PONSSE NEWS - LOGGING FOR OVER 40 YEARS - FULL SERVICE IN KOMI 2018
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CUSTOMER AND STAKEHOLDER MAGAZINE 1/2018 PONSSE NEWS FULL SERVICE IN KOMI PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 METSÄKULJETUS HYVÄRISET AND METSÄ-MULTIA LOGGING FOR OVER 40 YEARS
PONSSE NEWS CUSTOMER AND STAKE HOLDER MAGAZINE PUBLISHER Ponsse Oyj Ponssentie 22, FI-74200 Vieremä Finland EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katja Paananen 4 26 EDITORS & CONTENT Ponsse Oyj EDITORIAL STAFF Juho Nummela, Katja Paananen, Juha-Matti Raatikainen, Marika Ryytty, Jarmo Vidgrén, Juha Vidgrén LAYOUT 4 FULL SERVICE IN KOMI 18 13,000 PONSSE FOREST MACHINE READY Mainonnan Työmaa Dimitri Popov, leader of Mobilnyi Service is FOR LOGGING SITES IN LOWER SAXONY responsible of PONSSE´s Full Service in Komi. THE COVER PHOTO 20 WAHLERS FORSTTECHNIK & PONSSE: Jouko Arvonen 11 PONSSE KIDS COOPERATION FOR 25 YEARS ILLUSTRATIONS 12 PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE 22 PONSSE MOMENT Henna Ryynänen (Ponsse Kids) MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 24 TOWARDS NEXT DECADES PRINT Metsäkuljetus Hyväriset and Metsä-Multia Painotalo Seiska Oy have been logging for over 40 years. PAPER WIN PRIZES BY IDEAS SHARING YOUR GPrint ADDRESS SOURCE FOR STORIES! Mailing registration list of Ponsse ack and ideas for Please send feedb News and Ponsse customer register sto rie s by email to nsse.com. ponssenews@po winner of a Ponsse In each issue, the will be selected Collection pro ctdu who have from among those share d the ir ide as. Ponsse PLC customer and stakeholder magazine. Ponsse News will be issued three times a year. Subscriptions and changes of address by email to ponssenews@ponsse.com. The magazine is free of charge. Follow us: 2
”HOW’RE WE DOING?” I often think about this question, from Ponsse’s founder Einari Vidgrén to employees or neighbours he met on the village road. He truly wanted to know how people were doing. And asking helped to promote a strong sense of community. Einari wanted to share the feeling that problems at work were everybody’s business, and that things get done when people work together. Nobody needs to be alone with their problems. Ponsse now has over 1,450 employees worldwide. The meaning of com- munity and of doing things together are emphasised more and more. When 34 it comes to forest machines, we are in a very tough work environment. It is essential to have a strong focus on supporting custom- ers’ business, rapidly developing technology, and our own expertise and work ethic. In this kind of environment, fast reactions and teamwork are needed more than ever. We continue to meet these challenges with 26 RANDALLS EQUIPMENT training and our daily practices, and we – 50 YEARS OF PIONEERING believe that continuing to work as a team will ensure our ongoing development and 28 FIVE-COUNTRY SCORPION ROAD SHOW progress. 30 LOGGING NEWS In February, it was 75 years since Einari 33 MODERN TOOLS ENSURE QUALITY EDUCATION Vidgrén was born. For over a year, together with author Antti Heikkinen we have gath- 34 OPERATING FOREST MACHINE IN ered stories and material about Einari’s life, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA from his beginnings as a logger to becoming Part 2. The stories in this series tells about the work a forest machinery manufacturer. In this of forest machine operators in different markets. project, we have already heard all kinds of 39 PONSSE COLLECTION stories about the first logging sites in Laaka- järvi, and about Einari’s years at school. The project continues, and I invite you to contact 20 me directly or send your memories, stories or pictures by email at tarinat@ponsse.com. I hope you enjoy reading Ponsse News. Have a great spring! Sometimes it’s good to think back to the early 1970s, when it was difficult to get financing to run everyday operations, or to find components for assembly, get electricity to the factory and deliver machines to customers. Under these circumstances, a customer happened to come to the factory and asked Einari how they were doing. Einari answered, as confidently as always: “We’re doin’ just fine!” He believed in what he was doing so strongly that it helped him and the rest of the team overcome every obstacle. Juha Vidgrén Chairman of the board, Ponsse Plc 3
REPORT / KOMI FULL SERVICE IN At the Verkhnyaya Vytchegda, in the Komi Republic of Russia, a passenger van arrives at a logging camp, spilling out eight men—all PONSSE drivers. Their night shift has just ended, and it’s time to have some breakfast in the camp kitchen and rest while the day shift is ongoing. E ast of Verkhnyaya Vytchegda, machines to the stands. there is only wilderness all the Like other harvesting companies in way to Hanty-Mansijski. The area Russia, Mondi Syktyvkar has entered into is rich in wildlife, such as bears, fifty-year contracts with the government for wolves and other predators. The harvesting and reforestation purposes. Con- day before, a sloth of four bears have been tracting requires a comprehensive approach: sighted near this camp—a female and three Before harvesting can begin, roads must be cubs. It’s a common enough event and the built since contractors are also responsible men are not particularly excited, preferring for creating the infrastructure that facilitates to discuss other matters throughout the logging. breakfast. The machine base at the Verhnaja At the camp, the morning begins with the men are hoping for a cold weather front Vytsegda camp is typical for a logging site a session with visiting machine designers to arrive. During the early morning hours, of Mondi Syktyvkar: four machine units are from Vieremä. Every year, a number of Pons- two of the machines have gotten stuck in operated with four PONSSE Ergo harvesters se staff travel to Komi to gather feedback on soft soil and require extra machinery to pull aided by four PONSSE Buffalo forwarders. the reliability of the machines and to audit them out. In this region, the soil is fine- For the past few years, all of Mondi’s opera- machine service centres. The drivers get to grained with few rocks. Working conditions tions in the Komi region have involved Pons- voice their opinions, and their first desire is are made more difficult by record rainfall se machinery exclusively. At the moment, followed by hearty laughter. Could someone throughout the summer and early autumn. there are 58 machines made in Vieremä please send some snow and frost from Softest areas have been reinforced with working at eight different logging sites. Finland? There’s a very obvious reason why small logs in order to facilitate moving the Increased efficiency has actually reduced the 4
