PONSSE News 1/2012 ENG

hardware, software and serviceJarmo Udd test driving a PONSSE Bear 8w harvester with a C6 crane.there. That's why transfers are problematicfor many competing brands. With regardto some machines, the transfer requires atleast two people, with one first driving toan intersection by car and the other trailingbehind, driving the machine. Getting theC6 ready for transport only takes a coupleof seconds and the "package" isn't too long.The driver has an unobstructed view in thedirection of travel, meaning that transportingthe machine between stands can bedone alone," says Jarmo Udd.Eight-wheel harvesters are changingthe nature of harvestingAccording to Jarmo Udd, many contractorsestimate that their productivity hasincreased by 20 per cent after the transferto eight-wheel machines, more efficientharvester heads and stronger cranes.Examples include a PONSSE Ergo 8w fittedwith a C44 crane and an H7 harvesterhead. "The greatest difference in productivityon thinning sites is attributable to thecrane and the stability of the eight-wheeler.I always prefer to use an Ergo 8w for a secondor third thinning. The crane's agilityand the stability provided by the eightwheels boost productivity.""The eight-wheel harvesters are changingthe nature of harvesting. The eightwheelersare general-purpose machineswhose range of use is more extensive.Thanks to their stability, they are also verydriver-friendly. The machine's centre ofgravity stays low, thereby improving stabilityand driveability, without compromisingthe machine's power. The stability isemphasised when working with a longerreach. The difference to six-wheelers issubstantial, particularly with bigger cranes.The eight wheels of the new harvesters alsoenable a new style of driving, thanks to thestability. Instead of harvesting close to themachine, the operator can harvest underneaththe boom with a longer reach.""The efficiency of both machines andcranes has increased but, at the sametime, the machines have become moreenvironmentally friendly, thanks to lowersurface pressures. Soft soil and slopes arenow accessible and the new cranes makeit possible to harvest wood efficiently alsoin extremely dense thinning sites. Beforethese machines, there was no going to, forinstance, spruce thinnings during very wetsummers due to root system damage. Now,the eight-wheel harvesters easily accesseven these more sensitive areas. Thanksto the stability and low surface pressures ofeight-wheelers, tasks such as summer-timethinnings and slope runs can be performedwithout tracks and chains. Naturally, thisconserves fuel – costs decrease and themachine is "greener"," says Jarmo Udd.This is also a big advantage in countrieswhere machines have to be driven into ashelter for weekends due to security concerns.Given that an eight-wheel vehicle isstable enough without tracks, the tracks donot prohibit transport. In some conditions,six-wheel vehicles have to be equipped withtracks to gain enough stability. This makeswork more difficult and, if these "trackdrills" have to be performed several timesa week, costs will skyrocket."When the eight-wheel thinning harvesterPONSSE Fox was presented for thefirst in Germany, the initial reception wasunwelcoming. Germany is a rather criticalmarket area in terms of conditions andthe level of expectations, and the initialcomments were of the opinion that theFox was not suitable for thinnings. Manythought that the machine looked asymmetricaland that the crane was too far fromthe rear tyres. When we started the demotour in Germany and gave operators achance to try the Fox themselves, opinionschanged completely. The Fox was sold atthe demo events, which is quite extraordinaryin the German market. The machine'sstability and ease of use has promptedexcellent feedback. The fact that the C22crane's reach with the H5 harvester headis 11 metres is also an important aspect.It allows the machine to access extremelydense initial thinnings, given that the craneis located closer to the machine's centre.Moving the machine from one stand to thenext is also easy with the C22," says Jarmo.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 5

The crane specialPONSSE C22parallel craneDesigned especially for thinning, thePONSSE C22 is an efficient harvestercrane equipped with a hydraulic parallelfunction. Its light and simple structure –combined with a reach of up to 11 metres,ease of control and great slewing and liftingforce – makes working highly efficient.The C22 crane is available for the PONSSEFox and Beaver harvesters, and can be connectedto the PONSSE H5 or H6 harvesterhead. The crane’s reach with the H5 harvesterhead is 11 metres and, with the H6harvester head, 10.3 metres (33.8 ft).Technical specifications for the PONSSE C22 parallel crane:Slewing torque (gross)Tilt angleCrane turning angleLifting torque (gross)ReachLifting capacity with full reach52 kNm (Fox)38 kNm (Beaver)+-15 degrees (Fox)+18/-12 degrees (Beaver)250 degrees190 kNm11 m (36.1 ft) (H5)10.3 m (33.8 ft) (H6)1100 kp/11 m (36.1 ft)C Olsson Logging AB, SwedenPONSSE Beaver+C22+H53eConny Olsson, (entrepreneur, operator)"The crane is very easy to use, agile andincredibly strong. You can really adjust it tobe as fast as you could ever hope. The craneand base machine do not pose limitationson the speed and productivity of harvesting.The only limitations to contend withare the operator's skills and reaction time.""The C22 is without doubt one of thebest crane models I've ever driven and I haveworked with all of the competing machinebrands. However, I've never driven a cranethat functions as quickly and smoothly asthe C22. Everyone with previous experienceof driving a forest machine will learn to usethis crane in a matter of hours. It won't takemore than a couple of hours to understandhow the crane works. I am very happy withthe machine and the crane."6Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The crane specialPONSSE C44parallel craneThe geometry of the PONSSE C44 parallelcrane is designed on the basis of its popularlittle brother, the PONSSE C22, but its structuresare built for heavy-duty operations. Thedesign combines the lightness and excellentefficiency of the hydraulically operated parallelcrane, the easy use enabled by the carefullydesigned movement path and superior craneoperation, as well as the power and durabilityfor which Ponsse products are famous.Technical specifications for the PONSSE C44 sliding boom crane:Slewing torque (gross)Tilt angleCrane turning angleLifting torque (gross)Reach43 kNm+18/-12 degrees(+/-20 degrees optional for Ergo 8w)250 degrees230 kNm11 m (H6), 10 m (H7)PONSSE C6sliding boom craneThe PONSSE C6 continues the succession of Ponsse’s popularsliding boom cranes, with a tradition that goes backmore than 20 years. The benefits of a sliding boom craneare especially evident on steep hills and when working ondemanding regeneration felling sites with the H8 harvesterhead.Technical specifications forthe PONSSE C44 sliding boom crane:Slewing torque (gross)Tilt angleCrane turning angleLifting torque (gross)Reach67 kNm+/-20 degrees250 degrees310 kNm10m (32.8 ft)Christian Nannestad8Ponsse News 1 • 2012

hardware, software and serviceThor Schulz, GermanyPONSSE Ergo 8w+C44+H7Thor Schulz (independent operator)Age: 40 yearsExperience: trained as a forest technician,22 years of experience in harvestersCompany: WMHUsual working sites:60% on slopes, 40% on level country"The new parallel crane and eight-wheelmachine have increased my work efficiencyby approximately 20%. According tomy estimation, about 10% of the increase isdue to a reduced amount of back-and-forthdriving, whereas the other 10% is attributableto increased speed and agility.""All of the components requiring maintenanceare easy to access and work on, dueto which the machine's daily maintenanceis quickly done.""I can only say that, all in all, the Ergo8w is a very balanced piece of machinery,all parts of which work together very well.The engine, pumps, crane – each part fitstogether perfectly. The machine's generaldegree of stability is very high. The stabilityis particularly impressive on steepslopes. It is virtually impossible to lift thebogie axle in the air. And on the slopes themachine is unrivaled.""I used to think of my sites as nobodyelse's business. But that was before I triedPonsse. After that, my opinion changed.Since I started harvesting with Ponsse's parallelcrane, my productivity has improvedmarkedly and now, I couldn't imagine operatinga better machine."Karttulan Metsätyö Oy, FinlandPONSSE Ergo+C44+H6Hannu Liikanen (entrepreneur, operator)"The crane's reach – 11 m – allows for areally sizable range. A traditional slidingboom crane is good for regeneration fellingsites and big trees, because it has strongerlifting powers with a longer reach. Whenyou go on thinning sites, the benefits of theC44 parallel crane are obvious.""The C44 is more graceful andsmoother in its movements. And above all,the C44 is user-friendly: it is easy to adjustand learn. The crane gives you an instantfeeling of being 'handy'! I think that ourcranes will continue to be either C22 orC44 cranes."Veljekset Hokkanen Oy, FinlandPONSSE Ergo+C44+H7Esa Hokkanen (entrepreneur, operator)"Versatility may be the best thing aboutthe C44 crane. It has been very well suitedfor both regeneration felling and thinning.Productivity has increased, particularlyon thinning jobs. To put it simply, themachine enables handling a greater numberof trunks. Our fuel consumption hasalso clearly decreased thanks to the C44(2–5 l/h).""I can't think of any negative aspects.This is the crane of the future, no doubtabout it."A. ja T. Myyry Oy, FinlandPONSSE Ergo+ two C44sTapio Myyry"No need to beat around the bush: the C44is the best crane on the market. This iswhat a crane is supposed to be like!"Piiroset Ky, FinlandPONSSE Beaver+C22 andPONSSE Ergo+C44Oskari Piironen"I really enjoy forest work with thesemachines. Both of the cranes are easy touse and learning to use them is a fast process.We will continue to use the C22 andC44 cranes in the future, too."WNK Skogsgallring AB, SwedenChristian NannestadPONSSE Bear+C6+H8"The C6 crane's movements are gracefuland it is easy to operate. Above all, this craneis easy to operate in confined spaces, such asunderneath power lines. The crane is alsofantastic during moves – all you need to dois to shift the crane into transport modeand get a move on. The ball grips makecontrolling the crane easy.""This crane also makes the entiremachine very stabile on rough terrain aswell and when working in sturdy stands.The crane is unbelievably powerful, and itlifts trunks of any size and type effortlessly.The machine's productivity has surpassedour expectations particularly with regardto really big stands, where the machine'spower really comes into its own. With asliding boom crane, one has to learn toharvest wood right next to the machine ina different way, but the crane is superior interms of its power and maneuverability."Oliver Hofstetter, SwitzerlandPONSSE Bear 8+C6+H8"When we purchased the Bear, the cranewas one of the most crucial considerations.None of the other cranes enable such efficientfelling under these conditions, nordo they have sufficient lifting capacity onsteep hills. The C6 is a truly efficient craneand it maintains the same capacity regardlessof whether driving up or down theslope – its power remains the same in allworking positions.""One extremely important feature ofthe C6 is that it can be used to balance themachine on sloping sites so that the boomis pulled back and only the crane extensionis used. This will shift the centre ofgravity for the entire crane down and back.And because the geometry of the extensionpulls it slightly upwards, no actual lifting isneeded. This cannot be done with a parallelcrane. The C6 truly is an incredibly efficientcrane. This feature is unbeatable inmany situations, including during the fellingof standards, where whole trunks needto be lifted over seeding stands."Ponsse News 1 • 2012 9

hardware, software and serviceEmission standards for forest machinesset to tighten –The environment is spared, butWHAT DO OPERATORS SAY?The emission standards for diesel engines have again grown stricter since thebeginning of 2011. Engine manufacturers offer one or two different, less pollutingsolutions. Ponsse's choice has been the SCR system, which promises to reduce fuelconsumption even further. But what do machine operators think, having put thenew engine to the test?10Ponsse News 1 • 2012

NEW STANDARDSREQUIRE newtechnologyThe European Union and North Americahave set emission standards for, amongother vehicles, nonroad diesel-poweredwork machines. The EU standards arecalled Euromot and the federal standardsin the United States are known as Tier. TheEuromot and Tier standards have been harmonisedso that their central requirementsare identical.The main concern for emission standardsare nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates.In Europe, phase I of Euromottook effect in 1999, phase II during 2001–2002, and phase III a in 2006. In theUnited States, Tier 1 was implemented in1996, Tier 2 in 1998 and Tier 3 in 2006.These levels were attained by adjusting thefuel injection and combustion of engines.While this led to lower emission levels, italso often decreased engine efficiency andperformance.In 2011 has seen the introduction of theEuromot III b and Tier 4i (interim) phases,which lowered the permissible NOx emissionsby 50% and the permissible particleemissions by 90%, compared to the previouslevels of Euromot III a/Tier 3. The requisiteNOx levels necessitate new enginetechnology – usually either an EGR orSCR system. When Euromot IV and Tier4 f (final) enter into force in 2014, they willlower the admissible NOx emission levelseven further. This will require even moreadvanced technical solutions, such as combiningthe EGR and SCR systems.Ponsse's 3 b/4i solution:SCR technologySCR is a means by which to reduce theamount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in exhaustgas. In the SCR system, the exhaust gas ismixed with air and a DEF solution. DEFis a solution consisting of water and ureawhich, due to the heat of the exhaust gas,reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) to harmlessnitrogen and water vapour. The systemrequires a catalyst, which is located in theexhaust silencer.The components of a SCR system:• A heated DEF tank (heats up by way ofthe engine's manifold heater and radiatorfluid circulation)• A compressed air system comprising acompressor, tanks and a drier• A DEF dosage adjustment unit• A DEF injection system• A catalytic converter (placed in theexhaust pipe'sexhaust silencer)• PipingContinued on page 13Ponsse News 1 • 2012 11

hardware, software and serviceEntrepreneur Hannu Liikanen and operator Jussi Tenhunen, Karttulan Metsätyö Oy12The forest machine industry has been contributingits share to the global environmentaleffort since the beginning of 2011when the new emission standards concerningdiesel-powered nonroad vehiclesentered into force in the European Unionand North America. Engine manufacturersoffer two different solutions for reducingemissions. Ponsse's choice has been theSCR, or the selective catalytic reductionsystem. In this system, a diesel exhaustfluid (DEF) injected into the exhaust gas inthe catalyst converts toxic nitrogen oxidesinto gaseous nitrogen and water vapour,which means an engine's performance canbe optimised to produce the best possibleresults in terms of fuel efficiency and powergeneration.A clear increase in powerEmission standards, however, are not thefirst thing that comes to mind when havingto weigh up a machine's reliability, economicefficiency and user friendliness. TheSavukoski-based company A&L Harju Oywas among the first to test Ponsse's SCRsystem – also in winter conditions."It felt natural to start testing the newsystem in conjunction with a new machine.So far, the experiences have been quite positiveindeed," says Lauri Harju.Ponsse News 1 • 2012"The positive aspect is thatthe engine seems to havemore strength.In other words, there isnot as much stress as in atraditional engine.""We've had the new machine sinceDecember 2009, or nearly two years, andfor what amounts to approximately 7,500hours."The prototype machine used at Harju isa PONSSE Ergo with an H6 head. Accordingto Lauri Harju, estimating the volumeof fuel consumption is a very challengingtask and it depends on a variety of factors."This machine is used mainly for clearcutting, in which case the consumptionis approximately 14 litres an hour. Thatconsumption is roughly equal to the consumptionof a traditional engine – there'sno great difference there. But we cannotreally compare fuel consumption as such,since our other machines have a differentharvester head."The engine's improved efficiency, however,does receive praise."The most positive aspect is that thereseems to be more power. In other words,the the engine responses to loading betterthan a traditional one."The people at Karttulan Metsätyö Oyagree."The difference with the previousengine is remarkable. The machine's woodintake is better than before. There is alsoplenty of power to be found when smokeprevention no longer diminishes powerwhen putting a load on the machine. Theengine doesn't sputter and feeds very well,even with big wood – the run to the cuttingpoint is a quick job," says entrepreneurHannu Liikanen.DEF solutions: more benefits or morework?In the SCR system, the exhaust gas is mixedwith air and a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF);product brands include AdBlue. The clearadvantages of SCR are the reduced thermalstress on the engine and, consequently, thereduced wear and tear of engine components.In terms of its usage and servicefeatures, an SCR engine is simple, and itdoes not require separate adjustments. Themachine's operator is responsible for addingthe urea solution.Whereas an SCR engine's power andconsumption is praised, its capacity to

