New loading facility for raw timber completed in Paloneva, Finland

A new loading facility for raw timber, located in Paloneva near Seinäjoki, Finland, has been completed after nearly two years of construction. The first timber train is scheduled to depart for further processing at the beginning of September. This large-scale project has an estimated cost of 13 million euros and covers an area of approximately 20 hectares, including around 7 kilometers of new and renovated railway tracks.

In Finland, the loading points for raw timber are primarily managed by the state. Pekka Rajala, the director responsible for planning at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, notes that Seinäjoki was chosen as the site for this new loading facility based on a study conducted a few years ago. This study gained momentum due to the establishment of a bio-product factory in Kemi.

It was found that the Seinäjoki region lacked an efficient loading facility suitable for entire trainloads of timber. Paloneva was identified as an ideal location for this purpose, according to Rajala. Additionally, Seinäjoki serves as a railway junction, which makes it a strategic point for timber transportation, primarily heading north. Despite the long transport distances on the rail network, transporting timber over sizable distances is considered worthwhile.

Logistics costs will also incur from loading and unloading operations. Timber should ideally be sourced from areas within a maximum radius of 150 kilometers. Since early August, timber has been transported to the new facility. With new factory investments utilizing Finnish timber, this project is expected to have significant positive effects on the entire economic system, benefiting the regional economy as well, Rajala assesses.