Growth in global chemical business is increasingly shifting to Asia. In 2010 German chemical companies sold goods worth 144 billion euros (+17.5 %) to customers abroad – which makes Germany the by far largest chemical exporter worldwide, ahead of the USA (129 billion euros) and Belgium (97 billion euros).

After a drop in the crisis year 2009, the global demand for chemicals grew in 2010 by 23 % to ca. 3.1 trillion euros. For the first time it exceeded the 3-trillion mark. Highest growth rates were recorded in Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, where the demand for products “made in Germany” was stronger than ever before.

The German chemical industry did not cut staff during the economic crisis so that chemical companies were able to speedily return to high production and to serve rising orders from customers all over the world.

• Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V. (VCI; German chemical industry association), Frankfurt, Germany