The global chemical industry is divided into 4 main categories: (i) Basic Chemicals, (ii) Life

Science Chemicals, (iii) Specialty Chemicals, (iv) Consumer Products.

BASIC CHEMICALS:
This category is also known as commodity chemicals. Commodity chemicals are a group of
chemicals that are made on a very large scale to satisfy global market. Commodity Chemicals are
differentiated by primarily their bulk of their manufacture. This category is further divided into 4
types:
1) Polymers: includes basic chemicals like Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC),
Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), ethylene, polyester, nylon, acrylics etcetera.
2) Bulk Petrochemicals: Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum.
Like commodity chemicals, petrochemicals are made on a very large scale.
Petrochemical manufacturing units differ from commodity chemical plants in that
they often produce a number of related products. Compare this with specialty
chemical and fine chemical manufacture where products are made in discrete batch
processes. It includes chemicals like toluene, ethylene oxide , methanol, benzene,
vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), xylenes, styrene and butadiene.
3) Basic Industrial: Chemicals included in this subcategory are surfactants, dyes,
pigments, resins, carbon black, explosives synthetic rubber and rubber products
4) Inorganic chemicals include, salt, chlorine, caustic soda, soda ash, acids (such as
nitric, phosphoric and sulfuric), titanium dioxide and hydrogen peroxide. It also
includes fertilizers, phosphates, potash and ammonia chemicals.


LIFE SCIENCE CHEMICALS
Include differentiated chemical and biological substances, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, animal
health products, vitamins and crop protection chemicals.
SPECIALTY CHEMICALS
Products include electronic chemicals, industrial gases, adhesives and sealants, as well as
coatings, industrial and institutional cleaning chemicals, and catalysts. Most specialty chemicals
are organic chemicals that are used in a wide range of every day products used by consumers and
industry. It is a consumer driven sector and as such the specialty chemical industry has to be
innovative, entrepreneurial and consumer-driven
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Include direct product sales of chemicals such as soaps, detergents, and cosmetics.

Global Trend Analysis of Chemical Industry



















The total worth of the global chemical industry is estimated at US$ 2.5 trillion and is one of the
fastest growing sectors of the manufacturing industry. The escalating crude oil prices and
increasing international environmental protection standards have posed greater challenges;
however remarkably, the chemicals industry has still grown at a rate higher than the overall-
manufacturing segment.
Although for a long time, Europe lead in terms of production of chemicals, its place has now
largely been taken by Asia, notably South Korea and Japan.