HBG Releases New Research Identifying Finland as Europe’s Most Strategic Re-Shoring Destination for 2026–2030

HBG has published a new data-driven research brief, “The Nordic Industrial Opportunity: Re-Shoring Will Benefit Finland Most,” which presents a contrarian conclusion: Finland is well placed to outperform every major European competitor in the continent’s industrial re-shoring cycle.

Amid rising energy volatility, supply-chain restructuring, and EU demands for strategic autonomy, HBG’s analysis finds that Finland offers a uniquely competitive mix of low-cost clean energy, high levels of automation, critical raw materials, and operational stability. These structural factors are speeding up a shift in European manufacturing that business leaders have vastly underestimated.

Key Research Insights

HBG’s findings challenge established narratives about Nordic competitiveness:

• Energy as a strategic differentiator: Finland now has one of Europe’s lowest industrial electricity prices, driven by nuclear and wind capacity, giving energy-intensive industries a measurable cost advantage.

• Automation equalising labour costs: Finland ranks among the world’s highest in robotics adoption, allowing companies to reshore without absorbing historical labour cost premiums.

• Critical raw materials leadership: Finland is the only EU member with all essential battery minerals, strengthening Europe’s electric mobility and energy-storage supply chains.

• Defence alignment through NATO: Finland’s integration into NATO supply chains creates new industrial demand across electronics, advanced manufacturing, and dual-use technologies.

• High productivity, low disruption risk: Productivity levels now match Germany’s, while Finland maintains one of Europe’s most stable, low-risk business environments.

A New Industrial Map for Europe

The report benchmarks Finland against Sweden, Germany, and Poland, Europe’s traditional manufacturing anchors, and concludes that Finland is the only market where cost, capability, and energy security align structurally. HBG’s analysis highlights four sectors with the strongest re-shoring upside: advanced machinery, process industries, clean industrial systems, and electronics/embedded technologies.

Implications for Executives and Policymakers

The research urges CEOs, investors, and policymakers to reexamine long-standing beliefs about Nordic competitiveness. According to HBG, companies that include Finland in their 2026-2030 footprint planning will gain benefits in resilience, regulatory alignment, energy security, and supply chain management.

“European industry is entering a new strategic cycle,” the brief states. “Finland’s fundamentals are no longer a constraint — they are a catalyst. Early movers will capture disproportionate value as re-shoring accelerates.”