July 7, 2008

Volume 86, Number 28

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Tables - Facts & Figures Of The Chemical Industry

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FINANCES

U.S. SHIPMENTS
All sectors saw stronger than average growth in 2007

CANADA SHIPMENTS
Chemical sector sales declined in 2007, although the agricultural market remained robust

EUROPE SHIPMENTS
Major countries posted strong gains in chemical shipments in 2007

U.S. PRICE INDEX
Chemicals posted strong increases in 2007, especially in the fats and oils and agricultural sectors

CANADA PRICE INDEX
Propelled by ammonia, inorganics soared in 2007

EUROPE PRICE INDEX
Surging producer prices reflected hefty raw material cost increases

TOP 50 U.S. CHEMICAL COMPANIES
Results scorecard remained largely unchanged at the top

U.S. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Profitability and other financial measures continued to improve for many U.S. chemical companies

U.S. COMPANY RESULTS
Most chemical and biopharmaceutical firms saw earnings growth, but many pharma companies slipped

CANADA COMPANY RESULTS
Earnings at three of four firms surged in 2007

EUROPE COMPANY RESULTS
Despite slippage at some firms, European chemcial companies held up fairly well last year

JAPAN COMPANY RESULTS
Financial performance started to deteriorate at several firms

U.S. CAPITAL SPENDING
Chemical companies increased spending 11% over the previous year

CANADA CAPITAL SPENDING
Fertilizer producers made 2007 a record year in expenditures

EUROPE CAPITAL SPENDING
Captial investment rose at many firms in 2007

JAPAN CAPITAL SPENDING
Spending at Shin-Etsu and Mitsubishi increased the most, but overall, pace of spending growth slowed dramatically

U.S. R&D SPENDING
Most chemical companies continued increases, as did all drug firms

EUROPE R&D SPENDING
Spurred by companies with pharma operations, R&D continued to rise in 2007

JAPAN R&D SPENDING
Spending increased sharply, with Mitsubishi and Sumitomo both approaching the $1 billion mark

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EMPLOYMENT

OVERALL U.S. EMPLOYMENT
Although U.S. chemical employment declined for the night straight year …

U.S. COMPANY EMPLOYMENT
… many U.S. chemical companies increased their workforce in 2007

CANADA COMPANY EMPLOYMENT
Nova's formation of a polystyrene joint venture caused its payroll to fall

EUROPE COMPANY EMPLOYMENT
Total positions dropped back after spike in 2006

JAPAN COMPANY EMPLOYMENT
Headcount rose sharply, mostly because Mitsubishi Chemical absorbed a pharmaceutical affiliate

U.S. PRODUCTION WORKERS
The number of plant workers declined in all sectors except basic chemicals and pharmaceuticals

U.S. PAY
Workers in the resins and rubber sector got big increases

U.S. PRODUCTIVITY
All chemical sectors showed some increase in output per hour …
… as unit labor costs dropped for all but basic chemicals and polymers

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PRODUCTION

U.S. PRODUCTION INDEX
Spurred by basic inorganics, total chemical output rose for the sixth straight year

CANADA PRODUCTION INDEX
Figures were down across the board

EUROPE PRODUCTION INDEX
Growth was particularly robust in France, Germany, and the U.K.

ASIA PRODUCTION INDEX
South Korea and Taiwan posted strong results for manufacturing and chemicals

U.S. ORGANICS
Ethylbenzene, vinyl acetate, and styrene led growth, while others grew modestly or declined

CANADA ORGANICS
Formaldehyde and toluene declined sharply in 2007

EUROPE ORGANICS
Ethylene dichloride and ethylene oxide led growth in organic chemicals

CHINA ORGANICS
Production of methanol jumped by more than 40% in 2007

ASIA ORGANICS
Output of most organic chemicals surged in Taiwan as new facilities came on-line

U.S. INORGANICS
Ammonium nitrate and nitric acid grew at double-digit rates

CANADA INORGANICS
Chlorine and sodium hydroxide plummeted in 2007

JAPAN INORGANICS
Production of nitrogen and oxygen reached the country’s highest levels on record

EUROPE INORGANICS
Hydogen and sulfuric acid advanced; sodium carbonate retreated

CHINA INORGANICS
Solid growth continued

U.S. PLASTICS
High-density polyethylene and polypropylene rose by 4% or more

CANADA PLASTICS
Polystyrene output dropped by more than half in 2007

EUROPE PLASTICS
Plastics showed ups and downs in 2007

U.S. SYNTHETIC FIBERS
All categories either stayed steady or declined

JAPAN SYNTHETIC FIBERS
Production was generally down

ASIA PLASTICS
Output of most plastics increased, especially in Taiwan

EUROPE SYNTHETIC FIBERS
Acrylics registered sharp decline in 2007

U.S. FERTILIZERS
Output grew at double-digit rates for urea, nitrogen solutions, and monoammonium phosphate

EUROPE FERTILIZERS
Production of nitric acid more than doubled

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TRADE

U.S. TOTAL TRADE
Chemical industry kept the number two spot among exporting sectors

U.S. CHEMICAL TRADE, BY REGION
Exports to all regions except Canada and Japan increased at double-digit rates

EUROPE CHEMICAL TRADE
Sharp rebound in German exports paced European trade in 2007

U.S. CHEMICAL TRADE, BY PRODUCT
Exports grew strongly, while imports fell in key organic chemicals and plastics categories

CANADA CHEMICAL TRADE, BY PRODUCT
Canada's trade gap narrowed as exports outpaced imports

ASIA CHEMICAL TRADE, BY PRODUCT
South Korea's petrochemical exports grew nearly 20%

CHINA CHEMICAL TRADE, BY PRODUCT
Exports of fertilizers soared while imports of inorganics stayed flat

U.S. CHEMICAL TRADE BALANCE, BY PRODUCT
Trade deficit swings to the black as organics deficit narrows and plastics exports boom

CANADA CHEMICAL TRADE BALANCE, BY PRODUCT
The chemical trade deficit shrank by more than $2 billion in 2007

EUROPE CHEMICAL TRADE BALANCE
U.K.'s chemical trade surplus dropped sharply in 2007

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Chemical & Engineering News

ISSN 0009-2347

Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society

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