Koneosapalvelu and Nordic Traction Group enter co-operation in track business
Koneosapalvelu Oy and Nordic Traction Group Oy have entered into a co-operation agreement concerning the manufacturing and sales of forest machine tracks.
In future, Nordic Traction Group will be in charge of the manufacturing of Kopa flotation tracks. Koneosapalvelu will continue as the distributor of Kopa tracks in Finland.
Manufacturing partnership for increased production capacity
The goal of the co-operation agreement is to ensure competitive manufacturing of the tracks developed by Koneosapalvelu and to increase the sales of the tracks in the global markets. Hannu Soimasuo, Managing Director of Koneosapalvelu, comments: “We started the product development for the Kopa flotation tracks in 2015 and the product has become very popular on our Finnish home market. As the production volumes keep growing, we are approaching the limits of in-house capacity at our Vilppula plant. Joining forces with a partner specialising in the manufacturing of forest machine tracks will enable us to increase the production volumes and to achieve efficiency benefits.”
Soimasuo continues: “Kopa tracks are a patented product and Koneosapalvelu will retain the intellectual property rights. We will continue selling Kopa tracks in Finland just as before and we will also add the general-use tracks manufactured by Nordic Traction Group to our sales portfolio. Nordic Traction Group’s distribution network will in future be responsible for the export sales.” The transfer of the track production will take place in stages during 2022.
Mutually beneficial co-operation
Nordic Traction Group has in recent years invested in automation technology and more efficient track production in Dumfries, Scotland, where Clark Tracks has designed and produced tracks for forestry machines for 34 years. “Our renewed production plant will enable mutually beneficial co-operation with Koneosapalvelu. We are professionals in track production and Koneosapalvelu is a key expert in the Finnish forest machine business,” says Tero Järvinen, CEO of Nordic Traction Group. “There is substantial demand for flotation tracks in the European markets. We are truly excited to be able to offer a product that complements our existing range to our extensive distributor network.”
For more information, please contact:
Koneosapalvelu Oy
Hannu Soimasuo
Managing Director
+358 50 540 5950
hannu.soimasuo@koneosapalvelu.fi
Nordic Traction Group Oy
Tero Järvinen
CEO
+358 40 842 6079
tero.jarvinen@nordictraction.fi
Company information in brief
Koneosapalvelu Oy
• Manufactures equipment and spare parts for timber processing and retails hydraulic equipment and machinery spare parts and accessories. In addition to a large technical trading selection, maintenance and repair services are a key component of the operations.
• Serves many kinds of customers, including forest machine and civil engineering contractors, the process and forest industries, machine builders as well as maintenance workshops serving the forest machine industry.
• Key figures in 2021: turnover EUR 14.4 million, 54 employees
• Branches in Vilppula, Kuopio and Lappeenranta. The subsidiary Kithydro Oy is based in Joensuu, Kitee and Lahti.
• A Finnish family business founded in 1976, part of the Outokummun Metalli group.
Nordic Traction Group Oy
• A premium brand supplier, serving and providing worldwide high-quality traction products for professional customers. The products are used in demanding conditions in various types of vehicles, especially for forestry applications.
• The company has two production sites, in Loimaa, Finland, and Dumfries, Scotland. The Loimaa plant was founded in 1886 and has manufactured traction chains since the 1930s. The track production in Scotland started in 1988.
• Both production plants serve directly forest machine manufacturers and other distribution channels in more than 30 countries under well-known brands such as Clark Tracks, NordChain, OFA and Tellefsdal Kjetting.
• The company has 120 employees and is headquartered in Loimaa, Finland, and has a turnover of EUR 25 million.
For further information, visit www.nordictractiongroup.com
