The world’s forests and the related processing industries can meet the needs of people by providing a wide range of products, ranging from paper and board, materials for construction, furniture and packaging to chemicals and energy. In addition, they can provide environmental and climate services, by stocking carbon in long-lasting wood products or substituting higher emissions products. The supply and demand of forest products, as well as regulations, are in a continuous state of geographic flux, creating a need for new strategies and investments to maximise opportunities and manage threats.
Indufor’s goal is to increase the value of its clients’ assets and operations, be they forests, biomass resources or manufacturing plants. Our forest industry consulting experts have in-depth knowledge of the forests and forest industries, including pulp and paper, solid wood products, reconstituted products, engineered wood products, bio-based chemicals and biomass energy.
Whether you are developing harvesting operations, building a new mill, improving existing operations, finding new markets or engaging in acquisition or divestment, Indufor has the forest industry consulting expertise and capability to assist.
Access to sufficient biomass at the right price is a critical factor in any new or existing industry reliant on biological feedstocks for its production. Key issues include land suitability, volumes available over time and competing demand, quality and physico-chemical constraints, and harvesting methods.
Today’s industry participants operate in an increasingly competitive and changing global environment. Local developments can have sharp impacts on industries and businesses across the world. Understanding the constantly changing environment in which they operate is essential for any business to secure sustainable profits and long- term growth.
Within the M&A process, it is essential to bring together muti-disciplinary teams with in-depth understanding of the industry. Our focus at all times is on ensuring our clients can make their investment decisions based on the best possible information and knowledge available.
Assessing your company’s or industry segment’s performance in relation to other companies or industries in other countries can be difficult. Some information can be drawn from annual reports of public companies, but their figures are commonly too general to make true comparisons of specific segments within the forest industry. Indufor has developed a two-pronged approach to benchmarking.
Area Experts
Marcel Vroege, Head of Forest Industry & Bio Solutions, Asia Pacific, holds an Executive MBA from Waikato University, New Zealand (2000) and a degree in Wood Science (B Sc Hons) from Bangor University, North Wales (1992).
Marcel specializes in the analysis of wood and bio-based products industries and markets in the Asia Pacific region. Areas of special interest and expertise include organizational development, business strategies, cost competitiveness assessments, location assessments and reputation assessments of both companies and products. He has been engaged in numerous assignments globally, assisting local industries, as well as international companies. He has managed a wide range of assignments ranging from company restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic market and business assessments to market reviews, business and delivery chain analysis, and feasibility and cost competitiveness studies. He has undertaken assignments throughout the Asia Pacific region, Africa, and North and South America.
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.
André Neumann has a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) from the University of Canterbury (1983) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business from Massey University.
André’s experience in the forestry and wood products sector spans all aspects of the industry. He has expertise in due diligence teams, domestic and international log markets, sawmill benchmarking, forest resource management and modeling.
He has particular strengths in the sawmilling and panels sectors.
André has worked extensively in both New Zealand and Australia, as well as in Japan, Taiwan, China, the United States, Indonesia, Korea, Brazil, Uruguay, Malaysia (Sabah) and the Solomon Islands.
Jarno Seppälä, Head of Forest Industry and Biosolutions Consulting, holds a master’s degree in forest products’ marketing (MSc For) from the University of Helsinki (2001). Mr. Seppälä completed his thesis at Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA, in 2000.
Jarno Seppälä has extensive international knowledge of the primary and secondary wood products as well as bioenergy industries in Europe, Russia and North America. He has been actively involved in and/or managed complete business plans and other strategy formulations, sector studies, raw material, supply chain and market analysis including detailed end-use segmentation and client identification. His responsibilities also include feasibility studies, investment analysis and evaluations as well as due diligence and M&A assessments. Mr. Seppälä has experience in both the private and public sectors – from small local operators to large multinational companies and organisations.
Mr Seppälä is fluent in Finnish and English.
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