Managing Director Ilkka Kylävainio has been honoured with the "2014 Opinion Leader in Forestry" title. One of the selection criteria used by the jury was as follows: with a long history as an entrepreneur in the sawmill industry, Mr Kylävainio has done well and profitably in the difficult industry. Engaged in the sawmill industry since the 1970s, he has run the Keitele Group since 1981. According to the jury, Kylävainio has invested in the sawmill industry in an open-minded way while setting an encouraging example in the business. The most recent investments made by the Keitele Group include the construction of a wood products manufacturing plant in Kemijärvi and the acquisition of Alajärven Saha, a sawmill. In addition to running his own companies, Kylävainio has a major role in the development of use and processing of Finnish forests through several positions of responsibility. The selection was published at OP-Pohjola's Forest Day event in Tampere.
In addition to the parent company, Keitele Forest Oy, the Keitele Group includes the sawmill company Keitele Timber Oy; the further processing unit Keitele Forest Wood Production; Keitele Engineered Wood Oy, which manufactures glue-lam timber; and the energy company Keitele Energy Oy, which produces the energy required by the entire Keitele Group from sawing by-products.
Every year, OP-Pohjola Group rewards a private individual, working group or organisation in recognition of his/its contribution in the forestry sector. The jury comprised Jussi Kumpula, Director General (temporary) of Metsähallitus; Juha Ojala, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Mikko Tiirola, Chairman of the Forestry Council; and Panu Kallio, Vice President, and Tapio Tilli, Forest Service Manager, of OP-Pohjola Group.
Past holders of this title include opera singer Jorma Hynninen, film director Markku Pölönen, Permanent Secretary Sirkka Hautojärvi, Secretary of State Raimo Sailas, forest management associations when they celebrated their 100th anniversary, Director of the Forestry Group of the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners Juha Hakkarainen, Executive Director of the Finnish Forest Association Juhani Karvonen, Managing Director of the Finnish Sawmills Association Jukka-Pekka Ranta and Helsingin Sanomat editor Jyrki Iivonen.
For more information, please contact:
Panu Kallio, Vice President, OP-Pohjola, tel. 010 252 2742
Tapio Tilli, Forest Service Manager, OP-Pohjola, tel. 010 252 8536
OP-Pohjola Group is Finland's leading financial services group providing a unique range of banking, investment and insurance services. The Group's mission is to promote the prosperity, well-being and security of its owner-members, customers and operating regions through its local presence. Its objective is to offer the best and most versatile package of loyal customer benefits on the market. OP-Pohjola Group consists of some 180 member cooperative banks and the Group's central institution, OP-Pohjola Group Central Cooperative, with its subsidiaries and closely-related companies, the largest of which is the listed company Pohjola Bank plc. The Group has a staff of 12,000. OP-Pohjola Group posted earnings before tax of EUR 705 million in 2013 and had total assets of EUR 101 billion on 31 December 2013. The Group has 4.3 million customers. www.op.fi