Press release, published on 19 September 2019
An application was developed for Luke’s FOBIA project which focuses on enhancing forestry entrepreneurs’ business competitiveness. The newly developed tool allows the user to apply self-monitoring while harvesting timber.
The application is suitable for self-monitoring the quality of various thinning and energy wood harvesting activities. It allows the harvester operator to take the measurements needed while sitting in the cab. Smart phone’s GPS signal is used to locate the site and the application comes with satellite and terrain maps. Each operational stand may be marked out manually or the user can apply, for example, the forest inventory data found in Metsään.fi portal. Self-monitoring can be done off-line as well, as the application will save the information and updating will be done automatically once network connection is restored.
Within the FOBIA project, a virtual learning environment for forestry service enterprises’ leadership and management training is under development as well. The modular training package, the BOOST Site, coordinated by TTS (Finnish training and development centre), is done in three languages for the four FOBIA partner countries. The training is piloted this fall in Finland, Scotland and Ireland, and in spring 2020 in Sweden. Based on the students’ feedback, the contents will be further developed. Training self-monitoring as part of a forestry service enterprise’s operations is new to the forest service business and it gives the entrepreneur an opportunity to further develop leadership, communications and quality in mechanized harvesting.
”Self-monitoring is an essential tool for forestry service enterprises. Our application, which was developed by a Mikkeli-based company, Wuudis Solutions Oy, offers an easy-to-use way to train self-monitoring to entrepreneurs,” says Arto Kettunen, FOBIA project’s coordinator for the training package.
In addition to self-monitoring, the application contains simple guidance for thinning. “When suitable, the entrepreneur may expand self-monitoring with Wuudis Business to cover all activities related to forest management from soil preparation and planting seedlings to tending of seedling stand and thinning,” concludes Seppo Huurinainen, the CEO of Wuudis Solutions Oy.
The FOBIA project
The FOBIA project aims at enhancing business competitiveness of forestry service enterprises in the northern and peripheral regions of Finland, Sweden, Scotland and Ireland. The origin of the project lies in the need to improve the enterprises’ ability to meet increased service demands. These barriers will be decreased by introducing new business models, and by developing tools, available through digital platforms, to help forestry entrepreneurs improve their profitability, operational efficiency and management skills.
For more information
TTS: https://www.tts.fi/en/tts
Wuudis Solutions Oy: https://www.wuudis.com/en/
Arto Kettunen, TTS, coordinator
+358 50 045 4017
arto.kettunen@tts.fi
Seppo Huurinainen, Wuudis Solutions Oy, CEO
+358 44 581 4950
seppo.huurinainen@wuudis.com