It is a sector with a high added value production: over 55 billion euros<\/strong>, equal to 9.5% of the European total<\/strong>. Figures that make it the fourth largest sector<\/strong> in Italian industry.<\/p>\n How has the sector grown in recent years? What are the prospects for the coming months and what solutions could companies employ to do even better?<\/p>\n Let’s start with some numbers.<\/p>\n The Italian chemical industry<\/strong> has considerable weight in the European and global context: it is the third largest on the continent<\/strong> and twelfth largest globally<\/strong>. The connections between companies in the European market are so deep that it can be considered a real domestic market<\/strong> for our companies.<\/p>\n There are around 2,800<\/strong> of them and they employ more than 112,000 highly qualified people<\/strong>: the level of specialisation of their staff is one of the sector’s strengths. This is compounded by investment in research and development.<\/p>\n According to a report by Federchimica<\/a>, around 50% of companies<\/strong> in Italy have an in-house R&D department<\/strong>. 56% of the companies surveyed have developed product innovation activities, compared to an average of 35% in the manufacturing sector. A considerable proportion of companies also carry out process innovation<\/strong> (around 49% of the sample).<\/p>\n These data allow us to understand how the numerous chemical sub-industries<\/strong> play a fundamental role<\/strong> in the production and distribution of high-tech products: the intermediate goods sold are incorporated into subsequent processes, thus increasing the diffusion of innovative solutions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This is why chemistry plays a major role in promoting the transition of the entire industry towards new production models: more sustainable<\/strong>, less polluting<\/strong> and more efficient<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Chemistry can therefore play a leading role in the ecological transition<\/strong> promoted by the European Union: a path of industrial reconversion that will be decisive in the years to come. In this sense, talking about Chemistry 4.0<\/strong> is becoming increasingly common. Research in this field is progressing rapidly, and technologies such as Artificial Intelligence<\/strong> are proving to be decisive, as emerges from a Deloitte research<\/a> dedicated to the subject.<\/p>\n In particular, the most immediate benefits relate to increased productivity<\/strong> and reduced risk<\/strong>: the use of AI algorithms, for example, enables key information on production to be gathered, keeping plants under control<\/strong> and reducing emissions that are harmful to the environment. Many companies, such as the Austrian polyethylene and polypropylene specialist Borealis<\/a>, have already adopted similar solutions.<\/p>\n Another distinctive feature<\/strong> of Italian chemicals is its strong international presence<\/strong>: from 2007 to 2019, there has been a steady increase in exports abroad (+37%<\/strong>).<\/p>\n This has made it possible to contain the losses<\/strong> – in terms of know-how and employment – that followed the contraction of the domestic market with the 2009-2010 crisis.<\/p>\n Italy has thus gained the second position<\/strong> among European nations exporting chemical products, surpassing even Germany: a result to which the great receptivity of non-EU markets<\/strong> certainly contributes.<\/p>\n Here, in 2019, our trade balance registered a positive balance of 2.2 billion euros<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In addition to the geographical data, there are also differences between the various sectors<\/strong>: the result for fine and specialised chemicals<\/strong> is particularly significant, with a positive surplus of \u20ac4.2 billion<\/strong> in the same period.<\/p>\n What are the prospects for the coming months in view of the recovery?<\/p>\n The most recent figures show a rebound in chemical exports to foreign countries: a result to which the pharmaceutical sector<\/a> <\/strong>certainly contributes with its growing demand for components in recent months.<\/p>\n![\"Industria](\"https:\/\/www.matchplat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/CHIMICO-2.png\" "\\"Matchplat\\"")
<\/p>\nThe chemical sector: between specialisation and innovation<\/h3>\n
![\"Industria](\"https:\/\/www.matchplat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/CHIMICO-3.png\" "\\"Matchplat\\"")
<\/p>\nThe importance of exports: sector growth and latest trends<\/h3>\n