AI – ForestX

KingPin Sustainable Project of the Year!

AI, KingPin / 13 December 2022

Stockholm/Gothenburg

KingPin project and Sveaskog won in the category “Sustainable Project of the Year” at the CIO Awards 2022. ForestX has developed KingPin together with Sveaskog.

– This is proof that cooperation based on knowledge and trust pays off, says Christer Lindqvist, Marketing Manager at ForestX.

The AI tool KingPin was launched last summer. It trims the timber flow and simplifies the work of planning harvesting through so-called apterig control. The tool was developed in collaboration between Sveaskog, ForestX and Tenfifty. Sveaskog is Sweden’s largest forest owner and is owned by the Swedish government. Sveaskog owns and manages 14% of the country’s forests.

– We have been working with ForestX for several years, and they have a good track record of helping us pick up a project idea and implement it from start to finish, with a good network in the industry and a high level of project management expertise. Tenfifty has no previous experience in forestry, but they understood our needs and our reality very quickly, says Patrik Karlsson, Sveaskog’s Chief Digital Officer (CDO) in a press release.

AI to deliver climate-smart products

KingPin uses AI to create a wide range of options to reach the customer’s needs. The end result will be the options that best leverage the ability to deliver climate-smart products. The AI model continues to learn and provide better suggestions the more it is used.

At the CIO Awards 2022, KingPin was the winner in the “Sustainable Project of the Year” category. The opportunities for developing digital support in the forest industries’ sustainability work are great, says Christer Lindqvist:

– We are just at the beginning of developing new and innovative solutions for the Swedish forestry that move the industry into a more climate-smart future.

– New ways of working and digital solutions go hand in hand to make projects like KingPin a success.

This was the jury’s motivation:

“This year’s sustainable projects show that it is not always the biggest efforts that bring the greatest benefits. A small project for modernisation and increased sustainability, where artisanal, traditional knowledge is transferred to a future-proof artificial intelligence. An investment that is paying off handsomely, both for its own operations and for the climate of the world around it. Today and for future generations.”

The win was announced, and the award presented at the Berns Salonger on 12 December 2022.

“We can create sustainable solutions with AI for more customers”

AI, KingPin / 13 December 2022

Gothenburg

The KingPin project was a success. The new technology for sustainable forest production and flow planning is now available.

– We are happy to continue developing the solution with new customers, says Christer Lindqvist, Marketing Manager at ForestX.

ForestX has developed KingPin together with Sveaskog. Sveaskog was nominated, and won, with the solution in this year’s CIO Awards in the category Sustainable Project of the Year.

ForestX now sees the opportunity for more forestry companies to increase the precision of forestry production and at the same time make use of the forest raw material in the most sustainable and also profitable way for all parties.

In the wake of ongoing digitalisation, new opportunities are constantly opening up for major gains for forest companies, the environment and future generations.

– How we should use the forest is a hot topic today, and no matter what position is taken in the debate, new technology opens up opportunities that we must exploit, continues Christer Lindqvist, ForestX.

AI has entered the forest in earnest now and completely new information is available. The information can be used to improve a number of areas such as forest production and flow planning.

This is KingPin – What AI can do in forestry

KingPin trims timber flow and simplifies the work of harvest planning through so-called adapting management.

Adapting determines the final value of the forest, but also gives the harvester instructions on how to harvest to meet customer preferences. This is not always straightforward as the value to the forest owner and customer can be conflicting. KingPin uses AI to create a large number of options that provide the best of both worlds, allowing the planner to decide which option is best. The AI model continues to learn and provide better suggestions the more it is used.

More on KingPin:

Carl Barck and Christer Lindqvist: “The goal is for ForestX to be the app store of forestry”

AI, Career, ForestX India, FX Europe, FX India, Optinex / 6 July 2022

Gothenburg

In this year’s summer interview with CEO Carl Barck and Marketing Manager Christer Lindqvist, you’ll get the background to ForestX’s large increase in turnover, how digitalisation is the only way forward in the future of forestry and why you should always turn to ForestX first!

