What is Finland known for manufacturing?
Finland is known for chemicals, forest products and metal engineering. Chemical industry products were 19.8% of its EUR 74.3 billion goods exports in 2025 and forest products about 16.5% (Finnish Customs, via EK). Manufacturing was 16.22% of Finnish gross value added in 2024, the highest share of the five countries. Labour cost EUR 43.6 an hour in 2025.
What are Finland's main manufacturing industries?
Metal, chemicals and forest products. Statistics Finland put industrial sold output at about EUR 91.7 billion in 2025, with the chemical industry at about EUR 18.2 billion, or 19.8%. The latest full split by sector in a release read for this page is for 2020: metal products 45.4%, chemical products 18.5%, forest products 17.2% and food, beverages and tobacco 11.0%.
| Branch | Enterprises | Net turnover | Share of manufacturing | Finland in the EU or among the five |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food products (C10) | 2,358 | EUR 12.36 billion | 7.97% | 22nd of 27 (EU 13.93%) |
| Wood and wood products, except furniture (C16) | 2,268 | EUR 9.10 billion | 5.87% | Above the EU average of 1.67% |
| Furniture (C31) | 1,083 | EUR 1.27 billion | 0.82% | 21st of 26 |
| Made-up textile articles (bed linen, towels, curtains) (C13.92) | 427 | EUR 207 million | Not compared here | Not compared here |
| Perfumes and toilet preparations (cosmetics) (C20.42) | 61 | EUR 143.9 million | Not compared here | Highest turnover per enterprise of the five, about EUR 2.4 million (our division) |
| Soap, detergents and cleaning preparations (C20.41) | 92 | Not published | Not compared here | Most enterprises of the five; EUR 110.7 million turnover in 2023 |
Food is a big sector but a small share: EUR 12.36 billion of turnover, yet only 7.97% of Finnish manufacturing. Statistics Finland notes that its 2025 figures use a new classification (TOL 2025), so sector figures may not compare with earlier years, and it recorded a fall in chemicals the year before: "The value of the sold output of the chemical industry fell by 14,5 per cent in 2024" (Statistics Finland).
What does Finland export most?
Chemicals, then forest products. Finland exported goods worth EUR 74.3 billion in 2025, according to Finnish Customs figures published by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). Chemical industry products were 19.8%, forest products about 16.5% (paper 12.1%, wood products 4.4%), electronics and electrical goods 12.8%, and metals, metal products, machinery and vehicles together about 37%.
| Industry | Share of goods exports |
|---|---|
| Metal industry: metals, metal products, machinery and vehicles | About 37% |
| Chemical industry | 19.8% |
| Forest industry | About 16.5% (paper 12.1%, wood products 4.4%) |
| Electronics and electrical industry | 12.8% |
By type, about half of exports were raw materials and intermediate goods, 29% investment goods and almost 17% consumer goods including food. Agrifood exports were about EUR 2.3 billion in 2024, led by milk and dairy (20%) and processed foods (19%), with more than EUR 520 million going to Sweden, according to the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
What does Finland's salmonella programme mean for food made there?
It sets a national target for salmonella in farm animals, meat and eggs. The Finnish Food Authority writes that "Finland has committed itself to keeping Salmonella levels below 1% by animal species", covering cattle, pigs and poultry and the meat and eggs from them. For slaughterhouses and cutting plants the goal is below half a percent of batches.
Systematic monitoring started in 1995. Meat and eggs imported into Finland must test negative for salmonella in the country of origin; Sweden and Norway are exempt because their programmes are approved as equivalent. For a food brand this matters when a recipe uses meat or eggs bought outside Finland.
Which product groups do Finnish manufacturers make for other brands?
NordSourced lists 104 manufacturers in Finland whose own websites say they make products for other brands. By group they make food and beverages (45), furniture and interior products (19), cosmetics (17), household and cleaning products (12), food supplements (10), home textiles (5). A company that makes more than one kind of product counts in each of its groups.
