thechemicalindustry

The Chemical Industry

The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is fundamental to modern society. With an immense variety of products, from vital medicines and foods, the construction of buildings, to transport and leisure, the industry truly does have an impact on virtually every aspect of our daily lives.

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A key building block of the economy

The UK chemical industry should be at the heart of every economic, environmental and social ambition. Our starting point is a strong one – the sector is the country’s largest manufacturing exporter; it has already reduced emissions by 80% over the past 30 years and thousands of highly skilled and well-rewarded jobs are located in parts of the country that really need them.

 

 

Fuelling UK Growth

Sustainable innovation for a better world
The chemical sector today consists of more than 4,100 businesses - including large global multinationals, medium sized companies, and small enterprises. Between them they span the whole supply chain, from energy and feedstocks to pharmaceuticals and consumer products.
A substantive and valuable sector
The sector is one of the major contributors to the UK economy, generating £65.5bn industry turnover and £21.8b Gross Value Added (GVA).This is comparable to the contributions of the life sciences, automotive and aerospace sectors.
One of the largest employers in the UK
The sector is responsible for thousands of highly skilled and well-rewarded jobs located in parts of the country where they are essential to the local economy. We directly employ 138,000 people, for every employee around three more jobs are supported in purchased services and supply chains resulting in sustaining nearly 500,000 jobs around the UK.
A major manufacturing exporter
With annual exports of £61bn, and accounting for 15% of exported goods and services, chemistry companies represent the nation's top manufacturing export earners.
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Geographical Presence

The chemical industry represents one of the largest and most diverse industry sectors in the UK. Companies in the sector, big and small, play a leading role in all stages of the supply chain. This is done by utilising a myriad of technologies and supplying a diverse range of mission critical minerals and innovative products for industrial and consumer needs. 

Chemical businesses are located throughout the UK, with many of them clustered together in the North East of England, North West of England and Central Scotland. These factories and laboratories, operated by a highly trained and skilled workforce, make a significant contribution towards the UK’s productivity performance – double that of any other manufacturing industry and triple that of any part of the UK economy. Explore the UK regions by clicking the map below.

Regional impact

Explore facts and figures about the UK Chemical Industry, by clicking on each region of the map

Region Information

Click on a map region to discover more.

Scotland

  • £3.2bn

    Exports
  • £2.7bn

    GVA
  • 8,500

    Employment
  • 260

    Businesses
Full region report

North East

  • £2.8bn

    GVA
  • £2.6bn

    Exports
  • 9,000

    Employment
  • 125

    Businesses
Full region report

Yorkshire and the Humber

  • £3.4bn

    GVA
  • £3.4bn

    Exports
  • 17,000

    Employment
  • 330

    Businesses
Full region report

East Midlands

  • £1.8bn

    Exports
  • £1.4bn

    GVA
  • 10,500

    Employment
  • 320

    Businesses
Full region report

East England

  • £8bn

    Exports
  • £3.7bn

    GVA
  • 12,000

    Employment
  • 375

    Businesses
Full region report

London

  • £7.2bn

    Exports
  • £0.8bn

    GVA
  • 3,150

    Employment
  • 610

    Businesses
Full region report

South East

  • £11.3bn

    Exports
  • £5.6bn

    GVA
  • 14,500

    Employment
  • 545

    Businesses
Full region report

South West

  • £1.3bn

    Exports
  • £1.5bn

    GVA
  • 10,000

    Employment
  • 305

    Businesses
Full region report

Wales

  • £2.5bn

    Exports
  • £1.9bn

    GVA
  • 8,500

    Employment
  • 195

    Businesses
Full region report

West Midlands

  • £1.4bn

    Exports
  • £0.9bn

    GVA
  • 6,500

    Employment
  • 345

    Businesses
Full region report

North West

  • £8.1bn

    Exports
  • £8.5bn

    GVA
  • 27,000

    Employment
  • 610

    Businesses
Full region report

Northern Ireland

  • £1.3bn

    Exports
  • £0.5bn

    GVA
  • N/A

    Employment
Full region report
  • Chemical and pharmaceutical exports (£bn)
  • Gross Value Added (£bn)*
  • Employment
*Data includes SIC 19 - Manufacturing of coke and petroleum
Figures correct as of Q1 2024
Source: Office for National Statistics
All regional reports
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The industry for industries  

The sector is critical and underpins much of UK industry, linking energy and feedstocks to pharmaceuticals and consumer products. The diversity and range across the sector facilitates innovation within the sector as well as within important customer sectors for the UK such as automotive, aerospace and life science. Effective connectivity between sectors will create a critical advantage for the UK.  

 

Key contributions

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Strong, lightweight composites that make efficient wind energy and air travel possible

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New materials to increase battery performance for electric vehicles

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New competitive supply chains will facilitate the delivery of other sector strategies

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CIA and ITN Productions Industry News programmes 

Discover a mixture of news items, editorial profiles and studio feature interviews showing the importance of the chemical industry to UK growth. 

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    Chemistry for a better tomorrow

    The chemical industry plays a pivotal role in shaping our future for the better, providing essential materials and technologies for a wide range of applications, from healthcare to renewable energy.

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    Solutions for our future

    The chemical industries touch on almost every aspect of our lives. Businesses who make chemical products and solutions are integral to around 96% of all manufactured goods.

  • Energy

    Our route to net zero

    The chemical industry is committed to delivering more sustainable solutions for a cleaner, greener society. Not only are chemicals essential components to energy-saving products but cutting emissions and transforming chemical production could have a huge impact globally.