Chemical industry is a part of heavy industry sector. Chemicals are a broad chemical category including polymers, bulk petrochemicals and intermediates, other derivatives and basis industries and more. Adhesives & Sealants, paints, petrochemicals, plastics, specialty chemicals, substances all of these can be grouped in this category.

Chemicals are more often referred to as chemical substances, which are forms of matter that have constant chemical compositions and characteristics properties. Chemical substances cannot be separated into compounds without breaking the chemical bonds holding them together (i.e. by using physical separation methods).

Chemicals for construction are diverse and range from readily available non-supply chain materials such as brush and mud to commodity supply materials procured for projects like construction aggregates, plastics (PVC), resins, synthetic textiles and fibers (fiberglass), composite cements, other plastics and polymer composites, concrete, and various metals. Radical materials advances can drive the creation of new products and new industries. The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. The chemical industries convert raw materials oil-- metals, air, water, natural gas and minerals-- into products. Products include chemicals to make plastic for computers, paint for cars, specialty chemicals and medicines. Chemical engineers start with cheap, raw, natural materials, such as petrochemicals, seawater, and minerals.

Chemical substances exist as solids, liquids, gasses, or plasma and may change between these phases of matter with changes in temperature or pressure. Chemical substances represent products and commodities in the defense, materials, pharmaceuticals, industrial, life sciences, energy, agricultural and other product manufacturing industries.

Our collection of market research reports provides insights into product and market trends, analyses, opportunities, projections, sales, and marketing strategies. Specifics on market share, segmentation, size, and growth in the US and global markets are also featured.

Chemical Industry Current Trends

The major industrially and functionally significant chemical product categories include inorganic and organic chemicals, ceramics, polymers, elastomers, surfactants, acids, oleochemicals, alcohols, dyes, bases, salts, alkalis, oils, colorants, esters, coatings, solvents, neutral gases, petrochemicals, process gases and source gases. Specialty chemicals are supplied from the oil and gas sector, while other chemicals are sourced from uncultivated biomass, agriculture, mining, industrial chemical synthesis reaction and even water. Various chemical synthesis and production processes are combined through associated chemical inputs and outputs hence many producers of chemicals also represent consumers.

Total global shipments of chemicals and chemical products represent trillions of dollars annually and are represented by industries in practically every country of the world.

There can be no argument that 2010, punctuated by pricing volatility and uncertainty, has proven a pretty tricky year for the petrochemical industry. 2011 is one of the difficult years to forecast for some time, particularly following the marked recovery in the industry's fortunes in 2010. While global recession and higher than forecast demand particularly in China have brought the low cost Middle Eastern product in to Europe.

Major Chemical Industry Players

Some of the major global players of BASF, Bayer, Sinopec, Dow Chemical Company, El de Pont de Numours, Fluor, Itochu, Nova Chemicals, Ashland Inc., Lyondell Industries, Degussa Advanced Nanomaterials and Air Products and Chemicals. The major petrochemical players are petrochemical makers ExxonMobil, INEOS, SABIC, Du Pont, Mitsubishi Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, Shell and Sinopec.

This category also consists of specific features that include insights into competitive analyses, benchmarking, product trends, market size, strategies, opportunities, and growth in the US, Europe, Asia and internationally. The top tier may well be under attack shortly by rapid climbers such as PetroChina and Reliance Industries. Reliance is a candidate for a major acquisition, although it has failed to consummate deals recently.