FM Timber Ltd is a sawmill company founded by two forestry entrepreneurs in 1997. The company is located in Pihtipudas, Central Finland, where it is surrounded by an abundance of raw material. The profession of the founding partners is reflected in the first part of the company name: FM stands for Forest Master.
At first the idea was use leased machines to produce fresh, small-diameter-grade sawn timber, but after only one year had passed, the decision of acquiring a larger sawmill was made, and the company began sawing larger logs and providing fresh timber deliveries to customers.
In the turn of the century, when opportunities for fresh timber delivery grew scarce, investments into drying and sorting were made.
In 2006, FM Timber acquired the ownership of Karlis Sawmill in Värtsilä, Russia. Karlis Sawmill, founded in 1993, is located right by the Finnish border, near the Niirala border crossing point.
Soon after the purchase, in 2009, FM Timber increased the production of the Värtsilä unit by investing in a new, larger circular saw line and a debarking machine.
In 2010, FM Timber acquired the former Saha-Tapio sawmill yard in Kiihtelysvaara. The area is now used for drying and sorting the sawn timber produced in Värtsilä.
In 2018, Karlis Sawmill procured a significant addition to its own leased forest parcels. It now has more than 80,000 ha of forests in Karelia, Russia. Through its own felling, the company is able to secure the supply of raw material. It also enables bucking of specified lengths for customers.
In 2020, FM Timber launched a new development programme. Within the scope of the programme, the operations of Pihtipudas sawmill will be streamlined and their sawn timber grades will be optimized. At the Kiihtelysvaara plant, the drying capacity has been increased and their sorting and specified lengths bucking is being improved. FM Timber has also began further processing of sawn timber.
Since its founding, the company has been actively increasing its export trade. Important markets have been established in Asia, North Africa, Central Europe and North America.
