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In the picture, from left to right, the core team that manufactured the stoves: mechanics Niko Partti and Markus Kosunen, production manager Petri Nykänen and supervisor Jukka Markkanen.

Pieksämäki machine shop sends 200 stoves to Ukraine

1. February 2023 Articles News and press releases

In addition to its normal operations, the Pieksämäki machine shop is currently manufacturing stoves for Ukraine. The most important thing for everyone involved is the opportunity to help Ukrainians in the midst of a crisis.

The stove designed by the mechanics at VR FleetCare's Pieksämäki machine shop is produced in series. The steel for the stoves was donated by BE Group and the cutting and welding is carried out at the Pieksämäki machine shop. The stoves will reach Ukraine before the end of the winter as the Finnish Red Cross will deliver the 200 stoves in early February.

"The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is horrific, and the bad news about the energy infrastructure keep pouring in. The Ukrainians deserve all our help. “We had this idea, and as soon as the skilled mechanics in our component services accepted the challenge, we were ready to get started. It took less than a week to develop the prototype, and now we can build a stove in less than two hours,” says Anders Karlsson, Vice President of Component Services at VR FleetCare.

The mechanics, whose usual tasks include maintaining the components of the rolling stock, designed the stoves from start to finish. The contact in Ukraine, established through the Finnish Red Cross, confirmed the suitability of the stove and the mechanics completed the final, minor changes to the design. The stove is a simple, compact package that works both indoors and outdoors and is easy to move. The stove can be used for both heating and cooking.

“Production started in early January, and now, we are able to finish ten stoves per day alongside our usual work. We are very proud of our mechanics whose enthusiasm and determination have been commendable. I’ve been very pleased to follow the progress of the stove project,” says Juha Lintula, Head of Unit at the Pieksämäki machine shop.

VR FleetCare's supplier partner BE Group also wanted to help by joining the project and delivering all the materials needed for making the stoves. The fast production schedule was made possible by BE Group’s ability to offer a delivery time of just a few days for their steel materials.

“We sincerely hope that the stoves will help people in distress in the crisis area through the most difficult times. It’s also wonderful to be able to support our customer in helping those in need,” says Lasse Levola, Executive Director of BE Group.