News

Jaana Sorola is VK’s new supply chain manager in Lohja, Finland. She leads the material management and supply chain teams.

In her role, Jaana is responsible for the extensive supply chain related to purchases, sourcing, production planning and warehouse operations.

Jaana has several years of experience in a machine shop environment, and she brings a lot of expertise in managing the entire supply chain.

Mauri Mäkelä has started in Lohja as a new field service manager. Mauri is a leader of the service team.

Mauri’s primary duty is to manage service operations in Finland and the Baltic states. In addition, he sells aftermarket products and services in the area.

Mauri’s background fits well into this role. He has previous experience with VK debarkers in the mechanical wood industry, where he worked in supervisor and management roles for service and maintenance.

Welcome to the VK family, Jaana and Mauri! We are glad to have you with us. (10/2024)

Sébastien Morasse has started at VK North America in capital sales with a primary focus on Northeast and East markets in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Sébastien has over 20 years’ experience in the industry, with a very high degree of know-how in overall wood processing and saw line optimization.

Sébastien has work experience from both small and large sawmill environments - his previous employer being Canadian-based Interfor Corporation. Sébastien has also worked for BID Group / Comact for several years.

We wish Sébastien a very warm welcome to the VK team! We look forward to working with him and building a successful future together. (09/2024)

With over 40 years of experience with Valon Kone in Australia, Macquarrie Corporation Pty Ltd has been appointed as VK’s exclusive agent for New Zealand from January 1, 2024. 

This appointment was made in recognition of the extensive knowledge and experience of Macquarrie’s VK team, lead by Timara Talbot (Managing Director) and Jason Martin (VK Parts & Service Manager). Jason has worked with VK debarkers in mills across Australia for approximately 20 years, and leveraging his experience in New Zealand will be an asset to VK customers and VK’s overall presence in the marketplace. 

We are looking forward to collaborating with Macquarrie to leverage their experience and strengthen our presence and service levels in New Zealand. And, at the same time we want to thank our long-term agent, W & R Jack Ltd for their work in New Zealand. (01/2024)

Kim Manninen is Valon Kone’s new team lead for service in after sales. He is responsible for maintenance of VK debarkers. In addition, Kim´s organization is taking care of installations and commissioning in customer projects.

Kim has a strong background and experience working in maintenance, project, and training tasks, for example in the process industry - latest employers and good examples being Oy SKF Ab and Stora Enso Oyj.

Valon Kone has made its largest investment in history to modernize and expand the factory in Lohja, Finland. The completed project will increase the capacity, capability, and physical size of the plant. The initiative began last autumn and is on schedule to be completed in the beginning of 2025.

Key improvements made to the facility in Lohja include constructing new buildings, acquiring new production machinery, and redeveloping factory operations. The modernized factory will be built in accordance with LEAN principles. It will feature modern technology and increased automation, and be supported by a new ERP system. The investment will enable improved production planning, modernized material flow, and streamlined inner logistics.

To expand the product manufacturing area, a new structure will be built for machining, welding, and warehousing. The production and warehouse area will grow by 3.000 square meters, and the assembly area will double in size.

When possible, new machinery for the workshop will be purchased from Finnish manufacturers and suppliers. The purchases include FASTEMS FMS-system and BURKHARDT+WEBER’s machining centers connecting to FMS, and DMG-MOR’s automatic mill turn with robot loading.

The investment project and the new production operation model will bring new jobs to Lohja. In recent months, VK has hired new employees and production workers, especially for machining and welding. Additional staff and personnel are still needed, and VK will seek to fill open positions. (08/2023)

Valon Kone will launch the VK9000 series ring debarker at the upcoming LIGNA trade fair May 15 – 19, 2023 in Hannover, Germany. The VK9000 series ring debarker delivers high-speed debarking to meet the needs of modern large scale producers.

The VK9000 debarker features an updated machine frame for easier maintenance and enhanced working ergonomics. As with Valon Kone’s VK5000 and VK8000 debarkers, the new VK9000 has a modular machine frame design to allow flexibility in investment planning.

The new debarker has no moving parts outside of the frame, eliminating the need for additional protection around the debarker. All service doors are controlled with safety switches and sensors.

