15 October 1997
Inquiries: Mr Kari Rautio, tel. +358 9 1734
2479
Statistical Director in charge: Mr Ilkka Hyppönen
Increased industrial output in the summer
Industrial output as calculated per working day increased by 8.2 per cent in August compared to the corresponding period of last year, Statistics Finland figures indicate. Output was up in several main industrial sectors.
The production of pulp and paper grew by 18 per cent in August. The increased production of wood products, which stood at over 17 per cent, reflected growth in the construction industry. Output in the metal industry grew by 13 per cent. The highest growth was recorded in the manufacture of electrical equipment, up by a full 22 per cent. The manufacture of vehicles, instead, fell by over one per cent. The manufacture of foodstuff was also down by over one per cent in August compared to the same period a year ago. The fall is partly explained by the difference in the timing of summer holidays.
In August almost 86 per cent of the capacity in manufacturing was in use. The utilisation rate in the metal industry was likewise almost 86 per cent, that in the wood and paper industry over 94 per cent, in the chemical industry almost 80 per cent and in the rest of manufacturing over 78 per cent.
In the June to August period output grew by 9.2 per cent compared to the summer of last year. Growth in the paper industry reached almost 18 per cent. The production of wood products grew by over 13 per cent on the year before. Output in the metal industry also increased by over 13 per cent. The highest growth rate recorded in the main sectors of the metal industry was in the manufacture of electrical equipment, at almost 25 per cent.
The coverage in the industrial output figures for August are exceptionally good as the data were received from all establishments. The growth percentage in the revised index per working day for July was 13.7.
Source: Volume Index of Industrial Output 1997, August. Statistics Finland