KOMI number of Ponsse forest machines in a typical Mondi order. To the visiting Finns, who are used to seeing uninhabited THE KOMI REPUBLIC areas filled with forests, the Komi Republic seems quite large and sparsely populated. By area, the Komi Republic is larger than Finland. Between huge swaths of forest, small and • THE KOMI REPUBLIC is a republic of the Russian Federation, densely built villages sometimes emerge. Their demographics located in Northeast Europe, west of the Ural Mountains. The Komi look grim as their populations keep growing older. The Komi Republic is 1.2 times the size of Finland by area. Most of the area, Republic has a population of about one million people who about 72.7%, is covered by boreal forests (taiga). Northernmost are concentrated in a few large cities such as Syktyvkar, the parts of the region consist of the tundra biome, and Northeast region’s capital, popular among young people who are leaving Komi is covered in permafrost. rural areas to look for work. The best employment opportuni- ties in rural areas are now often related to forestry. Central characteristics of the region’s nature include major rivers that flow through the rolling hills, and several lakes. Features of FOREST WORK IS HIGHLY VALUED the continental climate are long and cold winters that are much At the camp, breakfast for the eight men returning from the more severe than in Finland. The winter lasts about six months in night shift is served by Maria Pahanova, the matron, and by the southern parts of the region, and can last as long as two thirds Lida Ignatova, the kitchen maid. In addition to kitchen staff, of a year in Northern Komi. Temperatures range from +40 to -40 the logging camp employs a housemaid to keep the camp degrees Celsius. The area is rich in natural resources. In addition to clean. forests, oil, coal and various ore deposits can be found here. The women are native Komi speakers, but switch to Rus- sian at the logging camp. Maria Pahanova says that women are finding it difficult to find work in rural areas as village schools keep shutting down permanently and agricultural work is not easy to find. Most available job opportunities are now forestry-related. “Women are entitled to a pension at 50 years old, but many try to keep working a little longer to boost their 5
REPORT / KOMI income,” Pahanova says. “I could retire myself as boggy terrain. “This is as good work as any,” says I’m 53 years old. But I’m happy with my life, and Mr. Uljashev. “On my days off, I fish and hunt, as there’s still plenty of work left to do. I dream of do most of the Komi people.” buying a house to spend my retirement years in,” He says his machine unit can harvest between she says. 15 and 25 cubic metres of wood per hour, depend- Among the last men to finish breakfast is har- ing the site. “I’ve worked in forests a long time, vester operator Alexander Uljashev who can be back when we cut trees manually. It’s strenuous found in the kitchen trailer swirling a steaming work and quite dangerous sometimes. These glass of tea and watching morning news on modern machines are very ergonomic, and the television. they are quite pleasant to work with.” Mr. According to him, working the night shift Uljashev has been driving a PONSSE Ergo doesn’t differ much from working the day shift. for the past two years. On average, he harvests The most difficult aspect of his work is the forest between 150 and 250 cubic metres of wood per itself, which is often old-growth and located in soft, shift, depending on the type of forest. The men are used to living in logging camps. ” The camp itself can stay in the same place for MONDI’S OPERATIONS IN THE KOMI REPUBLIC several years, and the men switch between stands usually twice a year, alternating between summer • Mondi Group is a global packaging and paper and winter sites. Driving from the camp to the company with operations in 30 countries. stands can take as long as an hour and a half, and • Mondi Syktyvkar has an annual wood con- sumption about 4.2 million cubic metres. ”Women are entitled to a the farthest stands are located some 50 to 70 kilo- pension at 50 years old, but metres from the camp. Due to the difficult terrain, • 4800 employees. many try to keep working roadside refuelling is a must. Operators drive their • Mondi Syktyvkar’s wood procurement oper- machines from the stands to the roadside, and ations include harvesting, road building and a little longer to boost their the next shift takes over after refuelling. The fresh maintenance, wood transport, reforestation income. I could retire shift then takes the machines back to the stands, and forest management myself as I’m 53 years old,” which can sometimes require driving another five • Annual saw-log sales 0.7 million cubic Pahanova says. kilometres in the forest. metres, main markets area are local Komi Machine operators start their day with a ride to Republic and Leningrad region the destination site. Roads here are muddy and full • Harvesting is 100% cut-to-length of holes, and it’s really a miracle that the passenger • Mondi lease about 2.1 million ha of forest in van has made it to the camp intact. The men re- Komi which has an annual harvesting volume turning from the night shift are tired, because it’s of about 3.5 million cubic metres. About 2.5 difficult to get rest during the bumpy ride. million cubic metres are harvested with Mon- di-owned machinery, the rest is outsourced The logistics terminal owned by Mondi is located from contractors. next to the Syktyvkar mill and holds nearly a • 58 wholly owned PONSSE forest machines million cubic metres of wood. It’s necessary to and 120 wood transport trucks keep a large stock of wood at the mill’s disposal since seasonal changes in road conditions can severely impact transport of wood to the terminal. 6
Dmitry Popov (Mobilnyi Service), Stanislav Navratil (Mondi) and Harri Saarela (Ponsse Plc) believe that Full Service co-operation develops all parties’ operations. MOBILNY SERVICE “Our contract with Mondi Syktyvkar specifies LESPROMSERVICE Ponsse forest machines can be frequently spotted a minimum mechanical utilisation rate of 81.5%. driving on the roads in Komi, and it’s up to field This means that a machine must have this rate of • Founded by CEO Nikolai Ekimovskij servicing cars to make sure they keep moving. Mo- productive working hours out of 100%.” A total of bilny Service has 26 such cars and Lespromservice 54 Mobilny Service technicians are responsible for • Founded in 1995, entered into co- operation with Ponsse in 2005 operates another 16 of them. Mobilny Service is a carrying out the Full Service concept at Mondi’s subsidiary of Ponsse dealer Lespromservice, and different logging sites. • Dealer of Ponsse and Husqvarna is responsible for maintenance of PONSSE forest Mr. Popov, who is fluent in English, lives in the Komi region. Specialised in hydraulics. machines in Komi. in a recently completed single-family home in Mobilny Service is led by its 41-year-old COO Syktyvkar, the capital of Komi Republic, within • 200 employees, three subsidiaries, and three service centres including (Chief Operation Officer) Dmitry Popov who walking distance of Mobilny Service offices. As one that is focused on servicing has an exceptionally strong background in forest recently as last summer, Mr. Popov, who is native PONSSE forest machines and training machines. Mr. Popov, who graduated from the to Komi, used to commute 170 kilometres between operators to use them. Syktyvkar Forest Institute, started his career by Syktyvkar and his home village two or three times working as a forest machine operator and service a week to spend time with his family. mechanic near his home village. Later, engineering “The long drive gave me an opportunity to studies led to working with Mondi’s harvesting listen to audiobooks and learn English,” he says. MOBILNY SERVIS operations. At Mondi Syktyvkar, Mr. Popov worked “A couple of years