by Nick Drew | Wed 05 Jul 2017
Out and about with Lännen in Finland
As you can imagine I took many photos during my assignment in Finland in April, some have made it onto the pages of Earthmovers Magazine, but I thought I would post up a few blogs featuring previously unseen photos from the trip.
One of our first port of calls was to see young Lännen customer Joni Vento who had recently taken delivery of his first brand new machine a stunning top of the range 8800K model. Joni is something of a fan of these machines having previously ran a couple of second hand units including a year 2000 model 860S, replaced later by a 8600C model which was built in 2006.
Based in Rymättylä in Southwest Finland Joni’s main sphere of work involves the excavation for and laying of electrical cables. As in many parts of the world, in Finland it’s a busy time for removing often vulnerable overhead power lines and putting them into the ground. On the weekends Joni often takes on more private work digging and loading, or forest thinning work using his harvester head. During the winter months he like many others in the Nordic regions, takes on snow clearing work.
Travelling back from the job site we came across an old Lännen wheeled hydraulic excavator. This M 213C model which would have been powered by a 73kw Valmet engine, looked to have suffered a boom root failure, but other than that it was in fairly good shape for a late 1980’s machine. It’s always great to come across old machines like this and it’s something I am always on the lookout for.
My guide for this part of the tour Petteri Ylinen Lännen’s Export Sales Manager, then took me to see another Lännen multi-function machine in action. This time it was a 8600i model, this machine was engaged in trenching work for the laying of new electrical cables.
What I loved about this site visit was the fact it was typically Finnish in approach, calm relaxed and yet efficient, there was no need for the job to be fenced off like we have to be in the UK, the work just got done, easy and simple.
Following my tour of the factory in Loimaa we went outside to take a look at the proving ground where machines are worked to check for any possible leaks before being cleaned off and made ready for dispatch. This 8800K model had been tested the day before my visit and was awaiting its clean up.
There can be no denying that Earthmovers Magazine reaches the parts other magazines just can’t reach! And as we see in this shot the owner and Managing Director of Lännen Tractors Oy, Mr Timo Huttunen knows a great magazine when he sees one!
My Last Lännen visit on this Finnish tour was to check out a railway version of the multi-function machines. Energy business ELTEL currently has the contract to maintain most of the electric railways in Finland. Part of the contract involves the replacement of electrical overhead powerlines in the Capital city of Helsinki. The company’s primary machine for this work is a Lännen 8800i, the predecessor to the 8800K which is powered by Stage 3B Agco engine. This machine is now 2 years old but has only amassed 1,600 operational hours during its working life.
This machine is also fitted with the alternative cab design which features a curved glass design for improved up ward vision. This cab design with bullet proof fixed glass is also used in Lännen machines supplied to the forestry industry.
These machines really do define the title of a Swiss Army Knife or in this case the Finnish version. The machine is fitted with Lännen’s 1900 telescopic boom crane jib which is mounted beneath the Engcon tilt-rotator, which can elevate operatives to a height of 17m and from which you can operate the machine functions from in safety as it will not allow you to operate outside of the machines safe working envelope.
Finland was a great country to visit from so many perspectives, wide open spaces, the most friendly people imaginable and some very interesting plant and machinery, I look forward to my next Finnish adventure.