Industrial output: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Industrial output
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics on industrial output contain data by commodity heading on sold industrial output and total industrial output. The data are collected from enterprises or their establishments with an inquiry. The data are published once a year.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The statistics on industrial output cover sections B (mining and quarrying) and C (manufacturing) of the Standard Industrial Classification 2025. The required representativeness threshold is 90 per cent of the output for each 4-digit sub-industry.
The statistics on industrial output are based mainly on data obtained from enterprises with ten or more employees but some even smaller ones in certain branches of activity are included.
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
In the statistics on industrial output the statistical unit used is the legal entity. The data supplier unit is the enterprise, the legal entity, or its local establishments or combinations thereof.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
For the statistics on industrial output, the survey population comprises the enterprises, legal entities and their local establishments from the Business Register of Statistics Finland conducting significant enough industrial production to fall under the representativeness requirements of the EU’s PRODCOM Regulation 2019/2152 (EUR-Lex page), EU's implementation regulation 2020/1197 (EUR-Lex page) and EU Implementing regulation 2026/665 (EUR-Lex page).
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
The statistics on industrial output only encompass domestic production, which is published without regional divisions.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
The period observed is one calendar year.
Finnish statistics on industrial production date back to the year 1884 ( See Industrial products from early years)
Statistics according to the PRODCOM classification are available from 1998 onwards on the website:
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
In the statistics on industrial output the data on value are inquired in euros for Eurostat but in the StatFin service they are published in EUR 1,000. The data on quantity are inquired and published in the commodity-specific physical units defined in the PRODCOM list or by Statistics Finland for the national supplementary headings.
The physical unit for quantities refers to the weight, length, area, volume, number (pieces or pairs), gross tonnage, power and energy, gross calorific value or some comparable property of the commodity. Quantity information is not inquired for services or variably quantified commodities.
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The statistics on industrial output describe output during the calendar year.
Classifications (SIMS 3.2)
The statistics on industrial output comply with the PRODCOM classification supplemented by nationally relevant additions: PRODCOM classification.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Actual production
The volume of total production refers to the output manufactured by the enterprise or its establishment during the calendar year. It comprises sold production and production intended to be sold, output produced for stock as well as output that either is being, will be or has been reprocessed by the enterprise. Data on total production for a calendar year are inquired, in addition to data on sold production, only in the case of separately defined commodities. Only the volume and not the value of total production is usually reported. Data on total production are inquired as complementary data on those production/commodity headings on which the data on sold production (i.e. sales) are not thought to describe actual manufacturing sufficiently.
Commodity
Commodities refer to tangible or intangible instruments that directly (consumables) or indirectly (capital goods) satisfy people's needs. Tangible assets comprise both goods, as well as materials and supplies. Services are intangible assets. (Other intangible assets can be, for example, data in digital format or the production right of some tangible asset). Commodity production (industrial output) also includes so-called industrial services. Industrial services include remodelling, processing, working and other such finishing, maintenance, repairs and installations. Industrial services have their own PRODCOM service titles in the commodity statistics' PRODCOM product name register. Some industrial services are, however, classified as non-industrial services in the Standard Industrial Classification (TOL), for example, maintenance and repair of vehicles and repair and maintenance of office equipment and computers, so they do not belong to the inquiry on manufacturing commodities. This also applies to design and programming of software, as well as consulting and other computer and related activities.
Legal unit
A legal unit is a corporation, or an organisation registered for conducting business. A legal unit is identified with a Business ID. Legal units are, for example, limited companies, private practitioners of trade, co-operative societies, state-owned companies and foundations.
Production nomenclature
Since 1997, the classification of commodity headings referred to in the statistics on manufacturing commodities has been based on the PRODCOM classification of industrial production of the European Union updated annually. The PRODCOM classification contains 8-digit product headings. It does not include all product groups, for which reason it is supplemented with additional national headings. Some of the PRODCOM headings are also divided into national subheadings. The national product heading codes comprise 10 digits. The first four digits of the codes correspond to the code of the standard industrial classification of the European Communities (NACE Rev. 2) and thus to the first four digits of Statistics Finland's industrial classification TOL 2008. The first six digits of the code correspond to the Classification of Products by Activity (CPA) of the European Communities.
Sold production
Sold production refers to the domestic output manufactured and sold outside the enterprise or to other legal unit within the enterprise during the calendar year irrespective of the date of production. Sold production also includes sales from stock. The value or quantity of sold production does not include selling of such goods that have been sold as such, without further processing (merchandise). From 2021 onwards, subcontracted production is reported separately and is not included in sold production figures. Prior to that the variable sold production also includes data on subcontracted production.