ago I couldn’t speak any Eng- in project named “New look” aimed at enhancing lish, but since I learned the language, it is easier • A fully-owned subsidiary of harvesting efficiency and looked for technical to work with Ponsse’s factory and our partner Lespromservis, focused exclusively solutions and best practices aimed at reducing ser- network. I moved to Syktyvkar five years ago after on Full Service projects vicing and fuel costs. He never lost sight of these Mondi Syktyvkar, Lespromservice and Ponsse • COO (Chief Operation Officer) Dimitry objectives, and eventually took over the develop- started their Full Service co-operation”, he says. Popov ment of Mobilny’s Full Service operations. His family followed him to their new home last • Responsible for Full Service “You can always find ways to do some things summer. contracts and operations at nine better,” Mr. Popov says. According to him, service Mondi-owned work sites and two processes need to be managed and developed care- DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES CO-OPERATION contractors. Uses Ponsse machines fully, because clients have come to expect this from When Mobilny Service took over the responsibility exclusively. service businesses. Mr. Popov’s considerable work of Mondi’s PONSSE machine servicing, the com- • 70 employees experience as an operator and a mechanic natu- pany was aware that it would have to deal with the rally lets him evaluate the service experience from difficulty of servicing machines at one of the most the perspective of the client. “We are not looking to remote logging sites in Komi—Udora. The site reinvent the wheel,” Mr. Popov says. has been extremely challenging to work with, both 7
REPORT / KOMI Nikolai Terentjef, Oleg Babin and forest machine operator Denis Matjeev Sysolan at a logging site. with respect to service and productivity. The Denis Matveyev operates a PONSSE durability and usability. Clearly, this benefits site is located some 400 kilometres from Buffalo with 12 years of experience both Ponsse’s product development and us,” Mobilny Service’s offices, and is by far the in forestry machines. Mr. Popov says. “This is a perfect place to most remote logging site the company has test components—the machines work long “Thanks to Full Service, the machine been involved with. hours in an extreme environment. We can has worked flawlessly. Operators According to Mr. Popov, Mondi Syk- help develop best solutions and practices for used to have to service the ma- tyvkar wished his team well with Udora at our customers,” he says. chines themselves, and sometimes the start of their co-operation. People said “Last year, I participated in an interna- that if the Udora site could be managed even had to perform considerable tional meeting for Ponsse dealers for the successfully, Mobilny Service would be well repairs. It had a negative impact first time. I was surprised at how openly and prepared to take on any challenge after. on harvesting, and not to mention honestly people and businesses co-operate. Currently, productivity is among the best at service quality—not everyone could I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when Udora, Mr. Popov says proudly. service the machines as well as a I say we work like a big family. The dealer “You’ll never know what you can achieve trained specialist.” network has shown considerable interest in if you don’t try,” he says. “We decided to try the Full Service solutions we offer here in it out and learned a lot along the way. We ability and allow for growth projections to Komi, and we’ve arranged some excursions try to implement a long-term plan that will be calculated accurately. Once customers since then. I myself have visited different benefit the customer, and this helped us can be reassured that their machines can be Full Service businesses in Brazil on three solve the productivity issues at Udora,” Mr. kept productive, they can accurately predict different occasions thanks to the Ponsse Popov says. harvesting volumes and costs. network. Local needs may differ, but we’ve The Full Service concept took some time In the Komi region, Ponsse has a market still learned a lot by observing each other’s to get used to, especially since it turned out of 55%. About 170 PONSSE forest machines methods of working. to be too efficient at times. operate there. Mr. Popov thinks the ma- “Once Mondi Syktyvkar was able to reach chines are well suited for local harvesting ACCURATE PLANNING IS KEY its production goals, they shut down the sites requirements, but if of the opinion that the TO AVOIDING MISHAPS early. We were out of work for the rest of single biggest factor in the leading market Nikolay Terentyev, another Komi native, the season. Their machines were suddenly position is the excellent service machine is a key person in developing the Full Ser- much more productive, and the Syktyvkar owners and operators receive from local vice concept in the region. He manages the mill was not able to stock the wood that servicing partners. service department and is known as far as kept coming in,” he says. The situation was “Ponsse’s way of doing business embrac- away as Finland as a skilled mechanic. Mr. resolved the following year by looking care- es strong partnerships, and Full Service is Terentyev is a seasoned professional, but fully at previous year’s production data and a perfect example of that. We also co-oper- his passion for his work becomes evident as planning harvesting operations accordingly. ate with Ponsse in product development, he picks up a durability test report of a new Indeed, Full Service can improve predict- testing components and reporting on their component. 8
“I used to work as a machine servicing instead of reconditioning,” he says. responsible for Mondi’s harvesting, wood team lead. I’m familiar with the crew and transport and other support machinery in their strengths. Recently, I’ve been directed by FULL SERVICE IN THE MIDDLE the Komi Republic. Mr. Navratil, who was management to focus on developing our oper- OF NIGHT IN A FOREST born in The Czech Republic, came to work ations and training programmes,” he says. At any of the logging sites, machine opera- for Mondi in Russia in 2009. He had pre- Mr. Terentyev has a clear vision of goals tors can reach a Full Service technician 24 viously worked in wood trade in his home he wants to set and achieve: “Our technicians hours a day by radiophone. Typically, three country, selling and buying wood at Stora are responsible for making sure all machines service technicians are present at each log- Enso among other companies. are safe to use and as productive as possible. ging camp. They have well-equipped trail- “When I started here at Mondi, we were All of the work must be organized. It would ers at their disposal. just launching our ‘New Look’ development be a waste of time to start with the machine A the Sysola site, two technicians have just project which was aimed at making our that requires the most servicing, when other started their shift. Oleg Babin is hard at operations much more efficient,” he says. machines with only minor issues to fix can be work with Jevgeny Beloborodov, who has “We wanted to share some of the respon- quickly put back to work,” Mr. Terentyev says. been employed in the industry since 1999 sibility for operational