withstand winter conditions is questionable,since the urea solution added to thefuel freezes at -11°C. Having tested the SCRsystem in winter conditions, Lauri Harju'scomments are frank:"It does cause extra work. The solutionhas to be brought on site in an unfrozenand warm state. Outdoor storing is out ofthe question during winter. We add theAdBlue to the tank in conjunction withrefuelling once a day, meaning that, thankfully,it does not require any separate workstages."Despite the required effort, Lauri Harjufeels comfortable with the new system."I wouldn't go so far as to criticise thesystem. After all, we will all face this sooneror later, as the standards become tougher.The additional refuelling requires its ownwork and one cannot compliment theadditional cost brought on by AdBlue. Onthe other hand, the engine's maintenanceand other servicing has not undergonechanges."Fine-tuning and development ideasThe challenges related to adding the ureasolution separately have also inspired developmentideas.Entrepreneur Raimo Vastamaa andoperator Jari Komu of Metsäkone VastamaaOy think that some kind of heat insulatedtank for the purposes of AdBlue might be apracticable solution. In other respects, Vastamaa'sfeedback after five months of experiencein the SCR engine is very positive."We've taken a good leap forwardin terms of fuel economy and haulingcapacity."The addition of AdBlue is likewise thesole point of criticism expressed by entrepreneurJarmo Kuukka of Forest-TeamKuukka Oy."Refuelling the Fox itself is easy, butadding the solution does amount to additionalwork." Kuukka has praise for theFox's power."Works great and is very quiet as well."Although the objectives of emissionstandards include both lower environmentalimpact as well as cleaner and saferworking environments for operators, LauriHarju perceives the significance that theforest machine industry carries for the environmentaleffort to be rather minor:"While reduced emissions in generalare a positive development, I don't seethem as meaningful in the forest machineindustry."Continued from page 11Benefits of the SCR system:Engine reliability• Allows for lower thermal stress onthe engine (a more optimised combustionprocess), which ensuresbetter durability for many enginecomponents.Better engine performance• Lower fuel consumption undernormal conditions.An SCR engine is not sensitive tofluctuations in the quality of fuel• An SCR engine is easy to useand maintain. Requires only theaddition of DEF when necessary– no adjustment or other suchrequirements.• Most manufacturers of large nonroaddiesel engines have selectedthe SCR method as a 'future technology'with which to achieve theEuromot IV/Tier4 f levels.• The SCR method converts toxicnitrogen oxides to harmless nitrogenand water vapour.A significantly reduced climateimpact• Provides operators with a cleanerand safer work environment as well.Other points worth noting:The SCR system brings more componentsto engines, as well as some additionalparts that require maintenance(changing filters).Diesel exhaust fluids (DEF) cost –although not as much as fuel. The overalleffect is positive, since the reductionin fuel consumption is greater than theconsumption of DEF.The freezing point of DEF is -11°C,which should be remembered in relationto storage, transportation andhandling.Keywords relating to lower emissions3B engines: a generic name for engineswhich meet the emission standards ofEuromot III b, which took effect in 2011.SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction): asystem in which a fluid injected intothe exhaust gas in a catalytic converterconverts toxic nitrogen oxides into anon-toxic gaseous nitrogen and watervapour.DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid):a solution of water and urea, such asAdBlue.EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation): an alternative3B system in which a portion ofexhaust gases is recirculated throughthe engine's inlet air to the cylinders.Replacing oxygen with exhaust gaslowers the combustion temperatureand thereby the generation of nitrogenoxides. The drawback is poorer fueleconomy. Requires normally also dieselparticulate filter (DPF).Performance and fuel efficiencyLimiting emissions with the SCR systemallows for adjusting an engineto run according to the best possiblepower, force and fuel efficiency. Inother words, emissions need not belimited by weakening the combustionprocess.Based on users' experiences, anSCR engine's response to sudden loads– such as when starting the feed of bigtrees – is clearly better than that ofolder engines.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 13

Ponsse maintenance servicesFrom the Iisalmi Service Centre to all cornersof the globeMaintenance andspare parts roundthe clockPonsse customers are provided with timely and professional services all around the world,wherever one can see yellow forest machines at work. Prompt spare parts deliveries,technical support and service development are managed by Ponsse's Iisalmi Service Centre,in cooperation with the global service network.14Ponsse News 1 • 2012

hardware, software and servicePonsse News 1 • 2012 15

hardware, software and service"Our main concern is to provide localservices that meet our customers' needs,24/7, if necessary, and regardless of whatthe time is in Finland," says service directorTapio Mertanen. Ponsse's fast, reliable andglobal service is made possible by a insightfullyplanned service network. The 150 serviceand spare parts centres around the worldare close by – where the customers are. Animportant element of the service operations,our central warehouse, is located only 25 km(15 ml) from the factory."We can see how important an advantagethe factory's proximity is in the cooperationbetween the Iisalmi Service Centreand the factory. The factory in Vieremä is alsoresponsible for manufacturing a major shareof our spare parts. When our spare parts andmaintenance service system towards thesubsidiaries functions on an internationallevel, it makes no difference to the customerwhere the actual logistics centre is located.As a Finnish company, one that hails fromthe district of Upper Savo, it is nonethelessimportant for us to work from here."The Iisalmi Service Centre is a centralwarehouse that maintains local spare partswarehouses customised according to continentand country. Each year, the IisalmiService Centre ships more than one millionpieces of spare parts and equipment all overthe world in nearly 100,000 separate dispatches.The warehouse functions roundthe clock in three shifts, seven days a week."We have made substantial investments inlocal warehouses and built local operations onthe basis of local customer needs. This enablesus to minimise risks related to time consumptionand logistics. The local representativesknow their regions and customers, includingeach customer's machinery and uniquedemands. Regular restocking with core deliveriesensures functional and seamless servicenear the customer and work sites."Growth dictated by customer needsAll in all, the Iisalmi Service Centre employsapproximately 100 people and comprises aspare parts warehouse, a workshop, spareparts overhauling, a technical support andmaintenance training, documentation andused machine sales."We relocated to Iisalmi from Vieremä in1995. Since then, the Service Centre's operationshave expanded and diversified to suchan extent that the two previous extensions arequickly proving to have been insufficient.It is time to look forward and thereforeanother extension of the logistics centre willbecome topical in the not-too-distant future,"says Tapio Mertanen.The Iisalmi Service Centre is far frombeing a mere central warehouse or a maintenancecentre. In addition to practical spareparts logistics, the Service Centre functions asthe place for planning, mapping and developingboth training and services."We develop training systems continuously.The know-how we've pioneered and16Ponsse News 1 • 2012

hardware, software and serviceaccumulated throughout the years is introducedto the field actively to ensure that itis available to our customers through bothPonsse professionals and our contractedservice partners," says Mertanen.Service development and customer satisfactionsurveys – conducted among subsidiaries,retailers as well as customers –also constitute an essential part of the ServiceCentre's activities.The Service Centre's daily internationalatmosphereGlobal operations are as essential featureof the daily routines of exports spare partssalesperson Irina Goman ."Russia is an important exports destinationcountry for Ponsse. My own area ofresponsibility also includes Latvia, Lithuaniaand Estonia," says Goman.Contacts from the Iisalmi Service Centreto subsidiaries and service centresaround the world are daily."The days are busy. For example, inaddition to one to three express deliveries,we dispatch two warehouse shipments toSt. Petersburg every week. Our customersthroughout Russia are then managedthrough St. Petersburg," explains Goman.The schedules of service parts deliveriesvary greatly depending on the destinationcountry."Due to customs regulations, deliverytimes to Russia range from two tofour weeks. The difference is considerablewhen compared to Sweden or CentralEurope, for example, for which deliverytimes are, at best, merely a day or two.This is why comprehensive local spareparts services carry such significance on agreat many markets."The Iisalmi Service Centre employs fiveexport spare parts salespersons, who managethe spare parts orders for a total of 25countries. The Service Centre houses some22,000 stock items. In addition to centralwarehousing, the Iisalmi Service Centreprovides global maintenance advice."There are differences between countries.In Russia, maintenance and serviceare always carried out on site," saysGoman.When the customer succeeds, wesucceed"Capital goods, such as forest machines,and our ability to help our customers tobuild their businesses demand long-termcommitment and relationships based ontrust," says Tapio Mertanen, when askedabout the principles guiding Ponsse'soperations."Besides being an industry pioneer interms of technology and logistics, our ownand our customers' success demands theadoption of a customer-driven service culture.I am very proud of the fact that, theglobal level included, we have attractedemployees committed to Ponsse's customerservice values."Whether the issue concerns spareparts, contracted maintenance services,technical support or training, Ponsse'scustomers receive full support from a localteam of professionals, either Ponsse's ownpersonnel or authorised maintenance services.In addition to local training sessions,Ponsse arranges training opportunities forthe global service network continuously atIisalmi and Vieremä."We always take conditions into considerationand take our services as close tothe customer as possible, in terms of bothgeography and the local operational culture.Maintaining a standard level of professionalskills within our global networkon all market areas presents us with a tremendouschallenge, but one in which wewant to invest," says Mertanen.The 150 service and spare parts centres around theworld are close by – where the customers are.Spare parts salesperson Ilpo Keränen (left) andservice director Tapio Mertanen.Exports spare parts salesperson IrinaGoman is in charge of spare parts shipmentsto Russia and the Baltic countries.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 17

hardware, software and servicePONSSE LoadOptimizer– a load scale makes for a smart partnerEasier and more accurate weighingLast year, Ponsse published a new versionof the software for the PONSSELoadOptimizer. The new features facilitateand enhance the harvesting of energywood and multi-stemmed industrial wood.Weighing accuracy has been developeddiligently, because the use of load weightmeasurement as a handover and workmeasurement is on the increase. Themethod has been met with very positivefeedback from operators and wood buyers.In Version 2.0 of PONSSE LoadOptimizer,control measurement is made easierwith a new method based on randomsampling. The calibration and adjustmentof the scale has become increasingly effortlesswhen it can be carried out as part ofany given job. The software suggests tothe operator to perform random samplingweighings, guides the operator in measurementsand reports accuracy per timbergrades. The adjustment of load scalemeasurement and measurement monitoringbased on random samplings has beenincluded in Finnish Metsäteho's calibrationand adjustment guidelines.Development that benefits theoperator"Automation comes in many forms. Sometimesit manifests as cool functionalitieswith no real purpose. At Ponsse, automationalways serves the operator andincreases the operator's work efficiency.The scale's random sampling weighing isa good example of this," says Esko Havimäki,Ponsse's training manager."An operator's efficiency is greatlyinfluenced by how strongly the operatortrusts the machine. The random samplingswitches on automatically about five timesduring a work shift. The automation hasbeen developed for the operator, to obviatethe need for continuous attention to measurementconfigurations or calibration."The scale collects the data automaticallythrough control lifts and weekly calibrations.The operator does not need notmaintain a separate log book. Rather, thedata on the accuracy of measurementsand the adjustments performed are savedin the scale's memory, from where it canbe printed out or forwarded as a datatransmission.Easy and effortless to use"The objective is to clarify and increasethe efficiency of work. The random samplinguser interface guides the operatorwith simple texts and illustrations. Normally,the operator only needs to press theOK button once during each random sampling,"explains Havimäki.A TRUNK COUNTER FOR MULTI-STEM-MINGThe upgrade to Opti4G published in thespring continues to increase the efficiencyof multi-stemming. In a survey conductedby Metsäteho Oy in the summer, the trunkcounter of Opti4G's version 4.710 wasfound to be extremely accurate (Kärhä &Mutikainen: Metsäteho 14/2011).The programmed and automated catchmovements of a harvester head handleboth multi-stemming and the harvestingof individual trees. The harvester generatesthe number count reports directly inthe Opti4G data system. The measurementof multi-stemmed industrial and energywood, on the other hand, is performedwith a load scale installed in the forwarder.Opti4G compiles and reports the data concerningthe multi-stemmed wood in aStanForD file format.18Ponsse News 1 • 2012