Additional features include strengthened critical construction and components, expanded functionality, and renewed feedroll power transmission and hydraulic pressure systems for higher debarking feed speed with less mechanical stress on the machine and wood.

The VK9000 includes a debarking rotor with Air Seal, a remote-controlled pneumatic tool, and is designed for debarking medium- and large-size logs. The rotor is available in three different sizes: 56 cm (22”), 68 cm (27”), and 81 cm (32”) and can be manufactured as a single rotor or as a combi version with more than one rotor. All tandem ring debarkers feature counter-rotating rotors.

At LIGNA 2023, Valon Kone will be exhibiting in hall 25, booth F23. The booth will include a single rotor debarker with a 68 cm (27”) rotor with infeed conveyor and four feedroll pairs. (05/2023)

Valon Kone has expanded its global sales network with a new representative in Chile. As of January 1, 2023, the company Innovación Nórdica Spa from Santiago is VK’s new exclusive agent on the Chilean market.

Mr. Vasco Ortúzar and his team have been servicing the wood processing industry in Chile for 20 years. In addition to Valon Kone, Mr. Ortúzar is working with several first-class European equipment manufacturers, for example Pinomatic and Finnos (Finland), Argos (Norway), and Steinemann (Switzerland). We are happy to start our co-operation with Innovación Nórdica to improve Valon Kone’s presence and service level in the market.

At the same time, we want to express our gratitude to our long-term agent in Chile, Mr. Ricardo Schmidlin for his work and commitment to VK and to Chilean customers. Thank you Riku! (01/2023)

VK’s team, located in Lohja, Finland, has recently been expanded to include three new hires:

• Fredrik Lindström, Mechanical Engineer
• Kati Kujala, Controller
• Siiri-Viola Puhdaskoski, After Sales Engineer

Learn more in Holzkurier's article how Valon Kone is taking care of its customers in German speaking Europe (09/2022).

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Sebastian Buddas has been appointed as the R&D director and member of the Valon Kone management group. Seppo Kurki, previously responsible for engineering and R&D, will continue at VK as a senior advisor (debarking technology).

Jari Lindén is transitioning to manufacturing development manager and Teemu Nybäck will transition to manufacturing manager. Markku Alapelto has started with VK as the new warehouse manager.

M.Sc. (Eng.) Lari Laakso has started with VK as the new after sales director and member of the management group. Lari has a strong background and many years’ experiences working in similar roles, good examples being Howden Turbo Fans Oy and Marioff Corporation. Sakari Laine, previously responsible for after sales, will continue as a business development director (Finland, Russia, and Baltic countries).

Sami Jokinen and Miro Kuusisto are VK’s new service supervisors for after sales.

Noora Nyman has started with VK as an assistant in the finance department.

Valon Kone's new company video has been published. See in three minutes who we are.

SEE HERE

The below mentioned appointments have been made at Valon Kone’s main office in Finland:

We have strengthened our engineering team in Lohja. A mechanical engineer, Aleksis Niemelä and a senior engineer, Sebastian Buddas have started in their new positions. Both have a strong background and many years’ experience working in the machinery manufacturing industry.

M.Sc. (Tech.) Henrik Wikström (50) has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Valon Kone with effect from June 2020. Henrik has many years’ experience in international business and company management, good examples being Sioen Ballistics and the Savox Group.

Henrik says “I see excellent potential for Valon Kone’s future business development – especially taking into consideration the world-class products, broad sales channels, and the world’s best debarker specialists within the company. Based on this, it is my honour to take the company forward to the next level”.

Tomi Hassinen has been appointed as Vice President and Minttu Ristiniitty as Finance Director.

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, has begun constructing the most modern sawmill in the world in Rauma, Finland. The value of the investment is approximately 200 MEUR and the production at the sawmill is set to begin during 2022.

Valon Kone has been chosen as the debarker supplier for the project.

From the Finnish press release of Metsä Group: “Valon Kone Oy will supply two debarkers, which will be equipped with one debarking rotor and one butt-end reducing rotor. Feeding of logs into the debarker without a log gap is possible. Safe operation especially has been emphasized in design and construction of the machines.”

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Valon Kone has invested in a new CNC machining center at the production plant in Lohja, Finland.

Uniport 6000 has a vertical carousel turning station and it allows machining of bigger parts of VK debarkers, like rotor rings and ring carrier frames.

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