Brisk increase in industrial output continues

Industrial output grew by 6.6 per cent in the year to June according to the index per working day of Statistics Finland. Growth in output was sustained by the increased manufacture of paper, construction materials and electrical products.

Change in the volume of industrial output per month
Year-on-year change,% ( by index per working day)

The growth rate in the production of paper amounted to over 20 per cent in June. Construction-related industrial output was up by close on 10 per cent and output in the metal industry by a good 8 per cent compared to June of 1996. In the main sectors of the metal industry the production of electrical products increased by 17 per cent and that in the manufacture of metal products by about 11 per cent. Production in the base metals industry grew by a good 8 per cent and that in the manufacture of machinery by just under one per cent. Output in the chemical industry grew by a full 4 per cent and that in other manufacturing by 1.5 per cent. The production of electricity declined by a good 6 per cent.

Output grew by 7.5 per cent in the first half of the year

In the January-June period industrial output was 7.5 per cent greater than it was in the corresponding period of the year before. Highest growth figures were recorded in the production of furniture, up by 18 per cent, and in the chemical forest industry, up by a good 16 per cent compared to June of last year. Growth continued also rapid in the manufacture of electrical products, up by close on 15 per cent. The manufacture of glass, clay and stone products was also up by about 15 per cent, and that of wood and wood products, by 14 per cent.

In the January-June period output grew slower than average for instance in the manufacture of machinery and equipment, chemicals and chemical products, and in the manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco, 2-4 per cent compared to the corresponding period of 1996. Of the main industries, only the manufacture of clothes, leather products and footwear as well as transport equipment saw a decline in the first half of the year.

In June, 87 per cent of the capacity in manufacturing was in use. The utilisation rate in the metal industry was 91 per cent, that in the pulp and paper industry 92 per cent, in the chemical industry 78 per cent and in the rest of manufacturing 79 per cent.

Source: Volume Index of Industrial Output, June 1997
Further information: Mr Kari Rautio, tel. +358 9 1734 2479