Classification of chemical industries

Of all the sciences, chemistry is undoubtedly one of the most effective in everyday life due to the wide variety of its products. Chemistry truly transforms the world forever (food, clothes, medicines, etc.), and sometimes it is evil (pollution of the air and especially water and the use of substances, especially gases in war).

We list chemical products in the following four groups and their respective economic characteristics:

Basic chemistry. Produces bulk products(ammonia, gases, acids, salts); petrochemical industry (benzene, ethylene, propylene, xylene, toluene, butadiene, methane, butylene) and finished products(fertility fertilizers, industrial chemicals, plastics, propylene oxide, resins, elastomers and dyes). With continuous operation and high energy consumption, low profit margin and very cyclical technology.

They are suppliers to companies that also deal in basic chemistry, specialty chemistry and other business products for textiles, automobiles, furniture, pulp and paper, oil refining, metals, glass, etc.

specialized chemistry. It produces rubber and plastic products, paints and sealants, adhesives, catalysts, coatings, additives, etc. It uses basic chemicals, but has technologically more advanced products and processes, as well as continuous synthesis processes. It is with lower production volumes, but provides more added value due to the production of goods that are usually protected by a patent and have no substitutes.

1. Chemistry of biological sciences. It manufactures pharmaceutical, agrochemical and biotech products, with synthesis plants, is segmented in batches and has very complex manufacturing processes in a controlled environment and with rigorous quality control.
2. Chemistry of personal and public hygiene. Formed by soap companies detergents, bleaches, hair and skin products, perfumes, etc.; His production processes large volumes (detergents) or batches can be created, with large investments in process equipment.

Remark 1

The chemical industry uses a very large array of resources: fuel (solid or liquid) and gaseous media, sulfur pyrite, limestone, salts, products of plant and animal origin, etc. The location of chemical industries (because of their danger) should be shifted from large population points. Perhaps closer to the resources. In addition, chemicals require very specialized transport and storage conditions.

Location of the global chemical industry

Chemical industry has a significant presence worldwide. The largest chemical company on the planet is BASF, headquartered in Germany. The next largest, ExxonMobil and SABIC, are in the US and Saudi Arabia, respectively. World giants from the 4th to the 12th magnitude are deployed in:

• Germany;
• South Korea;
• Brazil;
• France;
• Taiwan;
• Russia;
• the Netherlands;
• Italy;
• United Kingdom.

Remark 2

Resource centers are shifting due to the emergence of shale gas in the US or coal and olefins in China. In addition, the centers of demand are shifting due to the emergence of a rapidly growing middle class in developing countries.

Due to the wide variety of chemicals, specialization of individual countries in the chemical industry is formed. Perhaps only the United States is able to produce all kinds of chemicals in large quantities. Germany specializes in varnishes and paints. France produces synthetic rubber and industrial rubber products, Great Britain - synthetic detergents, the Netherlands - plastics, Belgium - plastics, inorganic acids and salts, Switzerland and Hungary - pharmacy, Sweden and Norway - forestry and electrochemical products Some "new industrial countries" ( South Korea, Taiwan) are also increasing the production of plastics and fibers. In China, India, basic chemistry products predominate. In countries with significant reserves of oil and gas, products of organic synthesis chemistry predominate. Significant volumes of production of basic chemistry are created in Russia.

French chemical industry

There are four competing chemical industry clusters in France: IAR Industries and Agro-Resources (Champagne-Ardenne and Picardy): with a global vocation, the competitiveness cluster seeks to combine skills and technologies to extract, transform and formulate biomass components through non-food plant recovery; Environmental Chemistry Lyon Rhone-Alpes: This industrial and scientific center, also with a global vocation, hopes to become a European leader in chemistry and the environment by 2012. Cosmetic Valley (Center, Upper Normandy, Ile-de-France): The world's leading resource center for perfumes and cosmetics. Perfumes, fragrances, fragrances PASS (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes): specialized body hygiene products and agricultural products,

Within these competitiveness clusters, there are well-known companies: Arkema, Sanofi Aventis, L "Oreal, Air-Liquid and Rhodia. The main companies associated with the chemical industry in France are:

Remark 3

Foreign investors provide 40% of French chemical production. Shell and ExxonMobil, large petrochemical groups, as well as fine chemicals and specialties specialists such as Rohm Haas, Toray Soficar, TBI Synthesia, Dupont, BASF produce their traditional products in France.

Green chemistry in the world

Definition 1

Green chemistry defined as methods and methodologies of chemistry that reduce or eliminate elements that are hazardous to human health and harmful to the environment in the use or production of chemical products. In other words, such chemistry seeks to promote pure chemistry for the service of mankind and in harmony with natural resources.