Growth every year

ForestX has increased growth by 50% every year for the past three years! There are many explanations behind these large increases:

– We have a broader customer base, we simply have more customers in more segments, says Christer Lindqvist. Nowadays, we can be found in various companies in forestry, the wood processing industry, the paper industry, and the construction trade.

– We are on track with our growth and we are now well on our way to becoming the “app store of forestry”. If you are in the industry and looking for smart digital solutions, then you should look at us first. We are a platform for great digital solutions, there is simply always a solution for you and your business with us and our partners.

– It is worth pointing out that we are not just a service company, we are also a product company with the latest and most modern technical solutions, says Christer Lindqvist.

During the year, ForestX together with Trimble Forestry, has invested in the development of Trimble Forestry’s Connected Forest product suite. Together with Trimble, a Swedish version of Connected Forest has been developed. The work has been done by ForestX’s teams in both Sweden and India.

– It is the first and perhaps the only modern business system for the forest industry to be developed in the last 20 years. It is based on modern technology and is easily accessible through web and cloud services. Users get full control of their information for forestry operations, says Christer Lindqvist and continues:

– The great benefit also lies in the fact that it is mobile, scalable and fully adaptable to customers’ own operations. Now we are ready to seriously roll out the systems on a broad front, which feels incredibly good after several years of work together with Trimble, says Christer Lindqvist.

15 employees in India

In Pune, India, a team of 15 people has been built up during the pandemic years. From being seen only on screens, Carl Barck and Johan Eriksson were able to visit the team in June 2022.

– Now it’s time for us to establish an office in Pune, that was part of the purpose of the trip, says Carl Barck.

– But of course the most important thing was to finally meet. We have the best development team available for the technology we use. The team in Pune has extensive experience of working with the forestry industry and the specific requirements that the forestry industry places on its IT solutions. The team in Pune is fundamental to our success in delivering to customers.

The rate of recruitment in India has been high, and Carl Barck sees that the company in India will continue to grow at the same pace.

– Over the years, we have also worked out good forms of cooperation between Sweden and India. We operate as a seamless company. We really are one company, even if our staff operate from different parts of the world, says Carl Barck.

Great interest on LinkedIn

During the year, ForestX has invested in marketing communications and has a strong presence on LinkedIn.

– Things are happening all the time in our company and we want to tell people about it. We also see that it is appreciated and that there is great curiosity about what we do, says Christer Lindqvist.

Other marketing activities planned for the autumn include breakfast meetings all around Sweden.

– We want to meet our customers in person and tell them about everything we do together with our partners. Keep an eye out in our channels this autumn, says Christer Lindqvist.

Ongoing recruitment

– Our people are the foundation of everything, and we have an incredibly dedicated team both in Sweden and in India, says Carl Barck.

– We continue to recruit, we have a constant need to get more people into our teams, both on the forestry and technical side, and in Sweden and in India.

The growth on the personnel side also means that ForestX is present in more locations in Sweden, the latest addition to the ForestX map is Umeå. Since last summer seven people joined the company in Sweden, five in India.

– We are simply always looking for people! We are looking for the best people who want to change this industry. We see great success in bringing different skills together to make real change. Here there is room and opportunity for both those who are new to the industry and those with long experience, says Carl Barck.

Extended management team with Johan Bergström

As the company has grown, so has the need for an expanded management team. In the spring of 2022, Johan Bergström took his place in ForestX’s management team. Read more about it here.

Optinex in operation in several countries

Optinex is ForestX’s unique end-to-end solution for optimizing planning in the woodworking industry. Optinex is in operation at many companies in several European countries.

– We can truly say that the product is established. We now know that it is a complete solution for planning and optimization. We will be presenting Optinex in more detail at the Wood & Technology Exhibition at the end of August in Gothenburg, says Carl Barck.

What can be perceived as complex becomes simple with our solutions, says Carl Barck.

Digitalisation a prerequisite for sustainable forestry

Everyone agrees that we will see increasingly selective forestry in the future. ForestX’s digital solutions will be a prerequisite for coping with the demands of the new era.

