Materials & Chemicals
Materials and Chemicals markets in Nordic and Baltic countries are full of challenges and opportunities for foreign partners and providers.
First of all, these countries have a solid industrial base, major producer and consumer of chemicals and materials. It is nevertheless important to consider that there are huge differences between each national market in the region. Having a regional strategy requires fine-tuning on each market as local strengths, competitors and opportunities will vary between each country.
In addition, these countries and their main companies alike are supporting an ambitious research policy in these fields. Numerous research programs have been launched, innovation is heavily promoted, keeping a strong link with the existing national key specificities and industrial structure.
Iloxia helps you to make the most of these specificities, target the markets where you will be able to build or strengthen a decisive competitive advantage, find the best local partners and optimise your sales in the whole region.
Nordic countries
Production, imports and research concerning materials and chemicals are all at a high level in each Nordic country. Except a general focus on Cleantech, local specialities are completely different from one country to another. Sweden and Finland have a strong wood, paper and packaging focus, with world class research on the topic and large industrial groups. Mining is also strong as well as iron and base metal industries. Norway is well known for its huge oil & gas sector (over 20% of its GDP), and is together with Iceland a major aluminium producer. Lacking large natural resources, Denmark's industry has remained highly diversified.
Baltic countries
Heavily industrialised when part of Soviet Union, these countries have seen tremendous changes in their economic structure after gaining their independence. Research is fairly new but dynamic and quickly developing. Wood and paper are strong regional industries. Though there are more similarities between Baltic countries' industrial structures than between Nordic countries', each market retains its specificities and fields of expertise, like Estonia with oil shale mining and use.
Part of industrial GDP in each country's GDP (2008)