Overview of the Specialty Chemicals Industry by Aida Jebens
Overview of the Specialty Chemicals Industry
Published July 2017
Specialty chemicals are produced by a complex, interlinked
industry. In the strictest sense, specialty chemicals are chemical
products that are sold on the basis of their performance or
function, rather than their composition. They can be
single-chemical entities or formulations whose composition sharply
influences the performance and processing of the customer's
product. Products and services in the specialty chemicals industry
require intensive knowledge and ongoing innovation.
Commodity chemicals, on the other hand, are sold strictly on the
basis of their chemical composition. They are single chemical
entities. The commodity chemical product of one supplier is
generally readily interchangeable with that of any other.
This report covers 29 specialty chemical segments, which are
categorized either as market-oriented products (used by a specific
industry or market, such as electronic chemicals or oil field
chemicals) or functional products (groups of products that serve
the same function, such as adhesives, antioxidants, or
biocides).
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