Eurostat counts every enterprise in a branch and NordSourced only those that offer private label or contract manufacturing, so the two sets of numbers measure different things and should not be compared one to one.
| Product group | Manufacturers listed | Ranked list |
|---|---|---|
| Food & beverages | 45 | Finnish food and beverage manufacturers |
| Furniture & interior | 19 | Finnish furniture manufacturers |
| Cosmetics | 17 | Finnish cosmetics manufacturers |
| Household & cleaning | 12 | Finnish cleaning product manufacturers |
| Food supplements | 10 | Finnish supplement manufacturers |
| Home textiles | 5 | Finnish home textile manufacturers |
How much does manufacturing labour cost in Finland?
EUR 43.6 an hour in 2025, second highest of the five countries after Sweden (EUR 47.2) and about 125% of the EU average of EUR 35.0 (Eurostat, manufacturing; our division). Labour is one part of a unit price next to materials, packaging and batch size, so a gap in labour cost is not the same gap per unit.
| Country | EUR per hour |
|---|---|
| Latvia | 14.9 |
| Lithuania | 16.4 |
| Estonia | 19.5 |
| Finland | 43.6 |
| Sweden | 47.2 |
| EU average (27 countries) | 35.0 |
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) put it plainly in March 2025: "Finnland kann bei den baltischen Arbeitskosten nicht mithalten" (Finland cannot keep up with Baltic labour costs). The same article heads its next part "Finnland: Nirgendwo in der EU ist der Strom günstiger", that is, nowhere in the EU is electricity cheaper. Finnish labour costs also rose least of the five, 2.9% in the year to the fourth quarter of 2025 (Eurostat, whole economy).
Which Finnish manufacturers publish their minimum order?
5 of the 104 manufacturers listed in Finland state a minimum order on their own website. They are below in alphabetical order, with the quantity in their own unit; the order is not a ranking. Compare a quantity only with one in the same unit and for the same service, as the minimum order guide explains.
| Manufacturer | Country | Product groups | Published minimum order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berner | Finland | Cosmetics, Household & cleaning | 1,000 pieces (small batch) |
| Finnish Superberries | Finland | Food supplements, Food & beverages | 1,000 litres (juice) |
| Kemvit | Finland | Household & cleaning | 1,000 litres (or 1000 kg) |
| Sim Finland | Finland | Cosmetics | 500 kg |
| Vitae Clean Cosmetics | Finland | Cosmetics | 500 units (white label) |
How do I check a Finnish manufacturer?
Start with the YTJ information service. Search by the business ID (Y-tunnus), seven digits, a hyphen and a check digit. The name and registered address there should match the quotation and the contract. Then work through how to check a private label manufacturer: proof that it makes for other brands, where your product will be made, and certificates.
Questions and answers
Is Finland in the EU and the euro area?
Yes. Finland has been an EU member state since 1 January 1995 and a member of the euro area since 1 January 1999, according to the European Union's country page. Goods made in Finland move to other EU countries without customs duties and are usually invoiced in euro; a buyer outside the EU imports them under its own country's rules.
What is Finland's biggest export?
Chemical industry products: 19.8% of goods exports in 2025, about EUR 14.7 billion by our division of the EUR 74.3 billion total. The Confederation of Finnish Industries writes "Kemianteollisuuden tuotteet kattoivat 19,8 % viennistä" (chemical industry products covered 19.8% of exports). Taken together, metals, metal products, machinery and vehicles make up about 37%.
Does Finland make furniture for other brands?
Yes, though furniture is a small share of Finnish manufacturing: 1,083 enterprises, 6,006 people and EUR 1.27 billion of turnover in 2024, 0.82%, 21st of 26 in the EU (Eurostat). Wood products are far larger at EUR 9.10 billion. NordSourced lists 19 Finnish furniture and interior manufacturers that make for other brands; see the Finnish furniture list.
Does Finland make cosmetics?
Yes, through few but larger producers. Eurostat counted 61 cosmetics enterprises with 531 people and EUR 143.9 million of turnover in 2024, about EUR 2.4 million each, the most of the five countries. The Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, home of the cosmetics and hygiene association, "has over 350 member companies and 14 member and partner associations". NordSourced lists 17 Finnish cosmetics manufacturers.
Does Finland make textiles for other brands?
