SSO-Group is Franz Kleine's new sales partner in Finland
At the beginning of this year, the Agricultural and Garden Technology Division of the SSO-Group (Suur-Seudun Osuuskauppa) in Salo, Finland took over the sales, customer service, servicing and spare parts supply for Franz Kleine beet harvesting and loading technology in Finland.

The worldwide recession has also had an unprecedented impact on Finnish agriculture. The land area of sugar beet cultivation has fallen over recent years from 24,000 ha. to 14,000 ha. The area of cultivation has become concentrated on a few businesses in the south of Finland. The sugar factory in Salo was closed down last year, with the result that all beets have to be transported to the only surviving factory near Pori.

"However, there is no reason to panic", says the Managing Director of the Agri & Garden Division of SSO, Jouni Oksanen. "The customer structure is changing rapidly, the number of potential buyers is declining, the businesses in Finland are also getting bigger year by year. Cultivation on 200 hectares is no longer a rarity in Finland. Powerful and reliable agricultural machines are increasingly shaping the requirement profile of the customers. The high cereal prices in 2008 have discouraged farmers in Finland from expanding beet cultivation. Now that more sugar is being consumed than produced across the world, the beet has become attractive again, even in northern Europe."

The trend towards 6-row self-propelled machines and modern "mouse" loading technology supports what Jouni Oksann says.

"The tradition and the positive product image of Franz Kleine beet harvesting technology leaves us well positioned to exploit this development, with a good opportunity to press home this advantage on the Finnish market," says Matti Laurila, who is responsible for Small Beet Technology sales.
With its extensive network of branches in south-western Finland, SSO is always close at hand, so that fast customer service and prompt supply of spare parts are guaranteed. This is Timo Talvitie's area of responsibility.

In a few weeks, SSO will be moving into the new business premises in Salo, so that in future sales, marketing, customer service and the spare parts warehouse will all be under one roof.