efficiency with our Both Mondi Syktyvkar and Mobilny Ser- after he finished his studies at the Syktyvkar partners. This led to comparing three differ- vice operate in a visibly systematic manner— Forest Institute. ent brands of forest machines and related an absolute requirement in this challenging “Each day begins at 6:30 a.m.” says Mr. Be- services, and giving up manual felling and environment. Full Service providers are loborodov. They are sometimes alerted to a cutting.” At first, only two machine units regularly audited by Ponsse. logging site in the middle of a night when consisted of Ponsse machinery. Since 2016, “Our staff is quite knowledgeable and one of the machines requires immediate Mondi Syktyvkar has been using Ponsse can often solve the customer’s problems servicing. Operators take care of routine machinery exclusively. Servicing and stock- without delay. We’ve also hired technicians maintenance, such as refuelling, greasing ing of spare parts has been fully outsourced with no prior expertise in forest machines,” and swapping chains, but the two men are says Mr. Terentyev. He believes outcomes are responsible for all other servicing. directly related to motivation. Sometimes it The men consider their work meaning- can easier and more effective to teach new ful and fulfilling. Cold weather and night working methods to beginners rather than shifts aren’t really a problem—it’s a matter established professionals, many of whom of having the right attitude to work. In the have developed their own approach to winter, we stop working if the temperature solving problems over several years. Careful falls to -32 degrees Celsius. Significant ser- planning is a must, and each day must be vice needs are taken care of at the camp and started by concentrating on important tasks smaller maintenance tasks performed at instead of, say, running around with no the work sites. There is little time for activ- visible results at the end of the day. ities besides work. We sometimes alternate “Obviously, we need to make sure the sites between shifts to keep productivi- our work servicing the machines is as ty at optimum. cost-effective as possible in the long run. We carefully look at when it’s feasible to FOCUS ON EFFICIENCY service the machines in order to keep them Mondi Syktyvkar is a leading producer of in production as much as possible, and we the pulp and paper industry in Russia. For- also evaluate the benefits of replacing a part estry Chief Engineer Stanislav Navratil is Aleхandr Cnitin has worked at Mondi since 2001 as a forest machine operator. He says drivers are happy with Ponsse. “Until a couple of years ago we had forest machines from different brands. Naturally, it took some time to get acquaint- ed with the new machines. The Ponsse machines have held up well, and they are quite comfortable. The cabin is excel- lent, and service and support is never far away. We used to service the machines ourselves whenever we could, but we had to wait for service technicians to arrive whenever there was a bigger issue. Full Service really is a big plus.” 9
REPORT / KOMI ” The men consider their work meaningful and fulfilling. Cold weather and night shifts aren’t really a problem—it’s a matter of having the right attitude to work. In the winter, we stop working if the temperature falls to 32 degrees Celsius since we don’t have warm service buildings here. to Mobilny Service. as good working conditions—modern machinery RESPONSIBILITY AT MONDI Mr. Navratil says: “With Full Service, we want to and camps with amenities,” he says. Operators also SYKTYVKAR increase the efficiency of our operations—increase receive seasonal extra pay as well as compensation Mondi administers 2,113,031 hectares harvesting productivity, carefully manage service for living away from home. of natural forest in Russia. Given this and spare parts costs and improve predictability Inclement weather makes it difficult to keep scale, responsible management of of cash flow. Outsourcing machine service really harvesting wood year-round in Komi. Mondi ceases forests has a major impact on the com- helped us open up some bottlenecks of our busi- its harvesting operations when the temperature pany’s operations. Long-term forest ness. We now keep all machines running practically reaches a low of -32 degrees Celsius. This means management aims to improve harvest- 24 hours a day, the planned end-of-year mainte- that on average, one to two weeks of productive ing productivity and wood quality. The nance downtime notwithstanding. This is why we working time are lost each year. This year, the wet company is also responsible for forest place high demands on machine reliability and conditions can seem challenging, but Mr. Navratil regeneration after harvesting. Refor- esting is carried out using seedlings quality of service. We want to focus on the aspects prefers rain to extreme heat and drought that can from the company’s own nurseries, or of our business we know best. start forest fires in the summer. by supporting the natural regrowth of It is important to us to work in a strong partner- “Safety and sustainable development are our forests. Forests are only regenerated ship who is also willing to listen to our concerns top priorities,” says Mr. Navratil. All the wood we with local tree species, which ensures and is able to adapt to our needs.” Indeed, while ser- acquire is FSC certified, and our entire operation that they are resistant to pests and vice standards are set by Mondi, machine servicing conforms to the ISO 14002 standard. Reforestation diseases. partners are independently responsible for quality in Komi is the responsibility of harvesting compa- and efficiency of service. nies. “We reforest our logging sites ourselves, and Mondi also has an important role in A single harvester might accumulate as many as we own and operate nursery for this purpose,” Mr. preventing and combatting dangerous forest fires. The probability of forest 5500-6000 efficient hours a year and harvest a total Navratil says. fires is small, but if they occur they of about 87,000 cubic metres of wood. Before adopt- can cause great damage due to their ing the current operating model, Mondi managed to potential scale and the difficulty of harvest between 45,000 and 65,000 cubic metres of reaching remote areas. In developing wood annually. The growth in productivity has been responsible operations, the company impressive. will cooperate with various bodies, According to Mr. Navratil, machine operator including The Komi Science Centre and turnover is low: “They feel secure, because we’ve the Syktyvkar Forest Institute in the been able to eliminate most of the impact caused by Komi Republic. seasonal changes. We offer work year-round, as well 10
Bonus exercise Ponsse News 2/2017 Color the picture and find Ponsse machines Competition winner: 9-year-old Robbie Smith How many Ponsse machines and different kinds of animals can you find in from Scotland. the picture? Send your answer to us by 31th May 2018 either by mail to Correct answers: Ponsse Plc/communications, Ponssentie 22, FI-74200 Vieremä, Finland, 1B, 2D, 3C, or by email to ponssenews@ponsse.com. Remember to include your 4A and 5E contact information! In our next issue we will publish the right answer to the task and the name of the lucky winner. Congratulations!
