Puunhankinta

Puunhankinta is the process of acquiring timber and other wood materials for industrial use, typically within the forestry sector. It covers planning, contracting, harvesting, transport, and delivering wood from forests to mills, energy plants, or other end users. The focus is on obtaining the right materials in the right quality and quantity at a competitive price.

The process involves multiple actors, including forest owners, harvesting contractors, transport companies, wholesalers, and wood-consuming businesses such as sawmills, pulp mills, and biopower plants. Puunhankinta links the supply side of forest resources with the demand side of wood-using industries, and it often extends over long time horizons through contracts and framework agreements.

Key stages of puunhankinta include resource assessment and harvest planning, price negotiations or bidding, harvesting operations, transportation and delivery to the end user, and administrative tasks such as invoicing and documentation. Depending on the market and contract terms, timber may be sold as standing timber, harvested roundwood, or in various processed forms.

Procurement methods vary and may include auctions or tendering for stumpage, fixed-price long-term contracts, or spot purchases. Price formation is influenced by timber types, quality, volume, species mix, seasonality, transport costs, and market demand. Efficient puunhankinta aims to ensure security of supply, cost effectiveness, and adherence to sustainable forest management practices.

Sustainability and regulation are integral, with compliance to forestry laws, environmental permits, and, in many cases, forest certification schemes such as PEFC or FSC. Puunhankinta also plays a crucial role in regional economies by supporting rural employment and the vitality of the forest-based industry.