Subcontracting production
Subcontracting production refers to goods produced for other enterprises for which the producer enterprise (principal) has paid a fee to the subcontractor in the target year. In subcontracting production, raw materials and semi-finished products are mainly obtained from the producer enterprise (principal). The subcontractor does not own or sell the products it has manufactured. In subcontracting the producer (principal) and subcontractor are always different enterprises.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Legal acts and other agreements (SIMS 6.1)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics. More specific regulations are: the EEC’s PRODCOM Regulation (Council Regulation (EEC) No 3924/91 on the establishment of a Community survey of industrial production); The regulation on statistical units, Council Regulation No 696/93 on statistical units is applied to statistics on business activities; Regulation on economic activities: Standard Industrial Classification 2008 is based on the European Union's common industrial classification, NACE Rev. 2, supplemented with the fifth level for national needs; Regulation No 177/2008 on business registers.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
The statistics on industrial output are published annually in the StatFin database in at the turn of June and July. The corresponding data, though without those of the supplementary national headings are submitted to Eurostat at the same time. National accounts, index statistics and research services are accorded the data at the detailed level of statistical units.
Cost and burden (SIMS 16)
For the respondent enterprises, the yearly costs of the inquiry on the statistics on industrial output are estimated to be roughly EUR 200,000. The estimate is based on response burden surveys made to data suppliers. The response burden and its costs are likely to be somewhat lower now after the questionnaire reform.
The yearly costs for Statistics Finland for producing the statistics on industrial output are in the order of four person-years or EUR 200,000.
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
Data for the statistics on industrial output are annually inquired directly from enterprises engaged in manufacturing activities, their legal entities, or their local establishments or combinations thereof. In principle, the statistics are a total survey but the smallest entities of the population, mostly enterprises of 10 to 19 employees, are only inquired every second year and in the intervening years the data concerning them are represented by calculations based on their previous year’s data and the general industrial trend.
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The inquiry for the statistics on industrial output concerning the previous calendar year is annually carried out during the first half-year.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
The data for the statistics on industrial output are collected through the XCOLA web questionnaire devised at Statistics Finland and integrated into its overall information system.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
The data collected on the web questionnaire are transmitted to the enterprise information system of Statistics Finland where for every respondent’s data an error score is calculated. Depending on the score, an individual scrutiny may be in order. In these cases, contacting the respondent is often necessary. The corrected data can be resent through the questionnaire. The comparison data used for the responses are enterprises' financial statement data, self-assessed taxation data and foreign trade export and import data.
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
Data considered reliable are accepted either on the basis of a programmatic or detailed examination into the data of the statistics. Missing data are estimated on the basis of other data concerning the enterprise, mainly programmatically, but in complex cases separately examined. The data for the smallest enterprises, mostly those of 10 to 19 employees, are estimated every second year on the basis of their previous year’s data and the general industrial trend.
User needs (SIMS 12.1)
The statistics on industrial output are widely utilised within Statistics Finland: in national accounts, volume index of industrial output, producer price index and other indices. External users include research institutes, universities, labour market organisations, market researchers, international organisations (EU, UN, OECD) and various kinds of project researchers.
User satisfaction (SIMS 12.2)
No special user satisfaction survey has been conducted on the statistics on industrial output. A general web-based feedback channel is in use. Direct user feedback is encouraged in contacts with data suppliers.
Overall accuracy (SIMS 13.1)
The statistics on industrial output describe industrial production at the detailed level of product classes. Adjacent or otherwise alike product headings may differ very little from each other, which makes misplacement of observations to unintended product classes a typical error.
The response burden in the inquiry on industrial output is significant. This leads to errors and omissions in reporting, especially in the case of smaller enterprises. Using complementary sources, it is often possible to compensate for the lack of data, but non-response is clearly detrimental to statistical quality.
The statistics being product heading-specific, there are often only one or two producers per product class, making non-response cases very local and thus methodological or manual supplementation of the data is not possible in all cases.
The statistics on industrial output should not be interpreted as statistics on the total industrial output but on individual product classes.