INNOVATION / PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 THE NEW FOX The new Fox combines Ponsse’s latest new features, an agile construction and fine weight distribution for logging sites with soft terrain. 12
PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 productive A logger’s best friend is now even more economical, comfortable and Ponsse has already been offering the most modern and extensive selection of forest machines and harvester heads. In addition to forest machines, Ponsse’s strength has long been the customer-oriented and productivity-improving information and control systems for forest machines. T he modern PONSSE model series this enables upgrading the already great includes ground-breaking innova- model series to an ever better one. tions, such as Scorpion harvesters and many features that improved A NEW MASTER OF THINNING AND SOFT TERRAIN productivity and usability. During The legendary PONSSE Fox harvester intro- the past years, technological development duced in 2009 will become a part of history has progressed with big steps. Ponsse’s as the new Fox takes its place. The PONSSE philosophy of continuous improvement Fox is an excellent machine for tasks where has proven to be correct, as new technical agility and power is needed. It is very well solutions have been brought to production, suited for thinning work and working on making the machines more efficient and soft terrain. The crane has been brought reliable. Ponsse also takes older machinery close to the cabin in the Fox, offering supe- into consideration in the design work: the rior visibility of the harvester head and de- possibility to upgrade older machines with creasing the space required for the ma- the new solutions is always considered in chine’s movements during thinning work. the designing. Thanks to the positioning of the crane and the eight wheels, the machine’s weight EVEN MORE ECONOMICAL OPERATION IN distribution is excellent, making the Fox 2018 THANKS TO MANY RENEWALS equipped with the correct track system a In addition to continuous improvement, particularly good choice for sites with soft Ponsse unveils many new developments at terrain. 2018. These include new features that im- prove fuel economy, efficiency, usability, PONSSE ACTIVEFRAME ACTIVEFRAME NOW ALSO quality and serviceability. With the ActiveFrame system developed AVAILABLE FOR HARVESTERS Ponsse manufactures a large part of the by Ponsse, there is less stress on the Ponsse´s most manufactured forest ma- components used in the machines itself, operator than when using just a cabin chine the PONSSE Ergo, is now also availa- and for the information and control system, suspension system. ble as an ActiveFrame version. PONSSE the whole production chain is controlled by ActiveFrame is a modern stabilisation Ponsse. Combined with good cooperation system for 8-wheelers. It has a simple and with customers and the most modern forest functional structure, suspending any side- machine factory to be completed in 2018, ways movement directed at the driver effec- 13
INNOVATION / PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 ” tively and unnoticeably. This makes driving fuel economy. more comfortable, and reduces the stress on the operators body since they are on a low- LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION AND The new hydraulic system has er level when compared to e.g. with a ma- INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY been extensively field-tested chine equipped with just a cabin suspension In addition to new products, Ponsse has in different countries, and system. ActiveFrame is also available for the made changes to other models to improve Buffalo, Elephant and ElephantKing for- the fuel economy of the machines. The hy- the results are promising: warder models. draulic system of harvesters has been de- fuel consumption has been veloped further, clearly decreasing fuel con- clearly lower in field tests. POWER FOR PROCESSING AND TRACKS sumption, heat generation in the hydraulics Ponsse has been developing and manu and pressure losses. In the new hydraulic facturing harvester heads since the 1980s. system, the piping and connection blocks The extensive harvester head range offers have been changed to ensure better flow, from debarking eucalyptus to processing. brining a clear improvement to the opera- Larger harvester heads can also be fitted on tion and efficiency of the hydraulics. The track-based solutions. The new PONSSE new hydraulic system has been extensive- H8HD harvester head is specifically de- ly field-tested in different countries, and the signed for harvesting and processing larg- results are promising: fuel consumption has er trunks in demanding conditions. It con- been clearly lower in field tests. In addition, tinues the success of the smaller PONSSE it has been possible to lower the pressures H7HD harvester head and can be installed of the harvester head feed without affecting on the PONSSE Bear harvester and on over work speed. 20-ton track-based machines. The new har- Another important innovation are the vester head model offers a superior per- new control computers, or modules, for the formance considering its size. A power- forest machine information system devel- ful feed, combined with its geometry which oped and manufactured by Ponsse. The new firmly supports larger trunks on feed roll- modules can process information up to 100 ers, guarantees extreme productivity and times faster than the previous generation’s THE RENEWALS FOR THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM The renewals for the hydraulic system have decreased fuel consumption, pressure losses and heat generation. 14
THE NEW PONSSE H8HD Ponsse H8HD is also available equipped with a top saw for more precise utilisation of trees during processing and for handling trees with a lot of branches. equipment. More efficient information processing enables more precise and effi- cient crane and loader handling, providing the operator with a comfortable feel and increasing productivity. The new modules also enable upgrading the machine to the latest information system version long into the future. A BETTER WORKING ENVIRONMENT The operator’s working environment has also been renewed to better meet the oper- ator’s needs and to promote comfort and safety. The new PONSSE Seat is an indica- tion of how Ponsse develops its products to- gether with customers. The PONSSE Seat has been designed for forest machines from the start, and Ponsse has exclusive rights to cabin have also been renewed; they are now it from the seat manufacturer. The PONS- more resistant to wear and dirt, and are eas- SE Seat has better adjustments, firmer pad- ier to clean. ding, more comfortable upholstery and stur- The quality of air and the appropriate dier base than other seat models. At the temperature have been found to have a same time, the upholstery materials of the great impact on the operator’s performance 100 TIMES MORE INFORMATION The Opti information system developed by Ponsse for forest machines has been renewed for software, user interface and modules. The new system can process up to 100 times more information and 100 times faster than the system of the previous generation. 15
