hear is a warm-hearted joke. Laughing helps you keep going,” she says.
built, largely by a Finnish workforce. Mechanical harvesting was only possible using a competitor’s machine, but there was a significant shortage of loggers. That was how Olavi and his crew started working as loggers. At some point, Ponsse’s machines were also introduced at the worksite. “I didn’t really learn any Russian or German during my travels, but there was really no need for it. Work was everything.” When Olavi and his machine returned from Kostomuksha, he resumed his work in Northern Savonia. With their father driving, Ismo and his younger brother Jarmo used to spend their weekends sitting in the cabin on both sides of the operator’s seat. “I believe it was 1981 when Jarmo and I had grown so much that the cabin started to feel small. Our father asked us: What are you sitting there for when that forwarder is just standing there?” The brothers looked at each other for a few seconds and started running towards the PAZ, with their father shouting the final instructions at their heels. “We agreed that Jarmo and I would take turns driving every other day. During weekends, we worked on both days – we were so excited to work.” At least their father paying his sons fair wages, 17 marks (three euros) per load, did not curb their enthusiasm. “We didn’t make ourselves rich at first, but we were eventually able to carry ten loads a day with the PAZ. Earning 170 marks was good pay for a day’s work. That got us started, and we have operated machines for more than forty years now,” Ismo says. FROM PAZ TO COBRA AND SCORPION
really well.” Some 18 months flew by clearing storm damage in Germany. Work was hard, and practically the only days off were Christmas and Midsummer. Olavi describes it as a lucrative and enjoyable gig. “It was also that for Einari, who got on his feet and received encouragement to continue and develop Ponsse’s operations.” FROM FATHER TO SON AND FURTHER TO DAUGHTER
Ismo Kauhanen’s first memories also date back to those years – of what else, but sitting in a Ponsse. When his father Olavi was about to head to Germany, Ismo was able to ride with him in the machine. “It’s like I was part of the testing team,” says Ismo, whose first artwork at school was a drawing of a Ponsse. The picture still hangs on the wall of his childhood home. From Germany, Olavi Kauhanen moved on to the Soviet Union for three years where the town of Kostomuksha was being
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From the 1980s until today, Ismo Kauhanen has seen forest machines take a massive technical leap forward from PAZ to Bison and Scorpion. When computers added intelligence to forest machines, many old-school personalities were unable to adapt to the development and were forced to step aside. “At the end of the 1980s, we received our first PONSSE harvester, which I then taught myself how to drive. The HS15 was incredibly advanced, and its comfortable cabin and six-wheeled chassis made it powerful. The Bison, equipped with a Mercedes engine, came next, at the beginning of the 2000s. It’s the turn of the Scorpion and Cobra. We’ve mainly acquired our machines new,” Ismo says. The previously entirely male-dominated industry has seen the emergence of women, and not only in the offices of forest companies. For example, Ismo’s daughter Katariina, one of his three children, has chosen the forest industry and is studying to become a forest machine operator through an apprenticeship. While Ismo grew up working in the forest, the choice was less obvious for Katariina. Ismo did not force his children to join the forest industry, and Katariina had various professions in her mind. In the end, the decision was easy.
“I’d watched my father work when he transported machines. One morning I woke up and thought why not join the industry. I was admitted to Valtimo forestry school to study the forest industry which, I guess, took my mother and father by surprise.” Katariina has always been interested in driving various machines. As a young girl, she was already able to start a snowmobile to enjoy its speed. “Day after day, I felt more confident that I’d made the right choice, and that I could think about doing this in the future. I learn more and more all the time from other operators or my father, and I also figure out something new on my own,” says Katariina who recently operated a forwarder in Ponsse’s demonstrations at FinnMETKO. LAUGHS AND A POSITIVE TEAM SPIRIT
Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen operates four harvesters and three forwarders, with 14 operators working in two shifts. The longest employment relationships go back to the 1990s, and two Estonian operators have worked for the company for more than ten years, for example. My father taught me that if you were fair to your employees, they would be fair to you and the business,” says Ismo Kauhanen. Ismo believes that openness and honesty are key in the relationship between the employer and employees. While everyone faces adversity, it simply must be overcome together, and everyone has to move on. The company has also experienced its fair share of both good times and bad times. “I believe we have a positive team spirit,” says Katriina, the latest addition to the team. “Whenever we go to a worksite, the first thing you hear is a warm-hearted joke. Laughing helps you keep going,” she says.
Ismo raises his hat to Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen’s seasoned professionals, who have given Katariina an excellent welcome and offer their help whenever it is needed. Katariina can already replace hoses on her own, but she still feels comfortable calling for help from the company’s other operators when experiencing greater difficulties. “I chose apprenticeship training because I learn better in the field than in the classroom,” says Katariina, who will graduate as a forest machine operator roughly a year from now. ABROAD TOGETHER
At the beginning of their partnership, Ismo sat two weeks in the cabin teaching all the forwarder’s secrets to Katariina. Sometimes, the two were completely silent on the return journey from the forest back home, but all in all, the father-daughter relationship has worked quite well. So well, in fact, that they are planning a gig abroad together. “I’ve worked with my father in Sweden, France and Russia. Katariina and I have said that maybe we should also give working abroad together a go. We’ll just have to wait and see,” says Ismo, smiling at their plans. Ismo Kauhanen can name three significant factors for Metsäkorjuu Kauhanen’s long and largely successful journey. First of all, the company has been kept fairly busy at Stora Enso’s worksites for 50 years now – from Enso-Gutzeit’s days until today. Secondly, Olavi and Ismo have always worked hard. “However, excellent employees are the most important thing. And of course, the high quality of Ponsse’s machines and its comprehensive maintenance services have played a significant role in our company’s story.”
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However, excellent employees are key. And of course, the high quality of Ponsse’s machines and its comprehensive maintenance services have played a significant role in our company’s story. - Ismo Kauhanen
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INNOVATION / PONSSE EV1
PONSSE EV1
AN ELECTRIC FOREST MACHINE Ponsse and Epec launched the PONSSE EV1, an electric forest machine technology concept, in August. Ponsse EV1 is a forwarder equipped with a fully electric powertrain. The machine’s noise and emission levels have been reduced, without any compromises on performance.
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he Ponsse EV1 has been developed for forwarders with a 15-tonne load-carrying capacity, the most popular Ponsse forwarder size category. The concept machine features a fully electric powertrain, as well as Epec’s power distribution unit and hybrid control unit. The machine’s powertrain operates fully with battery energy. The batteries are charged using a Range Extender, which is a combustion engine at this stage of development. This technology provides significant fuel economy improvements in this size category. The EV1 will be availThis launch of Ponsse EV1 able commercially later, technology concept was but Epec’s technology can a part of our strategy and already be used in electric or a tangible step towards the hybrid-electric commercial goal of carbon neutrality. vehicles and non-road mobile machines. “Technological development is fast and offers us excellent opportunities to further develop our solutions, even in unexpected directions. We’ve worked hard with our technology company Epec to enable this concept. This
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launch of a new technology concept is a peek into the future and one of the solutions offered by electric powertrains. Sustainable development is a significant future success factor for Ponsse,” says Juho Nummela, President and CEO, Ponsse Plc. THE EPEC FLOW SOLUTION: A COMPREHENSIVE ELECTROMOBILITY SYSTEM SOLUTION
The Ponsse EV1 features Epec Flow, Epec’s electromobility system solution. The solution is based on the Epec Flow Power Distribution Unit (PDU), to which electric motors, batteries and various devices can be connected. The PDU’s integrated safety solutions enable effective manufacturing and maintenance of the machines, as well as their operations in demanding conditions. The Epec Flow Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) controls the electric powertrain and includes software developed through simulations, enabling optimal energy consumption, productivity and usability. “The Epec Flow solution is at the heart of everything. It has been developed for the electrification of various commercial vehicles and non-road mobile machines. The software can be developed using simulation models, and the solution can be agilely developed for different machinery’s needs. The different systems,
ABOUT PONSSE EV1 – WHAT THEY SAY ”At Suzano, we’re very committed to our longterm sustainability goals. We’ are a forestry company focusing on pulps, and we feel very responsible for changes in our planet. I think the EV1 will help us achieve our sustainability goals in a shorter time. This was a great step in the right direction.” PAULO MANCINELLI, SUZANO, BRAZIL
“In Sweden, we need machines with a lower fuel consumption. I think that EV1 is the answer. I’d already had a small hint about this technology concept, but the machine was still more than I could have expected.” LINNÉA CARLSSON, SVEASKOG, SWEDEN
You can watch Ponsse Studio Transforming technologies on our YouTube channel.
