Twenty successful years for Ponsse in Denmark
It has been twenty years since Ponsse first entered the Danish market. Today, its market share is around 50 per cent – clear proof that customers value both the machinery and the service. This success naturally pleases Martin Kristiansen, who has served as a Ponsse sales representative in Denmark for a decade.
Ponsse’s history in Denmark dates back to 2006, when the Swedish subsidiary expanded its operations into its south-western neighbour. Interest in the yellow-and-black Finnish machines grew rapidly. That momentum has continued, and last year, Ponsse achieved an estimated market share of just over 50 per cent across both harvesters and forwarders.
“Our market share is typically between 40 and 45 per cent, but deliveries were exceptionally high in 2025, amounting to 23 new machines in total,” Martin Kristiansen explains.
Ponsse has three independent service points in Denmark, with two located in Jutland and one in Zealand.
The right machine to meet the user’s needs
Kristiansen notes that Denmark has roughly 650,000 hectares of productive forest land, with an annual felling volume of around six million cubic metres.
“Danish forestry has a lot in common with the rest of the Nordic region. Naturally, there are differences, but what matters most is having a strong company and forest machines that deliver on ergonomics, performance, environmental responsibility and maintenance services,” he says.
For Kristiansen, it is important to ensure that every deal provides the forestry contractor with precisely the right machine. His background as a machine operator and forestry contractor proves invaluable here.
“The sale is really just the beginning or the continuation of a customer relationship,” says Kristiansen, who makes a point of following up on how the forest machine performs in day-to-day operations.
Customers typically run between one and five machine chains. While most are contracting businesses, several larger forest owners also operate their own forestry machinery.
From harvester operator to sales representative
Martin Kristiansen thoroughly enjoys his role as a Ponsse sales representative. The job offers considerable freedom and responsibility, which suits him well. He appreciates being able to find the optimal solution for each buyer, followed by keeping track of the customer, the operator and the machine. He also values the close collaboration with his Swedish colleagues. This is especially evident in connection with deliveries, when an instructor is on hand to ensure a good start for every machine, both new and pre-owned.
Kristiansen’s path into forest machinery was not predetermined. He originally trained as an electrician, but soon transitioned into operating harvesters, initially in France and later in Denmark. He also had a brief stint working as a mechanic.
In 2004, Kristiansen bought his first harvester. Seven years later, he hired an operator and expanded his fleet with a pre-owned Ponsse Wisent. The forwarder marked his first encounter with Ponsse’s product range and service network. A couple of years later, he upgraded his fleet with a Ponsse Buffalo forwarder, followed a few years later by an investment in a Ponsse Scorpion harvester.
“When Ponsse were looking for a sales representative in Denmark, I expressed my interest straight away. As a customer, I had nothing but positive experiences with Ponsse across the board. That gave me real confidence in my decision,” explains Kristiansen, who subsequently sold his contracting business.
When the market share is already high, defending that position is especially demanding. However, Kristiansen is confident that Ponsse is well-positioned to maintain its market lead. “Ponsse offers strong machine models alongside solid resources for operator training and aftersales support. On top of that, there is a genuine commitment to listening to customers and understanding their needs. The group is large, but the relationships remain close,” Kristiansen emphasises.
