Chemical

The chemical industry is decreasing in size

The chemical industry is decreasing in size

The industry consists of companies which converts organic and inorganic raw materials for manufacture of chemical products by chemical process.

The industry consists of approx. 250 companies - a number that has been steadily declining since 2000,¹ that is, also before the economic crisis took off in 2008. The exception to the general decline in the number of companies involved in chemical manufacture occurred in 2004, which experienced a growth in the number of companies. Moreover, growth can also be observed when looking at turnover and employment in the industry.

Turnover less than 2% of GDP
The 248 companies that comprise the industry for chemical manufacturing in 2008 had a turnover of DKK 29.7 bn., equivelant of 1.7% of Danish GDP that year.²

Despite a decreasing number of companies and the economic crisis in 2008, the chemical industry has experienced a moderate growth in turnover since 2006 after last having peaked in 2004. Growth in the industry turnover from 2006 to 2008 was DKK 3.3 bn., corresponding to slightly above 11%.

Exports driver turnover
The industry for chemical manufacturing is very much an industry dependable on exports. Exports contribution to the total industry turnover has increased overall from 2000 to 2008. Where exports were responsible for just over 65% of industry turnover in 2000, it was almost 70% of industry turnover in 2008. As such, despite minor slumps in particular in 2002 and 2005, exports as a percentage of the industry's turnover has increased. Exports contribute on average to 67% of the total turnover.³

Employment Drop Throughout 2000-2008, the number of fulltime employees in the industry has declined with one exception around the year 2004. In 2008 there were 12,139 full-time employees in the industry - a decrease of 22% since its peak in 2004.⁴

¹ Statistikbanken, GF2.
² Statistikbanken, GF2 (current prices).
³ Statistikbanken, GF2.
⁴ Statistikbanken, GF2.

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