The UK has a new Government, congratulations to the The Labour Party and Sir Keir Starmer.
Chemical businesses throughout the UK stand ready to provide much-needed economic, environmental, and social solutions. The new Government must demonstrate that the UK is open for business with an industrial strategy that creates an attractive investment environment and a chemicals strategy that supports the UK’s capacity to combat chemical pollution, foster a secure circular economy, nurture the skills of future generations, and ascend as a science superpower.
Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association said, ”We look forward to working with the new Government to ensure a continued growth in the chemical sector, securing the UK’s position as an attractive and competitive destination for investment and job creation.
With 96% of all manufactured goods depending on chemical processes, our sector is fuelling UK growth. What our industry needs now is policy stability and a partnership with business, trade unions and others to deliver economic growth, environmental progress and social inclusion for business and for the UK as a whole”.
For media enquiries please contact
Simon Marsh
07951389197
MarshS@cia.org.uk
Diana Tamayo
07885831615
TamayoD@cia.org.uk
- Businesses who make chemical products and solutions are integral to something like 96% of all manufactured goods. Whether it is ingredients for food and medicines; paints and coatings for cars and planes or materials for mobile phones and electric vehicle batteries, the chemical industry is truly the “industry of industries” – also playing a critical role in the nation’s response to Covid-19 through its supply of hand sanitiser, PPE and vaccine ingredients.
- The Association’s manifesto sets out a series of offers and asks for the Government
- 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.
- Roughly 140 thousand people are employed in the sector and nearly half a million have roles that are dependent on the sector. Chemical workers typically earn around 21% more than other manufacturing industries and almost 27% more than the average worker.
- From Runcorn to the Humber Bank; from Teesside to Grangemouth, chemical businesses and their employees right across the country are essential to the Government’s levelling-up agenda.
- We are the country’s second biggest manufacturing exporters, sending goods to the value of more than £60 billion to other countries. The EU represents our most important market, but we continue to work closely with Government to inform and secure UK trade deals with other key chemical markets such as India and the USA.
