ABOUT US | Easmar

Decades of working for the best of our customers.

Easmar has offered flexible rail services to its customers since 1993. Our operations have expanded from Lahti to Kouvola, and throughout our history, we have focused on achieving even higher customer satisfaction and quicker rail deliveries.

Railroad transportation under continuous development in Finland

We systematically develop transportation with our customers’ interest and needs in mind. We put the customer at the heart of our operations, and our skilled personnel, extensive experience in the field and efficient operations guarantee customer satisfaction.

Our values guide our day-to-day work

• Satisfied customers as the foundation for growth and profitability
• Skilled personnel as our key resource
• Reliability is the common theme in all our operations

Railroad transportation under continuous development in Finland

We systematically develop transportation with our customers’ interest and needs in mind. We put the customer at the heart of our operations, and our skilled personnel, extensive experience in the field and efficient operations guarantee customer satisfaction.

Our values guide our day-to-day work

• Satisfied customers as the foundation for growth and profitability
• Skilled personnel as our key resource
• Reliability is the common theme in all our operations

Easmar Logistics – on the right track toward the future

The company’s roots go back to 1993

Saku Sopanen has entrepreneurship in his blood: there are entrepreneurs in his family and even among his children. His son runs his own company, and his daughter is doing studies in entrepreneurship.

“I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life; I’ve never worked for someone else. In 1986, the next generation took over our family farm where we grew strawberries. I was just a schoolboy back then. After my studies, I did stints in Karelia and Petrozavodsk. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, we founded Kuopion Easmar in 1993. The company imported polyethylene from Russia to Finland. Ever since then, we have been doing this in some way, shape or form,” says Sopanen.

The name Easmar comes from the company’s original focus on the eastern market. Sopanen says that his almost three decades in the business have been eventful, containing both ups and downs:

“Our operations got off to a flying start, and we were busy buying and selling—the market was good. After the first year, we had hit the million-mark point. That million laid the foundation for our operations and we used it to buy plastics from Russia over the summer, borrowing another million. We accumulated a large stock, and then prices went down by 60%. What could you do but grin and bear it, and then laugh about it? But when you are young, you have the energy to make it work. I don’t know if you can say that I have plowed my way towards new things as a business owner, but I guess I have. I haven’t been scared to do so. “No” is not part of an entrepreneur’s vocabulary, but if we can’t do something, I have the courage to say so. Then I direct the customer to someone who can,” explains Sopanen.

The name Easmar comes from the company’s original focus on the eastern market. Sopanen says that his almost three decades in the business have been eventful, containing both ups and downs:

“Our operations got off to a flying start, and we were busy buying and selling—the market was good. After the first year, we had hit the million-mark point. That million laid the foundation for our operations and we used it to buy plastics from Russia over the summer, borrowing another million. We accumulated a large stock, and then prices went down by 60%. What could you do but grin and bear it, and then laugh about it? But when you are young, you have the energy to make it work. I don’t know if you can say that I have plowed my way towards new things as a business owner, but I guess I have. I haven’t been scared to do so. “No” is not part of an entrepreneur’s vocabulary, but if we can’t do something, I have the courage to say so. Then I direct the customer to someone who can,” explains Sopanen.

Transformation into a logistics company

While the company’s core operations were related to the import of plastics, it accumulated experience and expertise in logistics, too. In the course of a decade, the company shifted its focus to logistics and found premises in Kouvola.

“Kuopion Easmar was divided into two companies: Easmar Logistics and Easmar kiinteistöt, and that’s how we have operated ever since,” says Sopanen. He adds, “The company focuses on railroad transportation, with at least a half of the operations running on rails: either the goods come in by rail and leave by road or vice versa. When transportation operations in Russia opened to competition in 2016, we founded Aurora Rail in 2017 to develop rail traffic.” According to Sopanen, the main change in the market is the increasing competition.

“We receive a large amount of queries and I can tell pretty quickly whether something is feasible, particularly with plastics. In addition to their own special field, entrepreneurs must know about other things. I just advised a new entrepreneur that in running a business, you must be cool as a cucumber and avoid calculating your hourly wages. Being able to work under pressure is also useful in constantly changing circumstances.”

The company’s values place a lot of emphasis on the customer and innovativeness, and accordingly its goal is always to find the best solution for the customer’s needs. To be able to offer the best possible services to the customer, the company must look after its personnel. The formula is simple: satisfied employees=satisfied customers. Running a business has been an eventful journey for Sopanen, who has also recovered from a serious illness, returning to the working world. After all his experiences, he still has a strong belief in the direction the company is going:

“I have enjoyed it, ups and downs and all. The company has now established itself and we have strong customer relationships and plenty of work. Things are looking good, and we are constantly developing our operations for the future,” explains Sopanen.

The company’s values place a lot of emphasis on the customer and innovativeness, and accordingly its goal is always to find the best solution for the customer’s needs. To be able to offer the best possible services to the customer, the company must look after its personnel. The formula is simple: satisfied employees=satisfied customers. Running a business has been an eventful journey for Sopanen, who has also recovered from a serious illness, returning to the working world. After all his experiences, he still has a strong belief in the direction the company is going:

“I have enjoyed it, ups and downs and all. The company has now established itself and we have strong customer relationships and plenty of work. Things are looking good, and we are constantly developing our operations for the future,” explains Sopanen.

Easmar Logistics has established its position as a railroad transportation operator

Kuopion Easmar Oy is established. Easmar transports polyethylene from Russia to Finland.

Operations expand, and the company acquires a warehouse at the Lahti railyard.

Kuopion Easmar Oy becomes Easmar Logistics Oy. Easmar shifts its focus from trade to logistics. Our new premises supported our growth: our warehouse capacity increased to 6,000 square meters and we built our own silos and acquired a bulk line.