INNOVATION / PONSSE RENEWS ITS MACHINE MODEL SERIES FOR 2018 ” in studies. We have introduced a new air urement certificates, look at the EcoDrive conditioning and heating system to most harvester´s key figures in real time fuel of our models with sufficient performance consumption and, for instance, to plan and Ponsse Manager is a modern even for the most demanding conditions. In order the transfer of machines from one forest machine management addition to these renewals, changes affect- logging site to another. PONSSE Manager and information system that for- ing the work and the working environment is a part of the Opti system, it can be retro- est machine entrepreneurs can have already been introduced, for instance, fitted into older machines by updating the use to see the machines’ location, to the Opti 4G system, which has a new Opti4G-system to the latest version. software version with new features. During PONSSE Manager can be used from any- productivity figures by products, 2018, the Opti7+ PC with the latest tech- where with the help of a smartphone, tablet follow and print measurement nology, a touchscreen and better and faster or computer. certificates, look at the EcoDrive responsiveness will be added. The PONSSE Thanks to the information systems being harvester´s key figures in real Scorpion and ScorpionKing models addi- designed and manufactured by Ponsse, we time fuel consumption and, for tionally have improved lighting. The crane have also been able to bring a spare parts instance, to plan and order the boom has more working lights than before, ordering system to forest machines, offices transfer of machines from one and the internal lighting of the cabin has and mobile devices directly for our custom- logging site to another. been changed to use LEDs. These changes ers’ use anywhere and at any time. With the help operators cope better with their work, help of the Ponsse Parts Online system, our promoting the efficient use of the machine. customers can see the information of their machines individually and place orders di- MODERN TOOLS FOR CUSTOMERS rectly from the machine, their office or, say, PONSSE Manager is a modern forest ma- their summer cottage, so that the parts will chine management and information system be delivered as agreed to the desired place. that forest machine entrepreneurs can use to see the machines’ location, productivity figures by products, follow and print meas- DESIGNED PONSSE SEAT The Ponsse Seat has been designed specifically for forest machine use from the start. Ponsse has exclusive rights to the seat model from the manufacturer of the seat. 16
UPDATE OPTI NOW! Update your Opti to the latest version for improved productivity and fuel savings! PONSSE Manager Parts Online IoT Opti4G StanForD2010 Ponsse Ecodrive web Ponsse Sync Fuel Efficiency Easier to use Opti information system is now more reliable, productive and has improved user interface. Update your Opti now and improve your productivity and fuel effieciency! #aloggersbestfriend #ponsse #sustainableforestmanagement A logger’s best friend www.ponsse.com
CUSTOMER / FOWI GMBH 13,000! PONSSE Ready for logging sites in Lower Saxony The 13,000th PONSSE forest machine manufactured in Vieremä, an Ergo 8w harvester, was delivered to FoWi GmbH in Northern Germany. Finnish machines and Wahlers’ services seem to have impressed Frank-Ludger Sulzer, Managing Director of FoWi. E xcept for the Biber harvester, long-term partnerships, as indicated by clinic. With no time for forest manage- which was built by Wahlers its 25 years of cooperation with Ponsse ment, he hired Michael Haarhaus, a Forsttechnik, the company’s and a 35-year customer relationship young forest master, to look after the machine fleet solely consists with FoWi. forests”, says Frank-Ludger Sulzer, of PONSSE´S harvesters FoWi, or Forstverwaltung Wiegers- himself a qualified forester. and forwarders. The are many reasons en, is a harvesting and timber com- “Due to the state of the forests why FoWi is committed to using yellow pany that has 17 employees. Forstver- and low timber prices at that time, it PONSSE machines. First of all, FoWi, waltung Wiegersen looks after an area was difficult to run Forstverwaltung which is situated in Lower Saxony, has of 675 hectares, which the Sulzer fami- Wiegersen profitably. FoWi GmbH was a close, long-term business relationship ly has owned for three generations. therefore founded in 1989 to support with Wahlers Forsttechnik, Ponsse’s “When my father Hartwig Sulzer in- the business. FoWi has been looking German dealer and service partner. herited Forstverwaltung Wiegersen in after the forests of Forstverwaltung Wahlers Forsttechnik, too, appreciates 1979, he had just opened a veterinary Wiegersen ever since. It has also 18
ards was a simple piece of equipment and The PONSSE machine appeared at could only be used in young forests. FoWi’s felling site in 1998. After the used According to Michael Rathjen, Managing PONSSE HS15, the company purchased Director of Wahlers, FoWi and Wahlers have the PONSSE HS10. Since then, FoWi’s greatly benefited from working with each machine fleet has only included PONSSE other. To develop its own Biber harvester, machines, except for the Biber. The new Wahlers had to carry out tests in forests, the eight-wheel Ergo is accompanied by Bear, problem was that they did not have any for- which allows the company to offer its cus- ests. Thanks to short geographical distance tomers harvesting services from thinning and fluent cooperation, the novelties could to regeneration felling. FoWi also has two be tested on Forstverwaltung Wiegersen’s PONSSE Wisent forwarders, and one old land. The long-term partnership has trans- PONSSE S10 machine that is used for lated into a close relationship. training purposes. “Based on this, it was quite natural “Our brand loyalty is based on the high that the first one-grip harvester that FoWi quality of the PONSSE machines and the purchased in 1991 was Wahlers’ Biber,” outstanding maintenance services offered Frank-Ludger Sulzer recalls. by Wahlers Forsttechnik. Everybody op- However, not everybody was fascinated by erating in the field knows how expensive the strongly increasing mechanisation of har- machine down-time is.” Wahlers’ local vesting in Germany in the 1990s. There were spare part warehouse and over-the-night no problems with using harvesters in state- delivery from Ponsse’s warehouse in Iisal- owned forests, whereas private forest owners mi guarantee a service speed that no other had a different attitude. “Even today some manufacturer can match. The machines private forest owners consider an eight-wheel have the PONSSE Opti information sys- machine too brutal for harvesting. Therefore, tem, which is approved by the local forest offered services to other forest owners. it