– It is obvious that the amount of available timber will decrease. We must conserve resources and be extremely efficient in the use of raw materials and energy. Our solutions help our customers do just that, says Carl Barck.

– Forestry will need to work on a smaller scale. Maintaining productivity and profitability requires more digitalisation and the right tools. What can be perceived as complex becomes simple with our solutions, says Carl Barck.

Dianthus new partner

This year, ForestX’s partner network has been expanded with Dianthus, a GIS specialist based in Boden in the north of Sweden.

– We bring together the best and the brightest expertise through our network of partners. We see that there is mutual value in this type of collaboration, says Christer Lindqvist.

Sveaskog and ForestX launch KingPin – a new AI tool that increases the value of the forest

AI / 4 July 2022

Gothenburg

KingPin is a tool that uses AI technology to help Sveaskog take care of the forest raw material in the best possible way! KingPin has been developed in collaboration with ForestX’s partner Tenfifty.

– Production is optimized both according to each customer’s unique needs and based on the appearance of our forests in the customer’s delivery area. Timber share is increased, and transport is made more efficient, to the benefit of customers and the environment. So the benefits are great – from several perspectives, says Mattias Forsberg, Production Manager Market Area South, Sveaskog.

– It is a long and successful project that is now coming together! It’s been great to implement an AI project with a well-known customer like Sveaskog. Our ambition is to always be at the forefront of digitalisation. Now we look forward to new challenges together, says Christer Lindqvist, Marketing Manager and co-founder of ForestX.

Sveaskog and ForestX launch KingPin – a new AI tool that increases the value of the forest Read More »

CollectiveCrunch visits Gothenburg

AI, Collective Crunch / 2 June 2022

Gothenburg

ForestX and Finnish CollectiveCrunch have been collaborating for several years. Together, we are developing the future possibilities of using AI in the forest. In May 2022 we could meet in Gothenburg.

CollectiveCrunch’s product LindaForest collects public and general data such as climate and satellite information, and combines it with customer-specific data on, for example, stands and harvesting. Together, this provides improved estimates of planned management and outcomes.

Mika Korvenranta, director of product and business management at CollectiveCrunch and Lauri Tamminen, director customer success at CollectiveCrunch were met in Gothenburg by Johan Hedlund, Oskar Selmeryd and Patrik Anderchen from ForestX.

– The goal of our collaboration is to improve the quality of forest data in Sweden while reducing the number of field visits we need to make. CollectiveCrunch’s solutions use AI to provide access to accurate and always up-to-date data. This enables transparent monitoring of both timber and carbon stocks. The data also enables better informed decisions and introduces efficiencies along the supply chain, says Oskar Selmeryd, Project Manager at ForestX.

CollectiveCrunch visits Gothenburg Read More »

Innovative AI projects at Sveaskog linked together at ForestX

AI / 29 March 2021

Gothenburg

When Sweden’s largest forest owner Sveaskog invests in AI, two projects link up at ForestX. Oskar Selmeryd at ForestX is currently leading two innovative AI projects for the forestry giant.

Swedish Sveaskog funded an AI-forum two and half years ago. Brainstorming gave the forum 27 ideas for developing the use of AI in forestry. Some have been tested and implemented, some will never be tried out and new ideas have been added.

During spring 2021 two projects are in progress where Sveaskog has chosen Finnish company CollectiveCrunch and Gothenburg-based Tenfifty for two pilot projects on how Sveaskog can use and develop AI in the forest. Both of these leading AI companies are also linked as industry specialists and partners to ForestX. When the projects now are underway at Sveaskog, it’s Oskar Selmeryd in his role as project manager at ForestX who’s in charge.

– We contribute with the knowledge between the forestry and the technical, he says. Sveaskog is a good customer to work with. The attitude towards AI is good and it’s exciting that they have a number of concepts they want to try.

Value optimization with a new tool

In the project with Tenfifty and Sveaskog, AI is used to find the optimal point between fulfilling customer requirements and value to provide the right instructions before felling.

