Postcards from FinnMetko 2020 (Part One)

There have been very few machinery trade fairs around the world since ConExpo 2020 came to an abrupt end in March due to the ever-increasing threat of Covid-19, but there was a glimmer of hope last week in Finland, when FinnMetko 2020 took place in Jämsä.

One of my Finnish Instagram followers was attending the event and very kindly offered to share some photos from the visit for us all to enjoy, incredibly there was quite a lot to choose from, so I will pick out the highlights and post in a two-part series.

Taking place every other year, this was the 18^th time the popular FinnMetko event had been held. In 2018 the construction and forestry machinery show attracted a total of 34,700 visitors, and saw a large increase in the number of international visitors attending. It’s probably fair to say that numbers will inevitably be down for this year’s event due to the ongoing global pandemic, and a number of big players in the heavy equipment industry did take the decision to pull out, but just the fact that it took place at all is a promising sign.

Our friends at Lännen are regulars on the Finnish machinery show scene and at FinnMetko, they took the opportunity to display examples from their recently launched M-Series Multi-Functional backhoe loaders, including the 8700M and 8800M models that we featured here on the Digger Man Blog.

The new Caterpillar dealer for Finland Avesco Cat brought along some of Cat’s latest Next Gen mini excavator range, including the latest offering which was launched at ConExpo in March, the 6-tonne class 306.

Also on static display on the Avesco stand, was the 310 midi excavator. A new size model in the Caterpillar excavator range, an example of which we got to try out during our last visit to Caterpillar’s Demonstration and Learning Centre in Malaga.

Next door to the Avesco stand Finnish screening and crushing attachment manufacturer Allu were demonstrating one of their Transformer screening buckets attached to a Cat 330F hydraulic excavator. Just like in other markets across Europe, in Finland recycling of materials is big business and rightly so.

Finnish Doosan and Bobcat dealers Real Machinery displayed a number of machines including this Doosan DX180LC-5 HT (High Track). Aimed specifically at the forestry sector the 18.5 tonne machine has been designed with a narrow track width for negotiating forest tracks, while the high track design means it is able travel over stumps in the ground with ease. This particular example was shown with a Finnish built Marttiini hydraulic tilting coupler.

Compact multi-tool carrier manufacturer Avant displayed a wide variety of products including the all new 860i model, the Finnish manufacturers largest compact wheel loader to date.  The 860i has a lifting capacity of 1,900 kg, a reach of 3.5 metres, and is powered by a turbocharged Kohler KDI 1903 TCR 42 kW/57 hp diesel engine.

Look out for more Postcards from FinnMetko later this week.