is great that we still have the small Wahlers’ management authorities. “I can transfer FoWi is an entirely different legal entity Biber,” Sulzer says with a laugh. data over the Internet anywhere. This is than the Forstverwaltung Wiegersen forest However, the Biber’s performance was another time-saving feature.” management company. no longer sufficient when a stipulation en- Mutual trust is the customer relation- Cooperation with Wahlers already began tered into force in Lower Saxony according ship’s best cornerstone also from the earlier. “We first contacted Hans Wahlers in to which a harvester cranes reach must be retailer’s point of view. 1983 when he had developed the Räumfix at least ten metres. “Machines have technically developed device and was constantly working on new “Our Biber did not meet this require- with leaps and bounds in the last few solutions for harvesting. Michael Haarhaus ment.” The retailing partnership that years and will also continue to do so in was very interested in Hans’ innovations, Wahlers started with Ponsse in 1993 was an the future. However, our confidential cus- so we already took the Tuiko processor into important milestone for it. “Finnish forest tomer relationship has not changed at all use in 1985. Three people were needed to machines we hardly known in Germany in during the years”, says Michael Rathjen operate the device, which on today’s stand- those days,” says Michael Rathjen. together with Frank-Ludger Sulzer. 19
CUSTOMER CASE / WAHLERS FORSTTECHNIK Wahlers Forsttechnik 25 YEARS AS PONSSE’S PARTNER Cooperation between the German company Wahlers Forsttechnik and Ponsse has been fruitful and grown over the years. When Einari Vidgrén and Hans Wahlers chinery and serviced loading machinery. In signed an agreement on retail partnership addition, the representation of Deutz vehicles between Ponsse and Wahlers Forsttechnik was undertaken. The company specialised in in1993 at the Elmia Wood fair in Jönköping, building sales vehicles for markets. They were Sweden, it was an important milestone for the first vehicles with a self-supporting roof both companies. Finnish forest machines made of polyester. In addition to causing the were largely unknown in Germany at the paths of Einari Vidgrén and Hans Wahlers time, but Hans Wahlers and his company to cross, the storm disaster of 1972 had other had long been well known in the country’s consequences as well. The damage caused by forest industry. Einari Vidgrén and Hans the storm resulted in particular requirements Wahlers had known each other since 1972. on forest machines. The clearing of twigs and At that time, there was a violent storm in branches was a great challenge. As the exist- Germany, felling a huge number of trees. ing machines at the time were not powerful Vidgrén and other Nordic contractors came and stable enough, Hans Wahlers developed to Germany with their forest machines to as- the Räumfix device, an attachment to a forest- sist in dealing with the damage. At the time, ry tractor that is still manufactured and sold Hans Wahlers was one of the few people who worldwide today. When mechanised harvest- had a fully equipped service vehicle at their ing began in the 1980s, Wahlers Forsttech- Wahlers Forsttechnik undertook disposal and were capable of performing nik reacted to the development by building the importing, sales and service of large repairs in the forest. This was how Hans their own Smart harvester “BIBER”, which PONSSE machines in 1993. At Wahlers, who had inherited the company was based on an Atlas four-wheel frame and from his father, Johann, in 1971, was first in- equipped with a Grangärde unit and Mowi the same time, it ceased troduced to the technology of forest machines. parallel crane. Wahlers Forsttechnik built the the production of its own machine from start to finish; even the meas- ” BIBER harvester. FROM VILLAGE BLACKSMITH TO uring and control systems were developed by HARVESTER BUILDER the company.. In 1934, Johann Wahlers set up a village blacksmith’s workshop in Lauenbrück, Low- SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION BEGINS er Saxony. The times were tough. Especially It quickly became clear that the product during the Second World War and after it, the range had to be expanded to larger harvesters ability to improvise was needed to keep ag- and forwarders. To this end, Wahlers Forst- ricultural machinery in operating condition. technik undertook the importing, sales and Hans Wahlers worked at his parents’ compa- service of PONSSE machines in 1993. At the ny already as a child. After becoming a profes- same time, it ceased the production of its sional blacksmith and gathering experience own BIBER harvester. “Thanks to PONSSE at different forging mills, he returned home, Opti, we were the only company operating in graduated as a master craftsman and system- Germany at the time that already met the re- atically developed the company together with quirements for harvester measurement in ac- his father. In addition to blacksmithing, the cordance with the German HKS regulations”, company sold and repaired agricultural ma- says Ralf Dreeke, one of the company’s 20
directors. Ralf Dreeke and Michael Rathjen, who are sons-in-law of Hans Wahlers, have been managing Wahlers Forsttechnik for a long time now. The daughters of Hans Wahl- ers, as well as the spouses of both directors, Anne Wahlers-Dreeke and Monika Rathje, are also working at the company. Anne Wahl- ers-Dreeke has also worked extensively on be- half of women working in the German forest industry. Wahlers currently has more than 90 employees. The company is also the main importer of Ponsse in Austria, the Nether- lands and the German-speaking part of Swit- zerland. The opening of a Wahlers branch of- fice in Uffenheim, Southern Germany, was also an important step in the company’s de- velopment. The company’s original location in Northern Germany was also modernised and significantly expanded through the con- struction of a new building in Stemmen in 2006. The success of the partnership between Ponsse and Wahlers Forsttechnik can also be presented as figures: More than 1,000 new PONSSE machines have so far been sold in Germany, which is also reflected in the ser- opment as follows: “Both family business- Wahlers Forsttechnik’s story began vices offered. At the moment, Wahlers Forst- es have a very similar corporate culture. At in 1934 at a blacksmith’s workshop in technik has the largest PONSSE spare part both Ponsse and Wahlers Forsttechnik, three Lauenbrück. warehouse outside Finland, ensuring a very items always have the highest priority: under- quick access to spare parts to customers. standing and recognising customers’ needs, When the 13,000th PONSSE machine left the continuous improvement of products, the Vieremä factory at the end of January, it and the technical and ergonomic develop- was also shipped to Germany. Ralf Dreeke ment of products to support operators’ health describes the reasons for the positive devel- and occupational safety.” Ralf Dreeke, Anne Wahlers-Dreeke, Monika Rathjen and Michael Rathjen. 21