“A fully electric powertrain was a complete surprise! I’ve often heard that the forest would certainly be the last place to use electricity for power, but it seems that’s not true! Sustainability, carbon neutrality and reducing emissions are the key drivers in the forest industry. So we really welcome innovations like this.” JANNE PARTANEN, STORA ENSO
including the transmission and control system, work seamlessly together, enabling the future manufacture of safe and efficient zero-emission machines,” says Jyri Kylä-Kaila, Managing Director of Epec. EV1 IS A TANGIBLE STEP TOWARDS THE GOAL OF CARBON NEUTRALITY
Ponsse provides sustainable harvesting solutions by listening closely to customer needs, and it also aims to lead the way in the development of forest machine technologies. Ponsse seeks carbon neutrality in its operations and solutions. This launch of the Ponsse EV1 technology concept was part of our strategy and a tangible step towards the goal of carbon neutrality. Customers and partners were able to get to know to the concept machine and see it in action at the FinnMETKO 2022 exhibition.
”I must say that we celebrate this kind of development. We are highly committed to sustainability and the environment, and these improvements show us new opportunities. To speed up the transition to more sustainable operations, we have been looking at and reviewing different alternatives for harvesting and also for logistics.The EV1 will play a key role in achieve this, and it’s been shown to be a real option in line with what we’re trying to implement.” GUSTAVO FREJTMAN, UPM URUGUAY
”I think EV1 is a concrete solution for sustainability and responsibility needs. We’re committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and EV1 is a tangible example for our contract entrepreneurs.” SAULI BRANDER, UPM
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NEWS / 2022
FINNMETKO 2022 NEW SOLUTIONS COMPREHENSIVELY DEMONSTRATED AT FINNMETKO 2022
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he 19th FinnMETKO exhibition was held in Jämsä on 1–3 September 2022. For three days, Finland’s largest professional and sales exhibition area in the heavy-duty machine industry had 28,120 visitors from across the world. As Ponsse’s stand was already buzzing from the very first exhibition hours, it is no wonder that up to 10,000 cups of coffee were served at the stand during the exhibition. Work demonstrations drew an impressive crowd, and new solutions and features received the attention they deserved among visitors. Following a four-year hiatus, Ponsse participated in the exhibition with a broad solution range, presenting concepts,
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products and services, as well as new features to make life easier for forest machine operators and contractors. In August, Ponsse and Epec introduced an electric forest machine concept. The electric PONSSE EV1 forwarder was the absolute attention grabber in Jämsä’s forests. Many who had heard about the technological concept’s launch were truly amazed that they could actually see the electric forest machine in action. Read more about the launch of EV1 on pages 8-9.
PONSSE SCORPION GIANT VERSATILE HARVESTER, EVEN IN DEMANDING CONDITIONS One of the machines demonstrated at the exhibition was the PONSSE Scorpion Giant harvester, which has been developed with customers, listening to their needs. Scorpion Giant can be equipped either with the H8 harvester head or with any of Ponsse’s smaller harvester heads. Scorpion Giant features many solu-
tions familiar from the Scorpion product range that have been developed even further, including increased tractive force and an even more powerful C50+ crane. The fork boom offers excellent visibility of the logging site from the crane, and the machine includes advanced active levelling and suspension systems.
PONSSE OPTI 5G – THE MOST MODERN INFORMATION SYSTEM ON THE MARKET
TECHNOLOGICAL CONCEPT FOR THE THINNING FREQUENCY DEMONSTRATED AT THE EXHIBITION
Using the advanced Opti 5G user interface, daily forest machine routines and adjustments can be made in a second without wading through menus, and frequently used functions are particularly easy to use. Opti 5G also enables the optional Harvester Active Crane feature, with which the operator can control the crane effectively. The data produced by Opti 5G are also used effectively in other digital services. The PONSSE Opti 5G information system is available for all harvester models from the manufacturing period of Q1/2023 onwards.
For the first time in the history of forest machines, Ponsse’s technological concept enables the measurement of the standing tree stock in addition to harvested trees. The aim is to identify all trees around the machine and their exact position relative to the machine. The assisting system uses these data to help the operator find the correct thinning frequency that is ideal in terms of silviculture. As a result, the operator always has access to accurate data about the location of trails and standing trees, and the system will also document these data. With this concept based on the Lidar technology, we will demonstrate the opportunities offered by technology for future harvesting.
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NEWS / 2022
PONSSE MAMMOTH FORWARDER AN UNPRECEDENTED LOAD-CARRYING CAPACITY
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he PONSSE Mammoth forwarder ensures productive harvesting, even on the most demanding logging sites. Equipped with the stepless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system and the PONSSE K121 loader, Mammoth’s sturdy frame structures and super-strong hydraulics ensure that large stems and heavy loads can be transported effortlessly, even in the most challenging terrain. In the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, the forest machine operator’s ergonomics have been addressed every step of the way, and it can be equipped with new features that improve the operator’s ergonomics, such as Active Cabin and Active Seat.
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PONSSE ACTIVE CABIN PONSSE forwarders (except for Bison) can now be equipped with PONSSE Active Cabin, an effective cabin suspension system with a simple structure. It helps forest machine operators keep going, even during longer shifts, by suspending any stress on the cabin. Active Cabin is available for the Buffalo, Elephant, Elephant King and Mammoth forwarders. PONSSE Bison is equipped with advanced Active Frame cabin levelling system.
MAMMOTH
The PONSSE Mammoth demonstrated at FinnMETKO will be delivered directly to logging sites in Sweden. The forest machine was handed over to Morgan and Daniel Dahlberg from Dahlbergs Björna AB by Lars Wickman, sales and marketing manager at Ponsse AB; Jarmo Vidgrén, chair of Ponsse’s Board of Directors; Juho Nummela, Ponsse’s President and CEO; Marko Mattila, Ponsse’s sales, marketing and service director; and Carl-Henrik Hammar, managing director of Ponsse AB.
PONSSE ACTIVE SEAT
PONSSE ACTIVE CRANE
is a seat function developed based on forest machine operators’ requests. The new Active Seat improves usability, as it turns and follows the boom tip according to crane movements, increasing the forest machine operator’s productivity. PONSSE Active Seat is available as an option for all PONSSE forwarders equipped with the PONSSE Active Crane loader control system.
is a loader control system for forwarders, with which the operator controls grapple movements instead of individual functions, allowing the operator to concentrate effectively on working with the loader. Active Crane is easily controlled using two levers, one of which controls the grapple height from the ground and the other controls the direction of movement.
