Finland's natural stone industry is fundamentally based on the country's granite bedrock, which was formed some 1700 million years ago. The industry is relatively young, however, compared for example to producers in the Mediterranean countries.This is due to the hardness of the rock in Finland; the skills needed to excavate granite are less than a thousand years old and they took several centuries to develop.

The oldest Finnish granite buildings, greystone churches and castles, were built between the 13th and 15th centuries, at a time when stone finishing methods were still in their infancy. More recently, the Finnish stone industry was given a strong boost by the construction of the palaces around St.Petersburg in Russia during the 19th century.

Finland's national identity considerably gained in strenght during the 19th century and this was reflected in construction techniques. At the turn of the present century the most prestigious granite buildings were built in the romantic style.

It might even be true to say that Finland's identity is embedded in Finnish granite. As in the past, the Finnish stone industry of today is firmly rooted in the excavation and processing of granite. However , the use of granite  in buildings declined during this century, most notably after the Second World War, as speed, efficient, cheap materials and simple techniques assumed priority in the buildings industry.

It was not until the 1980s that granite clearly came back into favour. The main reasons were the rapid development of stone industry technology, which put granite on a more competitive footing, together with a growing awareness of the need for quality in contruction. Indeed, requirements governing the quality of buildings have risen further during the 1990s. With increasing emphasis being placed on environmental values and durability in construction, granite is receiving ever greater attention, particularly in the public sector.

In Helsinki, for example, granite has been employed to enhance the quality of the city environment, particularly where coastal structures, streets and city squares are concerned. In Finland granite has been used most extensively for public and commercial building and this trend will continue.

The outlook is brightest in environmental construction, where the use of granite is expected to increase. The renovation sector is also picking up,creating a foundation for growth in demand for stone products. The range of granites produced in Finland is enormous and new granite deposits are being developed all the time.

In the next few years major efforts can be expected to discover new stone reserves with the aim of finding new construction stone qualities for the export market. Most stone producers in Finland are small or medium-sized, family-owned companies.

There are notable for their strong emphasis on development of working methods and artisan skills. They will continue to work in close co-operation to ensure the optimum use of their  skills and financial resources. Co-operation will also be improved between companies in this sector and excavation and processing equipment manufacturers, research institutes and various educational institutes.

Rather than investing in expansion, the industry is concentrating on enhancing productivity, as evidenced by the introduction of quality systems and technological development. Finland's membership of the European Union has increased foreign investment in the Finnish natural stone industry, which is strengthening its means for development.

The opening up of the EU's internal markets has increased international co-operation in the region. The Finnish natural stone industry welcomes this trend as most of its output is exported.