Finland’s industrial sector delivered conflicting signals in July, according to new figures from Statistics Finland. While the value of new industrial orders jumped sharply, actual production volumes weakened both from the previous month and from a year earlier.
Statistics Finland reports that the value of new orders in industry was 22.1 percent higher in July 2025 than in the same month the previous year. For January–July, orders were up 11.7 percent year-on-year. The increase was driven solely by the metal industry, where orders surged by more than 41 percent. In contrast, new orders in the chemical industry fell 2.7 percent, and in the paper industry orders were down 11.1 percent.
At the same time, industrial output contracted. Seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 1.8 percent in July from June, and working-day adjusted output was down 4.2 percent compared to July 2024. Across the main sectors, production grew in mining and quarrying (+7.7 percent from June), energy supply (+2.9 percent) and the forest industry (+1.1 percent). However, sharp declines in electrical and electronics manufacturing (–5.0 percent), chemicals (–2.6 percent), food (–2.3 percent) and metals (–1.7 percent) dragged overall production lower.
Analysts note that the figures underline the divergence between order books and actual production. Strong new orders in the metal industry point to future output potential, but weaker performance in other sectors and the broad-based fall in July production highlight the fragile state of Finnish industry.
Sources:
Statistics Finland, Teollisuuden uudet tilaukset, heinäkuu 2025, 10 Sept 2025, Stat.fi
Statistics Finland, Teollisuustuotannon volyymi-indeksi, heinäkuu 2025, 10 Sept 2025, Stat.fi