PONSSE HARVESTER ACTIVE CRANE
PONSSE FORWARDER EXTRA DISPLAY
Harvester Active Crane makes the crane even easier to use. The operator does not need to separately control different crane functions: they only need to move the harvester head in the desired direction at the desired speed. End damping makes operations smooth. Available as an option, Harvester Active Crane can now be fitted not only in the C50/C50+ cranes, but also in the C44+ parallel cranes.
is an additional display for forwarders. It mirrors the view of the Opti display installed in the cabin, which remains hidden behind the operator’s back when driving in the engine’s direction. By fitting an additional display, the operator does not need to turn their seat to watch the display when the driving direction changes.
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NEWS / 2022
PONSSE MANAGER A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR FOREST MACHINE CONTRACTORS’ OPERATIONS
Currently, digital services and data management are everyday features for forest machine contractors and operators. The development of the service range is based on listening to customers and developing products that truly meet their needs. The stand for digital services in the FinnMETKO tent was humming with visitors wanting to learn more about the Manager Satellite reporting tool and API services. PONSSE Manager is a next-generation digital service platform and forest machine management system that provides customers with valuable data on their machines. It keeps customers up to date on data that affects the profitability of their machines and helps improve the efficiency of operations. PONSSE MANAGER SATELLITE AND SATELLITE REPORT – KEY DATA ABOUT MACHINE OPERATIONS AT ALL LOGGING SITES
The new PONSSE Manager Satellite service improves machine connectivity. Manager Satellite uses the machine’s Connectivity Unit. It is a telematics unit which collects data about machine movements, operations and performance, ensuring extensive reporting features. With the Satellite service, the machine can communicate via a satellite connection in areas without any mobile coverage. The Connectivity Unit developed by Epec Oy, a technology company owned by Ponsse, operates fully automatically, without any separate measures.
coverage. This helps forest machine operators, as the system collects data about production volumes, engine hours and fuel consumption from the control system and updates them automatically in a cloud service once a day. As a result, the PONSSE Manager Satellite reporting tool helps improve the visibility of harvesting operations. The data are available in PONSSE Manager Satellite reports. THE GROUND-BREAKING PONSSE MANAGER API SERVICE PROCESSES DATA IN A CLOUD ENVIRONMENT
PONSSE Data API is an innovative interface which produces important and accurate data for planning forest machines’ reporting, monitoring and resources. Using these data, customers can generate various reports to more effectively plan their resources and define schedules for their upcoming projects. The idea behind the ground-breaking PONSSE Manager API service is to process data collected from individual forest machines in a cloud environment and then make them available in the customer’s IT systems. The API service helps automate manual routines to save time and avoid typing errors, and to improve the quality of data. With PONSSE Manager API and its data processing features, key data are quickly available to support accurate interpretations.
PONSSE MANAGER SATELLITE REPORTING TOOL
The reporting tool reports assortment-specific production volumes by machine, operator and work area, as well as engine hours and cumulative fuel consumption, even on the most distant logging sites. Data are collected and sent once a day as part of PONSSE Manager’s comprehensive reporting. Using the PONSSE Manager Satellite reporting tool, machine data can be transferred in areas without any mobile
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MANAGER
PONSSE NETWORK / CHINA
GROWING TOGETHER 15 YEARS OUT OF THE 20 YEARS OF GROWTH RINGS IN CHINA ANNIVERSARY OF STORA ENSO AND PONSSE’S COOPERATION IN CHINA
In 2022, Ponsse will enter its 15th year in China, and Stora Enso Guangxi Forestry (SEGX), which is closely cooperating with Ponsse in the field of mechanized logging, celebrated its 20th anniversary in China in September of the same year.
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PONSSE NETWORK / CHINA
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he companies have grown together for 15 of the 20 years of growth rings. The years of cooperation have created a deep friendship and tacit understanding between the two sides. Stora Enso and Ponsse are not only fellow travellers on the journey, but also business partners who achieve mutual success. 15 YEARS OF WORKING TOGETHER
The degree of mechanization of wood harvesting in China is comparatively low. Therefore, since Stora Enso entered China in 2002, it has been committed to introducing advanced concepts of forestry mechanization to China. In 2007, Stora Enso began to cooperate with the Finnish company Ponsse in the area of mechanized harvesting in Guangxi. Stora Enso purchased forestry equipment from Ponsse, and Ponsse provided equipment service agreement, spare parts, and operator training support. Over the last 15 years, Stora Enso Guangxi has owned and operated more than 30 harvesters and 23 forwarders. Due to Guangxi’s steep slopes, the first machines assisted with PONSSE Synchrowinch system were introduced to SEGX’s plantations in 2015 and now, fast forwarding to 2022, nearly all the machines have been equipped with the PONSSE Synchrowinch systems. The introduction of the PONSSE Synchrowinch assisted machines was a major step forward in the mechanization development of Stora Enso Guangxi. They helped to greatly improve the safety performance of the business when operating on steep slopes and have contributed to SEGX Forestry becoming one of the best performing operational business units with regard to safety within Stora Enso globally. SEGX has continued to introduce new forestry machines to China and has continuously updated its digitalization tools to take full advantage of the machine harvesting data.
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THE SERVICE AGREEMENT ENABLES TO FOCUS ON STRENGHTS
In 2020, Stora Enso and Ponsse entered into a new comprehensive service agreement. Preventative maintenance and repairs are key issues affecting the efficiency of SEGX’s mechanized harvesting fleet, and the mechanical availability of each machine is a very important for both companies. The service agreement has enabled both SEGX and Ponsse to focus on our respective strengths, and the benefits have been obvious. SEGX has been able to further improve the efficiency of its mechanized harvesting, focus more on its core business activities, and eliminate wasted manpower and resources throughout the whole wood fibre supply chain. RELIABLE WOOD FIBRE SUPPLY CHAIN
The Stora Enso Beihai Mill has developed into a leader in operational efficiency and the production of renewable packaging materials, with the reputation for reliability, exceptional customer service and the highest of food service board standards. The stable supply of certified, high quality, wood fibre raw materials has contributed greatly to the Beihai Mill’s achievement. The development of a secure and reliable wood fibre supply chain for the Beihai Mill was the result of multi-party collaboration, and one of the keys to its success has been the operation of the SEGX (Ponsse) harvesting machinery fleet. Since the Beihai Mill started production in 2016, SEGX has successfully delivered more than 2 million cubic metres of certified timber to the Beihai Mill over 99% of which was harvested by the Ponsse machines. Ponsse China renewed its organization in 2021, which resulted in more service trucks and mechanics located closer to
Due to Guangxi’s steep slopes, the first machines assisted with PONSSE Synchrowinch system were introduced to SEGX’s plantations in 2015 and now, fast forwarding to 2022, nearly all the machines have been equipped with the PONSSE Synchrowinch systems.
SEGX’s forest operations. That’s why we are always confident in the productivity of the current 14 harvesters and 12 forwarders. CHINA’S FORESTRY GRADUALLY MOVING TOWARDS MECHANIZATION
Since arriving to Guangxi, one of SEGX Forestry’s missions has been to promote the modernization of China’s forest industry. SEGX was the first company to conduct fully mechanized harvesting in China’s forest industry, and Ponsse has developed to become the market leader for cut-to-length harvest machines and harvester heads in China. In addition to equipment, the development of a modern forest industry requires the development of professional and motivated staff and contractors with the necessary technical skills. Since 2005, SEGX and Ponsse have jointly trained over 200 forest machine operators. In June 2021, the Guangxi Modern Forestry Industry College was established in Liuzhou, Guangxi, and SEGX and Ponsse were invited to attend the unveiling ceremony. The college has established special courses for the modern and sustainable forest industry, focusing on the training of harvesting machine operators and mechanics. SEGX is one of the first 18 governing units of the college. By providing professional knowledge, training materials and high-tech forestry products, SEGX and Ponsse can participate in supporting the development of the next generation of forestry talents in Guangxi. In addition, both parties can provide onthe-job training for graduates, so that they can participate in the future of China’s sustainable, plantation-based forest industry.
