15 December 1997
Inquiries: Kari Rautio +358 9 1734 2479
Statistical Director in charge: Ilkka Hyppönen
Strong growth in industrial output continues in October
After a slight dip in September, growth in industrial output picked up again its prolonged upward trend in October. According to Statistics Finland's index per working day, output increased by 6.6 per cent compared to October 1995. Had output in energy supply not fallen by 5.8 per cent, the increase would have been even bigger.
In the main sectors of the metal industry, the biggest output increase was recorded in the manufacture of electrical equipment, up by good 22 per cent, and of fabricated metal products, up by good 12 per cent. Output in the manufacture of transport equipment was up by nearly 7 per cent on the previous year.
Output in the metal industry grew by nearly 12 per cent and, in the wood and paper industry, by good 11 per cent compared to last year's October figures. Output in the food industry picked up an upward trend this October, showing a growth rate of good four per cent. Output in the chemical industry continued to fall from the previous year, but now only by good two per cent.
In October, well over 90 per cent of the manufacturing capacity was in use. Capacity utilisation rate in the metal industry was approximately 92 per cent, in the wood and paper industry 98 per cent, in the chemical industry over 82 per cent and in other manufacturing industry well over 81 per cent.
During the period from January to October, industrial output increased by 7.6 per cent compared to the same period last year. Output in the paper industry grew by 15 per cent, in the wood industry by well over 14 per cent, in the metal industry by nearly 11 per cent and in the chemical industry by almost 2 per cent.
In September, the revised growth rate in industrial output was 4.2 per cent, which is 0.1 percentage points below previously published figures.
Source: Volume index of Industrial Output, October 1997. Statistics Finland