hardware, software and service"The operator's work is not sloweddown because of weighing. Wood ispiled during each control lift, too,and the 'workout phase' (or liftingweights for the purposes of controlmeasurements) can be abandonedaltogether," says training managerEsko Havimäki."PONSSE LoadOptimizer does not slowdown or change work patterns. We havebeen particularly careful not to make themeasurement device a device that slowswork down. In the new weighing methodbased on random sampling, the measurementdevice learns the operator's way ofworking and the machine's output will notdecrease because of the scale."A scale that learns the operator'sway of workingKauko Kaarlejärvi, from the municipalityof Ranua, has used the new randomsampling weighing method for a goodtwo months now, on the logging sites ofMetsäliitto."The new weighing system is simpleand easy to learn. In the old system, thescale was adjusted by lifting the weight 20times. You were left with a feeling that youwere adjusting yourself to function accordingto the scale. The new system, on theother hand, really feels like the scale isbeing adjusted to function according tothe operator."For the time being, Kaarlejärvi and thetimber company have agreed to conductweekly calibrations at the start of eachstand. The random sampling lifts havegone well."One uses the crane slightly differentlydepending on the side: every operatorhas their own way of working, and someunload on the right side, some on the left.It is positive that the random sampling liftsare performed per operator and separatelyfor each side of the load space. Once youhave learned how to use the method, therandom sampling weighings do not slowdown work and the scale can be trusted."Ponsse's service centres and user trainers willbe happy to provide you with further informationabout the LoadOptimizer.Half a lifetime with PonsseThe door starts revolving first thing in the morning. The room is occupied by a man whoknows Ponsse's machines like the back of his hand. The man is the product manager of theharvester line, Risto Vidgrén.During his more than 30-year career atPonsse, Risto Vidgrén, who turned 60 lastJuly, has worked as a warehouse keeper,procurement officer, service manager andproduct developer, before his current positionas a product manager. Risto's work hastaken him from his home district to themidst of an international clientele.Risto – known as a man of technology– has spent his most memorable momentsamong customers and various developmentprojects. High points include thetransition into aluminium frames, thedevelopment of the first harvester headsand product family 2000, and the introductionof hydrostatics. Everything hasalways been carried out by lending an earto the preferences of customers and theforest industry."It has been wonderful to engage inlong-term cooperation with customers,both foreign and domestic. In many cases,such as with the owners of Metsä-MultiaOy – Kai and Aki Laaja – the cooperationhas continued through a change of generations.In the case mentioned, cooperationwas close already during the time of theirfather, Reijo Laaja . Taking care of customers,flexibility and the idea of 'when customerssucceed, we succeed' have retainedtheir position as central Ponsse valuesthroughout the decades," says Risto.Active interaction with customers"I have particularly fond memories of mytrip to the United States in 1992. Although,as service manager, I was on the road prettymuch all the time, arriving on a new continentwas exciting. At the airport, I was metby our company's longtime customer, DennisBrown. Meeting him for the first timewas a memorable experience in itself," saysRisto."But the good thirty years on the jobhave naturally included their fair share ofdifferent kinds of stories as well – ones inwhich cooperation has not taken off quiteas we hoped. Once a harvester head didnot work as it was supposed to and theentire situation threatened to turn into awrestling match. But in the end, even thatpredicament was solved and an agreementwas reached."What has kept Risto at Ponsse for morethan 33 years?"One of the reasons is undoubtedlymy extreme interest in technology andadvancement in that field. And my enthusiasmis still far from being quenched. Naturally,the environment has also played itspart: my family is from around these parts,I've established a home here and this isalso where my friends are."Ponsse News 1 • 2012 19

hardware, software and serviceMetsätyöVeljekset Oksanen ky,Hannu and Jari Oksanen• 200,000 cubic metres a year• 4,000 hours per year• Three subcontracted machine chains• Machines: PONSSE Elk 8w,PONSSE Buffalo 8w, PONSSE Beaver,PONSSE ErgoHannu and Jari Oksanen, brothers whohail from Niemisjärvi, started cooperationon forest machine contracts slightly morethan seven years ago, when they establishedtheir own company. But even at thetime, the brothers were no novices. Thebrothers were introduced to forest workand machine contracting already as youngmen, working at their father's contractingfirm, Unto Oksanen Ky.Hannu and Jari concluded their firstPONSSE servicing agreement in 2008,for their PONSSE Ergo and have notlooked back since: at the moment, all ofthe machines of the brothers' companyare covered by both Logger's Total and theextended care service agreement."There is no denying that the systemis a relief. We are able to anticipate maintenanceneeds and stick to schedules andtherefore avoid unnecessary downtime.On a regular servicing day, we take themachine to Ponsse's Jyväskylä outlet firstthing in the morning. The machine is usuallyback at work in mint condition by thenext day," says Hannu."And it's a given that the machine's resalevalue remains higher when the spareparts used in servicing are original andscheduled maintenance is carried out by ateam of professionals," he continues."Not to mention that – being a familyman such as myself – you are left withmore of that valuable spare time whenthere's no need for cleaning or juggling oilcontainers after the shift ends," adds Jari.The brothers also praise the PONSSEBonus system introduced at the beginningof the year. The system provides MetsätyöVeljekset Oksanen with valuable discountson Ponsse spare parts purchases and thebest benefit of their servicing agreementwith Ponsse.Ponsse's regional sales manager Pekka Rajala (left), and entrepreneurs Hannu, Unto andJari Oksanen and Jari's sons, Eetu and Aleksi. The date of the interview coincided withUnto's 60th birthday."The servicing agreementbrings a systematicelement to the machines'maintenance."Ponsse News 1 • 2012 21

hardware, software and serviceFeatures that influence the comfortof PONSSE machinesWe do not compromise on ergonomicsand user-friendliness.The PONSSE Comfort user interfacecombines ergonomic control handleswith easy arm support adjustment andclear control devices.123The 'holy trinity' of PONSSEergonomics – visibility, convenience andease of use are the most important factorsfor an operator. Big windows, minorvibration and sway as well as the detailsin the chassis design are characteristicsthat define every PONSSE machine. Couplethis with an intelligent data processingsystem, and you arrive at unsurpassedcomfort in the cabin.4Versatile and easy to use,the Opti data processing system adjustsexactly according to the operator's wishes.5Enough lighting power forthe entire work area.6The roomy cabin offers excellent visibilityand an ergonomic environment inwhich even longer shifts pass withoutdiscomfort.7Service work is facilitated and made saferwith an ample amount of treads and griphandles.9The eight-wheel harvester is not easilyswayed. Thanks to top-notch driveabilityand comfortable working conditions, theoperator stays alert.11Despite its sturdiness, the cylinder-poweredframe lock of larger modelsfunctions smoothly.8Serviceability is developed continuouslywith, for instance, accessible steeringcylinder casings, movable service laddersand the grapple's pivoting oil container.10Equipment and spare parts can bestored both in the cabin and outsidethe cabin.12Refuelling pumps are equipped withoverfill protectors.Ponsse News 2 • 2011 23

Logging heroesMore than two decades as Ponsse's retailer in Sweden:AN Maskinteknik ABThe family business AN Maskinteknik AB was the first Ponsse retailer in the world.The cooperation of AN Maskinteknik and Ponsse began as early as in 1990. Nowadays, thesecond generation of the company sells PONSSE forest machines and provides spare parts andmaintenance services in the county of Norrbotten.AN Maskinteknik AB is in the co-ownershipof Veli Niskala and his son, Kimmo Niskala.The generational change became topical ayear ago when Veli Niskala's associate andthe company's other founder, Göte Alatalo,retired. Taking the step of becominga company owner was not an easy one forKimmo Niskala. After having worked as amechanic for AN Maskinteknik from 1996to 2003, he and his family had relocated toanother part of the country."The decision felt good," says KimmoNiskala now.According to Kimmo, the short distanceto the factory also provides him witha chance to attend Ponsse's training sessionsin Finland. One can clearly sensethe enthusiasm he has for developing thecompany."Continuous training is essential,because our skills are immediately evidentin the customer service we provide.Right now, we have a great drive for gettingthings done and for continuous improvement.We have renewed our fleet of servicevehicles and tools, modernised operationsand increased investment in our companyimage."Comprehensive servicesNowadays, AN Maskinteknik has wellequipped premises totaling 1,100 m² inHaparanda. The premises also house anextensive spare parts warehouse. The servicehall has enough space for the simultaneousservicing of four machines. Inaddition to Veli and Kimmo, the companyemploys two mechanics and spare partssalespersons.AN Maskinteknik's collaboration withPonsse AB covers, for instance, usedmachine sales. Norrbotten is a large countywith relatively rough terrain, mixed forestand plenty of thick-limbed pine in the rivervalleys. The distances between stands arelong and the forwarders need to be big.The Niskalas are very familiar with thechallenges of the Swedish market."The local machine entrepreneurs doconcede that Ponsse has excellent forwardersand that the power of its harvesters onclear cutting sites is unbeatable. Yet, inthe past, we have not been able to gain astrong foothold on thinnings in Sweden.Now, that is about to change, thanks to thenew C22 and C44 cranes, the H5 harvesterhead, the Fox and other eight-wheelers. Wecan now provide some really good toolsfor thinnings and multi-stemming sites,in addition to the buoyancy of the eightwheelerson soft soil. The modifiable loadspace solutions and the balanced bogiesin the forwarders are also important in"The best thing in ourcooperation with Ponsse isthe lack of complications."northern Sweden, due to the long drivingdistances. We have responded to customers'needs and the product range is nowextensive."History from yellow-greensto eight-wheelersAccording to Veli Niskala, the cooperationwith Ponsse began after his former businesspartner, Göte Alatalo, visited Ponsse's factoryin 1987. Alatalo visited Ponsse togetherwith a forest machine entrepreneur fromNorrbotten who wanted to deal directlywith the factory. The deal on the secondyellow-green Ponsse machine in Norrbottenwas concluded.Einari Vidgrén introduced the ideathat Ponsse should provide the local customerwith maintenance services. In theautumn of 1988, Alatalo and Niskala establisheda maintenance services company.At the time, there were only three Ponssemachines in the county of Norrbotten, dueto which the company's servicing truckalso made rounds to cover the maintenanceof other machine brands."Right after we set up shop we receiveda letter from Einari, in which he told usthat he had sold Ponsse to Norcar. For us,as brand new entrepreneurs, this piece ofnews was chilling, even though Einari andEsa Vidgrén remained in the managementof Norcar. But in 1992, Einari bought thecompany back and that same year, we soldour first Ponsse harvester head in Norbotten,"says Veli Niskala."We spent practically the entire 1990son the road. Our truck ran up some145,000 kilometres a year, since our salesarea covered half of Sweden. After the establishmentof Ponsse AB in 1995, we focusedour operations on the county of Norrbotten.In 1995, we signed our first officialretailer agreement with Ponsse.""In 2000, we took the company's developmentone step further by acquiring ourown permanent premises. Until then, wehad worked out of leased premises for severalyears. And before that, our warehousewas in Göte's garage," says Veli Niskala,smiling at the memory."2011 was a good year, and the neweight-wheelers and the H5 harvester headdesigned for thinning have clearly bumpedup sales."Smooth cooperation generatesfaith in the futureOn the cooperation between the factoryand AN Maskinteknik, the main aspectsVeli Niskala wants to mention are hospitalityand the company's values."Whenever we arrive in Vieremä withcustomers, the welcome is warm." Theexceptional degree of customer-orientationin every aspect of the business really worksat Ponsse. The principle of "we keep ourpromises" also distinguishes us from thecompetition in the export market."The best thing in our cooperation isthe lack of complications. Issues are discussedfrankly and problems are solvedquickly," sums up Kimmo Niskala.24Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Logging heroesAccording to Veli (left) and Kimmo Niskala, continuoustraining and close interaction with the factory also providetheir own customer service with a strong foundation. ANMaskinteknik's contact person at Ponsse is Jussi Hentunen,regional manager and product manager of used machines(centre).Ponsse News 1 • 2012 25

Logging heroesPONSSE Bear 8wThe punch-packing heavyweight wastested on Scottish hillsBy: Mark Andrews (Forestry Journal)The PONSSE Bear 8w was introduced to the public in the summer of 2011, at the Skogsnolia andSkogsElmia trade fairs held in Sweden. But the PONSSE Bear 8w has already been in action on thesteep slopes of Scotland for the past two years. Prior to its inclusion in serial production, the Bear8w was tested in the very conditions the machine was designed for. Looking for slopes steep enoughand trees stout enough to bring out the best in the Bear in the vicinity of Ponsse's Vieremä factorywould have been an exercise in futility.Sandy Douglas has been driving hisPONSSE Bear 8w for two years now. Hecame to it from a six-wheel Ergo, so he isin a position to make comparisons. Theone thing he misses about the Ergo is itslevelling cab.Apart from that, the Bear wins handsdown. Despite weighing half as much, theeight-wheel configuration means it traversessoft ground much more easily. Thesix-wheeler can punch holes in the groundwith its big back wheels. Also, the Bearclimbs a lot better, has greater stability andmore traction."I haven't needed a second set of tracksyet," said Sandy, this despite having workedone site of Lodgepole pine growing on 'bottomlesspeat'.Swift on swampland, tooThe power of the crane came into its ownon the peat. It was able to lift trees out ofGareth Williams, Sales Manager at Ponsse UK, and operatorSandy Douglas at the Bear 8w logging site.26Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Logging heroesPONSSE Bear 8wThe extremely stable and efficientPONSSE Bear 8w is particularly suitablefor slopes, otherwise challengingsites and regeneration felling. The Bearhas a powerful engine and double-circuithydraulics. The new PONSSE C6sliding boom crane further improvesthe capabilities of the Bear by providingmore stability, speed and power for thejob. The sliding boom crane is unbeatableon steep hills and when workingon demanding regeneration felling siteswith the H8 harvester head.Technical specifications:Length:8,885 mm (349.8 in)Engine:Mercedes-Benz OM626 LAPower:240 kW (322 hp)Crane pump:190 cm³ (11.6 cu in)Harvester head pump:190 cm³ (11.6 cu in)Harvester head:PONSSE H8 (feed speed 0-5 m/s (0-16 ft/s),maximum opening 740 mm (29.1 in), feed power 36 kN (8093 lbf)Cranes:PONSSE C55 or PONSSE C6Net weight (starting from):26,800 kg (59083.9 lbs)Typical weight:27,900 kg (61509 lbs)the swamp, rootplates and all, Sandy toldus. And this was a site where tracked harvestershad been deployed and found thegoing difficult.At the time of the conversation, theBear engaged in clearing 4,000 tonnes ofmainly Sitka spruce. 500 tonnes remained,which would take the job into next week.The previous contractors had been pulledoff the site after an accident. They had notgot round to the most difficult parts, andsome challenging corners of particularlyboggy ground remained.This particular Bear was one of thefirst with eight wheels – a prototype, infact. Had there been a lot of problems toovercome?Apparently not – bigger return pipes onthe slew motors; apart from that, nothingmuch.The Bear is fitted with an 11-metre C55parallel crane. Alternatively, if desired, itcan be delivered with a C6 telescopic crane.According to Sandy, fuel consumptionis 15 or 16 litres an hour – "A wee bit morethan the old Ergo." The head is a PONSSEH8, and Sandy was impressed with thespeed at which it feeds the trees – 5 metresa second. The head has four feed motorsdriving three feed wheels.Some of the trees harvested on this siteweighed four tonnes and their girth wassuch that they took several attempts beforethey could be felled – "Death by a thousandcuts," as Sandy put it, adding that he hadharvested some impressively large sticks,including some that should have been leftfor the chainsaw. The measuring systemwas particularly accurate – "spot on" – andthe fact that the geometry of the head wassuch that the knives don't have to be usedto keep hold of the tree made it easier tohandle larger stems.With the stability of eight wheelsThe site on which the Bear was workingwas at Inverfarigaig, beside Loch Ness.Given that it spent its working life in theHighlands, the Bear had naturally workedon steepish ground, but Sandy felt it hadnever really been pushed to its limits."Bet you can't wait to test her out on areally steep site?""Oh no," came the quick reply..."I'm happy on the flat!"The machine's stability was enhancedby the fact that six of the tyres were filledwith water. The remaining two, behind thecab, could also be filled if this ever provednecessary. The machine had weighed 27.5tonnes before it got the water.Prior to getting the eight-wheel Bear,Sandy had been impressed with a sixwheelversion, handling very big, 'nasty'Sitka near Aviemore. He had also testedan eight-wheel Bear with a smaller crane,which he felt was not quite adequate forthe machine.Sandy started in the woods in 1986.One of many cutters, he worked with aTimberjack skidder for a number of years.His first experience of mechanised harvestingcame when he graduated onto an Ösaharvester.Life in the cab is different now:"You even get somewhere to put yourtea," he said, with evident satisfaction."This is an easy job really," he says, surveyinghis surroundings, before rememberingthat,"Parts of it were a nightmare.Some of the worst bits were left, includingsome single trees in odd places.""I just put them through." "Why didthey leave that," he wondered as he workedon them."This is the most powerful wheeledharvester on the market," he adds, possiblyanswering his own question.But by now it was time to go home... Itwas Friday afternoon, after a week livingin spartan conditions in a caravan on site,and Sandy had plans for the evening ahead.The Bear, too, could look forward to a coupleof days off.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 27

