Junnikkala Oy and Loimua Oy have agreed on a long-term cooperation in connection with the energy production and development of Junnikkala’s Kalajoki sawmill. The agreement is a continuation of the cooperation between Junnikkala and Loimua at Junnikkala’s Oulainen sawmill. Under the cooperation agreement, Loimua will acquire the production infrastructure related to the energy production and district heat production of the Junnikkala Kalajoki sawmill. Loimua will be responsible for heat production at the Kalajoki sawmill and will supply heat not only to Junnikkala but also to the district heating network of Kalajoen Lämpö.
Loimua will provide heat to the Kalajoki sawmill on a turnkey basis. At the same time, Kalajoen Lämpö will become an important customer for Loimua, as the heating plants located in the sawmill area will produce a significant part of the district heating needs of Kalajoen Lämpö’s customers.
Loimua and Junnikkala have a common objective to develop the energy production of the heating plants with automation systems and new optimisation tools to enable improved energy efficiency and lower production costs.
The partnership between Junnikkala and Loimua is seen as a means to develop even more cost-effective heat production for the needs of Kalajoki Sawmill and Kalajoen Lämpö, which will enable competitive district heat prices for Kalajoki residents now and in the future.
Junnikkala supplies biofuels to Kalajoki heating plants
Junnikkala and Loimua have agreed on a fuel supply cooperation, according to which Junnikkala will supply biofuels for use in Loimua’s Kalajoki heating plants. Biofuels are by-products of Junnikkala’s wood procurement and sawmilling operations, the use of which enables the production of near carbon-neutral district heat and thus supports Finland’s climate objectives.
Junnikkala and Loimua deepen their partnership in energy production
The partnership between Junnikkala and Loimua dates back to 2021, when the parties agreed to cooperate on the development of Junnikkala’s Oulainen sawmill heat production and the supply of biofuels and district heat production. The cooperation between the parties has been successful, and Junnikkala sees Loimua as an excellent partner for the Kalajoki sawmill energy outsourcing project.
- Loimua has been an excellent partner for us at the Oulainen sawmill, and we have been pleased with our cooperation. We strongly believe that together with Loimua we will be able to develop Kalajoki’s energy production to be more competitive in the long term. We are looking forward to deepening our cooperation and thus focusing more on our core business,” says Kalle Junnikkala, CEO of family-owned Junnikkala.
- The acquisition of Junnikkala’s energy production from the Kalajoki sawmill is an important investment for us, ensuring the continuity and development of both the sawmill and the heat production of Kalajoen Lämpö. The cooperation with Junnikkala has worked extremely well, and we are pleased that the customer values our expertise and that our cooperation will now be even closer. Our goal is to achieve fully carbon neutral heat production, which will also benefit the Junnikkala sawmill and Kalajoki district heat users,” says Henrik Vasama, Business Director of Loimua Industrial Energy Services.
For more information:
Junnikkala Oy, Managing Director Kalle Junnikkala, tel. 050 051 4884, kalle.junnikkala@junnikkala.com
Loimua Oy, Business Director, Industrial Energy Services Henrik Vasama, tel. +358 50 381 2173, henrik.vasama@loimua.fi
Junnikkala Oy is one of the leading sawmill companies in Finland, which is engaged in mechanical wood processing in three locations: in Kalajoki, Oulainen and Oulu. Our family-owned company is over 60 years old and is a bit like our raw material; long grown in the north and tempered by experience. We saw, plane and further process wood products from Finnish timber and supply them to more than 40 countries.
We employ around 200 people — and indirectly employ many times that number through our subcontractors and partners. Our turnover is over EUR 140 million and with the new sawmill we are building in Oulu, our growth rate for the coming years will be phenomenal. We are proud to be part of the backbone of Finland’s ever-evolving forest industry, which also plays an important role in combating climate change.
Loimua Oy produces district heat and sells and distributes district heat and natural gas. In addition, we offer energy, control, operation and maintenance solutions for real estate and industry.
We are developing our operations by further increasing the share of domestic fuels in our production and improving our energy efficiency. Loimua has 85 000 end customers for heating and cooling services in Kanta-Häme, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia and Heinola. www.loimua.fi