STORA ENSO GUANGXI (SEGX) • Part of the global, renewable materials group, Stora Enso. • The forestry business first started operating in Guangxi, China in 2002 • It has developed into the leading forest company operating in China, with a reputation for safety, high-quality operations, sustainable forest management and its contribution to the modernization of China’s forest industry. • SEGX Forestry’s vision is to be an icon in plantation forestry management by using mechanized operations sustainably and efficiently.
”LONG LASTING, AND FAR-REACHING, IMPACT ON CHINA’S FOREST INDUSTRY”
I wish to, once again, express my great thanks and appreciation to Ponsse Plc for remaining a loyal business partner to Stora Enso in Guangxi over the past 15 years. I have been fortunate enough to personally witness our partnership grow over the last 9 years and have celebrated first-hand the 10th, and now 15th, anniversary of your time in Guangxi. Together, our two companies have embarked upon a journey that will no doubt have a long lasting, and far-reaching, impact on China’s forest industry. On behalf of Stora Enso and our staff in Guangxi, I wish you a very happy 15th birthday and that you will continue to grow and succeed in China: May you add many more growth rings in your journey from humble beginnings in Vieremä to being the preferred partner in responsible forestry in China. Ian Blanden, General Manager of Stora Enso Guangxi Forestry
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INNOVATION / METAL WASTE RECYCLED
METAL WASTE RECYCLED EFFECTIVELY AT THE VIEREMÄ FACTORY
“The comprehensive recycling of metal waste is an integral part of high-quality activities at the Vieremä factory,” says Production Manager Esa Penttinen. Genuine care for the environment and responsible operations play an important role in Ponsse employees’ daily activities. Ponsse aims to carry out environmental matters like a true pioneer – always a little better!
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t the Vieremä factory, metal waste generated in production is recycled effectively. According to Production Manager Esa Penttinen, Ponsse aims to be especially responsible by doing things right and leading the way in environmental matters. “The recycling of metal waste is an integral part of the system to ensure that all recycled material generated at the plant finds the correct route towards reuse. Metal recycling is also financially profitable,” Penttinen says. When producing the world’s best forest machines in Vieremä, some excess metal is generated in each phase. “Parts manufacturing accounts for the most significant part. For example, chipping generates metal waste that must be processed Esa Penttinen before recycling. Scrap metal is also recycled, including pieces of metal sheets and unsaleable items that can no longer be fixed or reused,” Penttinen says. “In addition, waste includes pieces of welding electrodes, nozzles, steel, drill bits and threaded rods. Of course, they only account for a small part of the total metal waste volume.” Metal covers 25–30 per cent of the factory’s total annual waste volume, ranging from several hundreds of thousands of kilograms all the way to half a million kilograms. The goal is to
reduce the volume of metal waste in operations. “Through optimised planning and production, we seek to continuously reduce our waste volume. Eliminating waste is one of Ponsse’s major goals, and achieving it calls for the involvement of all functions, starting with research and development.” Chipping waste generated by machine tools at the Vieremä factory end up in an automated collection system underneath the floor. The waste is forwarded to a briquetting machine, which separates cutting fluids before compressing the waste into briquettes. The process produces high-quality recycled raw materials for further processing. Waste from machines not connected to the chip collection system ends up in the same place. Esa Penttinen, who has worked for 26 years at Ponsse, says that metal waste was already recycled during the early years of his career. “We have also carefully sorted copper, brass, aluminium and steel for several years now. The goal is to reduce the volume of mixed waste in operations and recycle everything we can.” “The professionals working at the Vieremä factory understand the importance of metal recycling and waste sorting and are fully committed to achieving our goal,” Penttinen says. “Recycling and sorting work like a charm. There is no metal in mixed waste, and no other types of metal in steel.”
Genuine care for the environment and responsible operations play an important role in Ponsse employees’ daily activities.
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PROFILE / JEAN SIONNEAU
JE AN SIONNE AU APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PONSSE’S SUBSIDIARY IN FRANCE
“I’M HAPPY AND VERY PROUD TO JOIN THE PONSSE FAMILY” Agricultural engineer Jean Sionneau has been appointed managing director of Ponssé S.A.S., Ponsse’s subsidiary in France, starting from September 2022.
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ionneau transfered to his new position from Alliance Forêts Bois, a provider of expert services related to forest management, sales and harvesting. He has worked in the company as the manager of its local office in Pierroton. “Jean Sionneau has broad and extensive experience in the forest industry, ranging from forest management to wood procurement. During his career, he has worked with several international organisations, and we are happy to have such an experienced forest specialist join our team,” says Marko Mattila, Ponsse Plc’s sales, service and marketing director. “The French market is an important market for Ponsse, and we have many loyal long-term customers there. We also have a good and experienced team in place in France. Demand for timber is quite strong in France currently. Like everywhere else, inflation is challenging, but our customers’ working situation is good. The demand for used machines is also at a good level, as forest companies are looking for more capacity to increase logging volumes. Our intention is to strengthen our position in France and offer the best solutions to customers there in the future as well. We believe Mr Jean Sionneau, with his good industry knowledge and long experience, will
strengthen our team and help us achieve our targets together,” Mattila continues. “I’m very happy and very proud to joined to the Ponsse family. In my career in the French forestry network, I used to be a Ponsse machine customer, so I know the reliability, strength and quality of Ponsse’s products. I’ll give my very best to succeeding in all my new challenges. From now on, black and yellow are my new favourite colours. See you soon, as we support our colours and Ponsse’s values,” says Jean Sionneau. At Ponsse Sionneau will work in Labouheyre in South West France. The position of Ponsse France Managing Director opened when Mr Clément Puybaret, the previous Managing Director, was appointed to the new position responsible for Ponsse’s used machine business and its global development.
In my career in the French forestry network, I used to be a Ponsse machine customer, so I know the reliability, strength and quality of Ponsse’s products.
PONSSE FRANCE - PONSSÉ S.A.S. • Some 50 million cubic metres of wood are harvested annually in France, especially for the sawmill industry. • Ponssé S.A.S., Ponsse’s subsidiary in France, was established in 1995. • In addition to Gondreville, Ponssé S.A.S. has service centres in Peyrat-le-Château in Central France and in Labouheyre in South West France, and it has eight contractual service partners. • The company is responsible for sales in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland (French-speaking regions).
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PONSSE MOMENT Ponsse EV1 is a forwarder that is equipped with a fully electric powertrain. The machines noise and emission levels have been reduced, without compromising performance.
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PONSSE HARVESTERS
RELIABLE SOLUTIONS FOR WOOD PROCESSING
Watch Ponsse Studio’s recording: Ponsse Studio: Ponsse solutions for processing operations
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In Ponsse’s harvester heads, durability and reliability come first. Harvester heads must withstand extreme stress, while operating accurately without damaging the tree surface. The strong structure, effective functions and precise control of harvester heads designed for processing trees guarantee excellent productivity. Ponsse has decades of experience in tree processing and solutions developed together with customers in the base machine size category of 20–40 tonnes.
