For the love
of the sport
Janne Sinkkonen, Director for Tractor Attachment Business, joined Kesla in 2011. Before that, he worked as Sales Manager at Hankkija.
Janne Sinkkonen’s favourite activity is working in the forest with a tractor.
“For the love of the sport! The forest has always
Kesla wanted to export. At the same time, the
been number one for me,” says Janne Sinkko-
long-term partner’s business seemed to be
nen when asked for his reason for the transfer
more focused on gardening and leisure activ-
to Kesla.
ities than on forestry and machine trade.
Love for the forest has determined the life of
“As a Kesla team member, I wondered if it sup-
the agrologist since childhood. His face melts
ported our brand in any way anymore. At the
into a smile when he talks about Patu – the con-
same time Valtra seemed like a brand with
cept of the tractor world, as he puts it. Patu was
strong products and a sharp focus to work on
once Kesla’s legendary product and the world’s
the machine side.”
best-selling loader brand. A pioneer in its field.
When the cooperation between AGCO Finland
“Working in the forest with a tractor – it was
and Kesla was announced in early 2016, Urakoin-
something special even as a child. When I was
ti Uutiset magazine titled its article “AGCO and
allowed to drive a Patu, it was something amaz-
Kesla engaged”. Listening to Janne Sinkkonen,
ing! The machine was agile and handled what
it is easy to become convinced that the engage-
previously had to be done by hand.”
ment has deepened into passionate love:
Forest management is still Sinkkonen’s most
“Kesla and Valtra are finding their way to new
beloved hobby, involving two absolutely vital
export markets together. We can expand from
things – Kesla and Valtra. Sinkkonen attaches
the forest to new areas. The world’s population
the utmost importance to the cooperation with
is growing, and food and machines to produce
Valtra, which started in 2016.
it are needed. We have a growing share to gain
“Hankkija was undoubtedly the best possible
in food production as well as in, for example, the
partner for Kesla for a long time. But the world
public cleaning of urban centres. We can replace
changes. In Finland, the number of farms has
many machines cost-effectively by connecting a
been declining throughout our EU membership.
Kesla crane directly to a tractor. Let’s make the
Hankkija, on the other hand, was not a partner
whole thing work like a Swiss army knife – one
through which new export opportunities could
machine, a hundred jobs.”
be opened to Kesla.”
Janne Sinkkonen joined another employer at the beginning of 2021.
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