PONSSE Fox

Logging heroesListening to the EXPERTPonsse's customer Jonas Knutes participates in Ponsse's development workJonas Knutes has no regrets over choosing Ponsse. On the contrary, he is now involved indeveloping an H5 harvester head for his new PONSSE Fox."When Ponsse's engineers have visited, I have had the opportunity to be involved indesigning the harvester head to be exactly what I want. The machine is by far the best oneI've ever sat in," says Knutes.Years of experience in machinesJonas Knutes began his career as a fourteenyear-oldtree planter. Soon this job introducedKnutes to clearing and felling work.He has operated forest machines since 1985and acquired his first machines when hefounded his own company in 2004. At thetime, the company purchased, among othermachines, a PONSSE Wisent. In 2007, thecompany purchased a PONSSE Beaver harvester,which is now making way for thenew PONSSE Fox.Jonas Knutes and the three otheremployees of Knutes Enterprenad ABin Enviken are also awaiting their newPONSSE Buffalo."I think it's sensible to acquire theentire chain from the same vendor. Thecommon maintenance service is likewisean advantage and many of the spare partsare interchangeable. I know the operators'work environments and how everythingworks. It's much easier to switch from onemachine to another. This is a clear advantage,"says Knutes.When asked why he chose Ponsse, inparticular, Knutes turns thoughtful."I get along well with these machines.I don't know. It is difficult to say why itshould be so, but I just work well with aPonsse."What do you think is the best feature ofthe PONSSE Fox?"Put simply, it is a trustworthy machine.A basic machine. The eight wheels bringadditional stability and navigability –the machine is able to negotiate its waythrough both rocky soil as well as soil withpoor carrying capacity. Also, it really is thebest machine I've sat in and I've sat inmachines for quite a portion of my life. Itis easy to operate.""The C22 crane is excellent – extremelynimble and easy to use for a crane. Theoverall degree of driving comfort is veryhigh. The cabin is spacious and providesthe operator with plenty of room.When you have a long shift to work in themachine, you want to stay alert for as longas possible. In terms of the cabin and thenew crane, I think Ponsse is ahead of thegame."Knutes thinks the Fox has some goodqualities, thanks to which the machine iswell adapted for thinning."It looks quite big. The three-metrewide machine fits well on the modern sideroads from 4 to 4.5 metres wide. This alsohas an 11-metre crane. You can manageon a 20-per cent side road area just finewith this machine. The 11-metre crane hasa 22-metre reach, meaning that one neverneeds to drive the machine to the stands.This machine has all the reach you need."The machine's good qualities increaseits productiveness."Stability, flexibility and the speed ofthe harvester head – many small featurescontribute to the fast collection of the necessaryvolume of cubic metres. Flexibilityreally is the keyword here. This machinehas been designed with an eye for thesmallest details. The machine is stable, thecrane is flexible and the harvester head cutsfast. This brings in bigger yields."And the machines' developmentdoes not end here. The new H5 harvesterhead has been remodelled to suitmulti-stemming."I have the first H5 harvester head,which we continue to develop. I'm veryhappy with it – it's already terrifically good,although there is still work to be done."Valuable cooperationHow goes development work with Ponsse?"We keep in touch and pitch ideas toeach other. The last time we welcomedvisitors from Finland was last week. Wespent the entire day adjusting pressureand configuring settings. Multi-stemmingnow functions even more smoothly thanbefore."30Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Logging heroesWhat do you think are the benefits of thesechanges?"It calms down one's driving style andallows for cutting more trees before processing.This also benefits parties otherthan the harvester. The objective is to getthe tree from the stock to the pile with aslittle energy and work as possible. Multistemmingsupplies higher piles andrequires less work. If a harvester is fittedwith the multi-stemming functionality, itdecreases the need for crane operation andthe consumption of diesel per cubic metreof wood. Sometimes, this is clearly visibleon the bottom line in the books."How does it feel to have the opportunity toparticipate in product development?"It's just great. I have a contact personat Ponsse whom I can call and tell myideas to. Sometimes I ask whether an ideaof mine is viable. I can be wrong as well,of course, though that may seem hard tobelieve," says Knutes, with a smile."At times, they've already tested myidea, and sometimes my contact's responseis "Interesting, we'll give this a shot." Afterthat the contact person forwards the ideato the people in Finland, from where I getfeedback later. It really is a fine thing to beable to contribute to progress and to getfeedback as well. I am left with the feelingthat I am listened to and that my ideas areappreciated, and that's a nice feeling. Weare all working to make the product good.If I use a product, I may also have somethingimportant to say about it.""If a question goes unanswered, onecan fix the problem oneself and there'sno need for further questions. In the currentsystem, I provide my own small contributionto the process. It benefits bothPonsse's engineers and myself. When Ican say "I want it to be like this" we're onthe right track and I am listened to. Whenyou've been in this business for 26 years,you have a pretty good idea of your preferences– there's simply an awful lot ofexperience there. I can tell you that gettingthe opportunity to help design a harvesterhead so that it accurately suits my needs isthe real deal."Knutes has invested heavily in hismachines and he trusts the future."Yes, I have an optimistic picture of thefuture. Otherwise, I wouldn't have boughttwo new machines. I work daily and driveround the year, and in that situation, onereally does not want to be seated in a pieceof junk. I have commitments to deliverwood and that doesn't allow me to standaround in the woods tightening screws.For my business to work, the equipmentmust be functional and the maintenanceservices smooth."A sales rep's thoughts Lars DahlinPonsse AB:n sales rep Lars Dahl sharesKnutes's opinion about the Fox."The features my presentation usuallyfocus on are stability, flexibility, range andmulti-stemming."Knutes is particularly pleased with theFox's stability. What is your take on that?"Due to the eight wheels, the machine'sstability and buoyancy are better than usualand this is crucially important with regardto multi-stemming, for example. Duringdifficult winters – such as those we've seenin the past couple of years – the machinescan also be fitted with tracks to enhancecarrying capacity. Many machines are notable to lift from a distance of eleven metres,because the machines do not remain stableand their cranes are too weak. The stabilityof the PONSSE Fox enables even farreachinglifts."The Fox also has a new harvester head, thePONSSE H5. What can you tell us aboutthat?"Starting from the drawing board, theH5 harvester head was designed for multistemming.It has a robust frame, strongerengines and wider tyres. The longer knivesallow for greater girth and the grapplearms keep the trees bundled up."Knutes thinks the machine is easy to useand finds it comfortable, but he found itdifficult to pinpoint why. What do youthink are the details that give the PONSSEFox its special feel?"In the PONSSE Fox, the crane is closerto the cabin, giving the operator a betterview of the site. The crane has two slewingmotors on each side. This accelerates craneoperation. Thanks to the roomy cabin, theoperator can retain a relaxed position andstill see the tops of trees without stretchinghis neck or looking up. The work area canbe seen in an entirely different way, allowingfor a considerably more laid-back styleof operation."Contractors want to limit the consumptionof diesel. In what way is the PONSSE Foxmore energy efficient?"In many different ways, naturally. Theparallel functionality of the C22 and C44cranes exploits the potential energy of theboom, the harvester head and the wood.In other words, in the parallel functionalityof the crane's boom tilt, the other cylinderfunctions as the lift cylinder's pump.Therefore, there is no need for an oil flowfrom the hydraulic pump to the lift cylinder,which usually functions with highpressure. This is audible as the small loadon the engine when using the crane.""This solution lowers fuel consumption.If the consumption decreases by twoor three litres, for instance, it amounts to40 litres a day. In a year, that translates intomany euros – at best up to EUR 15,000.We have optimised the entire machine,right up to upgrading the software. Thenew 4.710 version has helped us to optimisethe run and fuel consumption of theengine and to improve the engine's power.The Fox's engine now generates 145 kilowatts,whereas the Beaver's engine generates130 kilowatts."Ponsse News 1 • 2012 31

Logging heroesPONSSE'S VALUESPonsse's set of values was born at the moment when machinecontractor Einari Vidgrén founded the company from scratchin 1970. As the founder – supported by a handful of trustedmen – embarked on his mission to manufacture forestmachines for himself and other machine entrepreneurs, hehad a clear picture of the conditions in which machines wereused and what customers needed.The family company's history and traditionsare now upheld under the leadershipof the second generation, according to theset of values laid down by Einari. All thesame, a company's values do not amountto much unless adopted by the entire personnel.Shared success requires sharedgoals.Erkki Tarvainen and Jouko Kelppe arean inseparable part of the company's history.Erkki Tarvainen began as Einari's coworkeron logging sites as early as 1961and was Ponsse's first employee, workinginitially on maintenance and prototypedesign, for instance. Jouko Kelppejoined Ponsse as its first engineer in 1970.Although both men retired from Ponsse acouple of years ago, they are still Ponssepeople, spearheading the activities of PonsseSeniors and providing consulting assistancewhen necessary. Both have also contributedtheir share to the inception of thePonsse way of working and the company'sset of values. Today, these values are maintainedby more than 900 Ponsse employeesand hundreds of retail representativesaround the world, each with their owncontribution.Jouko Kelppe and Erkki Tarvainen onhow they perceive Ponsse's values.HONESTY• We are honest and work with high ethics• Reliability• We keep sincerely what we have promisedand we do not give any false promises• Sincerity"At Ponsse, we've always been frankwith customers. There is no need to tryto make a second deal after dishonesty orempty promises. Naturally, the machineshave had some faults throughout the yearsand we have made mistakes. But customersare not left to sort out problems bythemselves when problems are encountered.That alone is a big promise to keepand has required quite an effort from Ponsseemployees."Honesty also needs to be genuinebetween the management and employees.An appreciation for the work and contributionof us all and reciprocal openness arealso visible to our customers.Armed with his primary school education,Einari taught superb leadership skillsand knew how to inspire people. Accordingto Einari's example, mistakes need to becleared up openly and learned from. Butthere is no point dwelling on mistakes;rather, one should focus on future challengeswith renewed enthusiasm. Thishas led to a culture where people have thecourage to address mistakes and whereproblems do not have the chance to pile up.INNOVATION• We pursue for continuous improvement ofproducts and services as well as processes• We are initiative and open-minded• Change is always an opportunity"We base our business on selling to customersmachines that serve their purposes.Ponsse was established for the machineneeds of Einari himself and for a long timehe managed his own harvesting companyalongside Ponsse. I'm sure this formedthe principles which have always kept usfirmly in touch with customers' everydaylife. I hope this never changes. Machineengineers and designers need to know anentrepreneur's operative environment. Asense of practicality has distinguished usfrom the competition. A machine must beproductive but also safe, comfortable andeasy to use. Test driving on an authenticlogging site is a golden opportunity. Inaddition to customer feedback, test driversprovide us with daily reports on the performanceof machines."When the company was founded, itssmall organisation had to be brave andbroad-minded. The courage to continuouslyseek increasingly better solutions isstill necessary. For a long time now, Ponssehas been a pioneer with regard to informationtechnology, for instance. Undoubtedly,this is partly due to having retained knowledgeand skills in-house.THE PONSSE SPIRIT• Modesty and humble minds before work• Willingness to succeed and entrepreneurship• Capability in decision-making• Refusing to compromise in achieving goals• Common responsibility for the success ofour business• We maintain good humour and fair play• Recognition and appreciation of our humanresources and good communication• Helping our own colleagues and takingothers into consideration32Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Logging heroes"The Ponsse spirit rose spontaneouslythrough our way of working. There aremany kinds of people at Ponsse, but it isclear that shared success requires sharedgoals. One won't get very far in this businessgoing solo. While everybody naturallyhas to take care of their own work, they alsoneed to take responsibility for commonactivities. As Ponsse employees, we are allbuilding not only the company's, but ourown futures."Reinforcing the employees' sense ofcommunity and the creation of a positiveatmosphere are among the most importanttasks of personnel management. Thefair and encouraging treatment of eachemployee and everyone's understandingof the fact that their contribution is neededgets things going. A shared desire to succeedneeds to be cultivated. A motivatedpersonnel guarantees success. Perhapsbeing a Ponsse employee is somethingclose to a way of life – at least it is morethan just a job for many.Every company faces difficulties fromtime to time. It is during such times thatthe spirit and commitment of managementand employees alike is put to thetest. One must never be discouraged. Thisis a business of long-term perspectives,in which everybody must make an effortto build mutual trust and a spirit of solidarity.The Vidgrén family's commitmentto the company's development, place ofbusiness and employees has also providedmany employees with the security to buildtheir own lives in the vicinity of the factory.Control should remain undivided to keepthe company's operations flexible and itsgoals clear.CLOSENESS TO THE CUSTOMER• A real interest of the customer• Knowing the business of the customer• Good reachability and fast reaction• Willingness to serve and good support forthe customer• Lean organisation"Ponsse's product development isstrongly customer-driven. Customer-orientedand straightforward ways of workinghave carried us a long way forward.The genial Ponsse way of getting thingsdone, commitment and customer-orientationare assets that even today distinguishPonsse from its competitors. We keep ourpromises."After a job well done and positive feedbackfrom customers, one is allowed tobe proud of one's work. We have donethis job together and our product helpsthe customer overcome challenges! Onecan never overstate the importance of acustomer-driven approach in every aspectof the business. Einari instilled a sayingat Ponsse which is surely known to everyPonsse employee: "The customer pays allour salaries." And it is true – we are notmaking these machines for ourselves orengineers.Erkki Tarvainen (left) and Jouko Kelppe have hada strong influence on the creation of Ponsse'sset of values.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 33

