PONSSE INVESTS IN FOREST RESEARCH

Ponsse Oyj invests in increasing the interest in European countries in research
and innovations contributing to the role of modern technologies in sustainable
development by establishing a special fund. The Ponsse Fund awards mainly
scholarships for PhD or post-doctoral studies at the European Forest Institute
(EFI).

The donation will annually be up to 25 000 euro and the Fund starts its operation
in January 2006. While Ponsse Oyj is the Donor of the funds, the Fund is
administrated by The Foundation for European Forest Research. The work will be
conducted at the European Forest Institute (EFI). "Ponsse is known for its
technical innovations and forest research community welcomes the support for
research on the role of technologies in sustainable forest management", asserts
Risto Päivinen, Director of EFI.

The reason behind the establishment of the fund is that Forestry operations and
environment related management are under continuous development. New technologies
are needed to improve cost-efficiency and sustainability impacts of forest
regeneration, silvicultural treatments, wood harvesting, and biomass collection
for the generation of bio-energy. "We believe that EFI and its member network will
bring a substantial contribution to the innovations in forest management machinery
and competitiveness of the European forest sector", says Arto Tiitinen, Managing
Director of the Ponsse Oyj.

Research areas within the fund are
- Development and transfer of new forest technologies to European and global
conditions.
- Socio-economic and environmental impacts of applying high-tech in forestry
operations.
- Contribution of new technologies and logistical solutions to improve
sustainability impacts of production of forest products and bio-energy.

Other grants will be given to, e.g., travelling expenses and publishing costs,
prizes for achievements to support sustainable development.

Vieremä, 27 May 2005

PONSSE OYJ


Arto Tiitinen
President and CEO

MORE INFORMATION:
Arto Tiitinen, President and CEO, Ponsse Oyj
tel. +358 20 768 8621


DISTRIBUTION
Helsinki Exchanges
Main media
www.ponsse.com