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PONSSE MOMENT #PONSSE 100 PHOTO CONTEST’S winning photo shows a PONSSE ScorpionKing in rugged Norwegian scenery. The photo is from the Jølster municipality, taken by Martin Braanaas. The area has glaciers and moun- tains, some of which rise up to 1,600 metres above sea level. The lake in the background is Jølstravatnet. 23
CUSTOMER CASE / FORTY YEARS OF FOREST MACHINE WORK Onward to the decades ahead When a company has 40 years of successful forest machine entrepreneurship behind it, you know that’s no ordinary firm. 2017 was a year to celebrate for two im- portant Finnish forestry companies, Metsäkuljetus Hyväriset Oy and Metsä-Multia Oy. Both companies were founded in 1977. As well their long-running success in the field, another thing the two companies have in common is that they both rely on PONSSE machinery and Ponsse’s skilled personnel. M etsäkuljetus Hyväriset and Metsä-Multia oper- METSÄ-MULTIA OY ate in small municipalities in central Finland. Location: Multia Managing director of Metsäkuljetus Hyväriset Reijo Hyvärinen notes that the older generation Machinery: 42 of Hyvärinens began forestry work way back in Personnel: 76 the mid-1960s, and it was on these foundations that the pres- METSÄKULJETUS HYVÄRISET OY ent company was established, in 1977. Managing director of Metsä-Multia Aki Laaja says the company’s history also begins Location: Pielavesi in the 1960s, when the two founders, Reijo Laaja and Reijo Machinery: 8 forest machines, Vuorinen, started their forestry operations. “Our company 7 other machines officially turned 40 in summer 2017,” Laaja says. Personnel: 20 (with subcontractors 45) A RECIPE FOR LONG-LASTING SUCCESS Competition in the forestry industry has been tough, and is only getting tougher. Given this environment, what have the sionally together,” says Aki Laaja. “Of course the machinery two 40-year-old companies been doing right all these years? must be so good that it can withstand the operating condi- “The key to our success has always been our professional tions year in, year out. We bought our first PONSSE forest and committed staff. We are fortunate to have built up a machine in 1987, and ever since then we’ve cooperated great team of employees, who work well and develop profes- closely with Ponsse. This was a wise decision that has paid 24
Ponsse’s machine num ber 500 in 1993 Rauno Hyvärinen, Pen tti Hyvärinen, Esa Vidgre n and Erkki Karppinen. nance services work brilliantly. This is a key factor, and one that contributes hugely to giving us a competitive edge.” “From time to time some of Ponsse’s international cus- tomers visit us to see how things work,” says Reijo Hyvärinen. “It’s great to have a partner company that is at the forefront of developments in the field. And when you see Ponsse’s factory, the international scale of the company really hits home.” COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY IS HERE TO STAY Hyvärinen and Laaja are both second-generation entrepre- neurs, and have seen up close how information technology has made massive strides ahead, even in forest machines. “These days forest machine operators must be computer nerds as well, what with all the software that’s in these machines,” Hyvärin- en laughs. “But computing technology is here to stay, and in its off handsomely for us, and continues to do so.” various forms is taking on a bigger role all the time.” Reijo Hyvärinen also believes that having skilled per- “Well-planned logistics are also extremely important sonnel is essential, as is close cooperation with committed nowadays. We have three operations supervisors, whose job subcontractors and Ponsse. “We received PONSSE´S ma- it is to ensure correct route planning and optimization of chine number 500 in 1993. Our two companies have a long mobility,” says Aki Laaja. shared history, and Ponsse’s dedication to customer service and after-sales service are especially important for a small ONWARD TOGETHER company. Although Ponsse is now a global success story, The future looks bright for both companies, but there is still smaller customers are every bit as important to Ponsse as much to be done. they always were,” Hyvärinen says. “Each PONSSE machine “The most recent machine we’ve bought is a PONSSE is tailored to the specific needs of each customer.” Scorpion, which we got in autumn 2017,” says Reijo Hyväri- nen. “And our collaboration with Ponsse will continue, WORLD-CLASS AFTER-SALES SERVICE there’s no doubt about that.” It’s particularly important in such a capital-intensive indus- Aki Laaja reckons that Metsä-Multia’s main strength is try that the machines remain in good working order, with- the comprehensive service it offers. “Customers want to buy out production being hindered through breakdowns. “Nowa- more and more from the one place. That means we also need days it’s very rare that a machine will be out of production for to be able to offer tillage and planting, for example. In short, more than 24 hours due to some malfunction or other dis- we need to provide all-round forestry service,” says Aki Laaja. turbance,” says Aki Laaja. “Ponsse’s spare parts and mainte- 25
PONSSE NETWORK / RANDALLS EQUIPMENT 50 YEARS OF PIONEERING SPIRIT Ponsse’s Australian dealer Randalls Equipment opened a service centre in Mount Gambier and celebrated its 50 years in business. Y ear 2017 was a multi-milestone year for manufacturing in Tullamarine. Randalls, a Ponsse dealer. The company that is now the longest serving forestry equipment TURNED FOCUS TO LOG HANDLING company in Australia celebrated its 50 years Randalls’ break into heavy duty forestry equipment came in business and opened a service centre in the in 1987 when they were able to secure the rights to sell and city of Mount Gambier. The story of Randalls began in 1957 support Prentice log loaders, a product from the USA. Since when young Ken Randalls migrated from Britain to Aus- that time, many loaders have been sold in Australia. By this tralia after serving in the Middle East with the British Army time, Peter Randalls (on the left in the picture), the son of as a corporal in the Royal engineers during World War II. the company’s founder Ken Randalls, was becoming in- Filled with energy and enthusiasm to start a new life in Aus- creasingly involved in the management of the business and tralia, Randalls did what he knew best and started designing it was decided in 1991 that Peter would assume the role as and fabricating excavator buckets from a small shed in the managing director at the age of 30. suburb of Maidstone, Melbourne. As this business grew The move to build a service centre in Mount Gambier Randalls found himself supplying buckets to equipment started back in 2016. “With the addition of Ponsse to our manufacturers such as Caterpillar who at that time were product line-up and the suitability of these harvesters and 26
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