The forest worldThe strong roots supporting thesuccess storyPonsse – at homein VieremäA small municipality in the district of Iisalmi, midwaybetween the cities of Oulu and Kuopio. The village mainstreet populated by three retirees and a Finnish Spitz andsome juniors on their way to school on a weekday morning.A magnificent view of the fields surrounding the lake necksand then – forest. A typical unhurried small municipality,this place called Vieremä. Apart from Ponsse, that is.34Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest worldThe Vieremä main street"I doubt there'd be a Vieremä withoutPonsse, at least not as it is today: a livelyand attractive municipality," says MunicipalManager Ari Hukkanen."Ponsse has a direct and indirect impacton nearly everything that happens in themunicipality and the area."Even a passer-by would find Ponsse'spresence hard to miss. The company's yellow-blacklogo is met around every cornerand its factory, close to the centre of thevillage of Vieremä, cannot be passed withoutnoticing it."Our cooperation with the municipalityhas always been uncomplicated. Whetherthe issue concerns an expansion of productionfacilities or some other cooperationneeds, the municipality's response hasalways been forthcoming," says the Chairmanof Ponsse Plc's Board of Directors,Juha Vidgrén.Ponsse's presence has also acted as acatalyst for the creation of the nearby Vieremäbusiness park, where companies,consisting mainly of Ponsse's subcontractors,operate and employ a total of approximately200 people. The municipality'srapid reaction to the development needsof Ponsse's network of subcontractorsin 2005 set the business park project inmotion. The operations of the companiesinvolved have grown robustly.Vieremä and PonsseVieremä, with a population of 4,000, alsoreceives a daily flow of commuters fromneighbouring municipalities. Ponsseemploys some 500 people in the district ofUpper Savo. When counting stakeholdersand subcontractors, the job creation effectimpacts nearly a thousand people."In Vieremä, 'everybody' works atPonsse. I'm quite sure that there is a connectionto Ponsse in every household,"says Tarja Säisä. The forest machine companyowned by her family, KuljetusliikeEero Säisä Oy, works in close cooperationwith Ponsse."Ponsse influences life in the villageand the municipality in so many differentways that it is difficult to imagine one withoutthe other."Säisä conveys warm thanks to the Vidgrénfamily, which has always consideredthe affairs of the people in the village andmunicipality genuinely important."I believe that every resident in Vieremärecognises and understands how importantPonsse is for all of us."A lively municipality is an active one.Vieremä is no exception. Vieremän Kylänraittiry is an association that aims to promotethe sense of community and anatmosphere of caring and to develop a saferural settlement. The association is chairedby a familiar man – Juha Vidgrén."That the owners and managers are apart of this community is a big deal for us.They join everybody else in carrying outeveryday routines," says Tarja Säisä."As a strong team player, Juha cameup with our association's motto 'Two's agood start, the whole bunch even better!'(And what of Ponsse's Lady power? Findout more on page 37.)Upstream, as the salmon swimsWith this degree of integration, bad timesconcern both the entrepreneur and thecommunity. This was proven during themost recent downturn in 2009."We didn't sell a single machine duringthat summer. It was a tough situationfor everyone, but it also taught us to copewith uncertainty, and deepened our senseof self-reliance," says Juha Vidgrén.Ponsse has always chosen less travelledroads and gone against the current – andcontinues to do so. As others outsource,Ponsse is actually taking operations backunder its own wings.The legacy of Industrial CounsellorEinari Vidgrén is strong. The companystill has a face and its management continuesto involve itself, regardless of whetherits walking down the main street or dealingwith global markets. Although it is niceto be everybody's friend when times aregood, Juha Vidgrén stresses that commitmentand presence are only weighed whenthings are not going well."Talking about issues as they are, opencommunications and honesty have guaranteedour invariable ability to meet peopleproudly, during good and bad times alike."Strong roots grow healthy treesMutual commitment, long employmentrelationships and employees' entrepreneurialapproach to their work have beensome of Ponsse's greatest resources for along time."Back when Einari set up shop, hisemployees often worked on a new machineduring the day and repaired customers'machines in the evening. Everybody knewthat the tools on which people's livelihoodsdepend have to work. And we still fosterthat same level of commitment and wayof working. Customised machines builtaccording to customers' unique demandsand a commitment to product support andmaintenance still constitute a part of everybody'sjob description. Our skilled professionalscontinue to be our greatest asset,"says Vidgrén.For the time being, the professionalsof the future are sitting in classrooms.Younger generations are considered to bethe future of both Ponsse and Vieremä.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 35

The forest worldJuha Vidgrén"Having an upper secondary school ofour own at Vieremä is important for us.We are also active in cooperating with vocationalschools. Young people only startingto plan their career choices are introducedto Ponsse during on-the-job learning periodsand TET/PRAO programmes," saysVidgrén.Cooperation with vocational schools aswell as institutions of higher education hasborne fruit and establishments such as theNorth Karelia technical college in Valtimooffer degrees in PONSSE forest machinemechanics."The best way to motivate a student isto secure his or her work opportunities.Our employment needs will increase inthe future, even if the average age of ourcurrent work force is about ten years lowerthan that of the metal industry in general,or 38," says Vidgrén.Securing the commitment of a targetgroup formed of new employees, studentscompleting their work for diplomas or visitingexperts is in the common interests ofPonsse and the municipality of Vieremä."Being a small municipality, we are ina position to tailor services according toneeds. High-quality day care, organisedaccording to the needs of shift workers,is a good example of this. The standard ofhealthcare is excellent considering the sizeof the municipality and homebuilders aresure to find plots that please the eye," saysMunicipality Manager Ari Hukkanen.Ponsse does not provide jobs for everybody,and the city of Iisalmi, located amere 15-minute drive away, offers bothjobs and services not found in the municipality.Commuting in both directions iseasy between Iisalmi and Vieremä. Iisalmiis likewise the location of the Ponsse ServiceCentre, which employs 100 peopleand serves the global Ponsse communityin terms of maintenance and spare parts."As a small rural municipality, Vieremäis a safe place to live and perhapsrealise dreams related to hobbies," saysthe Municipality Manager of Vieremä, alsoknown as a parish friendly to equestrianinterests.At home in the heart of the districtof UPPER SAVO"Of course, Ponsse could have got off to asmoother start in, say, Ostrobothnia, withits strong tradition in entrepreneurship,"says Juha Vidgrén."But the Iisalmi district did have certainresources and preconditions whichshaped Ponsse's ways of working from thevery beginning."The rural tradition of work done byhand, a knowledge of the metal andmachine industry borne from domesticneeds and the available work force gavewings to Einari Vidgrén's vision. The largelogging sites in the heartland were a boomingmarket at the beginning of the 1970s,even with their rather undeveloped tools.And Ponsse continues to feel at homein the countryside. The surroundings offeradded value also in respect of internationalcustomers. In addition to presentations ofmachinery at work on genuine loggingsites, it is a pleasure to introduce visitors tothe operational environment more extensively,at a walking distance from the plant."Although there is no need to downplayPonsse's significance, we are far frombeing the only employer in the area. Vieremäexemplifies the vibrant countryside,and the parish of 4,000 cows has a longtradition in and a very modern approach tothe beef and dairy industry, for example. Itis a pleasure to present healthy rural sceneryto visitors," says Vidgrén.It is nonetheless worth rememberingthat an attachment to the home districtor a commitment to legacy alone are notenough to keep Ponsse in Ylä-Savo."The purpose of a business enterpriseis to make profit in order to developoperations. The purpose of investmentsis to generate competitiveness and retainmarket shares in the face of increasinglytough competition. Ponsse's reason foroperating from and staying in Vieremäis based on operative and financial facts.A company with technology and skills asadvanced as ours is not transplanted somewhereelse just like that, especially with allthe stakeholders involved. And when theobjective is to produce the best output possible,the only way to guarantee the resultis to produce it in the northernmost Savovillage in the world."Ponsse's factory36Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest worldPonsse Ladies in Finland – actively involved since 2004LADY power à la PonsseThis world would be nothing without ladies – this is also awell known fact at Ponsse. The significant others of forestmachine contractors have been offered their own clubactivities since 2004. Ponsse Ladies convene a couple oftimes a year to spend quality time together in the form ofget-togethers and excursions.The club's activities were launched duringthe FinnMETKO 2004 fair. Since its inception,the club's operative idea has been toremember the spouses of entrepreneursworking with Ponsse machines by offeringthem shared activities and contactopportunities. The annual Ladies calendarincludes a joint trip abroad and meetings atPonsse's Vieremä factory. The club has 250members, of whom approximately fifty areactively involved. The spouses of the customersof Ponsse's German retailer WahlersForsttechnik have a similar Ladies club,which visits Vieremä every year. The twoclubs have also organised joint meetings."Many spouses do a great amount ofwork in the background, taking care ofcompany affairs in addition to runningthe household. We thought it was importantto organise something special for thisimportant group of people. And the activityhas provided some welcomed changes tomy own daily routines as well," says TiinaNissinen, in charge of Ponsse's customerfinancing and the lead hostess of PonsseLadies."I think we are a class unto ourselves,us Ponsse Ladies! The best aspect of theactivity is getting to know wonderful newpeople and to spend relaxing times awayfrom everyday routines with these people,"says the self-described "pedigree Lady"Tarja Säisä, who has been involved in theclub since its establishment."The work that a forest machine contractor'sspouse does in the family companyis often quite independent, evenlonely. It is great to meet colleagues andwomen in a similar situation by way of recreationalactivities."Tarja Säisä also appreciates the arrangements:both travel and meetings give theLadies a chance to relax, while the hostessesensure that everything goes smoothly."The activities do not place any burdenor obligation on us members – the serviceis comprehensive. It is always nice totravel and go to meetings with congenialcompany. There's no shortage of talk andlaughter on those trips."The activities of Ponsse Ladies aremade possible by the efforts the threeLadies hostesses. Tiina Nissinen, Piia Vidgrénand Pia Kainulainen dream up ideas,plan and implement activities throughoutthe year."We prepare quite detailed schedules,including programmes and menus, toensure that everything works even whenthere's a bigger crowd of people. Wealways try to bring in new thingsas well," says Piia Vidgrén.The Ladies themselves areactive too: often, for example,they suggest travel destinations.Their programmingproposalsare also listenedto carefully andimplementedwhenever possible.When meetingstake place inVieremä, the programme always includessomething new in addition to the introductionto Ponsse's operations and facilities."We've had wine tastings, line dancing,makeup lessons, colour analysis, Nordicwalking, corporate visits and shopping.Not forgetting the factory tours and visitsto logging sites," says Vidgrén.The Ladies travels abroad mainly comprisedestinations with a Ponsse subsidiaryor retailer and the itineraries have includedintroductions to the local Ponsse operations.In September, 22 Ponsse Ladiesspent a long weekend in St. Petersburg."The club's activities are suitable foreach and every spouse of a forest machineentrepreneur, regardless of age or familycircumstances. The membership isnot binding in any way, and attendance isalways entirely voluntary. "Ponsse Ladies club hostesses:Pia Kainulainen, Piia Vidgrén and Tiina NissinenPonsse News 1 • 2012 37

The forest worldTore Högnäs, Metsähallitus, development operationsHARVESTING IN PEATLANDSIS AN OLD NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAPeat soil and related harvesting problems have generated plenty of discussion during thepast few years. But the issue is not a new one. Concerns about the harvesting of wood invast drainage areas were voiced as early as in the early 1980s, due to which the developmentdivision of Metsähallitus conducted extensive research and development on the subject.The pivotal problem, of course, was off-road haulage during thaw conditions. Tests focusedon conventional wheel machines, track vehicles and swamp caterpillars. Various kinds oftracks and other equipment were also tested extensively.Progress with testingThe 'swamp tests' of forwarders, in whichmachines were compared in equivalentconditions on soft soil, received particularattention. The first test was arranged in theautumn of 1983. The background to the testis interesting. Ponsse Oy had developed anew light forwarder with an aluminiumnose – a fact conveyed to the then directorgeneral Jaakko Piironen by Einari Vidgrén.This raised Piironen's interest andone evening he called a young developmentforest manager, Tore Högnäs, urgingHögnäs to set up a test to see whetherEinari's claims were true.Högnäs did as he was asked and drewup drawings for the test with Teuvo Kumpare.The municipality of Pyhäntä provideda suitable testing site. Runningtracks were planned for both the thinningsite and the field stretch in the bog. Thecontrol machines selected for Ponsse'stest machine, carrying the type name S15,were the development division's own Valmet862, with front tracks, and a Lokomo919T, provided by a reseller. The intensetesting began. Even Einari was visibly nervous:at the starting line of the field runs, hestood in his dress shoes under the pouringrain, wiping the Ponsse's front tyresclean of mud.Ponsse in the vanguard of developmentThe Ponsse S15 clearly outshined its rivals.The S15 had the smallest tracks and wasused to tow up the bogged down controlmachines. The results were added up andthe report written on the spot. The resultswere also delivered in time for the followingissue of the Koneurakoitsija journal.The issue was distributed at the seminarof the former association of forestry contractorsheld in Aulanko, where the resultsattracted considerable attention. Whatensued was a barrage of verbal attacks fromcompetitors, in which the test's resultswere called into question.To calm the waters, it was decided thata new test would be arranged, this time incooperation with Metla and Veitsiluoto Oy.The new test included fifteen machines.Claims purporting that a swamp-capablemachine was no good on snow were alsoput to the test with snow trials. The legendarytest runs took place in 1984 – the38Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest worldsnow tests in February in Rovaniemi andthe swamp tests during August and Septemberin Ii. The retrials did not changethe conclusions concerning the swampcapability of the Ponsse S15. In addition, italso ran very well on snow.As a result of the tests, other manufacturersdeveloped their own lighter models,with which they hoped to challengethe Ponsse S15. A test for the purpose wasset up in Parkano in 1985. The machinestested included the brand new Valmet 832and Lokomo 909 Turbo, as well as the'champion', the Ponsse S15. These resultscame in more even, but did nothing tochange perceptions about the superiorityof Ponsse's machine. And the tests werealso as intense as before: under the coverof night, one manufacturer snuck out tolower the standard value of his machine'sfront tyre pressures.The Ponsse S15 forwarder became abest-selling product, manufactured until1988. The research and testing of harvestingon peat soil carried out duringthe 1980s had a significant impact on theweight of the forest machinery on the marketand on general attitudes concerningfield damage.Back to peat testingThe development of harvesting on peatlandwas largely forgotten for almost twodecades. Problems related to wood acquisitionin Russia a few years ago, however,caused a resurgence of interest in harvestingthe wood stock of peatland. Surprisinglyenough, Ponsse's Hannu Airavaarasuggested that Metsähallitus and Metlacould arrange a traditional peat soil test.The objective was to examine how toimprove the features of forest machinerywith various kinds of track accessories.The test took place in Asmunti, Pudasjärvi,in the autumn of 2007. The resultswere not bad. Wide tracks and the auxiliarywheelworks developed in the test decisivelyimproved the soft soil qualities of a conventionalforwarder. Ponsse introduced theauxiliary train of wheels into production,and machines fitted with it are sold as 10 w.The Asmunti tests also produced agrading diagram, based on which the characteristicsof a swamp and machinery canbe connected and graded. The diagramprovides answers for which machine towork with when harvesting any given peatsite during thaw conditions. This adds tothe number of peat soil sites within thescope of harvesting and balances the useof machinery. Extensive harvesting onpeatland requires the use of the grading.Unfortunately, there are still some whohave not grasped the fundamental idea ofthe grading.Market reviewGrowth in Russia's forest machine marketA great number of forest machine operators are putting in long hours in the Russian forests.During the past five years, the Russian market has grown to become one the largest marketsemploying timber-grade method forest machines. The demand for modern forest machineshas gathered momentum, particularly due to their higher productivity, quality and costeffectivenessin comparison to the outdated local machinery. Thanks to the importance of theRussian market and the investments there, Ponsse's customers enjoy professional service inall of Russia's major forestry areas.Professional harvesting companies haveraised the productivity and efficiency ofRussian harvesting operations to a new levelduring the past few years. Local harvestingcompanies can nowadays also outsourcemaintenance and spare parts services withcomprehensive servicing agreements. Theoperational model that best applies to anygiven situation and conditions throughoutthe country is agreed on on a case-by-casebasis with Russian customers.A shortage of forest workers and otherforest industry professionals is partlyresponsible for the growth of mechanicalharvesting in Russia. However, the shortageof trained operators and other expertsalso moderates the marketing of new forestmachines. Ponsse's long-term developmentwork in Russia includes the trainingof forest industry professionals.Training in every corner of thecountryLittle by little, Ponsse has built a trainingorganisation that covers the whole of Russia,to help forest machine companies totrain people in the industry. At the moment,Ponsse's 14 training centres in Russia'smajor forest areas are equipped with simulators,educational materials and, in somecases, machines. The close training cooperationbetween Ponsse and its customersis important and, in terms of industry development,very beneficial.Finland is the leading country in theworld in many subsectors of harvesting andwe have been satisfied with our investmentsin the deployment of beneficial knowledgeand proven methods in Russia.Generally speaking, harvesting conditionsin Finland and Russia are very similarbut, naturally, Russia's forests and conditionshave their own special characteristicsthat are taken into account as early as whendesigning new machine models.Despite its rapid and positive advancement,the Russian harvesting industry stillhas clear challenges to overcome. For example,the logistics of potential felling areas isin need of further improvement. The numberof professional forest machine entrepreneursshould also be increased and entryinto the field supported.Jaakko LaurilaManaging DirectorOOO Ponsse, RussiaPonsse News 1 • 2012 39