PONSSE H8 HD – EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE
Offering excellent performance, PONSSE H8 HD is a harvester head even for the most challenging conditions, especially designed to meet the requirements of track-based machines of more than 20 tonnes. Its powerful feed and excellent geometry, which firmly supports even larger stems, guarantee extreme productivity. Accurate automatic control ensures excellent cutting precision, and stems are always fed at maximum speed directly to the target length. PONSSE H8 HD is also available equipped with a top saw for processing knotted and bendy trees. The research and development of the harvester head also focuses on durability and the ease of maintenance.
PONSSE H9 – A MULTIPURPOSE TOOL
The unique frame design makes the H9 harvester head a multipurpose tool for base machines of 24–35 tonnes. H9 features a strong and fast tilt, and the four-roller traction of its feed rollers also works perfectly with the largest stems and in multi-stemming. The harvester head’s versatile delimbing knives cut cleanly both individual trees large and small, and knotty stems in multi-stemming. The powerful saw motor and precise automatic control make working smooth. As the measuring wheel is at the same level as the feed rollers, measurements are more accurate, also with smaller diameter stems. In multi-stemming, stems are measured by the feed rollers.
PONSSE H10 – FOR HARVESTING LARGER TREES IN DEMANDING CONDITIONS
Made for harvesting and processing larger trees, PONSSE H10 has been designed and built for base machines of 25–40 tonnes for demanding harvesting. Its solid structure, firm grip and powerful feed guarantee a high efficiency ratio and reliability. The Opti control system helps the powerful feed to cut trees at the correct length, with an accuracy of nearly one centimetre, and at a high speed. Developed together with customers, H10 is very precise and easy to control and maintain. The harvester head can also be equipped with a top saw.
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CASE / FUTURE CABIN SCORPION KING
MINNESOTA’S CUSTOME – PONSSE SCORPION KING FUTURE CABIN PONSSE SCORPION FUTURE CABIN The comprehensively modernised Scorpion harvester range, introduced during an online launch in February 2021, has claimed its place among customers. More than 1,500 Scorpions have already been manufactured and delivered to logging sites in more than 25 countries across the world.
With 26 years of experience, Steve, Robin and Charlie Walsh are happy with the development of Ponsse forest machines.
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HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY, BETTER VISIBILITY AND EXCELLENT DESIGN – THESE ARE THE REASONS WE CHOSE THE NEW PONSSE SCORPION
When Ponsse launched the Scorpion, Robin Walsh was taken by its design and the visibility it offered from the cabin. These were the reasons why shifting to Scorpion after a long experience with Ergo was such an easy choice. The idea to purchase a Scorpion King strengthened when Robin Walsh’s son Charlie was watching Ponsse’s studio event launch of the new Scorpion Future Cabin in February last year. Charlie gave his father a call and urged him to hear more about the new and
ER CHOICE comprehensively modernised Scorpion harvester range. So Robin Walsh called Paul Estabrooks at Ponsse and said it was time to buy a new machine: the Future Cabin Scorpion King. Dick Walsh Forest Products also bought a new Buffalo Active Frame fowarder at the same time as the Future Cabin Scorpion King. The machines were delivered around the same time and they are very happy with their decisions with the machines. “We’ve been incredibly lucky with PONSSE machines,” Robin says about their already 26-year partnership. “Considering operating hours, their durability is outstanding, and they remain in excellent condition. We also know that support and spare parts are always quickly available.”
DICK WALSH FOREST PRODUCTS Dick Walsh Forest Products was established in 1962. Dick’s sons Robin and Steve took the helm roughly 15 years ago. Currently, the company has a single harvesting team, which is an effective solution for the company. Dick Walsh Forest Products acquired its first PONSSE machines in 1996: the HS15 harvester and the S16 forwarder. They recorded some 12,000 operating hours. Later, Ergo , the H60 harvester head, Bison 6W and Elk have operated at the company’s logging sites. The Walshes are proud of their machines, which are in excellent condition. According to Robin, the fact that the machines are operated by their owners is an even bigger reason for the machines’ good condition than appropriate maintenance. “When you take care of the little things during maintenance, the big things will take care of themselves,” Robin says. Dick Walsh Forest Products, Robin Walsh, Minnesota, the USA
NEW SCORPION EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS M G Harvesting has already operated in the sector for 42 years in Wales. The company upgraded its previous Scorpion to the new model in the spring of 2022. “The added comfort in the cabin and the improved visibility make the machine even better than its predecessor.” says Mike Gillet. The seasoned company is now using Mike Gillet five Scorpions. M G Harvesting makes planned investments every four to five years, which is why it is important that forest machines and their maintenance services are effective and reliable. When Mike Gillet acquired the new Scorpion, he was a little worried about its effectiveness, since the concept had undergone a complete update. His worries have proven to be unfounded, and the new Scorpion has worked like a charm. “When we had the previous Scorpion, we already thought that forest machines have reached the pinnacle in terms of performance, but this new Scorpion is once again far ahead of its predecessor.”
USABILITY AND DRIVER IN FOCUS Koneteko Pitkänen Oy, Ponsse’s long-standing customer, operates in the regions of Kuopio, North Savonia and North Karelia. The company has a long history of operating PONSSE Scorpion harvesters, as it received the first serially manufactured Scorpion in 2014. “The new Scorpion harvester is even more operator-friendly, and tall operators have more room to work than before. Visibility is even better, which is a really good upgrade. Usability has also seen improvements now that control buttons are more easily available. Active Crane Kalle Pitkänen is another positive step forward,” Kalle Pitkänen says. “Forest machines are being developed to be even more environmentally friendly, which is the right way to go,” Kalle says.
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PONSSE NETWORK / HUNGARY
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS TREES THRIVE IN THE HIGHLANDS OF THE PANNONIAN BASIN Hungary is in the southern part of eastern Central Europe, in the middle of the Pannonian Basin. Even though Although Hungary is mostly known for its agriculture, forestry is another significant sector in the country.
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fifth of the total area of Hungary – roughly two million hectares – is covered by forests. The annual harvesting volume is approximately six million cubic metres. Of Hungary’s forest area, deciduous trees account for 89 per cent, including oak, European beech, European ash and other temperate deciduous trees, while spruce- and pine-dominated coniferous forests cover the remaining 11 per cent. Due to the relatively scarce coniferous forests and low income levels, mechanised harvesting did not begin until the 2000s. The first PONSSE Buffalo forwarder was delivered to Hungary in 2007, and today, there are already close to 200 PONSSE machines in the country. The first forwarders were already used before this in state-owned forests, while private companies like Robusta Kft were pioneers in mechanised harvesting.
THE STORY OF ROBUSTA
Krisztina and István Tóbi from Hungary visited Ponsse’s factory at Vieremä in 2015, when the 11,000th forest machine produced in Ponsse were handed over to Robusta Kft.
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István Tóbi, the director of Robusta Kft, graduated from the forestry school of Szeged in 1985. Before starting his own business, he spent two years working in silviculture for the government of Hungary. He established Robusta Kft on 22 April 1996. The company mainly carries out various forestry activities, including harvesting and planting, timber transport, and chip production. In 2010, Robusta Kft acquired its first PONSSE Buffalo Dual, after which it has purchased 15 other PONSSE machines. Its current PONSSE fleet consists of relatively new machines, as the company acquired the PONSSE Buffalo forwarder in 2019, and it has already purchased the Elk forwarder and the Ergo harvester this year. The company also has a broad range of timber transport vehicles. The company’s annual harvesting and transport volume is 50,000– 60,000 m3, of which the public and private sectors each account for half. Currently, the company has 21 employees.
