Cooperation
Superior logistics for reliable deliveries
MARJA BERISA, Photo: Elmeri Elo
A Finnish transport company Kuljetusliike Kalevi Huhtala Oy believes in the power of cost-effectiveness and proactive problem-solving.
The logistics sector has revamped its image in recent years. Digitalisation replaces stacks of paper, and the Internet of Things supports loading, unloading and transport operations. Rail and air cargo play an important role, but road transport will continue to be used where no other competitive transport mode exists. Kati Huhtala , CEO of the transport company Kulje- tusliike Kalevi Huhtala Oy, points out that road transport has a strong foothold in Finland. “We keep close tabs on the development of vehicle tech- nology. Electrical and hydrogen cars are on the way, but for now, the engines of articulated vehicles are so big that alternative fuels cannot yet replace biodiesel as the driving power,” Huhtala says. HCT vehicles reduce the carbon footprint Kuljetusliike Kalevi Huhtala was established in 1982 and specialises in industrial bulk transports. Over the decades, the company has grown into an international logistics ex- pert of nearly 200 professionals and more than 100 vehicles. It has also been closely involved in the development of top-class Finnish logistics. The company began using biofuels several years ago and was one of the first Finnish companies to receive a test permit for HCT articulated vehicles. HCT (High-Capacity Transport) vehicles are substan- tially larger than standard articulated vehicles. They have a notably smaller carbon footprint per transported unit than traditional road transports and vehicle fleets. In larger
vehicles, payload accounts for a greater proportion of the overall weight. HCT vehicles therefore reduce the burden on the road despite their higher weight. Thanks to their high transport capacity, fewer lorries are needed. Kuljetusliike Kalevi Huhtala operates 15 modern HCT vehicles, which carry payloads that are on average a third larger than those of standard vehicles. Towards full automation alongside Rauma sawmill Advanced logistics play a very important role at Metsä Fibre’s new Rauma sawmill. Kuljetusliike Kalevi Huhtala has already allocated a fleet operating 24/7 to the sawmill’s port transports. “Rauma sawmill production is continuous so transports must keep to the same speed. The sawmill and the port are three kilometres apart, and the sawmill can produce several loads of sawn timber an hour,” says Huhtala. The sawmill does not have a warehouse for sawn timber. All its production is immediately transferred to the pack- aging and dispatch centres, and from there to the transport unit, which features automated loading. Lorries have clearly demarcated stopping points, and smart conveyors transfer the packaged sawn timber batch- es from the dispatch centre to the transport unit. The driver opens and closes the side doors by remote control. All this saves both time and space. However, efficiency must not be at the cost of product and occupational safety. The articulated vehicles used in heavy industry must meet stringent requirements for
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