– There are tools that provide support in the decision-making process today, but it is a time-consuming process, says Oskar Selmeryd.

There are no ready-made solutions in this project, a completely new tool is being developed. Tenfifty bring the experience and competence in terms of AI to the project, ForestX builds the interface. Through Sveaskog, there is access to data on all types of forest throughout Sweden, necessary to be able to train AI.

The purpose of the project is to develop a new tool for timber value technicians and corresponding professional groups at Sveaskog. They will in turn save time, have access to better quality pin files and have more well-founded options to consider.

– If you look at the longer term, you could get an even higher degree of automation by continuously taking in data from ongoing fellings and make corrections, says Oskar Selmeryd.

Synergy effect with an edge with Tenfifty

From Sveaskog’s point of view, it is of course the large degree of automated calculations that is interesting.

– To be able to do things faster and better, that is the great benefit, says Christer Ranvald, project manager at Sveaskog.

The collaboration with ForestX began early in the process:

– All the regular IT providers also have AI. Together with Christer Lindqvist at ForestX we looked for specialists in AI, and through that we found Tenfifty.

– ForestX knows forestry and can make it into products. Together with Tenfifty, it gives a synergy effect with an edge, says Christer Ranvald at Sveaskog.

In the spring of 2021, work will continue on developing and implementing the tool.

Better forecasts with LindaForest

The project with CollectiveCrunch is based on the company’s product LindaForest. It collects both public and general data such as climate and satellite information, together with customer-specific data on, for example, stands and felling. Together, it provides improved estimates of planned care and outcomes.

– The goal is improved estimates of the forest without having to make field visits. It should provide better outcome forecasts and be time saving. It also provides increased data quality, says Oskar Selmeryd.

The project will be carried out in Sveaskog’s area Södra Norrland and has just started. It will end before the summer of 2021.

Practical applications

AI is a concept that is used generously and the hopes for what AI can solve are high in all industries.

– AI is a term that is sometimes used a little fluffy. Here we work with two practical applications. We’re doing something concrete and value-creating, says Oskar Selmeryd.

Sveaskog

Sveaskog is owned by the Swedish state. The main geographic market is Sweden. Sveaskog owns 14% of forest land in Sweden, spread across the entire country. The forest and its assets are Sveaskog’s core business. Conducting forestry operations and developing new business opportunities and applications for wood raw material, wood products and forest land are a major responsibility. Sustainable development permeates every aspect of Sveaskog’s business.

Sveaskog had sales of SEK 7.209 million in 2019 and in average 807 employees throughout Sweden.

Sveaskog.se

CollectiveCrunch

CollectiveCrunch is a leader in AI in the forest industry. The company collects climate, geo- and process data and “crunches” the information into AI models. All for better predictions about forest holdings and forest management. Five of the top ten forest companies in the Nordic region are customers of CollectiveCrunch.

Collectivecrunch.com

Tenfifty

Tenfifty develops and implements customized customer solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to optimize, automate, predict and forecast customers’ operations based on all types of data. Tenfifty has over 15 years of experience in delivering stable AI solutions to customers in Europe.

Tenfifty.io

Innovative AI projects at Sveaskog linked together at ForestX Read More »

Linda Forest available to the Swedish market

AI / 15 June 2020

Linda Forest is CollectiveCrunch’s one-of-a-kind AI, Linda Forest, will be added to ForestX’s portfolio and the experienced digitalization partner helps customers in Sweden to fully utilize its benefits.

CollectiveCrunch and ForestX have entered a partnership to serve the forestry customers in Sweden with a joint offering.

ForestX helps leading forestry players in Sweden and other countries to make use of technological innovations, serving as the leading digitalization partner of Swedish forestry. CollectiveCrunch’s core product Linda Forest is an artificial intelligence that analyses satellite, terrestrial and process data to predict forest inventories. ForestX will become the face of CollectiveCrunch in Sweden, and Linda Forest will be one of the products in ForestX’s high-quality portfolio.

