In industrial terms, the chemical industry performs essential steps in converting raw materials (animal, vegetable or mineral) into usable products. These encompass an enormous variety – from plastics to paints, from fertilisers to shampoos, from synthetic rubber to pharmaceuticals. These items then form part of other value chains – such as automotive, aerospace, construction – or are supplied direct to households.
- The chemical and pharmaceutical industry adds £18 billion of value to the UK economy every year from total annual turnover of £50 billion.
- In addition to gross value added, the sector also contributes to the UK economy in its position at the head of many supply chains within manufacturing and its employment of a well remunerated, high-skilled workforce. We support 500,000 jobs both directly and indirectly Chemical manufacturing adds £9 billion in gross value added annually and pharmaceutical manufacturing £9 billion.
- The wider chemical and pharmaceutical sector (manufacturing plus distribution) is the largest exporter of manufactured goods with annual exports of over £50 billion. The export of motor vehicle, trailers and semi-trailers is the sector with next highest exports of £35 billion. Aerospace is £32 billion.
- 63% of companies in the sector export what they make to the world, the highest proportion of any goods manufacturing sector in the UK economy. 60% of our exports go to the European Union and 75% of our imports and raw materials come from the European Union.
- The sector’s level of business investment is £4.3 billion, compared to automotive £2.7 billion and aerospace £2.1 billion, while the expenditure on research & development is £5.0 billion (automotive £2.7 billion and aerospace £2.1 billion).
- The products and technologies of the Chemical industry are essential parts of medicines, food & drink, telecommunications, energy-saving, I.T, clothing and much more.
- For every tonne of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emitted, our products and technologies enable over 2 tonnes of GHG emissions savings.
Chemical and pharmaceutical businesses in the UK contribute £75 million of Added Value every single working day (£20 billion a year) to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product. The industry’s trade balance is a positive £25 million every day, whilst the rest of manufacturing has a daily deficit of around £300 million. The industry is the nation’s number one manufacturing exporter.
500,000 UK jobs depend on the work of chemical and pharmaceutical businesses in our country.
- contribute 80 million pounds every day to the UK economy
- spend 5 billion pounds each year on research and development
- invest 2 billion pounds a year in capital expenditure
- are the UK’s number one manufacturing exporter
We want to grow this contribution through the work of the Partnership.
Download our calling card