“The Foundation’s awards are the high points of the year although the ceremony had to be postponed to 2021. It’s been great to read applications received from customers, forest owners, and harvesting entrepreneurs who have wanted to thank forestry experts for their diligent work and high-quality results. There are so many skilled forestry experts who we can be proud of in this industry”, says Juha Vidgrén, Chairman of the Einari Vidgrén Foundation.

"In addition to high-quality result, entrepreneurship always rises high in the Foundation's remuneration criteria. Einari's biography was published in Finnish this year, and Einari Vidgren's own experiences as a machine entrepreneur stand out. These people are not giving up easily and the work has always been done as a team", Juha Vidgren says.

Industrial Counsellor Einari Vidgrén, the founder of Ponsse Plc, established the Einari Vidgrén Foundation in 2005 in order to increase appreciation for the work carried out in the field of mechanical harvesting. The foundation’s aim is to heighten awareness of entrepreneurship related to mechanical harvesting and to make the mechanical harvesting sector more attractive as a potential workplace, especially among young people.

Einari Awards

Einari Awards, the Einari Vidgrén Foundation’s annually distributed key recognitions, are granted for long-term professional entrepreneurship in the forest machine sector. This year, the Foundation gave the Einari Awards of EUR 20,000 to Kimmo Kulojärvi Oy in Kemijärvi and Metsäkone Pirinen Oy in Paavola.

The jury thanked Kimmo Kulojärvi Oy for their positive and open attitude towards developing and promoting harvesting. Entrepreneur Kimmo Kulojärvi has been involved in developing the education of operators and entrepreneurs, and he is an active player in the forest industry both locally and in the forest committee of Koneyrittäjät. In addition to his own business, Kimmo Kulojärvi has actively contributed to the development of customers’ operating methods, and he has an exemplary ability to cooperate with different kinds of stakeholders. Read Kimmo Kulojärvi’s (photo) interview.

The jury thanked Metsäkone Pirinen Oy for its development friendliness and high-quality results. CEO Jukka Pirinen is widely known – outside the forestry sector as well – for his excellent interaction skills with stakeholders and ambition to do things right and as agreed. Metsäkone Pirinen Oy has a positive attitude towards development in cooperation with customers. The company also received special thanks for its role as an employer. The company invests in its machines for the benefit of its employees and takes care of the employees and their good atmosphere. Read Jukka Pirinen’s (photo) interview attached.
 

Einari Lifetime Achievement Award


The Einari Lifetime Achievement Award has been awarded twice previously. This year, the EUR 10,000 awards were given to Olavi Kauhanen, Pekka Poikolainen, and Mikko Rysä. Read Olavi Kauhanen´s interview attached.

Einari Recognitions

Every year, the Einari Vidgrén Foundation gives Einari Recognitions to research and development organisations active in the field of mechanised wood harvesting, developers of training in the sector, and parties that promote awareness of the sector and increase its appreciation.  This year, the focus point was the promotion of the visibility and stories of the forest industry.

Miehen työ photo book: EUR 20,000
Finnish 4H Organisation, Taimiteko campaign: EUR 10,000
Jari Ala-Ilomäki, senior scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland: EUR 6,000
Simo Jaakkola, vice managing director, Koneyrittäjät ry: EUR 6,000                                                
Juha Kaihlanen, journalist, Maaseudun Tulevaisuus: EUR 6,000
Austria Training Center: EUR 6,000
Vickie Swanton, Western Region Manager,
Forest Resources Association. USA: EUR 6,000
Rural Professions Association: EUR 4,000

Einari Operator’s Awards

The Einari Vidgrén Foundation also gave Einari Operator’s Awards of EUR 1,500 each to 39 distinguished forest machine operators. The award criteria included the high quality of work and customer-driven attitude, as well as cooperation and communication with forest owners and other stakeholders. Einari had a clear idea for the award criteria: those operators whose quality of work is high and have a good attitude with good customer service skills have earned their awards.

