Södra (Sweden) announced the launch of a new package of forestry services that began this past Monday (February 1). The new services will facilitate forest ownership and present opportunities to improve the profitability of members’ forest estates. The new package includes a financial advisory service and improved digital services.

The new package includes an advisory service to facilitate ownership transfers, as well as cash flow analysis and property valuation services. The forest estate agreement is a new service for forest owners who seek secure, profitable, and professional management for their entire estate. "This is a comprehensive package of services, designed to meet the needs of Södra’s members. The requirements of forest owners – as well as technological solutions – change over time, and these new services represent a major step forward toward a new and improved member offering. The aim is to make active and profitable forestry easier," said Håkan Larsson, president of the Södra Skog business area.

Digital advancement brings new opportunities for forestry, and Södra reports it has continued to develop new digital services for forest owners. The idea is that by being able to follow business in real time, receive advice digitally from a forest inspector, and renew digital forest management plans online, forestry becomes more efficient. "We are now launching more and more digital services, which are a key complement to face-to-face meetings. Technology is helping us to produce better decision-making resources for our members’ forestry, and to keep this information continuously accessible and up-to-date," said Örjan Vorrei, IT manager at Södra Skog.

Södra is also strengthening its thinning offering by introducing a thinning premium of SEK 25/m³sub. "We hope this initiative will raise awareness of the benefits of timely and correctly performed thinning," said Larsson. "We are investing heavily in our pulp mills, which will generate sales for thinning wood for a long time to come. The fiber properties of thinning wood are particularly suitable for hygienic tissue paper, for example, a segment in which we see strong customer demand," Larsson added.