Here’s a fresh stock exchange release from Kesla. 
Kesla Oyj Establishes Kesla Defence Product Line
Forest technology company Kesla Oyj is establishing the Kesla Defence product line with the aim of strengthening its position in the international product and service markets of the defense industry. The decision is strategic and is based on significant future potential and long-term market prospects in the defense equipment industry as NATO countries increase their defense spending. The establishment of the product line will not affect Kesla’s turnover or profit in 2025.
The company will utilize its existing multi-purpose products in defense and security solutions. Kesla Defence is linked to the company’s tractor equipment business, as the planned application areas are strongly based on the previously launched tractor-drawn Kesla Kerberos multi-purpose trailer. Originally developed with the Finnish Defence Forces, the main application of Kerberos is the efficient installation of landmines in pioneer operations. Kerberos multi-purpose trailers have been supplied to the Finnish Defence Forces for 3.4 million euros in 2021-2023.
Pasi Nieminen, CEO of Kesla Oyj: “With the establishment of the Kesla Defence product line, we can focus more effectively on the Finnish and international customer base of the defense industry. However, projects in the defense industry require long-term commitment, and results can typically be expected no earlier than 3-5 years after the initial contact.”
The Kesla Defence product range also includes the HydraX firefighting trailer for managing wildfires in military firing ranges. The same firefighting equipment also serves as a mobile heavy equipment washing solution in military exercises. In addition to its own Kesla Defence products, Kesla is building a partner network to integrate partners’ defense technology into Kesla’s wide range of off-road and on-road capable trailer solutions.
The use of drones in the war in Ukraine has highlighted the increased need for military forces to operate under cover of terrain. Kesla’s trailer platform can be used to develop capital-efficient and logistically versatile comprehensive solutions, where the performance of partners’ military technology can be taken into the cover of the forest for operation. With the trailer platform, performance does not tie to a military vehicle’s chassis solution, but there are clear signals in international markets of various countries’ defense forces’ interest in moving to multi-purpose tractor-based platform solutions, similar to the Finnish Defence Forces.
The development and sales of the Kesla Defence product line are led by Tapio Pirinen, M.Sc. (Econ.), who has strong commercial experience in marketing and organizing industrial products.
On January 16, 2025, Kesla was accepted as a member of the Association of Finnish Defence and Aerospace Industries (PIA ry), which is a domestic industry organization for the defense, aviation, space, and security industries. Companies operating within the PIA community are an integral part of the overall security of Europe and especially Finland.
KESLA OYJ
CEO Pasi Nieminen