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Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Robert Maier Robert Maier Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: July 2024 WZ C20.00DE

Revenue

€183.8bn

2024

€183.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€X.Xbn

Employees

339k

Businesses

1,272

Wages

€XX.Xbn

Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany industry analysis

The chemical industry is heavily dependent on demand from the manufacturing sector in Germany and abroad. In the period between 2019 and 2024, the volatile industrial economy had a negative impact on domestic chemical production. In the past five-year period, turnover in the chemical industry therefore fell at an average growth rate of 0.9% per year.The volatile industrial demand in the period between 2019 and 2024 was largely due to the macroeconomic impact of external influences such as the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in spring 2020 and the military escalation of the Ukraine conflict due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These events put a strain on international supply chains and caused prices for raw materials and energy in Europe to rise sharply. The enormous pressure on energy and raw material costs led to a significant increase in product prices in 2021 and 2022. However, as the players' production costs rose more sharply than sales prices, many chemical companies cut back their production significantly. Although gas and electricity prices have now fallen sharply compared to their 2022 levels, the sector is unlikely to see a sustained recovery in 2024. Demand for chemical products in Europe is only recovering slowly, and the sector is also being impacted by the high price pressure exerted by international competitors in countries such as China. According to IBISWorld forecasts, turnover in the chemical industry will fall by 4.3% year-on-year to €183.8 billion in the current year due to falling producer prices, despite a recent upturn in production for export.IBISWorld expects the coming years to remain challenging for players in the sector. In addition to persistently strong competition, particularly in the field of basic chemicals, the ongoing decarbonisation process in the chemical industry and the associated extensive investments are also likely to contribute to this. According to IBISWorld forecasts, turnover in the sector will increase at an average growth rate of 1% per year over the next five years and amount to €193.3 billion in 2029.

Trends and Insights

  • The decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries is an important part of the process of meeting climate protection targets. The chemical industry faces the challenge of replacing fossil raw materials with renewable alternatives.
  • The manufacture of most plastics and the products made from them is based on organic base chemicals. These base materials are usually obtained by cracking natural gas and crude oil.
  • The central region has the highest number of sector companies. The chemical companies are connected to the major North Sea ports via the well-developed water and land routes along the Rhine route.
  • The chemical industry is characterised by moderate internal competition. Most companies have specialised in supplying distinct markets and only compete with each other to a limited extent.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €183.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The chemical industry is an integral part of Germany as an industrial centre

  • The chemical industry is one of the leading industrial sectors of the German economy. Together with the pharmaceutical industry, it is the third largest economic sector in the manufacturing industry in terms of turnover after mechanical engineering and the automotive industry.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Biggest companies in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
BASF SE
14,784.0
Evonik Industries AG
6,845.0
Covestro AG
5,799.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Plastics in primary moulds, Organic raw materials and chemicals and Speciality chemicals. Plastics in primary moulds is the largest segment of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany.

Trends and Insights

The production of plastics in primary moulds is one of the most important production areas

  • A significant proportion of the chemical industry's turnover is generated from the production of plastics in moulds suitable for mass production for further industrial processing.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The chemical industry sector includes the production of organic and inorganic raw materials, industrial gases, polymers and plastics in primary forms as well as speciality chemicals. The production of chemical fibres, dyes, fertilisers and pesticides as well as the manufacture of detergents and body care products is also part of the sector. The manufacture of pharmaceutical raw materials and products, on the other hand, is not part of the sector.

What's included in this industry?

Production of organic basic chemicalsProduction of inorganic basic chemicalsProduction of polymersProduction of speciality chemicalsProduction of detergents and body care products

Companies

BASF SEEvonik Industries AGCovestro AG

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

DECARBONISATIONCOPPER PRODUCTNAPHTHACARBON CYCLE

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 22.2 - Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries is an important part of the process of meeting climate protection targets. The chemical industry faces the challenge of rep...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The manufacture of most plastics and the products made from them is based on organic base chemicals. These base materials are usually obtained by cracking natural gas and cru...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The central region has the highest number of sector companies. The chemical companies are connected to the major North Sea ports via the well-developed water and land routes ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The chemical industry is characterised by moderate internal competition. Most companies have specialised in supplying distinct markets and only compete with each other to a l...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world. The chemical group is currently represented by its own companies in around 90 countries.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of BASF SE's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Evonik Industries AG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Covestro AG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for BASF SE, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Evonik Industries AG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Covestro AG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Chemical products play an important role in the production of many industrial and consumer goods. Therefore, the demand for chemical products is closely linked to the develop...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The cost of materials is by far the largest single expense in the sector. Furthermore, costs for contract manufacturing by other companies are recognised in the cost of mater...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany is €183.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 1,272 businesses in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing market in Germany are BASF SE, Evonik Industries AG and Covestro AG

What does the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany include?

Production of organic basic chemicals and Production of inorganic basic chemicals are part of the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is BASF SE.

How competitive is the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Chemical & Chemical Product Manufacturing industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

International industries

  • Organic Chemical Manufacturing in the US
  • Organic Chemical Manufacturing in Canada
  • Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing in Australia
  • Organic Basic Chemical Manufacturing in the UK
  • Organic Chemical Material Manufacturing in China

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.