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
PONSSE’S USED MACHINES TURNED THE COMPANY AROUND The Hungarian harvesting company Erdéi Mária is proof that persistence pays off. After various hardships, the company started to thrive as expected. The company was established by a couple in 2001. Work was first carried out manually, until the company acquired a tractor for transporting trees from forests. Soon work became even easier after the tractor was fitted with a grapple. The company recruited a few new employees and, in 2005, it expanded its operations from small-scale harvesting to tree planting. “We purchased our first forwarder from Norway in 2010, and it was followed by two more in 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately, we didn’t obtain sufficient information about these machines, and they didn’t fit our business operations well enough. I felt bad about having spent all my money on ineffective machines,” says Mária Erdéi, one of the company’s founders. The failed machine purchases felt like the end of the world: the company was unable to expand as planned. Mária Erdéi started to look for a replacement for the machines. A LONG CALL TOOK THE COMPANY TO GERMANY
Erdéi had not heard anything about Ponsse. She ran into her first PONSSE forest machine as she was looking for help from another harvesting company in the challenging situation. That machine was PONSSE Beaver. She read the website address of Wahlers Forsttechnik, Ponsse’s dealer in Germany, on the machine’s window. “I talked to the machine’s operator and owner. They told me how to contact András Bálint who represents Forest Power Kft, Ponsse’s retailer in Hungary,” Erdéi says. Erdéi will never forget the day when she called Ponsse’s local dealer. The call took over an hour, and Bálint answered all Erdéi’s questions in a friendly and understanding way. Inspired by the call and all the new information she had, Erdéi visited Wahlers in Germany in September 2014. There,
In the spring of 2022 forestry company Erdei Mária was handed their PONSSE Buffalo. One of the founders of the company, Mária Erdéi, is third from the right in the picture.
she learned more about PONSSE Cobra and decided to purchase a used Cobra for their company. MORE PONSSE MACHINES AND A DOG CALLED PONSSE
The company picked up the pace and started to thrive after acquiring its first PONSSE. After Cobra, the company acquired two PONSSE Ergo machines and a PONSSE Buffalo. Currently, the company employs 19 people and operates five machines. “We also have a dog called Ponsse who guards our forest machines when they are taking a break,” Erdéi says with a smile on her face.
FOREST POWER KFT • Forest Power Kft has been Ponsse’s dealer in Hungary since 2008. • The company’s operations primarily cover forest machines, services related to forestry logistics, maintenance, technical support and spare parts. It also represents Jenz wood chippers and Alucar transport vehicles. • The company’s head office is located in Cserszegtomaj on the western shores of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. • In addition, it operates in the regions of Vecsés and Szolnok in cooperation and in shared facilities with Hyab Daruszerviz Kft.
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PONSSE NETWORK / SERVICE CENTERS AND DEALERS
PONSSE NETWORK GROWS AND DEVELOPS Within just over a year, we have opened several new service centers, and our dealer network has grown around the world.
A.L.P.A.EQUIPMENT LTD, CANADA
ROAD RUNNER REPAIR LLC, USA PONSSE NORTH AMERICA INC., TALLAHASSEE
PONSSE CHILE S.P.A
PONSSE PLC, JOENSUU, OULU, TURKU
PONSSE NORTH AMERICA INC., TALLAHASSEE
New Ponsse service centers were opened in Joensuu and Oulu during the first half of 2022. Epec and Ponsse together opened an R&D unit in Turku.
A new service center was opened in Tallahassee, Florida in September 2022.
PONSSE AB, KIL JA UDDEVALLA
In Brazil, Ponsse works closely with the local pulp mill Bracell. The mill is located in Lençóis Paulista. Ponsse handles the maintenance of the customer’s machines in the field at several different locations in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. This service is part of Ponsse’s and Bracell’s Full Service agreement.
In 2021, two new Ponsse service centers were opened in Sweden. The center in Uddevalla in the spring and the center in Kil was opened at the end of the year. In addition to these two new locations, Ponsse AB has six other service centers in Sweden.
PONSSE LATIN AMERICA LTDA, BRACELL FULL SERVICE, LENÇÓIS PAULISTA, BRAZIL
PONSSE CZECH S.R.O.
The subsidiary in the Czech Republic was established when Ponsse purchased the operations of its dealers, the family-owned business Krenek Forest Service. Ponsse Czech s.r.o. began its operations at the beginning of April 2022.
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PONSSE CHILE S.P.A
Ponsse’s subsidiary Ponsse Chile S.p.A was established in the spring of 2022. The newest subsidiary is responsible for Chile’s sales, spare parts and service operations.
SERVICE CENTER DEALER
PONSSE AB, KIL PONSSE AB, UDDEVALLA
PONSSE PLC, OULU PONSSE PLC, JOENSUU PONSSE PLC, TURKU BALTIC AGRO MACHINERY, LATVIA CDN ERGO, POLAND PONSSECZECHS.R.O.
TECNOAMBIENTE, ITALY
PROGRESS TECHNIK, BULGARIA
SHINGUSHOKO,JAPAN
PONSSE LATIN AMERICA LTDA
RANDALLS EQUIPMENT CO, AUSTRALIA
DEALERS In addition to Ponsse’s subsidiaries, the Ponsse network includes several dealers worldwide. Below are some of our dealers who have invested in the development of their operations in 2021 - 2022. LATVIA Baltic Agro Machinery, Rezekne
CANADA A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd, Montacon
POLAND CDN Ergo, Czarnkow
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Road Runner Repair LLC, Cadott, Wisconsin
BULGARIA Progress Technik, Plovdiv
JAPAN Shingu Shoko, Fukuoka, Kyushu
ITALY TecnoAmbiente, Reggello
AUSTRALIA Randalls Equipment Co., Tasmania
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Thanks to Ponsse’s skilled service network and competent dealers, we are able to offer even better service to our customers worldwide. Jussi Hentunen Director, Dealer Development
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EINARI VIDGRÉN FOUNDATION / AWARDS 2022
EINARI VIDGRÉN FOUNDATION REWARDS FORESTRY PROFESSIONALS FOR THE 17TH TIME The awardee selection criteria focused on activities carried out in the forest industry, emphasising responsible operations passed on from one generation to the next and work done in line with the principles of sustainable development. The Einari Award, the Einari Vidgrén Foundation’s key recognition, was granted to Kalle and Hanna Pitkänen from Koneteko Pitkänen. Lifetime achievement awards were given to Esa Mikkonen and Tuomas Ramlin.
