Home > Statistics > New orders in manufacturing > 2020 > December > New orders in manufacturing fell by 15.1 per cent year-on-year in December

Published: 10 February 2021

New orders in manufacturing fell by 15.1 per cent year-on-year in December

According to Statistics Finland, the value of new orders in manufacturing was 15.1 per cent lower in December 2020 than twelve months earlier. The fall is largely explained by the exceptionally high value of new orders in the corresponding period of the previous year, generated by a few large orders in the metal industry. During 2020, orders fell by 11.4 per cent year-on-year.

Annual change in new orders in manufacturing (original series), % (TOL2008)

Enterprises received more new orders in December than twelve months ago in the chemical industry, where orders increased by 47.8 per cent year-on-year. In other manufacturing sub-industries orders declined. In the industry of the manufacture of paper and paper board products, orders declined by 5.1 per cent and in the metal industry by 24.5 per cent year-on-year. The fall in orders in the metal industry is largely explained by the exceptionally high value of new orders in the corresponding time period of the previous year, generated by, for example, large new orders in the shipbuilding industry.

When interpreting these statistics, it should be borne in mind that they typically show strong fluctuations by month. Even new orders of substantial value are not examined over extended time periods but for the statistical reference month only.

Change in new orders in manufacturing 12/2019– 12/2020

The index of new orders in manufacturing describes development in the value of new orders received by enterprises for commodities and services that are meant to be produced by establishments located in Finland. These statistics are based on non-probability sampling, in which the basic observation unit is an enterprise or a kind-of-activity unit. The sample comprises monthly 400 to 450 enterprises or their kind-of-activity units. Index point figures and annual change percentages are published monthly for four industry categories. The time series start from January 2005 and their base year is 2015 (2015=100). The index figures may become slightly revised as new data accumulate and enterprises report changes to their data. Due to supplementations, the latest 12 months are revised in the releases. A detailed description of the statistics and the calculation method are included in the quality description on the home page of the statistics.

Source: New orders in manufacturing 2020, December. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Jussi Haavisto 029 551 3341, Maarit Mäkelä 029 551 3324, volyymi.indeksi@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Katri Kaaja

Publication in pdf-format (254.5 kB)

Tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Three-month moving change, cumulative change and change in the latest month, year-on-year, % (TOL 2008) (10.2.2021)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. New orders in manufacturing, trend series by industry (TOL2008) (10.2.2021)

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Updated 10.2.2021