The forest worldQUALITY SERVICE SAVESAN ENTREPRENEUR'STIME AND MONEYWhen something breaks down, a machine owner's time equalsmoney. Help needs to arrive fast. For this reason, the servicenetwork constitutes a link to the customer that is crucial in termsof business."Ponsse's service engineers are easy to reach and we can alwaysanswer machine contractors quickly," says Henrik Ek of EksjöLantbruksservice, a company that provides maintenance services.In addition to Ponsse's own personnel,the maintenance service networkin Sweden consists of 29 local authorisedservice providers around the country.The skills of this group constitutean important part of the service, sinceit has a substantial impact on whatit feels like to own a PONSSE machine.Eksjö Lantbruksservice's Henrik Ek isone of these service providers. As a Ponsserepresentative, he is aware of how importantit is to maintain active communicationswith service engineers."Ponsse is without question the best ofall machine manufacturers with whom wecooperate and provide maintenance services.Its operations are beyond reproach.If we can't solve a customer's problemswith our own resources, Ponsse AB's serviceengineers are easy to reach and always40Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest world"The factor thatdistinguishes Ponsseis that it takes care ofbusiness immediately, anddoes not waste time."Henrik Ek,Eksjö Lantbruksservicehelpful. I've sometimes called them late ona Friday evening, and they always pick up.It's tremendously important for me," saysEk.Quick answers"If we are unable to solve the problem onsite, we have to work on it with Ponsse'sservice engineers. We can always makethat call and serve the contractor quickly. Ibelieve our customers see quick responsetimes as an indication of a high level ofcompetence," says Ek, adding that"Spare parts are easy to order over thephone, but we usually place orders viae-mail. If we order supplies before threein the afternoon, the parts are deliveredbefore 7 am the following morning. Inaddition to that, any extra or wrong partscan be returned free of charge.""The factor that distinguishes Ponsse isthat it takes care of business immediately,and does not waste time. This is characteristicof everything that Ponsse does – howoperations are carried out in the company,starting from administration. Warrantyprocedures are equally fast and efficient.That's why the package works from ourpoint of view. That's important."The truth of the matter is that this isnot always the case for an authorised serviceprovider."Unfortunately, many machine manufacturersand sales reps are strangely indifferent.They prolong matters and do notkeep their promises. Very often, we sendparts back, but they are never reimbursed.Sounds crazy, but it happens. Cooperationis not always as smooth with everyone elseas it with Ponsse," says Ek.Useful trainingAuthorised service providers are supportedwith training sessions held by Ponsse's serviceengineers. Johan Wermlund is one thetraining service engineers. With 20 yearsof experience working as a mechanic andproduct engineer, he understands the everydaybusiness of a service provider."All of our authorised service providersreceive the same basic training, so theyhave the basics needed to offer quality services.We also provide them with furthertraining to enhance their skills and to keepthem informed about products. Every oneof us is unique, and it is equally importantto meet everybody's training requirements,"says Wermlund."I believe we arrange more trainingthan our competitors. In terms of train-"Customers should beprovided withmaintenance servicesthat enable successfulbusiness operations."Johan Wernlund,head of training forauthorised service partners, Ponsse ABing, we work extremely closely with ourauthorised service providers. That's whyI know them and their skills so well. If Iadvise someone on related issues repeatedly,I notice it quite quickly. That's whenwe will arrange training focused on theissue in question."Henrik Ek appreciates the training."The sessions are good. Training oftentakes place in small groups, which createsa nice atmosphere. That's importantas well.""As authorised service providers, we arealso invited to participate in deciding whatthe training sessions should focus on. Weget to communicate our needs, based onwhich new courses are developed. We arelistened to, and that is a really positive stateof affairs," he adds.Stressing flexibilityWermlund considers it self-evident thatthe maintenance service network's supportrequires flexibility."In my capacity as both trainer andadviser, I try to create a relationship ofcooperation and trust between the serviceproviders and the end customers. Itis essential that mechanics perform theirtasks well, because that is how we earn customers'trust. Therefore, we have to be easyto reach. We also need to be flexible, to findthe quickest possible solution to any givenproblem. I want our customers' businessesto run smoothly and thanks to good service.My goal is to ensure that our authorisedservice partners earn a living throughsatisfied customers."According to Johan Wermlund (left),Ponsse AB's head of training, andEksjö Lantbruksservice'sHenrik Ek,cooperation works smoothly.PONSSE maintenance servicesto launch in ÅseleStarting from the beginning of 2012,Ponsse will also be offering maintenanceservices through its own servicecentre in Åsele, in the region of Västerbotnia.The strong machine baseensures demand for our own regionalmaintenance services. The servicecentre's workshop facilities can housethree machines at a time.However, the primary goal is to servecustomers on site, with the help ofa service truck. The service centre,including its six or seven mechanics,is managed by Mats Ferm, who usedto work as Ponsse AB's after salesmarketing manager in Surahammar.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 41

The forest worldShingu Shoko LtdImports from chainsaws to harvestersShingu Shoko Ltd – which has beenPonsse's authorised retailer since 2008 –began its wood wholesaler operations asearly as in 1906. The company's machinedivision was established in 1952, followingthe period after World War II. At the time,Shingu Shoko obtained exclusive rights forthe representation of an American chainsawmanufacturer. The chainsaw importedby Shingu Shoko became Japan's leadingbrand the following summer, when Japan'sforestry officials requested the company toorganise a public presentation of the chainsawsin the Tokyo city of Hachioji. The newchainsaw convinced forestry professionals.Times have changed and, in Japanas well, harvesting is these days a highlymechanised activity. Nonetheless, historyseems to be repeating itself. This time,the story's protagonists were Ponsse's forestmachines on wheels. In October 2011,Japan's forestry officials requested a publicpresentation of the PONSSE Beaver harvesterand the PONSSE Gazelle forwarder.The presentation, which took place in thecity of Monbetsu, in Hokkaido Prefecture,was organised by Shingu Shoko Ltd andPonsse's customer Satoh Mokuzai, SatoForest Products Co Ltd. The three presentationdays, which included seminarsand panel discussions, attracted hundredsof attendees from the forest industry,research centres and the local government.Ponsse machines at home in JapanSatoh representatives, Muraya and Moritaka,were in charge of the successful presentationsorganised at the 30-year Sakhalinfir plantation. The dimensioned cutto-lengthharvesting method employed byPONSSE machines was given the opportunityto demonstrate its superiority incomparison to the traditional tree lengthmethod. The plantation's relatively steep16- to 25-degree slopes also provided a perfectchance to demonstrate the machines'excellent slope capabilities, a crucial characteristicin mountainous Japan.The competitive price of domestic woodis an essential factor for Japan's degree ofself-sufficiency. At the moment, it standsat only 24%, despite Japan's ample woodresources. Approximately 19 million m³ ofwood is harvested in Japan every year. Ponsse'smodern forest machines can doublethe yield produced by the traditional harvestingmachines. The machines' efficiencyand maximised usage hours alonevastly reduce harvesting costs.42Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest worldA.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd.35 years of reliable service in CanadaThe 35-year anniversary ofPonsse's Canadian resellerwas celebrated in Balmoral,New Brunswick, on 2September 2011. A.L.P.A. hasbeen Ponsse’s dealer in theprovinces of New Brunswickand Nova Scotia since 2000.Like Ponsse, A.L.P.A. is a family company,established by timber truck driver ArmandLandry in 1976. Armand continues to beactively involved in the operations, eventhough the position of managing directorhas passed on to his son, Serge Landry.Cooperation with Ponsse has been runningsmoothly for over 10 years now."A.L.P.A. is a robust machine companyin eastern Canada, where it's known for itshigh-quality maintenance services. In additionto Ponsse, A.L.P.A. sells Huyndai andTerex construction machines and the materialsprocessing equipment of Terex Fuchs.A.L.P.A. also has service centres in severallocales in addition to its headquarters inBalmoral. This is particularly important inthe forest machine industry," says JarmoVidgrén, Sales and Marketing Director ofPonsse Plc.When it started cooperation with Ponsse,A.L.P.A. was Ponsse's first reseller inCanada. Today, Ponsse's retailers in thecountry also include Hydromec Inc. inthe province of Quebec and ReadyQuipSales and Service Ltd. in Ontario. Ponssemaintenance services are also provided byWoodland Equipment Ltd. in Kamloops,a city in British Columbia. In the UnitedStates, Ponsse's operations are managedby the four offices of its own subsidiary,Ponsse North America Inc., in addition towhich Ponsse is represented in the countryby the resellers Chadwick-BaRoss Inc. andAl’s Service Mechanic."The North American forest industryhas experienced quite a bit of turmoilwhich has, naturally, been reflected in forestmachines sales as well. Luckily, the currentyear has been better than the past two.The market has gradually started to showsigns of improvement," says Vidgrén.Big trees demand big machinesIn North America, the vast majority of woodis harvested with track machines and theA.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd.’s 35th anniversary party was attended by around 2,000 customersand partners hailing from Canada and further overseas, from as far as Finlandand Central Europe. Juha Vidgrén (left) and Juho Nummela presented ArmandLandry with a hand-held Ponsse saw.tree length method, but CTL machines aregaining popularity all the time. Accordingto Jarmo Vidgrén, the machines of largersize categories are the market favourites:"Our top-selling harvester in Canadahas been PONSSE Ergo, equipped with theH7 harvester head. With regard to forwarders,the most popular have been PONSSEBuffaloKing and PONSSE Elephant. The20-tonne PONSSE ElephantKing – introducedto the market in Sweden during thepast summer – has been designed specificallyfor the challenging conditions ofCanada. To ensure the product’s durabilityand adaptability to the market, the very firstElephantKing prototype also went throughtesting at a customer in Canada."Indeed, the status of CTL machines isprobably stronger in A.L.P.A.’s sales areathan anywhere else in North America."The demands and expectations set forthe machines in the areas of New Brunswickand Nova Scotia are challenging dueto the hilly terrain, large trees and the abundanceof snow during the winter months.Good maintenance and spare parts services,coupled with fast response times tocustomer needs, are an absolute necessityhere," says Serge Landry, A.L.P.A.’s managingdirector.Jarmo Vidgrén thanks A.L.P.A for itshigh standard maintenance services.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 43

The forest world16.–18.6.2011 Skogsnolia, UmeåEvents during the past yearFrom the woods to the fairs and markets14 September 2011 The NorthFinland forest energy tour,Kajaani11.–13.10. AUSTROFOMA 2011, Steiermark, AUSTRIA13 May 2011 market day, Iisalmi44Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest world26.–28.5.2011 Skogselmia, JönköpingSheer size makes the 20-tonneElephantKing hard to miss!SEPTEMBER 2011 PONSSE Buffaloin the Andes, in Chile3 September 2011 A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd.35th anniversary festivities, Canada8.–10.9.2011 Escanaba, MI, USALogging CongressSEPTEMBER 2011, LITHUANIAWisent delivery, ŠakiųForest State CompanyPonsse News 1 • 2012 45

The forest worldOctober 2011, demo Ergo 8w + C44, UruguayThe new PONSSE C44 crane model with an 8.5-metre reach was introduced in the autumn in Uruguay.The model's primary employment sites include eucalyptus sites in South America. The short crane modeldoes not have an extension, which means the crane remains light and there are not many parts to maintain.Eucalyptus is harvested with the PONSSE H7euca harvester head, designed to debark trunks duringprocessing.Ponsse people around the world7.6.2011 St. PetersburgThe opening of the new service centreOCTOBER 2011, VIEREMÄTroy Lambert (Lambert Forest Products, US), John Holmes(Ponsse), Ron Wiitala (Wiitala-Vozka Logging, US), PekkaRuuskanen (Ponsse). Troy got himself a seven-antler elk!22.–25.9. Ladies on the road,St. Petersburg1.11.2011 DEMO, DENMARK22.9.2011 Iisalmi22 Ponsse machines on the train towardsto the port46Ponsse News 1 • 2012