Sampling error (SIMS 13.2)
The inquiry of industrial output is a total survey on manufacturing in Finland. However, the sample does not include the smallest producers, mainly enterprises with under ten employees. Because their commodity-specific shares of production cannot be estimated, for some commodities the statistics slightly underestimate production. Two separate groups of enterprises with 10 to 19 employees are used in sampling in alternate years. In intervening years estimated data are used for these enterprises.
Non-sampling error (SIMS 13.3)
The survey population is based on the stock of enterprises in Statistics Finland’s comprehensive Business Register database. Because responses are not obtained from all units in the sample, estimated data are used for some of the enterprises obliged to respond to the survey. A few units in the sample must be left out of the statistics because of there being no reliable basis for calculating estimates. The estimation procedure is needed for quantity information considerably more often than for value information. Quantity information is calculated from prices calculated from other producers' information.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
Correctness of the data is verified at the level of single observations. The observations to be individually checked are chosen with the help of a computer program. The data are also compared to relevant data from other sources.
The data quality of the statistics on industrial output is monitored by scrutiny of the data accumulated throughout the process of data collecting by using aggregate-level measures. The important baselines are the corresponding statistics for the previous year, and to some extent the other statistics for the current year, specifically those concerning industrial growth.
Data revision - policy (SIMS 17.1)
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes in used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Data revision - practice (SIMS 17.2)
Data are usually revised at several headings after the initial publication, because data are updated constantly when new data become available.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The statistics on industrial output are nationally published and submitted to Eurostat for publication six months after the end of the statistical year at the turn of June and July.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
There is no time lag between the release calendar and the actual release date.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
The statistics on industrial output only concern Finland as a single geographic area. The data submitted to Eurostat comply with the EU standards and are fully comparable with the data from other countries.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
The statistics on industrial production have used the PRODCOM nomenclature for the classification of industrial products with national additions and/or clarifications since the statistical year 1997. As a result of the revised industrial classification 2008 and annual or periodic corrections and reforms of the underlying CN and CPA nomenclature, the comparability between different years has in places weakened at the most accurate heading level.
From the statistical year 2021, the distinction between subcontracting production and sold production makes it difficult to compare the value of sold production before the statistical year 2021. In 2020 and before that, subcontracting production was also included in the value of sold production. The change in the comparison of production volumes has no impact in different years.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
The 6-digit level of the PRODCOM classification mainly concurs with the CPA nomenclature in use in the compilation of the producer price index, though in places they only match at the 5-digit PRODCOM level. The 8-digit PRODCOM level mainly corresponds to the nomenclature used for compiling the volume index of industrial output.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
Since the statistical year 2021, own sold production and subcontracting production produced for others have been broken down in the statistics on industrial production. Subcontracting production was included in the value of own production sold in the statistical year 2020 and before that. At the time, the value of subcontracting production was an estimate of the market value of production. Since the statistical year 2021, the value of subcontracting production has been reported according to the actual fee received from production. Since the definition of the value of sold production is changing fundamentally, a new time series has been set up for industrial production since 2021.
From the statistical year 2021 onwards, the production volumes are broken down into the volumes of own production and subcontracting production. However, the sum of these variables is comparable to the volumes for previous years.
Changes in the PRODCOM nomenclature weaken the consistency of time series data on the most accurate level.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
Statistics Finland's release calendar Future publications
Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Future publications of the statistics
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The statistics on industrial output are annual and published at the turn of June and July in the year following the statistical year and they are updated in December of the same year and at the corresponding times in the following year.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.
Micro-data access (SIMS 10.4)
Research laboratory micro-data are available for researchers with a user licence. Anonymisation of the data is done by encryption software on the identification information.
Other (SIMS 10.5)
The previous year's statistics are delivered to Eurostat at the end of June following the statistical reference year, see Eurostat database. In cases of significant changes in data an update file is supplied to Eurostat.
A few customised data sets per year are prepared for customers, of which part are subject to a charge (Taika-research data catalogue).
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
The data of a single code are suppressed as confidential if the following two conditions are simultaneously met: 1) An enterprise that has produced a product under the code has asked for confidentiality and besides 2) at most two enterprises have produced products under the code or production under the code is dominated by a single producer enterprise.
Requests for the data to be kept confidential are recorded in a separate register. The enterprises providing data for the statistics are informed of the rules of confidentiality in the cover letter of the inquiry and its description on the website. In all product classes, the number of the producer enterprises is kept confidential, as are naturally their names as well.
In order to enable the aggregate calculations concerning the EU, the data are submitted to Eurostat with confidential numbers included but supplied with confidentiality markings for taking national confidentiality criteria into account.