On a small scale. Eurostat counted 427 enterprises making made-up textile articles such as bed linen and towels in Finland in 2024, with EUR 207 million of turnover. No Finnish textile association and no export figure for home textiles was found for this page. NordSourced lists 5 Finnish home textile manufacturers that make for other brands.
How big is Finland's food industry?
Large, but not a specialisation. Eurostat counted 2,358 food enterprises with 35,650 people and EUR 12.36 billion of turnover in 2024, only 7.97% of Finnish manufacturing. The food industry federation ETL represents about 600 companies and counts about 40,000 employees in the industry, the third largest industrial sector in Finland (ETL).
Is manufacturing in Finland cheaper than in Sweden?
Slightly, and far dearer than in the Baltic states. An hour of manufacturing labour cost EUR 43.6 in Finland in 2025, against EUR 47.2 in Sweden, EUR 19.5 in Estonia, EUR 16.4 in Lithuania and EUR 14.9 in Latvia (Eurostat). Labour is one part of a unit price, so compare quotations for the same brief before deciding on cost.
How many private label manufacturers are there in Finland?
NordSourced lists 104, each because its own website says it makes products for other brands; 5 of them publish a minimum order. That is not every manufacturer in Finland: companies that offer the service without saying so on their website are not counted. The ranked lists are on the Finland page.
Which Finnish manufacturers take a small first order?
1 of the 5 Finnish manufacturers that publish a minimum order states 500 or fewer finished units: Vitae Clean Cosmetics. Most Finnish manufacturers do not publish a minimum order at all, so ask for it in the first enquiry and read what each figure covers; the minimum order guide explains how to compare them.
Which product group has the most Finnish manufacturers on NordSourced?
Food & beverages, with 45 of the 104 Finnish manufacturers listed, followed by furniture & interior with 19. The count includes only companies whose own website says they make products for other brands, and a company that makes more than one kind of product counts in each of its groups.
Does Finland make cleaning products for other brands?
Yes. Finland had 92 soap, detergent and cleaning-product enterprises in 2024, the most of the five countries; their turnover was EUR 110.7 million in 2023, the latest year published (Eurostat). The Finnish Cosmetic and Hygiene Industry Association covers detergents and cleaning agents as well as cosmetics. NordSourced lists 12 Finnish household and cleaning manufacturers.
How big is Finnish manufacturing?
In 2024 Eurostat counted 29,230 manufacturing enterprises, 326,507 people employed and EUR 155.1 billion of net turnover, about EUR 5.3 million per enterprise against about EUR 1.15 million in Latvia (our division). Manufacturing was 16.22% of Finland's gross value added in 2024, the highest share of the five and slightly above the EU's 16.06% (Eurostat).
Does Finland make food supplements for other brands?
Yes. NordSourced lists 10 Finnish food supplement manufacturers whose websites say they make for other brands; see the Finnish supplement list. Eurostat has no separate branch for food supplements, so there is no official count of supplement producers to set beside it, and no Finnish export figure for supplements was found.
Where to go next
Sources
- Eurostat, Enterprise statistics by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity (sbs_ovw_act), reference year 2024, Eurostat. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Eurostat, Labour cost levels by NACE Rev. 2 activity (lc_lci_lev), manufacturing, 2025, Eurostat. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Eurostat, Gross value added by industry (nama_10_a10), manufacturing and total, 2024 and 2025 (API query), Eurostat. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Ulkomaankauppa (foreign trade), Finnish Customs data for 2025, Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Industrial output 2025, Statistics Finland. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Industrial output 2024, Statistics Finland. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Industrial output 2020, Statistics Finland. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Salmonella control, Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Foreign trade in agrifood products 2024, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Elintarviketeollisuusliitto ry (Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation), newsroom, STT Info. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Kosmetiikka- ja hygieniateollisuus ry, Chemical Industry Federation of Finland (Kemianteollisuus). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Estland, Lettland, Litauen und Finnland haben viel zu bieten (14 March 2025), Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Labour cost index, fourth quarter of 2025 (euro indicators, 19 March 2026), Eurostat. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Finland: country profile, European Union. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Directory figures are counted from the manufacturers listed on NordSourced, each listed because its own website says it makes products for other brands; see how we check. This page is general information, not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us.