M. Garside
Research lead covering energy, chemicals & resources
Nordics pulp and paper industry - statistics & facts
With considerable forest coverage, the pulp and paper industry in the Nordic countries Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark is significant. The Nordic countries are the leading pulp producers in Europe, with Sweden and Finland even ranking as the fifth and sixth largest pulp producing countries worldwide. Following Germany, the Nordic countries are also among Europe’s top paper producing nations. Further, some of the world’s leading paper companies are based in these countries, such as Finland’s UPM and Sweden’s Stora Enso and Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA).
The region’s wood pulp production follows the same pattern, with Sweden’s production in 2021 amounting to 11.7 million metric tons, and Finland’s production trailing at almost 11.4 million metric tons. In comparison, Denmark’s wood pulp production that year amounted to just 5,000 metric tons.
The Nordic countries’ pulp and paper products serve both their domestic markets as well as export markets, with exports mainly going to other Western European countries. As with production, Sweden is the leading pulp and paper exporting country in the Nordic region, with exports amounting to a total of nearly 8.8 billion euros in 2023. Sweden's most exported product types included packaging materials and pulp as of 2022. Meanwhile, Finland’s exports amounted to 6.3 billion euros in 2023.
Pulp and paper industry in the Nordic countries: which countries rank highest?
Among the Nordic countries, Sweden’s pulp and paper industry ranked the highest in several categories, with Finland consistently ranking second, while Norway and Denmark trailed behind in mainly third and fourth place, respectively. For example, Sweden’s paper and paperboard production amounted to about nine million metric tons in recent years, with Finland’s production close behind at about eight million metric tons. Danish paper and paperboard production has amounted to a comparatively miniscule 152,000 metric tons annually in recent years.The region’s wood pulp production follows the same pattern, with Sweden’s production in 2021 amounting to 11.7 million metric tons, and Finland’s production trailing at almost 11.4 million metric tons. In comparison, Denmark’s wood pulp production that year amounted to just 5,000 metric tons.
The Nordic countries’ pulp and paper products serve both their domestic markets as well as export markets, with exports mainly going to other Western European countries. As with production, Sweden is the leading pulp and paper exporting country in the Nordic region, with exports amounting to a total of nearly 8.8 billion euros in 2023. Sweden's most exported product types included packaging materials and pulp as of 2022. Meanwhile, Finland’s exports amounted to 6.3 billion euros in 2023.
Investments in Sweden’s and Finland’s pulp mills
The total combined market value of the Nordic countries’ pulp and paper industry is forecast to grow modestly but steadily to the end of the decade, from approximately 18 billion U.S. dollars in 2022 to 21.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2030. Nevertheless, with the growing global paper packaging and tissue paper industry segments, investments in Sweden’s and Finland’s pulp capacities have been active in recent years. This includes SCA’s expenditure of over 800 million euros in its Östrand pulp mill to double its production capacity to 900,000 metric tons, which would make it among the largest bleached softwood kraft pulp production lines in the world. Another major recent project is the Finnish company Metsä Fibre’s Kemi bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, which is Finland’s largest forestry industry investment to date, worth more than two billion euros.
