Nurmes is a developing residential and entrepreneurial city, centrally located in Pielinen Karelia. The strength of Nurmes lies in its diverse economic structure.
Pielisen Karjalan Kehittämiskeskus Oy (Pikes) is a development company owned by the city, serving entrepreneurs and those aspiring to become entrepreneurs. Pikes is responsible for business consulting, regional development activities, and promoting the availability of skilled labor for companies. Pikes markets Nurmes as a location for businesses and acts as a local partner for companies settling in the area. Pikes is also responsible for tourism consulting and marketing under the Visitbomba brand.
Major employers
The largest employers in terms of the number of employees are the City of Nurmes and Siun Sote.
Pohjois-Karjalan Osuuskauppa employs over 50 people in tourism at Bomba. Shops also play a significant role as employers in Nurmes.
The food industry includes many small and larger companies. Bread and pies from Porokylän Leipomo Oy and Pielispakari Oy are enjoyed across Finland. Fresh fish from Nurmeksen Savukala Oy, smoked and canned fish from Pielisen Kalajaloste Oy, and frozen steaks from Nurmeksen Filetuote Oy are popular delicacies. Nurmeksen Filetuote’s pork fillet is also featured in Hesburger’s rye fillet burger.
In the textile industry, Sasta Oy and Tesema Oy supply outdoor and hiking clothing and socks worldwide.
The largest forestry machine operators are Koneurakointi S. Kuittinen Oy and Motoajo Oy.
Binderholz Nordic Oy’s sawmill in Nurmes has a production capacity of 210,000 cubic meters of pine sawn timber per year, employing a total of 60 people.
Iivari Mononen Oy’s Höljäkkä factory produces treated wooden poles that are exported worldwide.
In the metal industry, the core is a group of six top companies from Nurmes, known as “Metallinyrkki,” (“Metal fish”) which has served the leading metal, engineering, and mining industries in Finland for over twenty years. The core companies of Metallinyrkki are Nurmeksen Metalli Oy, Nurmeksen Työstö ja Tarvike Oy, Pielisen Metalli Ky, Saher-Aidat Oy, PK-Levy Oy, and Katatec Oy. Metallinyrkki consists of growing companies that continue to expand and develop their subcontracting networks.
Engineering, metalwork, and component manufacturing companies include BerryGlade Oy and Valtimo Components Oyj.
Construction companies such as Rakennusliike Mustonen Oy, Rakennustoimisto VaaKa Oy, and Rakennusliike J.A.J Määttä are involved in new construction and renovations. Gossutek Oy manufactures electrical distribution centers.
Additionally, there are over 400 small businesses in Nurmes that employ people in various fields.
Vibrant rural enterprise
In Nurmes, 48 farms have dairy cattle. In 2021, these farms delivered 21 million liters of milk to the dairy, the largest amount in North Karelia. Each dairy farm produced an average of 419,252 liters, the highest in the region. There is also production of lamb, beef, pork and eggs in the region.
Local farmers are actively involved in the development of the countryside. There are many modern production farms in Nurmes, and new investments are made regularly. Nurmes is the largest organic farming municipality in the region. Of the cultivated land in Nurmes, 4,655 hectares are dedicated to organic farming, accounting for 40% of the area’s total cultivated land (in 2020).