Satakunta
Forest industry heartland with UPM and Metsä operations—Satakunta exports contribute to Finland's €12B forest products while Olkiluoto 3 nuclear (2023) provides industrial baseload after 15+ years of delays.
Satakunta's western coast positions the region for Baltic trade—Pori and Rauma serving as export terminals. The forest industry dominates: UPM, Metsä Group, and other pulp/paper companies operate here, contributing to Finland's €12 billion forest product exports (17% of national export revenue).
Rauma's UNESCO World Heritage old town demonstrates centuries of maritime commerce; today the port handles bulk and project cargo. Pori hosts jazz festival that draws 150,000 annual visitors—cultural infrastructure creating tourism seasonality in an otherwise industrial region.
Like much of western Finland, Satakunta experiences population stagnation as young people migrate toward Helsinki or abroad. The regional challenge mirrors broader Finnish patterns: maintaining forest industry employment while adapting to automation, developing services that don't require capital-city proximity, retaining graduates who might otherwise leave.
The Olkiluoto nuclear power station in nearby Eurajoki provides baseload electricity for Finnish industry. Olkiluoto 3, Europe's first new nuclear reactor in 15+ years despite massive delays and cost overruns, began commercial operation in 2023. This energy infrastructure anchors industrial viability in a region where energy-intensive pulp production remains competitive.