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Published: 3 December 2020

Forty per cent of enterprises have the Internet of Things in use

Forty per cent of enterprises use devices or systems that can be controlled or managed through the Internet (the Internet of Things). The use of the Internet of Things in large enterprises has already grown to 52 per cent of enterprises. The Internet of Things is most commonly used for monitoring the safety of business premises, in 31 per cent of enterprises. These data derive from Statistics Finland's survey on information technology in enterprises.

Use of the Internet of Things, proportion of enterprises with at least ten employees

Use of the Internet of Things, proportion of enterprises with at least ten employees

Altogether 34 per cent of the smallest enterprises with 10 to 19 employees and 52 per cent of the biggest enterprises with at least 100 employees use the Internet of Things (IoT 1) ). By industry, the IoT is used quite evenly, in most industries between 40 and 48 per cent of enterprises. The IoT is used less often than in others in construction (27%) and professional, scientific and technical activities (32%).

Of the inquired IoT use purposes, enterprises used it most commonly for monitoring the safety of business premises (31%) and in logistics (14%). The Internet of Things was also relatively often used in condition-based maintenance (12%), energy consumption management (12%) and the production process (10%). In connection with customer service, the IoT was used by six per cent of enterprises.

Use purposes of the Internet of Things, proportion of enterprises with at least ten employees

Use purposes of the Internet of Things, proportion of enterprises with at least ten employees

The prevalence of various use purposes varies naturally between different industries. The use of the Internet of Things in monitoring the safety of business premises is most common in the industries of wholesale trade (40%) and retail trade (39%). In both logistics (33%) and condition-based maintenance (20%), the Internet of Things is most commonly used in the industry of transport and storage. In energy consumption management, the use of the IoT is most widespread in manufacturing (17%) and retail trade (17%) and in the production process in manufacturing (20%). In connection with customer service, the IoT was most commonly used in administrative and support service activities (9%) and in retail trade (8%).

These data were collected with an inquiry in spring 2020 and they apply to enterprises with at least ten employees.


1) Internet of Things

Source: Use of Information Technology in Enterprises 2020, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Aarno Airaksinen 029 551 3206, yritys.ict@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko


Updated 3.12.2020

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Use of information technology in enterprises [e-publication].
ISSN=2489-3234. 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/icte/2020/icte_2020_2020-12-03_tie_001_en.html