Finland's key and characteristic industries

In recent years, Finland’s economy has continued its positive trajectory. According to Statistics Finland, the country’s GDP grew by 2.3% in 2018—slightly slower than in 2017, yet still at a satisfactory level compared with other EU countries. Finland’s economic development is highly dependent on international markets, and the country champions free trade; international trade accounts for one-third of Finland’s GDP. EU countries account for 55% of Finland’s total foreign trade. Finland’s main trading partners are Germany, Russia, Sweden, China, and the United States. Forests cover 75% of Finland’s land area—approximately 22.82 million hectares—with a per capita forest area of 4.2 hectares, ranking first in Europe and second globally. Timber reserves amount to 2.189 billion cubic meters. Finland also boasts abundant hydropower resources. Among its mineral resources, copper is relatively plentiful, while iron, nickel, vanadium, and cobalt occur in smaller quantities. Consequently, Finland’s forest industry and metal industry have long been traditional pillar sectors: 【Forest Industry】: Technologically world-leading. Key products include sawn timber, plywood, fiberboard, furniture, pulp, and paper. Stora Enso, UPM, and Metsä Board (formerly M-Real Group, renamed Metsä Board at the end of March 2012) rank as the top three forestry companies. Stora Enso is the world’s largest producer of corrugated boxes and paperboard, and the third-largest sawn timber producer. UPM is the world’s largest producer of magazine paper and label papers, and Europe’s largest plywood producer. Metsä Board is a leading European manufacturer of high-quality paper and paperboard. 【Metal Industry】: Rapidly developed and expanded after World War II, becoming one of the pillars of the national economy. Key products include steel, pig iron, copper, nickel, and zinc. Finland’s flash smelting technology for copper and nickel refining is globally preeminent. Outokumpu is the industry leader and ranks among the world’s four largest stainless steel producers.

UPM’s inclusion among the ten most noteworthy packaging companies

To further drive profitability and promote sustainability, Tetra Laval expanded its factory in Châteaubriant, France, in June 2021. Following its introduction of certified recycled polymers, Tetra Laval became the first company in the food and beverage packaging industry to obtain the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Product Certification. Amcor PLC (Switzerland) In 2021, Amcor invested nearly USD 15 million to develop recycling and waste management solutions for Latin America. In 2022, the company invested nearly USD 100 million to open a manufacturing plant in Huizhou, China, producing flexible packaging for food and personal care products. Meanwhile, to further boost profitability and offer sustainable packaging options, Amcor developed AmFiber—a sustainable plastic alternative. Berry Global Group Inc (USA) Berry Global specializes in plastic consumer packaging. In recent years, through innovation, collaboration, and addressing sustainability challenges, Berry Global has partnered with brands including personal care company Ingreendients, U.S. food company Mars, and U.S. food company McCormick to produce packaging from recycled materials for their diverse product lines. Ball Corporation (USA) In 2021, Ball Corp consolidated its position in the metal packaging industry through investment, expansion, and innovation. In May 2021, the company re-entered the B2C market by launching recyclable aluminum cups for retail sale across the United States. In 2022, this metal packaging company continued advancing its goal of building a sustainable future—aiming to reduce environmental impact at landmark venues across North America through the use of recyclable aluminum cups. Image source: ball.com Oji Holdings Corp (Japan) Like many enterprises, Oji was impacted by the pandemic. However, new applications—such as Nestlé’s use of Oji paper for its best-selling KitKat chocolate bars in Japan—helped sustain solid financial performance. The Japanese company also established a new corrugated cardboard factory in southern Vietnam. In October 2022, Oji announced a partnership with Japanese food company Bourbon Corporation, which selected Oji’s paper packaging for its premium product “Luxary Lumonde sandwich wafers.” Stora Enso Oyj (Finland) Stora Enso, a Finnish forestry and packaging company, prioritized investments in innovation and sustainability this year. In 2021, it invested USD 70.23 million toward future growth. In December 2022, the company inaugurated a new lignin pelletizing and packaging facility at its Sunila biomaterials plant in Finland. Pelletized lignin will further support the development of Lignode—a bio-based hard carbon battery material. Additionally, in October 2022, Stora Enso announced a partnership with reusable grocery supplier Dizzie to provide consumers with packaging made from biocomposites, helping reduce packaging waste.

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