Forest contractors appreciate pulling power of trailers with hydraulic drive
The main equipment used by forest contractor Metsätyö Juha Mönkkönen in Vehmersalmi, Finland, is a Valtra N174 Direct tractor that is used to pull a KESLA 122ND 2 WD trailer and 316T loader.
Metsätyö Juha Mönkkönen has provided property and forest maintenance services for twenty years. The company employs on average three people in addition to the entrepreneur himself. Forest maintenance tasks include tree felling, stump grinding and brushwood clearance, as well as transporting timber to collection sites.
Focus on the trailer
Juha Mönkkönen chose a loader-trailer combination because it suited his needs better than a loader fitted directly to the tractor. In particular, the pulling power of the trailer was a big benefit. The trailer he chose was a KESLA 122ND 2 WD, which has a capacity of 12 tonnes and hydraulic nave drive on the rear axle.

“The forest trailer I purchased has an extendable load area. Extending the load area is quick, and the double posts in the last bunk increase stability,” Mönkkönen says.
“The traction is a must for forestry work, but its importance in municipal work shouldn’t be underestimated, especially when working in slippery places and on difficult surfaces. The hydraulic drive also allows the use of tyre chains, a must for safety in winter conditions.”
According to Mönkkönen, the tractor-trailer combination with drive and tyre chains is approximately as effective as a dedicated forestry forwarder.
A loader suitable for professionals
The KESLA 316T is a loader designed for professional use. Mönkkönen used to drive a logging truck, so the cranes on big trucks are very familiar to him. According to Mönkkönen, the 316T compares favourably with those truck cranes.
“The loader can handle incredible loads. The boom’s proportions are good, the crane is agile, and it can be used in confined spaces. The lifting force is smooth, and sufficient outreach is always available.”
The control valve on Mönkkönen’s crane is the Walvoil DPX and the control system is Kesla’s own proC.
Mönkkönen already had a high opinion about Kesla products, having heard a lot of good feedback about them when driving logging trucks.
“The quality can be seen just by glancing at the structures,” says Mönkkönen.