Finnish companies thrive in Australia with Business Finland providing local support
Photo: Otso Alasko
Australia is home to more than 40 subsidiaries of Finnish companies, and more than 120 Finnish brands operate there. The country is particularly well suited to Finnish companies, which are also being helped by Business Finland to conquer the market.
Germany, Sweden, the United States and Russia remain Finland's main export markets. Recently, exports to Australia have increased every year, despite it being almost halfway around the world. In many ways, Australia is a great market for Finnish companies in particular.
"There is very little local competition in Australia, as only 5% of its GDP is generated by manufacturing. This is a low figure, compared to 30% in Finland, for example. The country favours Western quality and Australians are not keen to buy Chinese technology, for example. The country also has 25 million well-off people and a business culture similar to Finland's," says Eero Toivainen, Senior Advisor for Business Finland in Australia.
Toivainen helps Finnish companies looking to enter Australia by offering his expertise and contacts in areas such as finding partners, sales channel development and market research. He also offers advice on matters such as where to get help for setting up a local business, taxation and visa issues.
Quanturi has inspired Australian agriculture
There are currently more than 40 subsidiaries of Finnish companies and more than 120 Finnish brands operating in Australia. One of the Finnish companies that is thriving in Australia is Quanturi, which has developed an application and hardware for fire risk detection in dry hay and for hay quality monitoring.
"This year, we are particularly targeting Australia, where agriculture plays a major role. Last year, Australia accounted for about 8% of our sales, and we are expecting the figure to grow this year. There is a huge market for our product in the country," says Nadine Pesonen, Quanturi's CEO.
Business Finland's connections have been a big help for Quanturi's penetration of the Australian market.
"Their connections have enabled us to meet people who have become good business partners in the country. Without Business Finland, it would have been almost impossible to get to know people who live on the other side of the globe," says Pesonen.
RELEX Solutions closed a big sale
The Australian company Coles, which owns around 40% of the country's grocery trade, became a client of the Finnish software company RELEX Solutions in the spring.
"During the process, we noticed that the Finnish working culture and attitude clearly appealed to the locals. We deliver measurable value to our customers, and we do what we promise – and we don't promise more than we can deliver. This is a good basis for developing customer relationships and cooperation further," says Jukka Uskonen, Director of APAC Operations & Alliances for RELEX Solutions.
Toivainen from Business Finland praises Australia as a great place to be, both for business and otherwise.
"In Australia, Finns can succeed while balancing work with the Australian lifestyle, which includes many things that Finns are used to: unspoilt nature, healthy food and easy-going interaction. In addition, people spend a lot of time outdoors with family and friends in surroundings very reminiscent of Finnish-style cottages," says Toivainen, who has been living in Australia for almost two years.
Read also
RELEX Solutions: How a Finnish software company closed a major deal in Australia
Fact: Australia is a good market for Finnish companies and products
- There are 25 million well-off people living in Australia.
- There is very little local competition: only 5% of Australia's GDP comes from the manufacturing industry. In Finland, the figure is 30%.
- Australia excels internationally in five sectors: natural resources; tourism; education exports; food; and finance. Finland's high-tech expertise complements these strong Australian sectors very well.
- Business Finland's Australian office is located in Sydney, where two Business Finland employees help Finnish companies enter the local market.
- In less than two years, the office has carried out 120 advisory projects for Finnish companies and 21 market opportunity studies.
More information for the media
Eero Toivainen
Senior Advisor
Business Finland
+61 451 343 379
eero.toivainen (at) businessfinland.fi
Nadine Pesonen
CEO
Quanturi Oy
+358 40 587 6976
nadine.pesonen (at) quanturi.com
Jukka Uskonen
Director, Operations & Alliances APAC
RELEX Solutions
+65 9482 0740
jukka.uskonen (at) relexsolutions.com
Business Finland is a public Finnish organisation that offers innovation funding and internationalisation services, as well as promotes travel and investments in Finland. Our organisation employs 680 specialists at 42 foreign locations and 16 offices in Finland. Business Finland is part of the Team Finland network. www.businessfinland.fi
