The story of Metsä-Weljet started when Esko Ihalainen began carrying out forestry work at the age of 15 with the help of a saw and a horse.
Esko and his brother Ismo acquired their first tractor, a Nuffield 3, to run a VK 10 decorticator.
A second decorticator, a VK-16, was purchased, which was harnessed with a Leyland tractor in 1969. Summers were for decorticating and winters for forestry work.
On October 13, the first BM Volvo 868 Forestry Tractor was acquired.
Another forwarder was acquired, a 909 Lokomo.