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Abstract
Currently, the total number of harwarders in industrial roundwood
and energy wood harvesting in Finnish forests is slightly over one hundred.
Metsäteho Oy conducted a follow-up study of harwarders in industrial
roundwood harvesting in Finland, and also investigated the transfers of the
harwarders. In the study of Metsäteho, the possibilities of harwarder systems
in wood harvesting in the near future in Finland were also evaluated. It was
forecasted that the number of harwarders will significantly increase in the
near future in Finland; within a few years, the number of harwarders
engaged in industrial roundwood and energy wood harvesting may even be
as much as 200–300. This development forecast is based on the following
factors: I) Cost effectiveness in wood harvesting is being sought at the level
of the stand marked for harvesting, as well as from the point of view of the
forest machine business. II) The structural change in cuttings is setting new
demands on the harvesting machinery. III) As a result of changes in the
forest machine business field, the size of forest machine contracting
businesses is growing and large regional responsibilities in contracting are
increasing.