Having steady access to a sufficient supply of biomass is critical for any entity in any industry reliant on biological feedstocks for production. Biomass availability depends on a number of factors including land suitability, seasonal variability, competing and fluctuating demand, quality and physio-chemical constraints, and harvesting methods.
Indufor supports its clients through offering a wide range of technical and advisory services including:
- Profiling site suitability for forest plantation and biomass species and varieties
- Assessing potential and realistic supply availability in biomass supply baskets
- Modelling competition for biomass resources over time
- Developing supply models and assessing associated cost structures
- Assessing biomass sourcing risks.
Indufor works with clients to develop sound procurement strategies, optimise grade mix, quality, and cost structures, and can advise on contractual arrangements.
Project examples:
- Catchment Area Analyses for the Biomass Supply of an Energy Company (2019-2021)
- Woody Biomass Risk Assessment, Brazil (2021)
- Wood Prices in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (2021)
- Appraisal of Harvesting and Transport Operations and Improvement Plan in Russia (2017).
Area Experts
Andrew Morton, Managing Director of Indufor Asia Pacific (Australia), holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) degree from the Australian National University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia.
Andrew has over 25 years’ experience in forest and plantation activities in temperate and tropical environments and provides specialist advice in management structuring for forest and plantation managers, investors and owners, and in developing sustainable forest management systems.
Andrew has wide experience in policy and commercial assessment in the forests and wood products sector, advising governments, industrialists, investors and financiers. This includes expert roles in relation to legal proceedings in a range of jurisdictions and acting as arbitrator to forest sector disputes.
Dr Senko holds a PhD in Agriculture and Forestry (2021) with Forest Science as the major subject and a master’s degree in European Forestry (2014) from the University of Eastern Finland. His background spans more than ten years of experience promoting sustainable and intensive forest management initiatives in Finland and Russia while building relationships with various stakeholders through his consulting and research work. Sergei has completed his PhD dissertation on the topic “Nordic forest solutions as an opportunity to reform the forestry sector in Russia”. At Indufor, Sergei is in charge of forestry and wood supply consulting. His key expertise includes wood sourcing, timber markets, and forest resource assessment and management issues. Sergei has also a sound knowledge of wood product industries, climate solutions, renewable energy and other biomaterials. Sergei has been involved in several clients and research projects in Russia, Europe and Asia, acting also as a project manager. His native language is Russian, and he is fluent in English
Mr Gaudel has a master’s degree in Forestry (MSc For, 2019) from the University of Helsinki and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering (2014) from the Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. He specializes in forest resource management, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Rabins leverages these skills to analyse and monitor forest resources, contribute to informed decision-making, and optimize supply chains. He has good experience in fieldwork, data analysis, and creating visually appealing cartographic representations. Most recently, he has been involved in the European Space Agency's Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EO4SD) program, which aims to incorporate satellite data into projects conducted by International Financial Institutions. In addition, he is engaged in projects in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Indonesia. He is fluent in English, Nepali, and Hindi and has good Finnish language skills.
David Paul, Head of Forest Resources Consulting with Indufor Asia Pacific (Australia), holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) degree from Canterbury University in New Zealand.
David is a technical forestry specialist having completed a number of significant resource reviews and feasibility studies for a range of industrial plantation owners. David has extensive valuation and due diligence experience - leading assignments in Australia, New Zealand and the broader Pacific region.
David has also worked in a range of advisory roles involving company restructuring, mergers and acquisitions from a buyer and seller perspective, supply chain assessments, hardwood and softwood market reviews as well as negotiation and analysis of long-term log supply contracts.
Matt Bovelander, Senior Consultant Bio Solutions, holds an MSc (first class honours) from the University of Auckland and a Graduate Diploma in Business (Management) from Massey University.
Matt Bovelander has worked for many years in forest industry consulting bringing a wealth of experience-based solutions to a broad range of client challenges from Asia to West Africa and the Americas. Typical assignments include market research, feedstock assessment, technology evaluation, due diligence and project feasibility assessment for a wide range of clients covering forest industry investors, lenders, project developers and trading houses.
Specifically, Mr Bovelander’s Bio Solutions focus has concentrated primarily on biomass (e.g. wood chips, wood pellets and EFB pellets) for energy generation as well as agricultural feedstocks for biofuels (e.g. oil palm and jatropha for biodiesel and sugar cane for bioethanol). More recently Mr Bovelander has been involved in biomass assessments in support of bio-based economies, biomass price forecasting for utilities and evaluating the viability of short-rotation woody crops for biomass production in South East Asia.
Janne Löytömäki, Senior Consultant - Wood Products, holds a master’s degree in wood technology (M.S. Tech.) from the Helsinki University of Technology (1992).
Mr Löytömäki is specialized in wood technology, sawmilling and wood-based panels industry, operational, financial and economic analyses, and valuations. His tasks in investment and other industrial studies have included process planning, financial analyses, operational and technological assessments, implementation planning; development of cost accounting, monitoring and reporting systems; carrying out forest asset appraisals, and participating in due diligence teams.
Löytömäki is fluent in Finnish and English.