and roundwood measurement in Estonia Who we are

. . . and roundwood measurement in Estonia

Who we are and what we do • VMF Estonia is private owned impartial wood measurement company • Only impartial roundwood measurement company in Estonia • We measure according to the VMR regulations and according to the Tartu 2001 • We measure roundwood for: – export in ports – domestic use in factories – control measurement • Personnel – 6

History of VMF Estonia • 1998 – Founded by VMF Qbera for sawlog sorting in Toftan sawmill • 2000 – Export wood measurement • 2006 – Pulpwood measurement terminal in Estonian Cell • 2008 – Company sold to local owners • 2008 – Pulpwood measurement terminal in Horizon Pulp & Paper

Measured volumes 2004 -2007 (1000 m 3)

Measured exported roundwood (1000 m 3)

Measured domestic roundwood (1000 m 3)

How roundwood is measured in Estonia • Buyer side measures • Impartial measurement company measures • Seller and buyer stipulate how wood is measured in contract – mostly Tartu 2001 – Different terminology – Agreement different than actual measurement

Why impartial measurement is not widley used? • Local companies are not interested because they buy smaller volume than they sell • Foreign owned companies are suppliers for their own factories • Seller side is not interested. Seller has been too small or measurement accuracy has not been important • Measurement is not regulated by law • Different measurement systems from Finland Sweden

Estonian export to Finland, Sweden and Norway (1000 m 3)

Present and future • From seller side State forest management service understands importance of accurate measurement • Some factories have realized that they can gain benefit from impartial measurement • First steps towards Estonian measurement regulation • Seller side and foreign buying companies are keys for development

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