Born to be global
The energy wood grapple is used to clear brushwood and thin out forests. The grapple can be attached to an excavator and thanks to its dexterity, it makes less impact on the trees to be left behind, leaving a tidy finish to the forestry work.
Kimmo Tossavainen is a serial entrepreneur who started his first business in his early twenties. Since then, there have been eleven companies in total, the newest of which, KX-Treeshears Oy, was launched in spring 2020. Already in August of that year, a modular energy wood grapple was introduced to the market. The parts are partly manufactured in-house, partly by subcontracting. In addition to its own employees, the company indirectly employs around 30 people.
The energy wood grapple is the result of years of development. Kimmo has been working in the forest management industry for a long time, and during the forestry work he has had time to think about what kind of machine would be most useful, especially for clearing brushwood and small trees. The machine should be easy to use, lightweight, and durable. To meet growth targets, the machine should also be suitable for series production and, if necessary, be able to be fitted with a range of accessories to add versatility.
– There was a lot of news about the desire to increase the use of renewable energy wood. I had the idea that a local company would make wood that would be burned in local heating plants, but the idea quickly took on global proportions, says Kimmo.
The market leader in its field
Kimmo’s ambitions are bold and open-minded. Esa Lehmonen, The Enterprice Agency Business Äänekoski’s business advisor, also believes in them.
– Kimmo has an insight into what kind of product range is needed for energy wood harvesting, what works in the forest, and what kind of tool will last there. Thanks to his contracting experience, Kimmo also speaks the same language as his customers. We still have regular meetings with Kimmo, where we have discussed both the machinery and investment subsidies.
The patented modular design of the energy wood grapple also provides a strong basis for international success. The entrepreneur’s goal is to make the energy wood grapple the market leader in its product segment. There are currently more than 30 dealers and the main markets are already found in Europe, the United States, and Canada. Market openings have also been made in New Zealand and South Korea.
Advice from a serial entrepreneur
– If you want to grow, you need to set clear objectives and a plan on how to achieve them. And if you don’t get there straight away, you have to analyse your practices and think about how to change them. Strong growth can also easily lead to a liquidity crisis, so it is essential to prepare a cash flow forecast. It’s easy to start a business, but harder to get it up and running and profitable, says Kimmo.
The business advisor agrees and points out the need for marketing.
– Kimmo strengths also lie in marketing. His network of dealers is built on his previous contacts, making sales smooth and cost-effective.
And with the right product, growth and internationalisation have every chance of success.
