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ARTICLES 2001
September 2001
Chemistry
in Britain: Finland makes a chemical comeback
Finland is coming out from the shadows of its Nordic neighbours,
Norway and Sweden, and is creating an innovative and hi-tech
image for itself. Home to Nokia, one of the largest telecommunication
firms in the world, Finland is no longer solely associated
with saunas, reindeer and Finlandia vodka, but with technology
and big business. However, mobile phones are not the only
things that Finland does well. It has a hugely profitable
chemical sciences industry, with traditional chemical firms
such as Kemira and Dynea (formerly Neste Chemicals) rubbing
shoulders with newer biotechnology companies like Bionx Implants
and FIT Biotech.
July 5, 2001
Financial
Times: Finland Survey
Finland is now in its eighth consecutive year of economic
expansion, although this year the pace of growth will ease
from last year's 5.7 per cent. Unemployment remains stubbornly
high at around 10 per cent and inflation is above the euro-area
average. On the political front, prime minister Paavo Lipponen
has come under attack from left-leaning members of his own
Social Democratic Party, who believe the government is too
preoccupied with cutting debt and restraining expenditure.
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