“With a heritage of innovations within the CTL-method and being in the forefront in forestry today, Finland is, and has always been, a very important market for Komatsu Forest. To best serve our customers throughout Finland and the Baltic States we are happy to announce this new organization. Mr. Alahuhtala and Mr. Korhonen are both esteemed colleagues and will work together to strengthen the customer relationships, the company and the Komatsu Forest brand even further”, says Ola Boström EVP and Marketing Director of Komatsu Forest.

Jari Alahuhtala celebrates 30 years in the company and has during that time been After Sales Manager for Komatsu Forest Oy and Komatsu Forest AB, MD for Komatsu Forest Oy and most recently MD for Komatsu Forest BKCIS, Russia. 10 years ago, he was asked to start up the Komatsu Forest Russian Branch in St Petersburg and has during that period established logistical centers for Spare Parts, Service and Marketing, increased the dealer network from 3 to 34 Komatsu Forest dealer points and contributed to expanding a training network together with forestry colleges and universities throughout Russia. Now the time has come for local experienced representatives to continue the forest machine sales in Russia and for Alahuhtala to return to Finland.

“For me being appointed to MD for Komatsu Forest Oy is a great opportunity and it feels like coming home. I already know most of the colleagues and many of the customers. After 30 years I still find it interesting and exiting to work in the forest machines business”, Alahuhtala says. “I’m sure that my experience and my network will be beneficiary in this new position”, Alahuhtala continues.

Timo Korhonen, who has been the MD for Komatsu Forest Oy since 2010, will now take the position as Sales and Marketing Director. Korhonen has been in the company for 19 years and started off as a salesman in 1999 and then as the Used Machine Manager, Marketing Manager and most recently MD for Komatsu Forest Oy. During Korhonen’s almost 8 years as MD Komatsu Forest Oy has among others expanded its facilities with Pirkkala, Jyväskylä and Rovaniemi Service and Spare Part Centers as well as expanded the dealership network in eastern, northern and western Finland to ensure closer proximity to the customers. In 2017 a new logistical solution was taken into effect for shorter lead time for spare parts.

“In the future I can focus much more on strengthening the sales team, sales activities and relationships with customers both in Finland and the Baltic states. The main target is of course to increase sales in both Finland and the Baltic states and I really look forward to getting started. Komatsu Forest’s product range suits perfectly to Finland’s and Baltic’s conditions, and there certainly is a larger potential for increasing sales. 2018 is a very exiting year for us, we have a lot of activities with new product introductions such as the 8wd harvester 901XC to soft ground and thinning operations, new head model C124, and SmartFlow – crane techniques to forwarders etc. and of course the big FinnMetko 2018 fair, Korhonen says.

The new organization will be in place April 1st.

“With this new management, we see a very experienced and dynamic team that will take Komatsu Forest Oy to the next level. With Alahuhtala’s knowledge and experience of working as an MD in a fast growing and changing market and with Korhonen’s strong dedication to the customers we are assured that we are well prepared to meet the expanding Finnish market”, Boström concludes.