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oneteko Pitkäse’s activities meet the foundation’s selection criteria for 2022 extremely well. Koneteko Pitkänen has led the way in the forest industry in calculating its operations’ carbon footprint. The company’s employees have wanted to understand and learn where its most significant environmental impact comes from, and at the same time, identify what the calculation and reporting of the carbon footprint mean in practice. Koneteko Pitkänen has also carried out a successful change of generation, and it has improved its profitability through subcontracting at logging sites in Germany. Hailing from Lapinlahti, the company provides contracting for Stora Enso in the regions of North Savonia and North Karelia. Kalle’s father started the contracting relationship in 1973, and it has continued ever since. The company underwent a generational change in 2012. The company also has harvesting operations in Germany. Everyone has a clearly defined role in the Pitkänen family: “As a supervisor, Hanna makes sure everyone has enough work, while my job is to ensure the wheels keep on rolling, and everything’s OK with the employees,” Kalle says. The Pitkänen family want to understand the company’s environmental impact. Koneteko Pitkänen is the
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first forest machine company to calculate its operations’ carbon footprint. “It’s important to us that we can see how our carbon footprint is developing,” Hanna says. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS FOR ESA MIKKONEN AND TUOMAS RAMLIN
In recognition of their significant contribution as forest machine entrepreneurs to Finland’s forest industry, excellence in wood harvesting, and the country’s economic growth in the past, the Einari Vidgrén Foundation has issued lifetime achievement awards to Esa Mikkonen and Tuomas Ramlin. Kajaani-based Esa Mikkonen has never been over-particular where work is concerned. Mikkonen went to his first logging sites 60 years ago as a 15-year-old boy. In the 1980s, the logger’s work was replaced by mechanised harvesting and soil tilling. Mikkonen has ploughed “across Finland”: from Kuivaniemi on the west coast to Lieksa and Nurmes on the eastern border. Three sons are now continuing Esa’s lifework at TM Forest Oy following their father’s principle: “Nothing gets resolved by arguing.” Tuomas Ramlin graduated as a forest technician in the 1970s, but he was eager for faster paced jobs and to have his own company: “I’ve always been drawn to
Esa Mikkonen
Nina Mäntyniemi
something new if something else has stopped.” The company-of-all-trades has machines for every purpose: harvesting trees, transporting soil, building roads, restoring rivers after log driving, transporting its own machines and those of others, and delivering firewood and chips to customers. For years, Ramlin’s men also delivered Älvsbytalo foundations across Finland. The Rural Professions Association was one of seven recipients of the Einari Recognition. The association introduces children, young people and their teachers to rural professions and entrepreneurship. It provides schools with study trips to farms, rural companies and forest sites. By offering experiences, the association aims spark and kindle interest in rural
Heikki Ruonala
Tuomas Ramlin
professions. “When young people get a taste and smell of the countryside and have the opportunity to talk to real professionals, they gain genuine experiences in real-life environments,” says Niina Mäntyniemi, the association’s director. This year, 54 merited forest machine operators received the Einari Operator award. One of them was Heikki Ruonala from Yli-Ii: “My principle is that I aim to do my work as I would in my own forest.” Ruonala has operated a harvester since 1996. He first studied to become a logger, then to become a forest machine operator, and later operated a forwarder for a year. “Studies get you started, but you need years of training to become a true professional.”
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Hanna and Kalle Pitkänen received the Einari Award at Rientola in Vieremä summer of 2022
“It’s important to us that we can see how our carbon footprint is developing,” Hanna says.
EINARI AWARD AND FOUR PRIZE CATEGORIES
In addition to the main Einari Award, there are four prize categories: lifetime achievement; special recognition; operators; and students. In 2022, the foundation’s awards will total EUR 167,800. The award criteria for operator awards include
high-quality work and a customer-driven approach, a relentless attitude to the quality of work, and close cooperation and communication with forest owners and other stakeholders. Student grants were awarded to successful forest industry students.
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LOGGING NEWS / 2022
LOGGING NEWS THE DESIGN OF THE PONSSE SCORPION FUTURE CABIN REAPS FAME: THE CABIN HAS ALREADY RECEIVED SEVERAL AWARDS
PONSSE Scorpion’s Future Cabin was released in early 2021. Already in the same spring, it received a product design award in the internationally renowned Red Dot award. Since then, the cabin has also received the iF Design Award in 2022 and the Fen-
nia Prize Winner design award. The cabin has been praised in the judges’ reviews, especially for improving ergonomics and creating a comfortable working environment for the forest machine operator. “The starting point for the development of the new Scorpion product family is the
PONSSE AWARDED THE BEST IN THE SERVICE NETWORK The best of the service network were awarded in Vieremä. Ponsse annually awards its subsidiaries for the spare parts, service and service agreements sales as well as operational development.
feedback received from forest machine operators. Based on the feedback, we have done development work, which we have now been able to successfully put into production,” says Juha Inberg, Ponsse’s Director of Technology and R&D.
Ponsse Uruguay’s team was awarded in four different categories: development of warehouse logistics, marketing and sales of services, sales of service agreements and utilization of online learning. Ponsse China was awarded for both service agreements sales and good organization of health, safety and environmental issues. Ponsse Latin America was awarded for the best spare parts sales development compared to the previous year Finland received two awards: for customer satisfaction and the best spare parts marketing.
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Ponsse Uruguay’s Managing Director Martin Toledo, Spare Parts Manager Aitor Letona, Service Manager Martin Garcia, Marketing Analist Maria Paolino and Full Service Manager Daniel Alfaro.
INTERNSHIPS PROVIDE SKILLS NEEDED LATER IN WORKING LIFE Through the Einari Vidgrén Foundation, Ponsse has collaborated with Finlandia University. The university is located in Hancock, Michigan, USA. The university has offered an internship, which has enabled students to do their internship both at the Ponsse North American office in Rhinelander and at the Ponsse factory in Vieremä, Finland. One of these Ponsse interns in the summer of 2018 was Haley Makela. At that time, the 21-year-old was excited to go on a journey among the employees of a large international company. She didn’t know anyone yet – would anyone get to know her? ”They pride themselves on being united, where every employee is important for making the Logger’s Best Friend. They made it easy for me to become part of the Ponsse Family,” Haley recalls of the summer she spent as part of Ponsse’s marketing and communications team. “Internships are all about experiencing new things and improving your skills”, she continues. Today, Haley works as a visiting assistant professor of marketing at Finlandia University. “Using my experience from Ponsse, I will encourage students to get involved, seek development opportunities, and to step out of their comfort zone. I want to show students that having a passion for your work drives success. Ponsse’s values can be used in everyday life and, certainly, will certainly be taught in my classroom.“
Haley Makela on an internship in the summer of 2018.
PONSSE DELIVERED ITS 200TH SIMULATOR TO SWEDEN The 200th PONSSE simulator was delivered to Södra Viken, a vocational education centre in Sweden. The simulator model is PONSSE Full. Its ergonomics ensure a good training position and make learning meaningful. Ponsse and Södra Viken have worked together for a long time. Södra Viken is a school with more than 70 years’ experience in education in the forest industry. The first PONSSE machine arrived at the school in 2003. “It is great to see that the forestry school I went to as a young student is getting Ponsse´s 200th simulator. When sales, service, our premium-products and school cooperation works well, we see so many good things happening on the market, and this is what’s happening right now in Värmland”, says Carl-Henrik Hammar, Managing Director of Ponsse Sweden. Södra Viken has long traditions in the forest industry.
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LOGGING NEWS / 2022
PONSSE IS ONE OF FINLAND’S MOST REPUTABLE LISTED COMPANIES According to the survey conducted by the Finnish Shareholders’ Association, the Finnish Foundation for Share Promotion and T-Media, the most reputable listed companies in 2022 are Kone, Ponsse and Vaisala. The survey evaluated the reputation of 81 listed companies in the eyes of Finnish private investors. The reputation of listed companies was studied in May and June 2022, with a total of 16,847 Finnish private investors responding to the survey. Based on the Reputation&Trust model, the reputation of each company was rated on a scale from 1 to 5. In the top three, Kone’s reputation was 4.13, Ponsse’s 4.09 and Vaisala’s 4.04, each being an excellent score.
THE JOINT TRAINING PROGRAMME OF PONSSE AND SAVONIA UAS MAKES WORKING LIFE PART OF STUDIES
Niilo Viljamaa, Olli Rautiainen, Santtu Vartiainen and Elli Kauhanen were the first students to be selected for the programme. They all see the programme as a great opportunity to gain experience from the industry.
