Catalonia

Chemical industry has a deeply rooted tradition in Catalonia. At present, the chemical sector in Catalonia is made of more than 1,100 companies, most of them SME’s. Several major chemical corporations also operate plants in Catalonia and play a major role not only in the value chain but also in the implementation of front line R&D activities. Chemical industry accounts for 14% of Catalan industrial added value and provides 9% of industrial workforce (more than 60,000 employees). Catalonia is clearly the most specialized Spanish chemical region, representing 50% of the national turnover and exports of the chemical industry.

The Catalan chemical industry is also a highly diversified sector. Main activities include raw-chemical (petrochemical), pharmaceutical products, plastic transformation, and manufacturing of consumer goods, such as detergents, paints or coats. A large variety of products with a broad range of uses is manufactured, and therefore, demand is generated by a vast range of industrial and non-industrial (agriculture, construction, etc.) production-related activities.

Three local industrial production systems can be identified in Catalonia. One of them is located near Tarragona (raw chemicals) and two of them in the Barcelona metropolitan area (consumer chemical products and pharmaceutical). Together, they include close to 400 firms, which generate turnover of around € 11 billion. The raw-chemical industry is the leading sector (48% of production) located at the petrochemical complex in Tarragona, which was created in the 1960s and is the most important strategic centre in the petrochemical industry of southern Europe. This site alone provides close to 50% of the whole Spanish plastic consumption. With 60% of its traffic travelling to or from the chemical plants, the Port of Tarragona is the key factor behind the local industrial production system´s location. Another factor is the reasonable distance from a significant number of potential clients of the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The pharmaceutical sector is also a key one within Chemical industry. It is composed of two major segments, which have a very high degree of vertical integration. The first segment, the fine-chemicals industry, includes the production of raw materials and active ingredients. The second segment, involves the production of preparations. Some 45% of Spanish pharmaceutical laboratories and more than half of Spanish fine-chemicals manufacturing centres are located in Catalonia.

Catalan companies are responsible for almost 60% of pharmaceutical production nationwide. Overall, these companies sell close to 80% of their production abroad.