Business life

The economic structure of the City of Nurmes is very varied.

Major employers

The City of Nurmes and Siun sote, the Health Care Joint Authority of North Carelia, have the most employees.

Jukolan Osuuskauppa and other stores also play a significant role as an employer in Nurmes.

The food industry has many small as well as large companies. Bread and pasties produced by Porokylän Leipomo Oy and Pielispakari Oy are sold in many parts of Finland. Nurmeksen Kala Oy's fresh fish, Pielisen Kalajaloste Oy's smoked and canned fish and Nurmeksen Filetuote Oy's fresh, frozen steaks are enjoyed in many households. The pork fillet of Nurmeksen Filetuote is used in Hesburger's rye fillet hamburger.

Textile companies Sasta Oy and Tesema Oy export hiking and camping clothes and socks around the world.

Koneurakointi S. Kuittinen Oy and Motoajo Oy are the largest forestry machine companies.

The annual production capacity of Binderholz Nordic sawmill in Nurmes is 210,000 cubic metres of pine lumber. 

Iivari Mononen Oy's factory in Höljäkkä manufactures impregnated wooden poles that are exported around the world.

The core of the metal industry consists of six top companies based in Nurmes, known as the "Metal Fist". The companies have served the metal industry, engineering and extractive industry in Finland for about twenty years. The core companies of the Metal Fist include Nurmeksen Metalli Oy, Nurmeksen Työstö ja Tarvike Oy, Pielisen Metalli Ky, Saher-Aidat Oy, PK-Levy Oy, and Katatec Oy. The Metal Fist consists of growing companies that continue to expand and grow their own network of subcontractors.

Rakennusliike Mustonen Oy and Rakennusliike J.A.J Määttä Oy construct new buildings and carry out renovations. Gossutek Oy manufactures electrical substations. In addition, there are more than 400 small companies in Nurmes that employ people in various industries.

Vibrant rural enterprise

There are 161 active farms in Nurmes, of which 46 have dairy cattle. The amount of cultivated land is about 6,300 hectares. In 2013, 14.6 million litres of milk were delivered to the dairy from Nurmes, which is the fourth largest number of litres in North Karelia. The number of litres per dairy farm is the largest in the region (305,000 litres). 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 each year.