It is desirable to make the chemical process waste-free as soon as it has formed. This means that synthesis methods must be designed so that the final product includes all the materials used in the process. The feed should preferably be renewable instead of depleted as this makes the process technically and economically viable.

Chemical products must be designed in such a way that at the end of their operation they do not remain in the environment, but become harmless degradation products.

Substances used in chemical processes in a manner that minimizes the potential for chemical accidents, including emanations, explosions and fires.

The types of products and processes where green chemistry principles have been adopted include medicine, cosmetics, polymers, food production, energy production, packaging, household and commercial cleaning products, electronics, and the automotive industry.

Chemistry uses waste from many industries, so an important factor its location is the combination of production, especially with metallurgy. The possibilities of combining and using a variety of raw materials are so great that enterprises can be built almost anywhere. But the limiting factor is the high energy and water intensity and the negative impact on environment most chemical industries.

Main bases: Central (around Moscow), North European (around), Ural-Volga, and Siberian.

The chemical industry has a significant impact on nature.

On the one hand, the chemical industry has a wide raw material base, which makes it possible to dispose of waste and actively use secondary raw materials, which contributes to more economical use of natural resources. In addition, it creates substances that are used to chemical cleaning water, air, plant protection, restoration.

On the other hand, it itself is one of the most “dirty” , affecting all components of the natural environment, which requires regular environmental protection measures.
The environmental factor not only determines the location of chemical enterprises, but also has unique opportunities for the use and processing of any, even the most toxic waste. However, the issue of recycling the products of chemical enterprises is becoming more and more important, as new substances and materials created by it practically do not decompose.

The main problems facing the industry are the development of production newest species products of fine chemistry (pure substances, reagents), microbiological industry, the creation of small industries that do not have a particular impact on the environment.

Designed to showcase the industry's most outstanding achievements. Representatives of the largest centers of the chemical industry will take part in the event. Enterprises will present their best products and latest developments which are not yet in mass production. Consumers will be able to evaluate these new products, and manufacturers based on feedback will draw conclusions about their new products. The exposition is held in an international format. It will combine the industry and research industry. The largest suppliers of chemicals, equipment, the latest technologies will meet in one place with consumers of their products in order to assess the significance and level of development of the chemical segment today.

The assortment of the chemical industry includes over 80 thousand items. The sales market for this segment is metallurgical, textile, automotive industry, Agriculture.

The largest chemical complexes of the Russian Federation

The chemical industry in Russia is at a decent level of development. The share of exports in total production reaches 20%. Russian industry represents great amount factories, each of which specializes in a particular product. All chemical enterprises can be divided into 2 groups. The first is enterprises whose activities relate to fundamental chemistry, that is, mineral-based products are produced (fertilizers for soil, acids, alkalis, soda, etc.). The second group includes companies engaged in organic chemistry, that is, those that produce fibers, resins, synthetic rubber, rubber, polymeric materials, etc.

The centers of the chemical industry are concentrated mainly in the areas of their raw material and energy supply. The problem is that most of them are far removed from their consumer market. But now, thanks to the availability of transport routes and various types transport, this difficulty is no longer of decisive importance. So, in the Central region, the chemical centers are the cities of Yaroslavl and Ryazan. The factories located there specialize in the manufacture of fertilizers and plastics. In the Volga region, the cities of Balakovo, Nizhnekamsk and Volzhsky can be distinguished. The factories of these cities produce rubber and synthetic fibers. In the North-Western region, the centers are St. Petersburg and Novgorod. Fertilizers and household chemicals are produced there.

Thus, we can conclude that the majority of chemical enterprises are concentrated in the European part of the Russian Federation. Siberia is not so rich in chemical industry plants, although it has a significant share of resources that have not yet been fully explored and developed.

World chemical industrial centers: their activities and location

The chemical sector is inextricably linked with the scientific and technical sphere and the degree of its development. This is what determined the high level of the chemical industry in the West and in the United States. In developed countries, this area has been improved and brought to new level. On a global scale, there are 4 main areas where the chemical sector is most developed. In the first place are European countries: Germany, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands. These countries provide about 25% of world exports. Germany is the leader among these countries.

The second area is North America, namely the USA. This power is one of the world's largest suppliers of chemical products. It accounts for more than 20% of world exports.

In third place are the countries of East Asia, among which Japan stands out the most. China and Korea follow. The fourth place is deservedly occupied by Russia. The share of export products on a global scale is about 5%.

industrial the developed countries more and more specialize in the production of the latest science-intensive types of chemical products.

