The family-owned Junnikkala Oy is building a new productivity sawmill in Oulu.
– About 70 new jobs will be created in the Oulu region directly, and about 200 jobs indirectly. After the investment the total number of employees in the company will be about 700, taking the effect of the indirect employment into account. We are heavily investing in the future with the new sawmill, states CEO Kalle Junnikkala.
When completed, the annual log demand for the Oulu sawmill will be about 800,000 cubic meters of pine (80 %) and spruce (20 %). The total demand for wood for Junnikkala increases to 1,5 million cubic meters annually. Log acquisition is significantly increasing in Northern Ostrobothnia, Southern Lapland and north of Oulujärvi in Kainuu.
– We welcome Junnikkala Oy’s sawmill investment to Oulu. It is truly great that Junnikkala Oy has decided to invest in our city. The sawmill investment is also a significant matter for the whole of Northern Finland. The company’s investment also tells about the appeal of our city. The new sawmill will provide much-needed industrial jobs throughout the region, and a lot of work for forest machinery- and transportation contractors, both in timber harvesting and transportation. Traffic at the Port of Oulu will also increase with the investment, says the mayor of Oulu Päivi Laajala.
After the investment, Junnikkala’s total production will increase to almost 800,000 cubic meters of finished sawn timber on an annual level. The company’s production consists of sawn timber and it’s downstream products. On an estimate about 80 percent of the products are for export.