Ahola Group makes trucking responsible
Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, their utilisation in heavy-duty road transport is still in its early stages. However, this did not stop Ahola Transport from becoming the first company in Finland to offer cross-border transport with a fully electric truck in 2023. At the end of 2024, the 70-year-old family business was operating two electric trucks between Finland and Sweden.
“The trucks have a 300-kilometre range, allowing us to offer fossil fuel free transport for a large area”, says Ahola Group’s CEO Ida Saavalainen.
Starting electric transport has been a joint effort with Ahola’s partners and customers.
“In 2024, one of our customers built a charging station and our own renewable energy-powered station was opened in Naantali.”
Ahola Special carries out special transports throughout Europe. Its newest service product, Ahola Engineering, designs routes using drone flights and 3D tools. This careful planning minimises the need for terrain modification work, such cutting trees along the routes.
“We can simulate the transport route, eliminating the need for test drivers that are common in the industry”, Saavalainen explains.
The Group’s third business segment, Ahola Digital, plays a significant role in the emission reduction efforts. Its digital solutions are used in optimising transports. By using these modern tools, Ahola Transport reached the EU’s emission reduction targets for the year 2030 already in 2021.
On top of sustainability, Ahola focuses on its employees’ wellbeing. In 2023, Ahola opened a Trucker’s Village for its drivers in Naantali.
“The village was built according to our drivers’ wishes. There is a shortage of workers in our field, and it is essential that we provide the best possible working conditions”, Saavalainen states.
In the village, drivers can relax at a campfire site, shower, do their laundry, and use an outdoor gym. They even have their own pick-up centre for personal mail, a barbershop, and a support person who they can have confidential discussions with.
To further prepare for future labour needs, the Group has also developed its own training program Ahola Academy. After completing it, the participants have a driving licence, professional competence to work as a truck driver, and a job at Ahola.
