Metla Bulletin 1/2011 - The KIEMET portal–information on the forest sector in Central and Eastern European countries

June 15, 2011

	The KIEMET portal – information on the forest sector in Central and Eastern European countries

In 2010, the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) launched the new Internet-based information service KIEMET. It provides information about forest resources, forest ownership and its organisation, bioenergy markets, and the forest-sector business environment in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. They information covers Belarus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.


Partner countries of KIEMET

In addition to the information service, the KIEMET research consortium performs analyses, in collaboration with Metla’s bioenergy research team, of the possibilities for transferring forest technology know-how from Finland to CEE countries. This includes scenarios related to future trends for export opportunities in the pellet industry and exports of power plants for heating and the use of wood as energy.

In the years since 2004, Metla has already implemented Idän Metsätieto and Lesinfo, two portals providing up-to-date information on Russian and Finnish forestry, aimed at promotion of forest-sector co-operation in Finland and Russia.

‘A couple of years ago, feedback from Idän Metsätieto and Lesinfo users suggested that we perhaps should build a similar portal with information on the forest sector also for the CEE countries. It would help forest companies that are at different stages in their internationalisation and planning, enabling them to find business opportunities and to enter into or expand the market in these countries.’ says Juhani Marttila, KIEMET project researcher at Metla.

The first steps toward concrete co-operation have already been taken. ‘We organised the first KIEMET excursion to Belarus and Ukraine in 2010. The forest companies participating in the excursion could meet local entrepreneurs, and both sides were able to establish useful contacts. Real business co-operations will certainly follow,’ Marttila continues.

KIEMET’s target groups include not only forest-sector enterprises and manufacturers of forest technology but also research and education institutes. The Internet portal also helps the CEE countries to develop their forest sector, to provide business solutions, and to create new contacts among actors in the forest sector.
The KIEMET consortium, co-ordinated by Metla, consists of representatives from the research, education, forest technology, bioenergy, sawmill industry, and wood technology sectors. KIEMET is financed by the European Social Fund (2010–2012), the Regional Council of North Karelia, and the City of Mikkeli. Metla has agreed to continue the KIEMET service after 2012.

Metla’s partners in the project are the Mikkeli Small Business Centre, part of the Aalto University School of Economics; the School of Forest Sciences of the University of Eastern Finland; the North Karelia University of Applied Sciences; and North Karelia College Valtimo.

Further information:

Researcher Juhani Marttila, ph. +358 29 532 3181, e-mail: juhani.marttila @ metla.fi
Central and Eastern Europe Information Service (KIEMET)
MetINFO: KIEMET (In Finnish)

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