US Chemistry Report The economic situation of the US chemical industry in facts and figures 2017-10-06 Production: Trend pointing upwards Since December 2016 production had been declining, but started to recover in May 2017. Production increased significantly in July 2017 but dropped again in August. Capacity utilization: above average The capacity utilization followed the development of production. Utilization was still above average in August 2017. Producer prices: above previous year Prices for chemicals increased significantly in the first half of 2017. After a temporary decrease, prices increased again in August. In 2016 prices of chemicals and pharmaceuticals were above last year's level (+0.9 percent). While pharmaceuticals were 7.4 percent more expensive, prices for chemicals declined by 3.4 percent. Sales: Declining In 2016 sales recovered, however the recovery was solely driven by pharmaceuticals. Sales of chemicals decreased. Since March 2017 overall sales are declining. percentage change against previous year Foreign trade: exports still above previous years level The US chemical companies were affected by the deceleration in foreign demand. However, since mid-2016 exports are recovering. Business expectations: satisfactory The majority of the US companies assess the current situation as good. Business expectations for the coming months dropped significantly in Q3/2017 but are still in the satisfactory range. indicator percentage change against previous year cumulated last update production Aug'17 0,7 2,3 producer price Aug'17 3,8 3,7 sales Jul'17 3,2 2,9 exports Jul'17 3,8-1,1 imports Jul'17 0,5-4,2 employment Aug'17 0,8 0,9 cumulated production 0,7 producer price 3,8 sales 3,2 exports 3,8 imports 0,5 employment 0,8 Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.v., Mainzer Landstraße 55, 60329 Frankfurt, Germany Contact: Christian Buenger (phone +49 69 2556-1715) Email: buenger@vci.de Published on the VCI website under Die Branche / Wirtschaftliche Lage
Production Index 2010= in percent May, June and July had been very strong 10 months for the chemical business. Production dropped in August. Growth impulses came from chemicals while the production of pharmaceuticals grew only slightly. 95 0 The pre-crisis production level has not yet been reached. In 2016 production in the traditional chemical sector grew by 1.1 percent. The production of pharmaceuticals increased by 90-10 0.2 percent. % change ag. prev. year Production, seas. adjusted Production, trend Aug. 2017 Jan. - Aug. 2017 Aug. 2017 Jan. - Aug. 2017 Index 2010= seasonally adjusted percentage change against previous year chemical/pharmaceutical industry 97,6 97,4 2,3 0,7 chemical industry 98,9,2 2,5 2,4 inorganic basic chemicals 82,2 82,2-1,7-2,7 organic chemicals 101,4 105,3 3,6 5,2 polymers 88,9 94,0-5,4 0,5 specialty chemicals 107,3 106,5 5,4 4,8 consumer chemicals 93,3 91,3 4,1-2,4 pharmaceuticals 95,0 92,6 1,9-2,0 Capacity utilization in percent Capacity utilization decreased in first 80,0 months of 2017. Capacity utilization started to recover in May 2017 and is currently above its average level. 75,0 The capacity utilization follows closely the production development. Capacities were well-utilized since 2014. The capacity utilization reached 70,0 73.3 percent in 2016 a small increase compared to 2015. 65,0 Capacity utilisation in % chemical/pharmaceutical industry 72,6 73,3 74,4 74,3 2
Producer Price 120 118 116 114 112 Index 2010= in percent Prices of chemicals increased significantly 6,0 in the first half of 2017. After a temporary decrease, prices increased again in August. 4,0 On average, prices of chemicals and pharmaceuticals were above last years 2,0 level (+3.8 percent). While pharmaceuticals were 5.3 percent 0,0 more expensive, prices for chemicals increased only by 2.8 percent. -2,0 Prices for specialty chemicals and consumer chemicals stagnated. -4,0 % change against previous year Producer price index percentage change against percentage change against previous year previous month previous year chemical/pharmaceutical industry 118,7 0,9 0,2 3,8 chemical industry 103,8-3,4 0,7 2,8 inorganic basic chemicals 112,9-3,3 3,0 2,4 organic chemicals 103,8-3,4 2,4 6,9 polymers Plastic Resins (325211) 107,3-4,5-0,7 5,0 Synthetic Rubber (325212) 91,8-2,7-2,0 12,2 Man-Made Fibers 107,7-3,0 0,7 1,0 specialty chemicals 113,3 0,1 0,0 1,1 consumer chemicals 109,8 0,6 0,0 0,8 pharmaceuticals 146,4 7,4-0,3 5,3 Sales 120 115 105 Index 2010= in percent Sales trend is currently pointing 10 downwards. In 2016, sales of chemicals and 5 pharmaceuticals were above last years level. 