According to Rolf Schmitz, CEO and Co-founder of CollectiveCrunch, one of the key benefits of the partnership is that it answers the need of local customer support and expertise: – Linda Forest lives within a wider digitalization context, and customers are looking for advice and help. Sometimes to integrate Linda Forest, sometimes to address digitalization aspects that go beyond our solution. ForestX is the ideal partner to provide this expertise and service, he describes.

– We are proud to join forces with CollectiveCrunch to bring its unique forestry specific AI solutions Linda Forest to Sweden. Our specialized team members are on the front lines of technological change in the forest industry. We are pleased to collaborate closely with CollectiveCrunch and to work with the most innovative forestry solutions for our market, says Carl Barck, CEO and Co-founder of ForestX.

Contact

CollectiveCrunch: Rolf Schmitz, rs@collectivecrunch.com, +49 151 1972 6650

ForestX: Carl Barck, carl.barck@forestx.se, +46 70 227 21 72

ForestX is an experienced digitalization consultant for forestry. The company offers IT-based products and consulting services within the forestry industry. The founders of ForestX have deep knowledge of the Swedish and Scandinavian forestry industry and a long history with implementing many major IT solutions for the industry.

CollectiveCrunch is an AI leader in the forestry industry. The startup collects climate, geo and process data and crunches this information into AI models for better prediction of forest inventories and forest management parameters. The product of CollectiveCrunch is called Linda Forest and is delivered via a SaaS platform.

Artificial intelligence develops Swedish forestry industry in new collaboration

AI / 10 December 2019

Artificial Intelligence – ForestX and Tenfifty have initiated collaboration to develop services for the forest industry within the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The aim is to show how new technology can be used operationally to optimise, rationalise and simplify processes within the Swedish forestry industry. First up is a pilot project for Sveaskog.

Both ForestX and Tenfifty are based in Gothenburg, Sweden and work in different specialist areas of IT. Tenfifty customises AI solutions and ForestX works on digitisation of the forestry industry, including the wood, pulp and paper industries.

“The Swedish forest industry has much to gain from the possibilities of AI. The area is enormous and exciting. Our ambition with Tenfifty, a specialist in the field, is to find ways that can change approaches within the industry. It is important to prioritise and invest in processes that create the best benefit for the forestry industry,” says Christer Lindqvist, ForestX’s founder and marketing manager.

First up is a pilot project for the customer Sveaskog.

“We see great advantages in technology. Integrating AI as part of an operational flow is what we are looking at initially as part of the project,” says Christer Ranvald, project manager at Sveaskog.

The parties also see opportunities in the pulp and paper industries.

“ForestX has the requisite expertise to achieve major improvements in the forestry industry – one of most important industries for Sweden and the future. Together we can apply AI and machine learning where they create the best optimisation effects,” concludes Anders Bjurström, Tenfifty’s CEO.

Photo (from left) Anders Bjurström, Tenfifty, Christer Ranvald, Sveaskog, Christer Lindqvist, ForestX and David Fendrich, Tenfifty initiate pilot projects regarding AI and machine learning for the forestry industry.

ForestX works on digitalisation and optimisation of the forestry industry, through a combination of its own technical consultants, selected systems and expert partners.

Tenfifty creates and implements customised information flows based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and web spindling.

Sveaskog is Sweden’s biggest forest owner, and sells timber, pulpwood and biofuel

More to read about AI and ForestX: Innovation at ForestX

Artificial intelligence develops Swedish forestry industry in new collaboration Read More »

AI to deliver climate-smart products

This was the jury’s motivation:

More to read:

Gothenburg

In this year’s summer interview with CEO Carl Barck and Marketing Manager Christer Lindqvist, you’ll get the background to ForestX’s large increase in turnover, how digitalisation is the only way forward in the future of forestry and why you should always turn to ForestX first!

15 employees in India

Great interest on LinkedIn

Ongoing recruitment

Extended management team with Johan Bergström

Optinex in operation in several countries

Digitalisation a prerequisite for sustainable forestry