The forest world22 JULY 2011 THE PONSSE TROTTING RACE AND EINARI'S BALL, VIEREMÄDancing to the tunes of Jonna Geagea, Sami PitkämöLenni-Kalle Taipale at Rientola, Vieremä.Fun and games in Ponsse styleSEPTEMBER 2011, Football tournament, IISALMIPonsse's international football team sportsplayers from three different continents.NOVEMBER 2011OOO Ponsse's volleyball team at the tournamentplayed in Vieremä on 21 November.13 AUGUST 2011 THE VIEREMÄ GPPedal car racing at Vieremä8 July 2011 OCTATHLON, VIEREMÄThe traditional octathlon between Ponsse employeesand customers organised at the Vieremäsports fieldPonsse News 1 • 2012 47

Harvest NewsOperator training for womenAt the beginning of 2012, the vocationalcollege in Jämsä, in Finland starts the firstforest machine operator training meant forwomen in Finland, and perhaps the entireworld."Forest machine work has becomephysically lighter due to new technologyand, nowadays, forest machine work iswell suited for women. The idea of a physicallydemanding job is outdated, since themachines' cabins are safe, ergonomic andalmost entirely computer operated. Thebasic maintenance of machines forms apart of a machine operator's professionalskills, whereas more demanding servicingis carried out by trained mechanics," sayslecturer Helena Sneck of the Jämsä vocationalcollege.According to Sneck, skillful forestmachine operators do not suffer a shortageof work."The industry is a good job provider andgood operators are in demand abroad aswell. Forest machine work is suitable foreveryone who gets along with themselvesand nature. Long stretches in the woodsrequire a positive attitude and focus on thework under way," says Sneck."A modern forest machine operator isespecially careful to take the natural environmentinto account and respects theprinciples of sustainable development.This is also observed in the training curriculumand degrees can stress variousissues according to the needs of the studentgroup," says Sneck.Depending on a student's interests, thedegree, that entails 13 months of studies,focuses on the skills of forwarder or harvesteroperators and is particularly suitablefor individuals with previous studiesor experience in the field or a desire tochange their profession. The degree andContractor Jaana Pietiläwork experience can be followed up witha vocational degree, specialised vocationaldegree or a polytechnic degree.Adam & Becky Czarnezki from the U.S.Our American customers Adam and BeckyCzarnezki were married in last summerand Ponsse's yellow-black colours wereseen even at the wedding of these two loyalPonsse customers.Adam Czarnezki drives a PONSSEErgo, whereas Mrs Czarnezki takes careof the company's books, in addition toher own day job. Adam owns the harvestingfirm together with his father John,who drives a PONSSE Wisent forwarderacquired a couple of weeks ago. And judg-ing by the cakes he bakes, that is not hisonly skill!Congratulations from all of us at Ponsse!New authorised service partner in WisconsinBerg Welding & Fabricating LLC is anexcellent addition to the PONSSE maintenanceservices in the area. Mike andDonna Berg have received praise fromtheir customer base for high-quality andsolid customer service. The company'soperating principle is to service customers'machines into operating condition as soonas possible, so that contractors' operationsare not disrupted.Welcome to the Ponsse team!48Donna and Mike Berg and Stacy Wagler (Ponsse North America Inc.)Berg Welding & Fabricating LLC is Ponsse'snew authorised service partner in Wisconsin,the United States. Mike and DonnaBerg have been in the maintenance servicePonsse News 1 • 2012business for six years, servicing and repairinga diverse range of motor vehicles andwork machines. The company operateswithin a 150-mile radius from Tigerton,Wisconsin.Berg Welding & Fabricating LLCN4705 Cty Rd JTigerton, WI 54486Tel. 715-216-4270, Fax # 715-535-2547bergmike@frontiernet.net,bergmike4896@gmail.com

Harvest newsSmoothly from one generationto the nextNearly 50 Ponsse customersattended training organisedby Ponsse on the subject ofgenerational changes. Thefirst session was held on 20October, at Ponsse's servicecentre in Kouvola, and thesecond on 3 November at theVieremä plant.Marko and Eero PyykkönenThe training focused on three themes:issues to take into account when planningand implementing a change of generations,financing the change of a company'sownership and the taxation of generationalchanges. The guest lecturers were JukkaIkonen, ProAgria Kymenlaakso ry's businessliaison officer, Mikko Leskelä, a corporateacquisitions expert of the OP-PohjolaGroup, and Perttu Ervasti, PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy's tax expert.Eero Pyykkönen and his son, Marko,were among the participants at Vieremä.The training offered by Ponsse was theirsecond, since they were already in attendanceat the seminar on the subject organ-ised by Ponsse in Kajaani a couple of yearsago.A carefully considered changeThe Paltamo-based Eero Pyykkönen Kyhas been in the forest industry contractsbusiness for nearly fifty years now. In additionto diverse contracting, the companyhas owned a sawmill. The operations arenow being reorganised, as the Pyykkönensattempt to focus on their core competencearea, or forest machine contracts. Simultaneously,the change facilitates the ownershipchange about to take place within thenext couple of years, although the financ-ing and taxation issues do pose their ownchallenges.The change in ownership has been clearto father and son for a long time. Markohas worked in the company for well overten years and chose his educational careerwith the forest industry in mind.The distribution of work is likewisesuited for the future change of ownership:Eero has been in charge of the foreign contractsof the company that, for many years,operated largely in Russia. Marko is incharge of the domestic market, which EeroPyykkönen Ky plans to focus on increasinglyfrom now on.The spruce training facilities in IisalmiSimulators as part of teachingPonsse maintenance services use a trainingclassroom in the premises of the Ylä-SavoVocational College. The training facilities,located about a kilometre from the IisalmiService Centre, are used for the trainingof the PONSSE servicing network, authorisedservice providers and resellers. Whennecessary, maintenance training sessionsare also organised for Ponsse's customers.The training facilities have a particularlygood representation of audio-visualaids related to hydraulics and control systems,used for both Ponsse and the vocationalcollege's courses. Among otherdevices, the premises house a Ponsse servicesimulator, the Metviro simulation programme,a mini crane and various componentsof hydraulics and control systems.The latest investment in the training premisesis the PONSSE H6 harvester head,which can be used with the service simulator.The Metviro programme is a virtuallearning environment for forest machinemechanics and the purposes of systematictroubleshooting. The mini crane simulatesthe control of a crane, whereas the servicesimulator is used to demonstrate the functionalitiesof the control system. In addition,the electronic measurement devicesallow measuring and saving functions andthe analysis of the performed measurementsas part of the training.The cooperation between Ponsse'smaintenance services and the Ylä-SavoVocational College also provides studentswith increasingly better preparedness forworking life. Not all vocational colleges arelikely to be equipped with training facilitiesas extensive, focused on forest machines.Ponsse News 1 • 2012 49

Harvest NewsPonsse sponsorsTero Pitkämäki, javelin throwerSeinäjoen Seudun Urheilijatb. 19 December 1982, IlmajokiTero Pitkämäki's first javelin throw tookplace when he was 10 and participated inall disciplines in his first ever track andfield event. He won the javelin event, whichmade choosing his discipline an easy task.Pitkämäki started to compete in earnestfive years later when he decided to stopskiing, which, until then, he consideredhis main sport.Ponsse has sponsored Tero Pitkämäkisince 2004. During that time, he hasearned his place among the world's bestjavelin throwers.When asked about what he thinksof as his best accomplishments, Teromentions the bronze medal in the OlympicGames held in Beijing and the goldmedal in the World Championship gamesheld in Osaka in 2007. A veteran of manymajor events, Tero also has two EuropeanChampionship medals: silver and bronze.He has also won many Finnish Championshipmedals, including five gold medals.The current season poses many challengesfor Pitkämäki; it includes both theEuropean Championship games to be heldin Helsinki and the Summer Olympics inLondon. Training has gained an additionalboost with his new coach, Jan Zelesny.AccomplishmentsBronze medal, Olympic Games 2008,Beijing; Gold medal, World Championship2007, OsakaSilver medal, European Championship2006, GothenburgBronze medal, European Championship2010, BarcelonaFinnish National Championship: fivegold medals, two silver medals andone bronze medal50Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Harvest newsSponsorship reflects Ponsse's valuesSponsorship is cooperation, the aim ofwhich is to benefit both parties. Therefore,Ponsse's sponsorship targets havebeen chosen from the types of sports thatare close to loggers and our other importantstakeholders.In Ponsse’s opinion, the best benefitsfrom sponsorship can be achieved whenboth we and our partners share similarvalues. The entrepreneurial spirit is anaspect we stress and our sponsorship activitiesfocus on long-term cooperation withenterprising parties. Such parties includelong-term partners and young promisingtalents alike.Sponsorship agreements are concludedfor two years at a time. With the exceptionof Kerttu Niskanen, the current agreementsare in force until the end of 2012.Kerttu's agreement with Ponsse is a threeyearcooperation agreement. The followinground of sponsorship negotiations at Ponssewill not take place until August 2012.XC skierMarjaanaPitkänenVieremän Koitto, b. 10 September 1991Marjaana Pitkänen has skied her entire life:she attended her first race at the age of three.The young skier, who will transfer to the23-year-olds' series this year and matriculatedlast spring, is a member of the Finnish TeamB. Marjaana's accomplishments during thelast season included the Finnish Junior Championshipson the 20 km (classic style) and asilver medal in the Finnish Championships onthe combined 5 km classic and 5 km skate techniques,as well as coming in sixth in the ScandinavianCup race held in Estonia. In addition,she participated in the World Junior Championships,coming in seventh and tenth in theW20 series. Marjaana also plans to activelytour the Scandinavia Cup. Her goals for thenext few years are entry into the national teamA and major adult events.Antti Siltala, volleyball playerDelecta Bydgoszcz, Poland, b. 14 March 1984Our homespun sports hero Antti Siltalabegan his volleyball career in the teamVieremän lentopallo -92. At present, Anttiplays in one of the world's toughest volleyballleagues, the Polish Delecta Bydgoszcz.He has been a professional volleyballplayer for several years in Finland, France,Belgium, Greece and Turkey. Antti hasbeen a member of the Finnish nationalvolleyball team since 2005.AccomplishmentsFinnish Cup 2007Silver in the Finnish Championships2007Belgian championBelgian Cup championSilver in the CEV Cup 2008Accomplishments 2010–2011Major events10. 10th in the Junior World Championships2011 (W20, 10 km classic and skate)15th in the Junior World Championships2011 (W20, 5 km skate) 7th in the JuniorWorld Championships 2010 (W20, 10 kmcombi) 10th in the Junior World Championships2010 (W20, 5 km classic)Finnish National ChampionshipsGold and silver medals in the FinnishChampionships (W20) in 2011 four goldmedals in the Junior Finnish Championships(W20) in 2010Best result in the Scandinavian Cup6. 6th at Jõulumäe, Estonia (10 kmclassic)Ponsse News 1 • 2012 51

Harvest NewsKALPASavo is in the midst of an extremely interestinghockey season. KalPa ended last seasonone win short of reaching the finalsand the spring saw the team bring in somesignificant reinforcements. Sami Kapanenreturned to the rink, Jukka Hentunenreturned to Savo and the long-time captainof team Porin Ässät, Matti Kuparinen,moved to join the ranks of KalPa. At thesame time, KalPa announced its tough goal– to reach the finals of the Finnish Championshipduring the following two springs.The last, and so far the only, time KalPawas seen in the finals was in the spring of1991, when the team took the silver medal.KalPa's organisation won its first majorvictory as early as in the spring, when itwas invited to participate in the EuropeanTrophy tournament, which now includes24 teams. Other teams that competed inthe tournament came from Stockholm,Berlin, Vienna and Prague, for example.Of its eight matches, KalPa cleared itsway through to points, taking down therenowned Swedish teams of Djurgårdenand HV71, in addition to the Vienna Capitals.In the end, however, this was notenough to reach the finals.Under the leadership of their new headcoach, Tuomas Tuokkola, the team hasbeen flying high throughout the autumn.In December, KalPa led the series andthe top ten scorers of the league includethree KalPa players. The team's positiveand enthusiastic attitude is evident in theresults.KalPa aspires to be a fresh and innovativeorganisation that does things differently.The 2012 Kilpisoturit poster calendarpublished in mid-October attractedpositive media attention. To please theaesthetically inclined, KalPa players haveshorn their shirts to demonstrate their athleticism.On the flipside, the players aredepicted in more familiar gear.The average number of spectators athome games has increased by nearly 200during early autumn, now standing atSami Kapanen4,200 spectators per game. In 2012, thehockey season – following the conclusionof the Finnish league – will culminatein the World Championship Gamesto be played in Finland and which Finlandenters as reigning champion. Before that,it is KalPa's turn to battle its way throughto the finals.52Ponsse News 1 • 2012Iivo Niskanen, XC skierVuokatti Ski Team Kainuub. 12 January 1992Iivo Niskanen, a member of the Finnishnational junioir skiing team, is one of thetop Finnish skiers in his age group. Thefirst part of Iivo's season last year was hamperedby bouts of flu, but, in late winter, hereturned from the Junior Finnish Championshipswith a gold and bronze medal. Hispersonal best in the Junior World Championshipswas coming in seventh in thesprint.His main goal during the 2012 seasonis the Junior World Championships tobe held in Erzurum, Turkey, in February.There he plans to improve on his previousyear's results and win his first medal in amajor event. Iivo also plans to test himselfin adult races in the Finnish Championships,for example.Accomplishments 2010–2011Major events7. 7th in the Junior World Championships 2011(M20, sprint, classic)15. 15th in the Junior World Championships 2011(M20, 20 km combi)7. 7th in the Junior World Championships 2011(M20, 10 km classic)14. 14th in the Junior World Championships 2010(M20, 20 km combi)Finnish National ChampionshipsA gold and bronze medal in theJunior Finnish Championships (M20) in 2011five gold medals in Junior Finnish Championships(M18 and M20) in 2010

