According to CEFIC, in the year 2018, the French chemical sector had total sales of around USD 88.5 billion. The French chemical industry has around 3,300 companies, and nearly 600 production sites. These companies offer direct employment to 166,650 people, and it generates 830,000 indirect and induced jobs. Around 75% of the output produced in France is exported to other countries. More than 60% of the chemicals manufactured are exported to countries within the European Union itself. Around 9.3% and 5.4% of the chemicals are exported to Asia and United States of America, respectively. France exports more than it imports. The trade balance of the country indicated a large surplus worth USD 9.9 billon in the year 2014, with USD 72.9 billion exports and USD 63.1 billion imports.
The commodity chemicals segment of the industry has 30 companies in France, generating employment to more than 500 people. Bulk petrochemicals constitute a major proportion of the French commodity chemicals market. A number of commodity chemicals companies are headquartered in France, including Saint Gobain, Air Liquide, Total Petrochemicals and Kem One. France has also attracted foreign investment from various international chemical companies. The Petrochemicals produces propylene, ethylene, polyethylene, benzene, polystyrene, polypropylene. These chemicals have wide range of industrial and household applications. These foreign companies account for 40% of the country’s chemicals production, and around 50% of the chemical companies. These foreign companies offer jobs to more than 250 people. The foreign companies include some from Europe, like Ineos, Yara International, BASF, Bayer, Borealis and Solvay, and various American companies including ExxonMobil Chemical, Dow Chemical, Lyondell Basell.
Leading chemical suppliers
Air Liquide is the world’s second largest industrial gases manufacturer. It supplies the industrial gases to a number of industries, including medical, electronics and the chemical industry. The industrial gases produced by Air Liquide include oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. These are important molecules, which are used as reaction agents for various steps in the chemical production chain. Nitrogen is an essential industrial gas, having various applications like purging, cooling and creating an inert atmosphere. BASF also an important foreign chemical company in France. Along with a number of other compounds, it also manufactures varied bulk chemicals.
Chemical clusters in the country
Roughly 30 competitive chemical clusters are located within this region. These include ELASTOPOLE in Centre-Val de Loire (Orléans), AXELERA in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Lyon) and EURAMATERIALS in Hauts de France (Villeneuve d’Ascq). PLASTIPOLIS in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Oyonnax), IAR in Hauts de France (Laon) and XYLOFUTUR in Nouvelle Aquitaine (Bordeaux) are some of the other main chemical clusters. Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes was established as the first region in France for the production of chemicals. It employs more than 32,000 people, ranking second in the country. The total turnover of this region was valued at more than USD 21.72 billion in the year 2018. It is located between the Southern and Northern Europe, enabling good local transport links and connections to the Swiss, German and Italian market. The chemical market in Hauts de France is a key sector of the region’s economy. Chemical Market Forecast provides Chemical Market Research Reports with an objective of bridging the gap between the institutions, trade bodies, associations and industry participants.

Investments in the chemical sector
The French chemical sector has played a key role in innovation and continues to invest a large amount of their revenue in research and development. Around USD 2.24 billion was invested for research and development in 2018. Around 12,000 people are involved in R&D in France, including nearly 5,500 PhD researchers. This represents more than 8% of the entire French industrial research spending. The public authorities and stakeholders in the chemical sector have developed various tax-incentive programs in order to support R&D in chemistry. The industry has taken part in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The chemical sector in France has reduced total greenhouse gas emissions from 53.9 million tons of carbon dioxide in 1990 to around 26.9 million tons in 2012.