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Published: 28 November 2008

Number of enterprises grew significantly in 2007

According to Statistics Finland, 308,917 enterprises operated in Finland in 2007. The number grew by five per cent from the previous year. However, the actual number of enterprises was altogether 23 per cent, or 58,500, higher than in 2006 because the quoted number also contains 45,681 agricultural enterprises which were added to the Business Register when its information basis widened and which were previously excluded from these statistics. The statistics now include agricultural enterprises whose income from agriculture exceeded the statistical threshold of the EUR 9,636. In the early years of the 2000s the number of enterprises grew by an average of just short of one per cent per year; in 2004 and 2005 the growth was just under two per cent and in 2006 good three per cent.

Enterprises employed 1,481,870 persons, which is 7.5 per cent, or 104,140 persons, more than one year earlier. Of this total, 45,400 came from the aforementioned addition of agricultural enterprises. Personnel increased in all industries, in relative terms by most in architectural and engineering activities and related technical consultancy, and in other business activities where the growth was over ten per cent. The number of employees went up by nine per cent in construction where it only increased by barely three per cent in the previous year. The number employed in manufacturing increased by good one per cent in 2007. Manufacturing still employed the largest proportion, or 27.3 per cent, of all persons employed by enterprises although its share has diminished slightly. Trade employed just under 17 per cent and architectural and engineering activities, and technical consulting activities and other business activities 14 per cent of all enterprises' personnel.

In 2007, the personnel of small and medium-size enterprises increased by a total of 83,085 persons. Of this increase, agriculture, forestry and fishery accounted for 46,855 persons, so the increase among other industries was 36,430 persons. The size of personnel also went well up in large enterprises, by 20,133 persons. Small and medium-size enterprises employed 63.2 per cent of all personnel of enterprises. Their proportion increased by 1.3 percentage points from the previous year. On the average, approximately 998 enterprises in 1,000 were small or medium-size, i.e. had personnel of under 250.

In 2007, the personnel of small and medium-size enterprises increased by a total of 83,085 persons. Of this increase, agriculture, forestry and fishery accounted for 46,855 persons, so the increase among other industries was 36,430 persons. The size of personnel also went well up in large enterprises, by 21,000 persons. Small and medium-size enterprises employed 63 per cent of all personnel of enterprises. Their proportion increased by over one percentage points from the previous year. On the average, approximately 998 enterprises in 1,000 were small or medium-size, i.e. had personnel of under 250.

Enterprises' turnover was EUR 374,6 billion in 2007. The growth from the year before amounted to eight per cent. In deviation from previous years, statistics have not been compiled on the turnover of agricultural enterprises. The turnover of small enterprises went up by as much as over EUR 11 billion. In medium-size enterprises the growth of turnover amounted to EUR 4 billion and in large enterprises to over EUR 11 billion. Exclusive of agricultural enterprises, the growth in enterprises' turnover amounted to approximately four per cent per member of personnel.

Around three per cent of the enterprises operating in Finland belonged to a group. These enterprises accounted for 52 per cent of the labour force and 74 per cent of the turnover of all enterprises.

According to the Business Register, a total of 5,784 groups operated in Finland in 2007. Among them, 1,736 were fully Finnish-owned, 601 were Finnish-owned multinational and 3,448 were foreign-owned. The groups provided jobs for 783,400 persons in Finland, of whom approximately 71 per cent worked for domestic groups.

Revision of standard industrial classification

A revised standard industrial classification, TOL 2008, will be introduced in 2009. Information about this revision and its introduction can be accessed from http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/tol2008_en.html. Transition tables between the new and old classification concerning 2007 can be found under Taulukot link (only in Finnish). Statistical data concerning 2007 will be released by the revised classification on 10 February 2009.

Shares of small and medium-size, and large enterprises of personnel 1994-2007, %

Source: Business Register. Finnish enterprises 2007. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Ms Tarja Jämsen, +358 9 1734 3344, yritys.rekisteri@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ms Hannele Orjala

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Last updated 28.11.2008