UK dealer, Windsor Materials Handling, is the first MHE supplier to renew its long-term contract with Metsä Wood, thanks in no small part to the performance of the Baumann sideloaders fleet.
Metsä Wood is part of Metsä Group, a unique Finnish co-operative comprising some 123,000 forest owners with 5.2 million hectares of forest land under its control (about 46% of all private forests in Finland) and 13,000 employees globally across 20 countries.
The UK operation covers four manufacturing and distribution sites focused on softwood planing lines at Boston and Widnes; MDF processing at Boston and the manufacture of Finnjoist i-beams and a timber treatment facility at King’s Lynn.
Windsor is one of the UK’s leading service partners of Baumann sideloaders, and 2020 Baumann UK Dealer of the Year. In choosing Baumann sideloaders from the GX Series supported by Windsor, the former Finnforest business cited the company’s independent approach and commitment to delivering additional safety, efficiency and fleet management capabilities as crucial elements of their winning proposal.
“Our key strength is industrial efficiency,” explained host Mike Lomas, Metsä Wood’s UK’s VP of Operations. “We continuously demand more from both ourselves and our partners, as we look for true commitment to partnerships, quality in production and reliability in operations.”
The MHE fleet includes cutting-edge GPS driver access and monitoring devices, and a host of safety, environmental and ergonomic improvements. Online fleet management will allow Metsä to monitor equipment usage and accidental damage, stay up-to-date with costs and access service records.
“The GPS devices provide valuable information for the management team, whilst additional LED lights, reduced paperwork, upgrades to seats and reduced noise and vibration levels are small improvements that add up to a far greater user experience,” said Baumann UK MD, Jason Reynolds. “Improved fuel economy, reduced emissions and added safety features are all included, and the fleet will be flexible enough to respond to temporary changes or increases in future demand. This is a fleet management solution, not a standard contract for forklifts.”
Metsä Wood provides the premium-quality wood products for construction, industrial and distribution customers, using 100% traceable wood from northern forests, a sustainable raw material of the finest quality.
