The chemical manufacturing industry encompasses any business that produces industrial grade chemicals. These companies take raw materials and convert them into a variety of chemical compounds, used to make over 70,000 different products. Production of polymers and plastics make up around 80% of the industry. Chemical engineers use chemical reactions and methods of refinement to create the desired product. There are four major categories for industrial chemicals: basic chemicals, life sciences, specialty chemicals, and consumer products. The “Basic Chemical” category contains polymers, petrochemicals, basic industrials, inorganic chemicals, and fertilizers. The “Life Sciences” category contains pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, veterinary medicine, vitamins, and pesticides. The “Specialty Chemicals” category contains electronic chemicals, industrial gases, adhesives, sealants, industrial cleaning chemicals, and catalysts. The “Consumer Products” category contains consumer market soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. The chemical manufacturing industry is worth an estimated three trillion dollars worldwide.
