Ambassador Jari Halinen

Kuljetus Halinen Ky
Mikkeli, Finland

“I need my timber crane to be fast and efficient but also easy to handle. I enjoy operating my JONSERED. It takes motor skills and a certain rhythm – it’s almost like a dance. I feel good working with it.”

- Jari Halinen

During the early hours of a Nordic summer day the first rays of sun try to penetrate the haze that is lightly hovering above the ground. Night has turned to day and the surroundings are slowly waking up. In Jari Halinen’s kitchen you smell the scent of coffee as the coffee brewer is already working on the first cups to kick off the day. Jari is getting ready for his shift in the forest and the fact is that if you want to catch up with him you will have to be an early bird. He is one of these early rise and shine guys that get the most out of the day and the afternoons too! 

“I usually wake up between 02.00 – 04.00 am. All my life I have woken up early so it fits me just fine to start working early in the morning and be home not too late in the afternoon.”

Jari runs a transport company called Kuljetus Halinen Ky, a company that was founded by his father in 1955. The first hydraulic timber crane bought by the company was a Fiskars, purchased in 1970, and since then there has been many LOGLIFT and JONSERED cranes following it.

For Jari working within the forestry business came quite naturally.

“I have been working with forestry since I was a little boy following my dads’ footsteps as a second-generation entrepreneur.” says Jari.

Jari became a share holder of his fathers’ company in 1993 and gradually the company moved into his control. He has worked in Kuljetus Halinen Ky for almost 40 years!

“This has been a way of life for me since I was a child.” he says.

His business is doing well, and it is a part of a bigger logistics network, HP Logistic Network Ltd together with other forestry entrepreneurs. The idea behind this is to be able to offer their customers a greater flexibility in their services throughout the year, but it is also a way to meet the ever toughening economic environment, cost increases and tougher legislations. From their customers’ perspective, the network enables them to swiftly adapt to a wide range of demanding situations and react quickly, and this is one of the absolute strengths. Jari points out that this flexibility is their trademark.

To Jari, choosing his line of work has been a choice driven not only by passion for forestry business but also a great interest in technology. To get to know how things really work and what they are made of is a source of inspiration. This interest is also what makes the base of Jaris’ sportsmanship. Within Finland he is sometimes referred to as “The worlds’ fastest timber truck driver”. Though he has competed in the Finnish timber truck driver championship, and had quite a success at it too by winning the competition in 2002, this is not what people think of. People refer to his career as a Drag car racer. He started drag racing in 1984, and has had a positive development of his career, competing in the FIA top fuel since 2007 and with a 2.nd place in 2012 as a top ranking.

The need for speed and fine-tuned equipment is something Jari appreciates in his working life too. With fine-tuned high quality equipment, working becomes more efficient as well as more enjoyable, or as Jari expresses it;

“I need my timber crane to be efficient and rapid but also soft to handle. JONSERED for me is a pleasant drive but still very fast. I need rhythm and motor skills when handling my timber crane. I feel good working with it. It is like almost like a dancing.“

Over the years that Hiab has delivered equipment to Jari, a professional relationship has developed, one that is based on trust or as Jari puts it;

“I feel that at Hiab they really listen to me and take care of things if there is a problem. I do not have to guess.”

In many ways this long relationship has even benefited Jaris’ technical interest. As he is a competent crane operator and a very knowledgeable one as well, he has been considered a partner to Hiab in the development of new equipment.

“Luckily I have had a possibility to take a part in developing timber cranes and to get to know the production as well.” Jari states, he continues “At the moment my business is doing well, but this does not mean that I can rest. Development must continue and new solutions must be found to make things even better for me. I expect that even more efficient ways of working are still to be found.”