Einari Vidgrén Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award for Puunkorjuu Torvinen Oy ‑Timber harvesting in forested hill landscapes

While the blue-hued forested hills of Kainuu are a magnificent sight, brothers Marko and Vesa Torvinen from Puolanka know that when it comes to moving machinery in the winter, the landscape is seen in a whole different light. Steep slopes, unpredictable weather and heavy snow make the work demanding, but over the years, they have also learned to face these challenges with a sense of humour.

“The slope looks magnificent, of course, but it doesn’t feel quite so good from inside the Scania cabin,” Marko Torvinen says with a laugh.

For the most part, the brothers have moved their machinery themselves. In summer, the operators also handle transfers, but in winter, the forested hills and unpredictable conditions make even the most experienced think twice about who takes the wheel.

“In summer, the operators do more of the moving, but come winter, people get a bit wary because of all the hills we have here, and the weather can be anyone’s guess,” Vesa Torvinen says.

Good-natured banter seems to be a natural part of the brothers’ everyday life. They have been running their business together for over twenty years now, since 2004, and humour is their way of lightening the load when the job gets tough.

Of course, humour only goes so far, and it doesn’t solve every situation instantly. Marko still remembers an incident in the winter when the Sisu lorry ended up at the side of the road. Damage was done despite the low speed, but years later, it’s an experience they can look back on with a chuckle. Working in the forested hills comes with its own risks, and sometimes they have had to unload the machine and drive the empty lorry to the top or the bottom of the slope.

Within the company’s operating area, there are also routes that they don’t even attempt to use during the winter months. With a road gradient of 13 per cent, the climb is challenging even when the ground is unfrozen. In winter, alternative routes are sought for machine transports, even though this increases both time and costs.

The Kainuu terrain is also reflected in fuel consumption, which is higher in the steep hills than on flat terrain. The Torvinens contract for Metsähallitus, and their agreement includes a terrain allowance when working on particularly steep ground. According to Marko Torvinen, however, the allowance doesn’t quite cover the extra strain caused by the demanding conditions. The snow adds to the challenge: in Kainuu, it is rarely less than a metre deep in the winter.

“The scenery definitely brings its own set of challenges to our job, there’s no doubt about it,” Marko states.

Different paths to the industry

Brothers Marko and Vesa Torvinen founded their joint company in 2004, but the roots of Puunkorjuu Torvinen Oy trace back to the 1960s. Back then, their father started a forestry contracting business with his brother. Following their father’s death, the business continued to be run by their uncle until 1988. The company spent some time in outside hands until Vesa bought a fifty per cent stake in 2002.

Before becoming a forestry contractor, Vesa turned his hand to many things: he drove a taxi, herded reindeer, and worked as a harvester operator for someone else after completing a six-month training course.

Marko’s path into the industry took a different route. With a business qualification under his belt, Marko ran a Neste service station with his wife, Virpi, first in Kajaani, then in Varkaus, and finally back in Kajaani again. They spent 12 years as service station entrepreneurs, until spring 2003 when Neste announced the end of its retailer-operated model. At the same time, Vesa asked his brother if he’d be interested in buying the other half of the business, as his partner at the time was looking to sell his share.

Negotiations over the deal continued until late 2003, and in the meantime, Marko went out to get a practical taste of what daily life on a forest machine was really like. His very first trip to collect a load from a thinning site remains vividly memorable for him.

“It took me four hours, and I even had to stop for a bite to eat at one point. At that point, I remember thinking that this is proper hard graft,” Marko recalls with a laugh.

In the beginning, he gained experience during evenings and weekends, and his first spring was largely spent finding his feet in the new job.

Marko’s first experiences of thinning with a harvester have also stuck in his mind. The transition from clear-cutting to thinning didn’t exactly go by the book, but his skills developed quickly through hands-on experience.

When a new contract started in Pudasjärvi in 2006, the company acquired a second harvesting chain. At the same time, Marko was able to deepen his expertise in logging.

One significant reason why Marko also learned to operate a harvester was the shortage of drivers. Over the years, he has spent more time at the controls of the forwarder, but over the last two years, his focus has shifted back to the harvester. Whenever necessary, Marko still jumps into whatever role is needed most at the time.

Currently, the company has four machine chains, eleven employees and one subcontractor. The continuity of the family business is further strengthened by the fact that Vesa’s son, Juha-Matti, and Marko’s son, Eetu, are also involved. The Torvinen family has been contracting for Metsähallitus for almost the entire history of the company, apart from a period of just over a year from spring 2020 to July 2021. During that period, they harvested timber for Pölkky Oy and Moto-Team Tauriainen.

Decision-making in the family business

In a family business, the division of work is clear. Vesa serves as Managing Director and Marko as Chair of the Board, and they’ve never had to resort to brotherly wrestling matches over decisions.

Things were agreed upon right from the start, and they quickly found a shared way of working. Vesa looks after the maintenance side and parts ordering, with Juha-Matti also taking part in servicing tasks and welding assignments. The company strives to handle as much of the work in-house as possible, even if larger overhauls require moving the machinery to Oulu or Iisalmi.