Original scientific paper
Prospects and Challenges of Timber Trucking in a Changing Operational Environment in Finland
Jukka Malinen
orcid.org/0000-0002-5023-1056
; University of Eastern Finland, School of Forestry, Joensuu, Finland
Ville Nousiainen
; University of Eastern Finland, School of Forestry, Joensuu, Finland
Kari Palojarvi
; Association of Forest Road Carriers, Helsinki, Finland
Teijo Palander
; University of Eastern Finland, School of Forestry, Joensuu, Finland
Abstract
The objective was to study how entrepreneurs taking care of the transport of wood perceive the current challenges in the operating environment and reflect these challenges in the changing climate. The data was collected in spring 2012 by mail questionnaire, which was answered by a total of 86 entrepreneurs giving a response rate of 19.1%. According to the respondents, the most debilitating factors in the changing infrastructure in future will be the challenges of the low volume road network, especially winter maintenance including removing snow and ice and preventing slippery conditions. The entrepreneurs were concerned about labour costs caused by a possible shortage of skilled drivers. The main problem concerning Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in timber trucking logistics is the inability to use one ICT system for two or more clients, which leads to problems in handling multiple clients. Almost all respondents agreed that timber trucking enterprises are too dependent on clients’ ICT systems.
Keywords
Wood procurement; wood transport; ICT; business environment; profitability
Hrčak ID:
120241
URI
Publication date:
3.3.2014.
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