SkogsElmia, to be held on 26-28 May 2011 in Jonkoping, Sweden will be the biggest forest trade fair in the world this year. The fair is expected to be just as big as the previous time it was held, in 2007, when it attracted 33 500 visitors and more than 300 exhibitors. This high level of interest is due to the strong demand for forest raw material, both from industry and as bioenergy.

“More forest buyers will be exhibiting than previously,” says Per Jonsson, project manager for SkogsElmia.

In addition, the structure of Nordic forestry is changing. Greater removals of biofuel necessitate different machinery and favour small-scale technology, which is one of SkogsElmia’s strong points.

Great need for investment

“This year’s SkogsElmia is also well placed from the geographical point of view. Sweden is the single largest market for forest machinery in Europe, and the southern half of Sweden accounts for more than 65% of the felling that takes place in the country, and with a high level of demand there is a great need for investment,” says Jonsson.

SkogsElmia is a sister event to the international Elmia Wood fair which is held every four years. Both trade fairs take place in the same area, in the forests south of Jonkoping. SkogsElmia is targeted at the Nordic market, in other words Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, with exhibitors also coming from Germany and other countries around the Baltic Sea.

Eero Lukkarinen is head of marketing at Kesla, a listed Finnish company that manufactures harvester heads, timber loading cranes, equipment for chipping and multi-stem handling and logging trailers.

“We do not have a forest fair in Finland in 2011 at which we can present the latest innovations. Sweden is an important market for us, in addition to which the fair attracts visitors from Finland,” he says.

The contractors are coming

Kesla anticipates a high level of attendance by Finnish contractors and their employees.

“After a winter of hard work in the forest the contractors take their staff with them on a trip to Sweden, to meet suppliers and see the latest developments in the industry,” says Lukkarinen.

Kesla will be presenting several improvements in its various product areas, and there may even be a completely new product that has never previously been shown. Kesla is unwilling to reveal what it is until nearer the time of the fair.

“Other exhibitors take the same view as Kesla and are aware that visitors, both forest owners and contractors, come to Elmia every other year regardless of which fair it is. When the industry people are here, they want to be here too so they can meet them,” says Jonsson.

Breakthrough for mini-forwarders

Small-scale technology plays a more prominent role at SkogsElmia than at Elmia Wood. As a result of increased removal of biofuel and other management methods, it is also becoming increasingly significant for professional forestry.

Interest in mini-forwarders has increased, for example. On 26-28 May there will be a general muster of the leading manufacturers at SkogsElmia. Exhibitors include Alstor, Loglander, WoodTiger, Malwa, Vimek, Scorpion and Terri.

World premiere for new machine manufacturer

A new product of international class will also be presented in the area of larger machinery. This is the T-Bear harvester which has been developed by the forest machinery contractor Torbjorn Ericsson. It contains several pioneering design features, including variable track width. The concept incorporates a revolutionary design which will be given its world premiere at the fair.

SkogsElmia will be held on the same site as Elmia Wood 2009, out in the forest south of Jonkoping, with the same extensive services for exhibitors and visitors. The previous SkogsElmia in 2007 attracted nearly 34 000 visitors. There are likely to be just as many this time, making SkogsElmia the biggest forest fair in the world in 2011.

Photographs and captions:

T-Bear is a machine with many ingenious features. Using an “ambulance model” slide bar, the engine hood can be opened with one hand. The harvester will be given its world premiere at SkogsElmia 2011.

SkogsElmia will bring together forest owners, contractors, forest officials and suppliers of machinery and services for forestry for a few intensive days.

Per Jonsson, Project manager
Phone: +46 36 15 21 93
E-mail: per.jonsson@elmia.se

Scandinavia’s leading venue for the future forestry

At SkogsElmia forest owners, entrepreneurs and machine suppliers meet during a few intense, but entertaining days to share opinions and try out news, prepare investment decisions and make interesting connections. SkogsElmia will of course be arranged outdoors – in the forest – on the same estate as in 2007, about 30 km South of Jonkoping.

www.skogselmia.se