Sammalisto transports wood chip for energy extraction, three shifts per day

Economics and Logistics

Exceptional performance.

The trucks belonging to Aki Sammalisto Oy have a gross weight of up to 91 tonnes and can do 300,000 kilometres per year. Now Sammalisto is switching his fleet to Actros.

Sheer power and endurance. An Actros 3363 8x4 from KAS being loaded with wood chip, an important freight load for the company.
Sheer power and endurance. An Actros 3363 8x4 from KAS being loaded with wood chip, an important freight load for the company.

“We started in October 2000 with one truck with a loading conveyor. That means our company came of age in 2018,” says Aki Sammalisto. Now his company, Koneurakointi Aki Sammalisto Oy (KAS) is a transport service provider for forestry and the energy industry operating all over Finland. Their service range also includes wheel loader work in the earth-moving sector, and for customers in the sawing and energy industry.

“At first our company only grew slowly,” the managing director continues. “But from 2010, the number of customers, vehicles and staff rose rapidly. At the moment our own fleet consists of about 30 tractor units that are all equipped with loading conveyors. Also, there are the trucks of reliable partners that we can use if necessary. All in all, we have almost 100 qualified employees. Most of our business is dealt with by our own vehicles, however.” KAS's customers include the forestry companies UPM, Versowood, Anaika Wood, IpoWood, Pölkky and customers from the energy industry, for example Vapo and Biowatti.


Truck expert. Aki Sammalisto is not just the owner of KAS, he also enjoys driving himself.


“In future, we'll hold team competitions for our drivers, with the focus on driving style and fuel consumption. These competitions help to optimise economical driving.”

– Aki Sammalisto, owner of Koneurakointi Aki Sammalisto Oy KAS


The trucks travel all over Finland. They mainly transport wood chips and shavings, bark, turf, pellets and other raw materials for the wood-processing industry and the energy industry. “We work constantly to keep our customers satisfied in every respect. The best possible performance of our vehicles is really important here. We work with two 84- and 91-tonne heavy-duty trucks that are equipped with loading conveyors.

Whether it's driving characteristics, safety, power or efficiency – our experience of the Actros is positive right across the board,” says Sammalisto.

A large number of the tractor units at KAS are 76-tonners with an extremely high availability rate. Each vehicle travels more than 300,000 kilometres per year – three shifts per day. “At the moment we're giving our fleet a thorough overhaul. By spring 2019 more than half our tractors are going to be Actros 3363 8x4 that pull trailers with loading conveyor belts and semitrailers from Matec-Trailer. We've decided to invest in seventeen semitrailer combinations. That's exceptional in this business. Reliable customer care is essential in our work. That's only possible with reliable vehicles and perfect service.”


New perspectives. By spring 2019 more than half the KAS fleet are going to be Actros.
New perspectives. By spring 2019 more than half the KAS fleet are going to be Actros.

Sammalisto adds: “The same applies to our loading, which we almost always carry out with two wheeled loaders. That way we ensure that if by any chance one machine should break down, we can carry on loading with the other one.” The Actros tractors are equipped with a double drive axle and a pivoting rear axle. In their first months of use at KAS, they've already proved to be an excellent choice. The trucks are almost constantly in use.

“We used to have Mercedes-Benz vehicles, but that's over ten years ago. Since then there's been phenomenal technological progress. The PowerShift 3 automatic transmission works brilliantly. Also, compared with previous vehicles we've noticed a considerable reduction in fuel consumption. The new Actros are slightly lighter than our previous trucks and we can benefit from the higher payload. Each kilo counts,” says Sammalisto.



For Aki Sammalisto, staff are the most important capital of a company: “We work with the most competent people in the business. They're the basis of our success and our first-class service. My thanks and my respect for my staff is boundless.”

The new Actros are equipped with Fleetboard vehicle management, which records data on vehicle and location and also information about the driving style, for example. In addition, the drivers can use the Fleetboard Driver app to find out about their own driving style. “In future, we'll hold team competitions for our drivers, with the focus on driving style and fuel consumption. These competitions help to optimise economical driving. One good aid to keep fuel consumption as low as possible is Predictive Powertrain Control anticipatory cruise control, which works well in conjunction with the powertrain,” says Sammalisto.


On long journeys, the clearly arranged, well-equipped cab of the Actros provides comfort. The dashboard and instruments are ergonomically arranged. “Even tall drivers can find their ideal seating position on the air-sprung seats,” explains Sammalisto.

The KAS trucks which are in constant use are maintained at the Vehotrucks service centres across the nation. Also, with the help of Mercedes-Benz Uptime services, Vehotrucks can react to any critical situations in good time and also to maintenance and repair requirements. “The new vehicles will be the company's first leased vehicles. We'll keep the trucks for two years, then they'll be replaced by new ones,” says Aki Sammalisto.


Photos: Tero Lahtinen

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