The best service with our dealers
Ponsse is constantly developing its services across the world with its customers and partners. Dealers’ expertise in local markets helps Ponsse respond to customer needs even better. We met one of the latest additions to our dealer network, as well as our long-term partners in South Africa and Australia.
Dyna Touraine
Starting its partnership with Ponsse in the spring of 2024, Dyna Touraine from France is one of the latest additions to Ponsse’s dealer network. At the bustle of the FinnMETKO 2024 exhibition, we met Nicolas and Romain Boussion, the founders of Dyna Touraine.
“Our company is based in Le Mans in Central France, some 200 kilometres from Paris. My brother Romain and I established the company in 2008, and we are a family- run company like Ponsse,” says Nicolas Boussion, who currently works as a director of the company. Dyna Touraine specialises in forest and earth-moving machines, excavators, chippers and transport vehicles for them. Its customer base extends from the northwest to Central France.
“Currently, our company employs roughly 30 people, and we are looking for new employees. We believe in growth, even though the market situation is slightly challenging,” Nicolas says. “We are really enjoying this event – there are many exhibitors, and Ponsse’s exhibition area is very impressive”.
The partnership has got off to a good start, and people from both Ponsse and Dyna Touraine are highly motivated and very excited about their cooperation. “The company operates in first-rate new facilities, and Ponsse’s machines are proving their worth – we are in a good place to move forward,” says Ville Mansikkamäki, Ponsse’s Area Vice President for Europe.
France
France has the fourth largest forest area in Europe, with forests covering more than 16 million hectares.
Central France is home to highly diverse forests and more than 30 different tree species. The land is mainly flat in the central parts of the country.
Deciduous trees account for roughly 70 percent of all trees, with oak, beech and pine being the most significant species.
France has some 3.3 million private forest owners who own approximately 12 million hectares of forests. A single forest owner usually owns less than a hectare of forest land.
There are some 800,000 major forest owners.
MTS Parts
Established in 2007, MTS Parts from South Africa has been a Ponsse dealer since 2016. The company is based in Nelspruit in the north-eastern part of the country, some 300 kilometres from Johannesburg. It employs close to 20 people and delivers forest machines not only in South Africa but also in its neighbouring countries.
“Ponsse has been the best partner for us in forest machine trading, and our cooperation has always been smooth,” says Chris Odendaal, the company’s Managing Director, with Erica Odendaal, his wife and the company owner.
“We hope that our partnership continues to improve and grow in the future.” “We just got here, and everything’s looking good. Ponsse’s machines are impressively on display, and we can’t wait to see the work demonstrations. Finland’s forests and terrain are so different – for that reason alone, it’ll be interesting to see the machines at work.”
“This has been a challenging year for machine sales due to the geopolitical situation. As Ponsse has launched very interesting new products, we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us,” Chris says.
South Africa
The north-eastern parts of South Africa are home to vast forest areas. The country’s total forest resources consist of some 40 million hectares, of which commercial forests only account for some two per cent.
Key tree species include pine, eucalyptus and acacia.
Wood for industrial uses is mainly grown on plantations.
The terrain is varied, ranging from flat land to steep slopes. Contractors and machines must be able to work in both conditions.
Randalls Equipment Co
Based in Melbourne, Randalls is the oldest still-operating dealer specialising in forest machines in Australia. The company started operating in 1968 and has been a Ponsse dealer since 2014. In addition to its head office in Melbourne, Randalls has branches across South Australia and in Tasmania and New Zealand.
“Currently, we have some 80 employees and operate in a very large geographical area,” says David Waldron, Managing Director of Randalls.
“Our range consists not only of Ponsse’s products but also of a large mix of harvester heads, excavators, track-based machines and seeders. We also make certain products ourselves.”
“The general increase in interest rates and the decelerated exports of timber to China can clearly be seen in the markets. Our customers are now operating at 80–90 per cent compared to the situation a year before. Most of our customers operate on forest plantations, harvesting pine and eucalyptus. However, we believe the situation will improve towards the end of this year,” David says.
“The CTL method landed in Australia more than 40 years ago and is slowly gaining a foothold in harvesting. Those operating in the forest machine market are slowly starting to understand the significance of smaller, yet efficient and terrain-sparing, forest tractors and harvesters,” David says.
Australia
Australia has the world’s seventh largest forest area, accounting for roughly three per cent of the total forest area in the world.
Australia’s forest resources consist of roughly 134 million hectares. Old-growth forests account for 98 per cent of all forests.
Eucalyptus (77 per cent) and acacia (eight per cent) dominate Australia’s indigenous forests.
Radiata pine (1.1 million hectares) and deciduous trees, mainly eucalyptus (0.7 million hectares), are primarily grown on plantations.
Of the forest area, 32 per cent is under private ownership, and 17 per cent comprises nature reserves.