More sustainable forestry with fossil-free steel

Steel plays a significant role in any forestry machine, both when it comes to its performance and the environmental impact of its manufacturing process. The combined share of steel and castings in the weight of a forest machine is 82 percent. This is why the family-owned Finnish company Ponsse, which strives towards zero carbon emissions from its own products and operations, initiated a partnership with SSAB in 2023. 

Over the past year, Ponsse has been studying the usability and properties of fossil-free steel from SSAB, a proof of concept, manufactured using the HYBRIT^® technology. The load space in one of its Buffalo forwarders has been made with fossil-free steel. 

“The concept means that the structure may not necessarily come into production as it is. In other words, we are experimenting and testing the new structure in the field, and in this case, especially the unique material,” explains Juha Inberg, chief R&D and technology officer at Ponsse.

So far, the results are encouraging with the fossil-free steel matching the properties of standard steel. 

“We have long experience with high-strength steels and their design and manufacturing processes. The bending radius, cutting and weldability of the selected steel by hand and robot, all corresponded well to the behavior of standard steel,” Inberg says.

Advancing climate goals with fossil-free steel 

Ponsse sees great potential in fossil-free steel, should the material concept prove as successful as its initial results indicate. Cutting emissions in the manufacturing process is an important step towards achieving the company’s climate goals.

“The most significant environmental impacts of our procurement and logistics are related to the production of steel used in our forest machines and the transportation of components. PONSSE Buffalo is our best-selling forwarder model and a market leader in many of our market areas. Therefore, this size category is perfect also for testing different concepts,” says Katja Paananen, chief responsibility officer at Ponsse.

In addition to setting ambitious targets for its own operations, Ponsse is also looking to help the value chain achieve their climate objectives during the transition to a low-carbon economy. Purchased products account for a significant percentage of client carbon dioxide emissions, and fossil-free steel has the potential to reduce this figure.

“Previously, especially forest company customers, have set carbon dioxide emission reduction targets for their value chain, but smaller logging companies are also interested in their own environmental impact like low fuel consumption, minor impacts on terrain, long lifespan and durability of machines,” Paananen says.

“We are very interested in fossil-free steel. The future of using the steel in our forest machines will largely be determined by the same criteria as other product and material solutions: customer needs, reliability, and durability.”