The 9,000th PONSSE machine built in Vieremä Viere

Vieremä, Finland, 2013-10-14 16:40 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  

The 9,000th PONSSE machine built in Vieremä

Ponsse’s factory in Vieremä has now manufactured 9,000 PONSSE forest machines. Ponsse Plc delivered the 9,000 ^th forest machine to its Canadian customer, Entreprises Forestières Lemieux & Girard Inc., on 10 October 2013.

PONSSE forest machines have been manufactured in Vieremä since 1970. In total, approximately 7,000 machines are currently in active use at logging sites around the world. PONSSE forest machines are being used in all the world's most important industrial timber harvesting areas in nearly 40 countries. 

Ponsse Plc delivered the 9,000 ^th forest machine to a Canadian timber harvesting company, Entreprises Forestières Lemieux & Girard Inc. The company is headquartered in Labrecque, Quebec. The owner of the family business, Réjean Girard , received the PONSSE ElephantKing forwarder together with his sons Christopher and Andy Girard . The family’s third son, Bryan , also works in the company as a forest machine operator. Réjean Girard’s wife Kathy Lemieux handles administrative tasks within the company. 

Entreprises Forestières Lemieux & Girard Inc. handles both hardwood and softwood harvesting contracts in the Lac-St-Jean area in Quebec. The company’s machines include both forwarders and harvester heads delivered by Ponsse. The PONSSE ElephantKing forwarder, which was introduced last year, has been tested and specifically designed for the challenging timber harvesting conditions found in Canada: the deep snow, heavy loads, steep slopes and long driving distances.  The largest forwarder model manufactured by Ponsse has an impressive carrying capacity of 20 tonnes, 24 tonnes of traction power and a load space of 6.25 m². 

In the Quebec region, where the annual harvesting volume is 35 million m ³ , Ponsse’s machines are sold and serviced by Hydromec Inc . Entreprises Forestières Lemieux & Girard Inc bought its first PONSSE machine from Hydromec in 2007. 

“Entreprises Forestières Lemieux & Girard Inc. is an exemplary company in many ways. It is a determined and active forerunner in the timber harvesting field. The company’s operations are guided by a positive attitude and high quality – the customer can always count on the schedules and excellent results of Lemieux & Girard. The industrious and positive attitude towards the work has been passed on to the next generation, and the company’s future looks good,” says Jean Trottier , managing director of Hydromec Inc.

“This machine deal was the quickest ever in Hydromec’s history. Our customer made the decision on the purchase in eight minutes after hearing of the possibility of getting the 9,000 ^th PONSSE,” Trottier says. 

At the same occasion, the personnel of Ponsse’s factory also gathered together to celebrate the automation prize awarded to PONSSE Scorpion. At the beginning of October, Scorpion received the Viva Automation! prize for the comprehensive and innovative utilisation of automation technology in a new harvester model.

Vieremä, 14 October 2013

PONSSE PLC  

For further information, please contact: Ponsse Plc, Marko Mattila, Area Director (North American Dealers), tel. +358 400 596 297, marko.mattila@ponsse.com

Photos: http://www.ponsse.com/media-archive/images/ev...se-machine