History

40th Anniversary

Keitele Group is celebrating the 40th anniversary.

Vast Investments in Alajärvi

The log receiving and sorting equipment and the log yard at the Alajärvi sawmill were renovated. A total investment of around EUR 7 million ensured more accurate and faster log sorting and increased sawmill efficiency. Read more »

10 Million cbm of Sawn Timber Produced

Keitele achieved a milestone of 10 million cbm of sawn timber production. This equals to approximately the total sawn timber production in Finland in one year. We want to express our gratitude to the forest owners who have enabled this by selling us logs and small logs of over 23 million cbm over the years.

Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic

Keitele Group was granted the Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic of Finland in 2019 as the Growth Company of the Year. The Internationalisation Award of the President of the Republic is a recognition granted each year to Finnish companies that have gained international success, and to the communities behind them. Read more »

Pellet Production Started in Keitele

Pellets are biofuel made from 100% domestic renewable raw material. The pellet plant in Keitele operates virtually automatically. The raw material is automatically fed in the plant directly from the production process in the nearby glulam factory. This way the by-products of gluelam manufacturing, the cutter chips, can be efficiently utilized. The Kemijärvi mill started pellet production a year later in 2018.

Commercial Rail Transport started

Fenniarail Oy started commercial rail transport from Kemijärvi mill to the ports of Oulu and Kotka. In 2016 Keitele Group also invested in increasing the production capacity in Kemijärvi. Read more »

35th Anniversary

The 35th anniversary of Keitele Group was celebrated in Kemijärvi with a workshop on current forestry issues and with stakeholder meetings. At the same time, the state-of-art production facilities in Kemijärvi were also officially opened. The head speaker was the current Prime Minister of Finland, Mr Juha Sipilä. Read more »

Keitele Started Operations in Kemijärvi

In Kemijärvi Keitele Group is operating a sawmill with an integrated gluelam factory. These units produce sawn timber, planed goods and gluelam beams and posts according to the customers’ requirements. Read more »

Keitele Expanded Operations to Alajärvi

Keitele Timber Oy bought the land, buildings and movables from Myllyahon saha Oy estate. The cutting line renovated in 2008 laid the foundation for efficient production that Keitele Group has developed further by investing in recent years Read more »

National Entrepreneur Award

Keitele Group was granted the national Entrepreneur Award by Suomen Yrittäjät ry. Read more »

Vast modernisation of the main cutting line in Keitele

Fresh sorting line and sticking station built in the small log line

Grand Opening of the Gluelam Factory in Keitele

The gluelam factory of Keitele Engineered Wood Oy in Keitele was completed. The kilning capacity of the Group was simultaneously increased.

Completion of the Small Log Line in Keitele

A small log line was built in Keitele for the cutting capacity to correspond to the changing forestry.

Industrial Planing Line and Optimising Cutting

Keitele Forest Wood Production started running a high-power industrial planing line and an optimising cutting line to manufacture components and mouldings for the window industry.

New Sawmill Started in Keitele

A new state-of-the-art sawmill was put into operation in Keitele. The company turnover more than doubled as the production increased.

This is Where the Story Begun

Ilkka Kylävainio founded Keitele Forest Oy in Keitele in 1981. At that time, the name of the company was Keiteleen Teollisuussaha Oy. The vision of Ilkka was to cut timber in various dimensions required by the buyers and to further process wood to finished products. The export markets, Japan in particular, attracted. Read more »