At the end of last week however, a Siberian anticyclone resulted in extreme cold in Lithuania. In some areas of the country, the temperature dropped below -30 ̊C. The extreme conditions forced us to adjust our production plans: the operation of the Jūrė sawmill was suspended earlier than planned for scheduled repair, while the productivity of the Akmenynai sawmill was reduced by approximately 20% in order to protect the equipment.

According to meteorologists, the extremely cold weather, which reached its peak last weekend, is likely to gradually become milder. By the first half of next week, we plan to start up the Jūrė sawmill, and in the second half of the week both the Jūrė and Akmenynai sawmills should be using all their production capacity. We plan to produce approximately 5,000 m³ of wood for pallets in February.

The impact of the natural conditions has some positive aspects as well: the scheduled repair of the equipment in the Jūrė sawmill will enable to ensure the precise dimensions of wood for pallets, reduce the quantity of products kept at the warehouse, and increase the quantity of logs available. All this will allow the company to be even more flexible in satisfying clients’ needs.

The newest ICC table shows that New Zealand, Denmark and Finland received the highest ratings (countries with the lowest level of corruption). Somalia and North Korea are at the bottom of this table. Compared with 2010, the value of the ICC in Lithuania, Costa Rica and Oman dropped down by 5 points. The value of the ICC in Lithuania dropped from 5.0 (in 2010) to 4.8 (in 2011). Despite all efforts, according to the values of the ICC and the position of FSC^®, the risk level of purchasing illegally cut wood is still high in 9 EU countries – Bulgaria, Check Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

The wood providers who sell the controlled raw material will re-launch the checks on wood-felling locations under the company’s inspection programme, as they did in 2010, when the ICC value in Lithuania was 4.9. The wood processing company UAB Juodeliai confirms that it purchases only FSC^® certified or legally cut wood, thus ensuring a sustainable use of natural resources.

In 2011, Juodeliai UAB expanded its Sales Department, which now has 5 employees. The department can be proud that the number of clients increased as much as 125 per cent compared to 2010. The management of the company hopes that thanks to the good work, effort, and cooperation of all employees its objectives will also be achieved in 2012. The company expects its turnover in 2012 to reach LTL 50 million.

Targeted use of EU support, recruitment of an export marketing specialist who researched Western European markets and developed a strategy for increasing exports, and development of a modern internet site customised for foreign markets, www.juodeliai.com, brought the project great success.

For the implementation of the above objectives, the company received support of LTL 144,259.00 and made their own contribution of LTL 61,826.00.

Andrius Zimnickas, the director of Juodeliai, is pleased that during the implementation of the project they succeeded in locating new partners and took concrete steps to expand their operations in foreign markets, which provided opportunities for an impressive increase in export revenues. During the project, the company’s export earnings increased by 270%.

After the results of round-wood competitions, it was noted that timber prices have decreased about 4 percent, which was less than had been expected. The results illustrate that the demand for raw material, which is suitable for the production of wood pallets and timber products, has remained at a high level. UAB Juodeliai is still the greatest buyer of small cut-logs in Lithuania. The amount of round-wood supplies that was won by the company is sufficient to ensure consistent and timely production processing, which will allow on-time delivery and maintain top quality.

The two-days training courses gave each member of UAB Juodeliai an opportunity to acquire superior knowledge, which helps to perform daily work activities more effectively. Teamwork-training activities brought the team members together, as well as helped them to better understand each other.

UAB Juodeliai has always, regardless of the implementation of the international standards, maintained its obligations to meet customer needs and expectations, to fully comply with the obligations to be assumed, and to provide the products that meet the agreed requirements. One of the values of the company is the maintenance of the world’s forest-management that is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable. Furthermore, the company undertakes responsibility for its impact on the environment, and ensures to continuously improve its activities in order to avoid environmental pollution.

UAB Juodeliai is committed always: to ensuring workplace safety, and to applying in a timely manner the pro-active measures that guarantee the prevention of occupational illnesses and injuries. Moreover, the company obligates itself: to the continuous development of employee competence, and to raise employee awareness; as well as to encourage employee involvement in the company’s activities for improving the quality, environmental protection, and occupational safety and health of its employees.

UAB Juodeliai has been systematically analyzing the results of its activities, and improving the work within the company; and, simultaneously improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the integrated management system. The implemented standards obligate the company to set new annual objectives and tasks; thus, to aim at a continuous improvement and maintenance of the standards’ relevance.

After submitting the application, UAB Juodeliai received fifty percent of the funding for the installation of this accounting and business management system. The EU contribution amounted to 122,500 litas; the same contribution will be provided by UAB Juodeliai. The intensive procedure of installation and programming will begin soon. The team of UAB Juodeliai is expecting that in 2012, this new business-management system will be operating, will help perform all of the work faster and better, and will ensure a high-level of customer service.