In the Digital Professional Student programme, students can seamlessly combine their studies and on-the-job learning. The training programme started in the spring of 2022. Four students were selected for the programme. “We can provide students with the opportunity to learn software development in practice as part of real-life work projects. At the same time, we seek to find new specialists to join us in building Ponsse’s future,” says Miika Soininen, Director of Digital Services and IT at Ponsse. The training programme continues until the end of studies. Students carry out their summer employment periods, and part of the courses related to their degree at Ponsse. They also write their thesis for Ponsse.
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Ponsse’s HR Director Paula Oksman (on left) and Sustainability Manager Katja Paananen received the recognition in Helsinki Finland.
18,000TH PONSSE WAS DELIVERED TO FRANCE The 18,000th PONSSE forest machine was completed at Ponsse’s factory in Vieremä. After its handover, the PONSSE Elk will be operated by VMC Bois in France. “We started our cooperation with Ponsse after we purchased a used PONSSE Ergo a few years ago. We continued our partnership by buying a few new machines, and today we received the 18,000th PONSSE machine here in Vieremä. Our cooperation has been productive, and we are very satisfied with our partnership,” says Alexandre Collomb, one of the three owners of VMC Bois. VMC Bois owns four PONSSE machines, and it mainly operates in eastern parts of Central France. Established in 2009, the company currently has 27 employees. VMC Bois is also engaged in sawmill operations, generating energy from chips. Entered in serial production in 2005, more than 1,000 PONSSE Elk forwarders have been completed, delivered to over 20 countries and tested in real-life conditions across the globe.
VMC Bois, Alexandre Collomb and Clément Billard in the front of Elk forwarder at the Vieremä factory in May 2022.
Recycled metal can be used to make new products or parts for machines.
Metal can be used again and again and again What makes metal a great raw material is the fact that it can recycled almost without limit. Metal brought for recycling is weighed, sorted, cleaned and crushed. It is then used to make raw materials for new products. Recycling metal also protects the environment!
Look closely! Can you spot 8 differences between the pictures?
Manufacturing the metal product
Can you spot all 8 differences? Send your answer by mail to Ponsse Plc/ communication, Ponssentie 22, FI-74200 Vieremä, Finland. You can also take a picture of the completed activity page and email it to ponssenews@ponsse.com
Using the metal product
Manufacturing the metal
Humans have used metals for thousands of years. They are extracted from the ground.
How metal is recycled: Metal recycling
90% is recycled
10% goes to waste
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PONSSE SHOWS / 2022
PONSSE SHOWS 2022 PONSSE SHOW SWEDEN The new PONSSE Scorpion Giant and PONSSE Mammoth were presented at Ponsse Show Sweden. The event took place at Ponsse AB’s headquarters in Surahammar, Sweden in May.
FOREST DAYS The Forest Days event was arranged after a two-year break at the end of May in Tērvete, Latvia.
INTERFORST Over 20 exhibitors took part in Interforst, which takes place in Munich, Germany. Ponsse took part in the event with Wahlers Forsttechnik.
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ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW The Royal Highland Show at the end of June in Edinburgh, Scotland.
BLACK ISLE SHOW PONSSE UK in the Black Isle Show in Mannsfield Showground, Muir of Ord, Scotland.
FINNMETKO Ponsse took part in the FinnMETKO 2022 event in Jämsä, Finland after four years.
GREAT LAKES LOGGING EXPO Ponsse Dog came along with Ponsse North America to the Great Lakes Logging Expo in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.
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In the Ponsse X Finsket collection, the carbon footprint has been calculated for each product. The collection is designed together with clothing brand Finsket, and its products are made in Kokkola using renewable energy. The collection’s design illustrates Ponsse’s forest machines and history. Ponsse the Dog, the source of the company’s name, plays the leading role and is the face of the new collection. The collection is designed by Juha Järvinen, brand director at Finsket, and clothing designer Paula Isopahkala.
AAVA COTTON SHIRT FOR WOMEN
Product number 1769 / Sizes: S–3XL The Aava shirt saves the day, and its relaxed silhouette is a beautiful match for all styles, no matter what the season. The long-sleeved Aava cotton shirt has a loose fit, and it is made of flexible and soft organic cotton. The dog embroidered on the chest reminds us of how it all started. Material: Organic knit fabric (95% organic cotton, 5% elastane) The Aava shirt’s CO2-eq emissions are 2.45 kg.
HALLA HOODIE FOR WOMEN
Product number 1766 / Sizes: S–3XL The slim Halla hoodie features a large neck that can also be used as a hood. There are pockets in the side seam. The fabric is thinner and slightly flexible high-quality elastic organic cotton. In addition to the lighter fabric, the lightness of the Halla hoodie is maximised by knowing that it is made in probably the best conditions in the world, without any compromises on responsibility. Material: Organic knit fabric (96% organic cotton, 4% elastane) The Halla hoodie’s CO2-eq emissions are 5.25 kg.
AKSELI T-SHIRT
Product number 1770 / Sizes: S–4XL The Akseli T-shirt is a minimalistic shirt with a slightly tapered and improved fit. The material is a high-quality and comfortable, and slightly flexible, organic cotton knit fabric. The dog embroidered on the chest reminds us of how it all started. Material: Organic knit fabric (95% organic cotton, 5% elastane) The Akseli T-shirt’s CO2-eq emissions are 2.40 kg.
TAPIO COTTON SHIRT FOR MEN
Product number 1768 / Sizes: S–4XL Tapio is a long-sleeved T-shirt like no other. The material is a high-quality and strong, and slightly flexible, organic cotton knit fabric. A classic cut with a slightly tapered and improved fit. The sufficiently long hem guarantees a finished look for people of all sizes. The dog embroidered on the chest reminds us of how it all started. Material: Organic knit fabric (95% organic cotton, 5% elastane) The Tapio shirt’s CO2-eq emissions are 2.92 kg.
EEMELI SWEATSHIRT
Product number 1767 / Sizes: S–4XL The Eemeli sweatshirt is simply a must. It can be worn on every day of the year. The fabric is slightly thinner high-quality organic cotton offering just the right amount of flexibility. A classic cut with a modern fit. Raglan sleeves and a double fold in in the cuffs, hem and neck. Material: Organic knit fabric (96% organic cotton, 4% elastane) The Eemeli shirt’s CO2-eq emissions are 4.02 kg.
VILHO HOODIE FOR MEN
Product number 1765 / Sizes: S–4XL The Vilho hoodie features raglan sleeves and pockets on the sides. The slightly longer and lighter hem adds structure to the hoodie. The fabric is thinner and slightly flexible high-quality elastic organic cotton. The hoodie can be worn on every day of the week. In addition to the lighter fabric, the lightness of the Vilho hoodie is maximised by knowing that it is made in probably the best conditions in the world, without any compromises on responsibility. Material: Organic knit fabric (96% organic cotton, 4% elastane) The Vilho hoodie’s CO2-eq emissions are 4.60 kg.
MERINO BEANIE
Product number 1774–1775 / Sizes: M for children, L for adults The Finnish Ponsse X Finsket collection’s merino beanie offers excellent protection against gusts of wind. Double-layered merino wool makes the beanie an excellent garment for winter. Merino wool is a breathable and warm material, and it transfers moisture from the skin. You can adjust the width of the fold. The beanie is crowned by the embroidered Ponsse the Dog. The beanie is made responsibly in Finland using 100% green energy. The material is mulesing-free merino wool. Material: 100% merino wool The merino wool beanie’s CO2-eq emissions are 2.10 kg.
