“We want to work with professional chains and select the importers we are co-operating with”, says Matti Mäkelä, the managing director of Finn-Bois Oy. The company has operated in Rantasalmi since the year 2007 and is concentrated on export.
Matti Mäkelä, who was working as an export manager in Rantasalmi Oy, founded Finn-Bois Oy with Timo Karhu and Jaapan Haapala who were his co-workers. Rantasalmi Oy is a manufacturer of log houses.
“We all have a long-term experience from log house business and we have drawn knowledge from Rantasalmi Oy. Finn-Bois wants to avoid the earlier mistakes. We are a contract manufacturer of wooden houses and we want to serve our customers so well that they won’t even think of replacing us. This keeps our mind fresh”, says Mäkelä.
A radical structural change is affecting the business at the moment. Mäkelä divides the companies in the business in two camps. Many of the old famous companies, for example Vehasen Saha and Suoranta, have gone bankrupt. The factory area of Rantasalmi Oy calmed down last year after the company went bankrupt. Lameco bought the business and capital assets of the Rantasalmi Oy´s bankrupt’s estate at the end of last year. Now the operations are starting in the old premises of Rantasalmi Oy.
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“When
Rantasalmi Oy needed even six machines to process a building log ready,
our company can do the same with one machine. You need only one
employee at a time instead of three to manage the completely automated
manufacturing process.”
On the other hand there are many high-flyers in the business: Mammuttihirsi, Kuusamo Hirsitalot, Kontio Hirsitalot and Finnlamel, Mäkelä lists. “New companies have come into the market with new forms of activity, and they are doing nicely.”
Finn-Bois is using the Hundegger K2 machine tool, which is world’s top class. “The machine works well for us. Maybe it isn’t the fastest in the world, but it is flexible and we can make versatile solutions and even specialities with it.”
Different export areas balance risks
Finn-Bois manufactures wooden houses for their export customers export purposes who sell the houses with their own trademarks. The architects of the importers customize the houses according to the wishes of their own customers.
“Our motto is that we work only with nice partners, and we have succeeded in finding importers with whom the cooperation is pleasant. In our opinion the main thing is that our cooperating partners are professionals and appreciate quality when it comes to operations and materials.”
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The biggest exporting countries are France and Japan. Many types of wooden houses and also plain frames are delivered to French customer. The houses are sold from France also to Switzerland. In Central Europe wooden houses are used as both first and second homes. “Wooden houses have a good demand in Central Europe, but the competition is tough and there is a lot of own production around. Our French customer is able to customize wooden houses and other products to meet the needs of the customers.”
The log houses which are shipped to Japan are often used as detached houses. “Log construction is still marginal in Japan. We have tried to deliver the houses to Japan also by rail, but the goods stay in better shape when shipped in containers. The movement is steadier during the ship transportation. One of our wooden houses was selected the log house of the year in Japan on 2009.”
Exporting already extends to Russia and there should be possibilities for growth. “Also today products are leaving from here to Russia, but we want to be in the slow lane and follow the market development.”
Finn-Bois doesn’t even seek large amount of customers around the world. “Quantity is not essential, because it’s true when they say that 20 percent of the customers usually bring 80 percent of the company’s turnover. Different things are happening to different markets in different times, that’s why we want to operate in many kinds of market areas.”
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