Harvest newsVieremä's young skiing promise Kerttu NiskanenVieremän Koitto, b. 13 June 1988A member of the Finnish National Team A,Kerttu Niskanen has already accumulateda few World Cup starts during the pastfew years. Her personal best was comingin tenth in Otepää, Estonia, in 2011. Lastseason, Kerttu won her first gold medal inthe Finnish Championships for adults bywinning the 30 km race in the classic style.In the Junior World Championship, Kerttuwon the gold medal in the sprint race andthe bronze medal in the combined classicand skate race. The season's high point washer first start in an adults' race at the OsloWorld Championship race, where she finishedeighth among tough competition."The final part of last season went verywell and left me feeling very positive. I wasalmost sad when the season came to an endas the races were going so well. Trainingduring the summer months progressednicely and I've been healthy, so I'm verymuch looking forward to the coming season.Since I will be skipping the WorldChampionship tour this coming season,my main goal is to be successful in Tourde Ski, which will take place at the turn ofthe year," says Kerttu.At present, competition in the nationalteam is tough – a fact that motivates Kerttuto train even harder."The national team now includes sevenwomen who are competing for a chanceto participate in the World Cup races. Youhave to work very hard throughout the seasonto earn your place in the Cup events."Accomplishments 2010–2011Major events8th in the World Championships 2011(W, 10 km classic)Gold medal in the Junior World Championships2011 (W23, sprint, classic)Gold medal in the Junior World Championships2010 (W23, 10 km classic)Bronze medal in the Junior WorldChampionships 2011 (W23, 15 kmcombi)7th in the Junior World Championships2010 (W23, 15 km combi)9th in the Junior World Championships2011 (W23, 10 km skate)Finnish National ChampionshipsGold, Finnish Championships 2011(W, 30 km classic)Gold, Junior Finnish Championships2010(W23, 5 km classic)Silver, Junior Finnish Championships2010(W23, 10 km skate) 4th,Finnish Championships 2010 (W, 30km classic) 7th, Finnish Championships2011 (W, sprint, skate)Best result in World Cupraces10. 10th in 10 km classic, Otepää, Estonia,20114. 4th in couples sprint, Liberec, theCzech Republic, 2011Ponsse News 1 • 2012 53

Harvest NewsAppointments at ponssePekka Ruuskanen appointed President and CEO of Ponsse North America, Inc.Forest engineer Pekka Ruuskanen (42) wasappointed President and CEO of Ponsse'sAmerican subsidiary Ponsse North AmericaInc. as of 1 June 2011. In his new position,Pekka Ruuskanen is in charge of theoperations of Ponsse North America Inc.Ruuskanen will be based at Rhinelander(WI), the United States.Pekka Ruuskanen started his career atPonsse in 1998, in the United States. Hehas worked as a forest machine instructoras well as a regional sales, product andsales manager. Mr Ruuskanen has workedin the harvesting and forest industry inthe United States and in Finland, Swedenand Germany. In addition to being a forestengineer, Mr Ruuskanen is a qualified forestmachine operator.The very first Ponsse machine in theUnited States was sold to St. John ForestProducts in Michigan. The company is stillan important partner of Ponsse. Our subsidiarywas established in Atlanta in 1995,but operations relocated to Rhinelanderthree years later. In the Great Lakes region,approximately 90% of harvesting is carriedout with the cut-to-length (CTL) method.However, the tree length method is still theprevalent harvesting method elsewhere inthe United States.Currently, Ponsse has three servicecentres of its own in the United States, inMichigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Inaddition to these, we have several retailersand authorised service partners in both theUnited States and Canada. The headquartersof the American subsidiary are locatedin Rhinelander, Wisconsin.Sigurd Skotte appointed Managing Director of Ponsse ASSigurd Skotte, MSc (Forestry), (48) wasappointed Managing Director of Ponsse'sNorwegian subsidiary Ponsse AS as of 1September 2011. Skotte came to PonsseAS from Tretorget AS, where he workedas project manager in the forestry division.Mr Skotte has been employed by PonsseAS previously from 2005 to 2007, duringwhich time he was responsible for marketingand worked as a salesperson. SigurdSkotte works from Kongsvinger, Norway.Ponsse's Norwegian subsidiary PonsseAS was established in 1998, in Kongsvinger,southeast Norway. In addition toits own maintenance services, PonsseAS's authorised Norwegian service partnersinclude Skogservice AS in Siljan, OPMaskin AS in Kongsvinger and Aker Rep& Service in Kirkenær.Norway is a fragmented market area,which is why it is important to be able tooffer customers versatile machines suitablefor all harvesting – thinning, regenerationfelling and the harvesting of bioenergy.Wood harvesting in Norway is challengingdue to its steep slopes and heavysnow. Harvester heads suitable for multistemming,six- and eight-wheel machinemodels, crane alternatives and environmentallyfriendly products are a good productrange for the Norwegian market. Theeight-wheel harvesters have been a particularlylong-awaited addition to the machinesavailable in Norway.Clément Puybaret appointed Managing Director ofPonssé S.A.S.Forest Engineer Clément Puybaret (30)was appointed Managing Director of Ponsse'sFrench subsidiary Ponssé S.A.S asof 15 August 2011. Puybaret has worked atPonssé S.A.S since 2006 as a sales representativeand instructor. Puybaret is basedin Gondreville, France.Ponssé S.A.S has three service centresand seven authorised service providers inFrance. The company's headquarters arelocated in Gondreville. As a harvestingarea, France is extremely diverse. Due tovarying climates, the area comprises a vastamount of different tree species, most ofwhich are deciduous. Harvesting has graduallymoved to increasingly steep slopes,which has made harvesting a more challengingtask.54Ponsse News 1 • 2012

Harvest newsPonsse on the roadComing events in 20129.-10.2. The 54th Metsätalouspäivät of Lapland Levi, Finland24.–25.2. Oregon Logging Conference Eugene, OR, USAIn March Lesprom 2012 Syktyvkar, Russia26.–28.3 2nd Latin America Forest Industry Conference Sao Paulo, Brazil27.–29.3. Russia Wood & Timber 2012 Moscow, Russia28.–29.3. Forum Brazil on Agroforestry Viçosa, Brazil29.–30.3. Heavy Equipment Show Moncton, NB, Canada31.3.–4.4. SilvaRegina The Czech Republic10.–13.4. Três Lagoas Forest 2012 Três Lagoas, Brazil19.–21.4. Maamess 2012 Tartu, Estonia19.–22.4. Technodrev Far East 2012 Khabarovsk, Russia24. – 26.4. Taitaja 2012, Finnish championship for young professionals Jyväskylä, FinlandIn May Lesdrevtech 2012 Minsk, Belarus7.–11.5. IV Forest Congress of Paraná Curitiba, Brazil9.–11.5. 4th Forest Fair Gramado, Brazil11.–12.5. NE Forest Products Expo Essex Junction, VT, USA23.–25.5. Seminar on Forest Protection Belo Horizonte, Brazil28.5.–1.6. Argentina Ambiental 2012 Buenos Aires, ArgentinaIn June VjatkaDrevMash Kirov, Russia6.–8.6. Forexpo 2012 Mimizan, France13.–16.6. KWF-fair Germany30.6. Metsä rokkaa Juva, Finland24.–25.8. Mellanskögsmässan Uppsala, Sweden30.8.–1.9. FinnMETKO Jämsä, Finland30.8.–2.9. Holzmesse Klagenfurt Austria6.–8.9. Logging Congress Oshkosh, WI, USA11.–14.9. Technodrev Siberia 2012 Krasnoyarsk, Russia13.–15.9. APF Show Alcester, Warwickshire, UK14.–15.9. Hurdagene Hurdal, Norway14.–15.9. North Star Expo USA18.–21.9. Siblesopolzovanie 2012 Irkutsk, Russia20.–22.9. Demo International 2012 St. Raymond, Quebec, Canada24.–26.9. Forest Congress of the State of RS andNova Prata, Brazil2nd Mercosur Seminar of Wood Chain9.–10.10. 45th Pulp and Paper International Congress and Exhibition Sao Paulo, Brazil22.–26.10. Lesdrevmash 2012 Moscow, RussiaWeek 47 (November Ponsse Demo Daythe Baltic countries19.-25.)9.–12.12. Russian Forest 2012 Vologda, RussiaPonsse News 1 • 2012 55

DISTRIBUTION NETWORKNorth EuropePonsse PlcPonssentie 2274200 VieremäFINLANDTel. +358 20 768 800Fax + 358 20 768 8690www.ponsse.comPonsse ABVästsuraLisjövägen 40735 91 SurahammarSWEDENTel. +46 220 399 00Fax +46 220 399 01Ponsse ASKlettavegen 72211 KongsvingerNORWAYTel. +47 628 888 70Fax +47 628 888 78AN Maskinteknik ABFöretagsvägen 1095333 HaparandaSWEDENTel. +46 922 10390Fax +46 922 10591Konekesko Eesti ASPõrguvälja tee 3APildiküla75301 HarjumaaESTONIATel. +372 6059 100Fax +372 6059 101www.konekesko.com/eeSIA Konekesko LatvijaTiraines iela 151058 RigaLATVIATel. +371 706 4300Fax +371 706 4301www.konekesko.com/lvUAB Konekesko LietuvaVerslo str.9,Kumpiu willage54311 Kaunas districtLithuaniaTel. +370 5 247 7400Fax +370 5 247 7420www.konekesko.com/ltCentral andSouth EuropePonssé S.A.S.ZAC Croix Saint Nicolas14 Rue de Lorraine54840 GondrevilleFRANCETel. +33 (0) 3 83 65 12 00Fax +33 (0) 3 83 65 12 01Ponsse UK Ltd.Unit 3Broomhouses 1Industrial EstateLockerbie, DG11 2RZUNITED KINGDOMTel. +44 (0) 1576 203 000Fax. +44 (0) 1576 202 202Auto Sueco (Coimbra) LdaASC Industria EN 10Edifício Volvo Apartado 20942696-801 S. João Da TalhaPORTUGALTel. +351 21 9946500Fax +351 21 9946553Forest Power KFT.Liszt ferenc köz. 38314 VonyarcvashegyHUNGARYTel. +36 83 540 279Fax. +36 83 540 280www.forestpower.huKrenek Forest Service s.r.o.Nový Nemojov 12254461 NemojovCZECH REPUBLICTel. +420 499 429 677Fax +420 499 429 676www.krenekfs.czPML PolandProfesjonalne Maszyny LeśneSprzedaz i Serwis Sp. z o.o.ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920r. nr 300-973 WarszawaPOLANDTel. +48 22 572 98 50Fax +48 22 823 96 75www.proml.plToimil Garcia, S.L.36512 Prado Lalin, PontevedraSpainTel. +34 986 794044Fax. +34 986 794047www.toimilgruas.comWahlers Forsttechnik GmbHLandwehrstr. 497215 UffenheimGERMANYTel. +49 09848 97 9990Fax +49 9848 97999 19www.wahlers-forsttechnik.deWahlers Forsttechnik GmbHMax-Schmeling-Straße 6D-27389 StemmenGERMANYTel +49 42 67 93 02 0Fax +49 42 67 93 02 19North AmericaPonsse North America, Inc.4400 International LaneRhinelander, WI 54501USATel. +1 715 369 4833Fax +1 715 369 4838Al’s Service Mechanic23508 State Highway 13/77Glidden, WI 54527USATel (715) 264-5967A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd.258 Drapeau StP.O. BOX 2532Balmoral, N.B.E8E 2W7CANADATel. +1 506 826 2717Fax +1 506 826 2753www.alpaequipment.comBerg’s Service and RepairN4705 Cty Rd JTigerton, WITel. 715-216-4270Fax 715-535-2415Cal’s Heavy Equipment1973 Hwy 12Two Harbors, MNTel. 218-834-3871Fax 218-830-1586Hydromec Inc.2921, boul. WallbergDolbeau-MistassiniQuebec, G8L 1L6CANADATel. +1 418 276-5831Fax +1 418 276-8166www.hydromec.caReadyQuip Sales andServices Ltd.P.O. Box 2140, Highway 101 WTimmins, OntarioCANADATel. +1 705 268 7600Fax +1 705 268 7691www.readyquip.comWoodland Equipment Inc.2015 W. Trans Canada Hwy.Kamloops, BC V1S 1A7CANADATel. +1 250 372 2855Fax +1 250 374 2844www.woodlandequip.comLatin AmericaPonsse Latin AmericaR. Joaquim Nabuco,115 – Vila NancyMogi das Cruzes - SPCEP 08735-120São PauloBRAZILTel. +55 11 4795 4600Fax +55 11 4795 4605Ponsse Uruguay S.A.Calle Montecaseros, 785C.P. 60.000PaysandúURUGUAYTel. +598 72 43 800RussiaOOOO PonsseVolkhonskoe Shosse, 2B, bldg. 15Gorelovo Industrial ZoneLeningrad region 188508RUSSIATel. +7 812 677 65 47Fax +7 812 677 32 27OOO Dormashimport-VostokVoronežskaja 129680042 KhabarovskRUSSIATel. +7 4212 62 90 42Fax +7 4212 76 41 84www.dmi-dv.ruOOO LespromservisPervomaiskaja 114,Republic of Komi167000 SyktyvkarRUSSIATel. +7 8212 28 84 80Fax +7 8212 28 84 16www.lps.komi.ruOOO RemtechnicaMichurina 6,662549 LesosibirskRUSSIATel. +7 39145 4 16 51Fax +7 39145 4 19 75OOO Zeppelin RusslandSofijskaja st. 6, 4th floor192236 Saint-PetersburgRUSSIATel. +7 812 335 11 10Fax +7 812 268 84 82www.zeppelin.ruOOO PKF ”Gidroservis”Shosse Kosmonavtov 312614065, PermRUSSIATel.: +7 342 299 99 20OOO Kostroma-Servis-PonsseOktjabrja st. 40A,Kostromskaja obl., ChuchlomaRUSSIATel.: +7 960 741 40 32Republic of BelarusODO UdarnikProspect Frunze 17-A210010, VitebskREPUBLIC OF BELARUSTel./Fax: +375 212 36 35 83Tel.: +375 212 37 32 33Asia-Pacific and AfricaPonsse China Ltd.1 Gangwan Road, Hepu Industry Park536100 Hepu, BeihaiGuangxiCHINATel. +86-779 720 0432Shingu Shoko, Ltd2-1-1 Inaho, OtaruHokkaido 047-0032JAPANTel. +81 (0134) 24-1315Fax +81 (0134) 22-6862www.shingu-shoko.co.jpINDUSTRIALOPERATIONsPonsse PlcPonssentie 2274200 VieremäFINLANDTel. +358 20 768 800Fax + 358 20 768 8690www.ponsse.comEpec OyTiedekatu 660320 SeinäjokiFINLANDTel. +358 20 760 8111Fax +358 20 760 8110www.epec.fi