Mining sector emerging as driving force of economy in Northern and Eastern Finland

Employment prospects to pick up across Finland, apart from Finland Proper and Varkaus regions

print this

According to reports by the Ministry of Employment and Economy and the regional Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the municipal economic and employment prospects are improving across almost all of the country.
      In the northern and eastern parts of Finland, the mining sector in particular is emerging as the economic locomotive, alongside tourism.
      In addition to the ongoing mining projects, plans have been laid to establish several new mines in the out-of-way areas of the country.
     
Investments in the wind power industry and bio energy are obvious in Lapland and Central Finland.
      From the Lapland Regional Review, one learns that for example the Kevitsa mining undertakings are already under way, while the Outokumpu Chrome and Suurikuusikko mining industry expansion projects are under discussion. Meanwhile yet another mining project is being prepared in the Pajala-Kolari region of Western Lapland.
      The expansion of the chromium mine in Kemi will also strengthen the development of the small and medium-size metal industry businesses in Lapland.
     
The amount of investments in the travel industry in Northern Finland has declined from previous years, but according to the Lapland Regional Review the coming winter season is still expected to be better than last year.
      Even in other rural municipalities the economic development has mainly been positive: exports are growing, industry order rates are on the up, and some of those having been laid off have been called back to work.
      The expansion of exports in turn has a positive effect, for example, on the transport sector.
      The volume of orders, however, varies a great deal from one company and line of business to the next.
      The growth continues in the field of retail trade, which is also manifested by improved employment figures. Large investments in the field are in prospect, for example, in the capital area, Kouvola, and Kuopio.
      The importance of Russian shopping tourists continues to grow in the eastern and southeastern districts of Finland.
     
Only in the communities in the Turku and Varkaus regions are negative economic and employment developments anticipated, the reviews reveal.
      In Turku the weakening situation is largely due to the difficulties being experienced by the shipbuilding industry. These are reflected in the entire Finland Proper region.
      In Varkaus, the employment figures will plummet, because Stora Enso is about to close down its newsprint production in the city.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Consumers´ confidence in economy extremely strong (27.8.2010)

Helsingin Sanomat