There are four main regions in the global chemical industry:

1. Foreign Europe, in the first place, France, giving 23-24% of world production and export of chemical products. The most “chemicalized” country in this region is Germany. After World War II, the petrochemical industry came to the fore in this region, oriented mainly to imported raw materials. This led to a shift in the chemical industry to ports (Rotterdam, Marseille, etc.), as well as to the routes of large oil and gas pipelines from Russia (this mainly applies to countries).
2. North America. Particularly distinguished here is the world's largest producer and exporter of chemical products (about 20% of world chemical production and 15% of its world exports).
3. East and Southeast Asia. Japan stands out here (15% of world production and exports of chemical products), China, and Korea.
4. CIS, where it is allocated (3-4% of world chemical production).

In addition, a very large area specializing in the production of chemical products (mainly semi-products of organic synthesis and fertilizers) has developed in the Persian Gulf zone. The raw material for production here is the huge resources of associated (oil production) gas. The oil-producing countries of the region, Iran, and others, provide 5-7% of the world's chemical products, which are almost entirely export-oriented.

Outside these regions, the chemical industry is developed in and other countries.
Placement of branches of the chemical industry.

Industry is the leading industry polymer materials based on oil and gas or petrochemical raw materials. For a long period of time, the raw material base for the industry of polymeric materials almost everywhere was coal-chemical and vegetable raw materials. The change in the nature of the raw material base also significantly affected the geography of industry - the importance of coal regions decreased, the role of oil and gas production areas, and coastal regions increased.

At present, the most powerful organic synthesis industry is in economically developed countries that have large (USA, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Russia, etc.) .).

All of the above countries occupy leading positions in the world production of synthetic resins and plastics and other types of synthetic products. Of the polymer industries, only the production of chemical fibers shows a shift towards developing countries. In this type of production, along with the traditional leaders - the USA, Germany, etc., among the largest manufacturers in last years also included China, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, India.

Unlike the industry of polymeric materials, the mining and basic chemistry industries are widely represented not only in economically developed countries, but also in developing countries.

The leading producers of mineral fertilizers are China, USA, Canada, India, Russia, Germany, Belarus, France,. At the same time, in terms of mining and processing of phosphorites, along with the USA, (, ), Asia (, Israel), the CIS (Russia, Kazakhstan), Christmas Islands and are distinguished. The vast majority of world production and processing of potash salts is carried out by the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, Belarus.

The main raw material for the production of nitrogen fertilizers is. Therefore, among the most important producers and exporters of nitrogen fertilizers are, first of all, countries rich in natural gas(USA, Canada, Netherlands, Russia, Gulf countries). IN in large numbers Nitrogen fertilizers are also produced by France, Germany, Ukraine, China, India, whose nitrogen fertilizer industry is closely connected with these countries.

Sulfur producing countries - USA, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Poland. Ukraine, Russia, Japan, etc. The largest producers of sulfuric acid are the USA, China, Japan and Russia (they account for more than half of the world production).

Geography of individual branches of the chemical industry

The chemical industry today is the most important sphere of the world economy. It is the most dynamic of the branches of modern industry. Today there is no longer an economic branch, wherever chemistry has taken root.

Chemical industry of the world

Chemicalization of the economy is a developing direction of modern scientific and technological progress.

In the structure of the chemical industry, four major groups industries :

• basic chemistry;
• chemistry of organic synthesis;
• polymer chemistry;
• fine chemistry.

Rice. 1. Branches of the chemical industry.

In the global chemical industry, there is a clear desire to concentrate the production of high-tech science-intensive products. In this production segment, the main positions are assigned to four main regions: the USA, overseas Europe, East Asia and CIS countries.

Over 75% of medicines and perfumes are produced in countries with developed economies, 20% are produced by developing countries and less than 5% are produced in the CIS.

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Japan occupies a leading position in the world in terms of drug consumption per capita.

Importance of the chemical industry in the world economy

Chemical enterprises act as suppliers of raw materials and materials for such industries as metallurgy, engineering, construction, and agriculture. Chemical production produces products without which it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person. Among the products manufactured by the chemical industry are synthetic fabrics, cosmetics, perfumes.

Rice. 2. Synthetic fabrics.

Without the chemical component, the entire structure of modern health care would become ineffective. The importance and relevance of the chemical industry in the world economy cannot be overestimated.

One of the largest segments of the chemical industry in terms of output is the organic chemical industry.

The importance of the chemical industry in the world economy is quite large.

Pharmacology plays a significant role in the chemical industry. This factor makes the industry specific. Production volumes are not paramount here. The main importance in the pharmaceutical industry is given to the quality and sterility of products. Pharmacology is the most science-intensive area - research studies and experiments are regularly carried out here, the latest substances are synthesized with a high percentage of efficiency.

Rice. 3. Manufacture of fertilizers.

The agrochemical industry is an area that supplies artificial synthesis substances for agricultural needs. The current volumes of plant crops suitable for food and for technical needs would not be achievable without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

What have we learned?

We found out in which areas the latest achievements of this industry are actively applied. We learned which of the directions is the most science-intensive.

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