The Einari Operator’s Awards were received by:
Seppo Eskelinen, FinnHarvest Oy
Tapani Hanhisuanto, Metsäkone Pirinen Oy Read Tapani Hanhisuanto’s interview.
Petri Hannonen, Metsä-Majoinen Oy
Jani Heikkinen, Moto Team Tauriainen Oy
Jarkko Heikkinen, Koneurakointi S. Kuittinen Oy
Pekka Hirvonen, Karttulan Metsätyö Oy
Jukka Hynynen, FinnHarvest Oy
Harri Hytönen, Nilakka Forest Oy
Esa Pekka Kajuutti, Puunkorjuu J. Valkeinen Oy
Jari Kantanen, Metsäkone Hokkanen Oy
Olli Kantanen, Metsäkone Hokkanen Oy
Kyösti Karhila, Metsä-Multia Oy
Erkki Karttunen, Karttulan Metsätyö Oy
Mauri Karvonen, Metsätyö Markop Oy
Markus Kauppinen, Sonkapölli oy
Toni Keinänen, Pekka Hakkarainen Oy
Antti Ketola, Motourakointi J. Kangas Oy
Jorma Koistinen, Metsä-Multia Oy
Heikki Kontturi, Motopuu Oy
Henri Kuivalainen, Metsätyö Markop Oy
Harri Kuronen, Metsäpupet Ay
Ville Kuutti, Veljekset Hokkanen oy
Mikko Lampela, Metsä-Rautio
Kai Lappinen, Granvikin metsätyö Oy
Tero Lyyluoma, M. ja H. Rintamäki Oy
Lasse Moilanen, Konetyö Viuhkola ja Kautto Oy
Marko Moilanen, Heavy Rakenne Oy
Joonas Mykkänen, Nilakka Forest Oy
Topi Mäkinen, Metsäkonepalvelu Oy
Mikko Puitti, Iin Metsätyö Oy
Janne Rissanen, Veljekset Hokkanen Oy
Janne Ruokonen, Jykylä & Pojat Oy
Markus Sormunen, Motoajo oy
Veijo Sulku, Metsäkuljetus Kajuutti Oy
Timo Tirkkonen, Pekka Hakkarainen Oy
Saku Tolvanen, Heinäveden Koneurakointi Oy
Tuomo Tolvanen, Metsänkorjuu Pulkkinen Oy
Kimmo Visuri, H.A.Forest Oy
Jarno Vähä, Konetyö Viuhkola ja Kautto Oy

Einari Student Scholarships

The Einari Vidgrén Foundation also granted student scholarships of EUR 600 to 33 students studying programmes related to the forest machine sector. In addition to success in studies, it was required that the student has a job as a forest machine operator or mechanic when finishing school. Congratulations to all forestry graduates!

Etelä-Savon Koulutus Oy, Pieksämäki: Simeon Iivarinen, Jaakko Taavitsainen
South Savo Vocational College, ESEDU:Panu Jokinen
South Savo Vocational College, ESEDU, Salosaari, Mikkeli: Joonas Takkinen
Gradia, Jämsä: Teemu Nikula, Elmeri Peltomäki
Hämeen Ammatti-instituutti: Lasse Nikkilä
Keski-Pohjanmaan koulutusyhtymä: Onni Mäntylä, Kasper Svartsjö
Lapland Vocational College REDU: Arttu Jylhä, Veikka Takala
Länsirannikon koulutus WinNova Jämsä Vocational College: Aleksi Käkelä, Miro Saarinen
Oulu Vocational College, Muhos: Kalle Mulari
Oulu Vocational College, Taivalkoski:  Antti Riepula, Ville Syrjälä
Peimarin koulutuskuntayhtymä Livia:Tino Varjo
Vocational Education Institute of Northern Central Finland: Esa Svan, Santeri Wallen
Riveria, Valtimo: Jere Majoinen, Miika Vartiainen
Saimaa Vocational College: Sami Sorvali, Antti Veikkanen
Savo Vocational College: Eetu Kinnunen, Tuukka Niemi
SEDU Ähtäri: Eetu Akkanen, Aleksi Pohjola
Tampere Vocational College, Tredu, Kuru: Elmeri Myllyniemi, Nico Kärkelä
Work Efficiency Institute (TTS), Rajamäki: Jukka Villa, Mika Nurmi
Vocational College of Ostrobothnia: Patricia Enström, Benjamin Nykung                                        

The interviews with award recipients attached
Kimmo Kulojärvi Oy – Einari Award (photo)
Metsäkone Pirinen Oy – Einari Award (photo)
Olavi Kauhanen – Einari Lifetime Achievement Award
Tapani Hanhisuanto, Metsäkone Pirinen Oy - Einari Operator’s Award (photo)

Vieremä, 21 December 2020

EINARI VIDGRÉN FOUNDATION

Juha Vidgrén
Chairman of the Einari Vidgrén Foundation

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Juha Vidgrén, tel. +358 40 518 6286
www.evsaatio.fi