50 years since Ponsse Dino was created
Today, we are celebrating the creation of Dino, a load-carrying forwarder, in the summer of 1969, based on an idea by Einari Vidgrén.
Machine entrepreneur Einari Vidgrén was getting frustrated with problems caused by poor-quality forest machines. He decided to produce a machine that would last for more than just a couple of weeks without problems and repairs. His goal was to create the “Mercedes Benz of forest machines”.
At the workshop of local blacksmith Kauko Väisänen, Lauri Uuksunen was the main contributor to the creation of the machine. There were no drawings. The workshop was located by the Vieremä village. Einari visited the workshop almost daily to explain his ideas for the “best forest machine in the world”.
The contributors to building the machine also included Erkki Tarvainen, who worked as service manager at Einari’s contractor business.
In the summer of 1969, it was time to drive the machine out of the workshop. Olavi Kauhanen, Einari’s number-one driver, was trusted with this duty. The machine seemed to run smoothly, but problems emerged during the first test drive. However, the men were able to fix the machine quickly, and Dino returned to the forest to prove its performance capacity.
A few months later, Einari received a call from the development unit of the Tehdaspuu forestry company: “You should build more of these. This machine seems to be durable.” The decision to establish the company was made in the spring of 1970 – without equity, training or their own production facilities. This marked the beginning of Ponsse Oy.
Through hard work, enduring entrepreneurship and a strong belief in the performance capacities of their proprietary machine, the company began to build an industrial hall opposite local blacksmith’s workshop.