0 The recovery was solely driven by pharmaceuticals (+10.7 percent). Sales of chemicals decreased (-2.1 percent). -5 This was mainly a result of rising respectively falling producer prices. changes against prev. year sales (trend) sales (seasonally adj.) -10 2015 2016 Jul. 2017 Jan. - Jul. 2017 sectors change in % against previous year chemical/pharmaceutical industry -0,5 1,7 2,9 3,2 chemical industry -6,7-2,1 0,1 1,5 pharmaceuticals 17,5 10,7 8,6 6,7 3
Foreign Trade 115 105 Index 2010=, seasonally adjusted The US chemical companies were affected by the deceleration in foreign demand. In 2016 exports were 5.5 percent below last year s exports. In the second half of 2016, exports recovered. At the same time, the import pressure increased only slightly (+0.7 percent in 2016). Exports increased in the first months of 2017 but started to decline in April. Exports are still above previous years level. 95 Exports Exports, trend 2015 2016 Jul. 2017 Jan. - Jul. 2017 percentage change against previous year chemical/pharmaceutical industry Exports -3,9-5,5-1,1 3,8 Imports 4,3 0,7-3,5 0,7 Employment 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 in 0 In August 2017 819,600 people were employed by the US chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Employment increased by 0.8 percent compared to previous year. In 2016 employment rose by 0.5 percent. On average 810,900 persons worked 2016 in the US chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The increase in the workforce began 2013 and beside some ups and downs continued since then. 750 change in % against previous year chemical/pharmaceutical industry 0,5 0,5 0,9 0,8 4
Outlook good / better satisfactory / about the same bad / worse Present economic situation Expectations for the next 6 months The majority of the US companies assess the current situation as being good. In Q3/2017 assessment of the current business situation increased further. Business expectations for the coming months dropped significantly in Q3/2017 but are still in the satisfactory range. Bleiben Sie informiert: Chemierelevante Wirtschaftsinformationen des VCI Konjunktur: Wir analysieren regelmäßig die aktuelle wirtschaftliche Lage für die Chemie in Deutschland, Europa und der Welt. Hierzu zählen auch die gesamtwirtschaftliche Situation und die Entwicklung in anderen Industriezweigen. Eine Auswahl unserer Konjunkturberichte: Dazu zählen: Branchenporträt Länderberichte und Länderinfos Chemiemärkte weltweit Investitionsbericht Weitere Informationen unter: http://bit.ly/berichte_analysen Chemiebarometer für Deutschland, EU, USA Konjunktur aktuell, Quartalsbericht Weitere Informationen unter: http://bit.ly/wirtschaftliche_lage Prognosen: Mit unserer Studie Die Deutsche Chemische Industrie 2030 analysieren wir regelmäßig die Entwicklung der chemischen Industrie in Deutschland bis zum Jahr 2030. Weitere Informationen unter: http://www.vci.de/diebranche/chemie-2030. Langfristige Entwicklungen: Der VCI veröffentlicht regelmäßig Berichte und Analysen zu Strukturveränderungen der globalen Chemieindustrie und zu umfangreichen Branchenkennzahlen Sonderthemen: Zu den Themen Forschung, Entwicklung und Bildung, Energie, Klimaschutz und Rohstoffe sowie Industrieland Deutschland bieten wir umfangreiche Foliensätze an. Weitere Informationen unter: http://bit.ly/berichte_analysen. Oder lassen Sie sich direkt über den VCI Wirtschafts- Newsletter wöchentlich über die aktuellen Publikationen des VCI zur Chemiewirtschaft informieren. Abonnieren Sie den Newsletter direkt unter: http://bit.ly/vci-wirtschafts- News oder kontaktieren Sie Christiane Kellermann (kellermann@vci.de; Tel. 069/2556-1585) Falls Sie noch nicht über ein Login zum Mitgliederbereich von VCI-Online verfügen oder Ihr Kennwort vergessen haben, hilft diese Seite schnell weiter: http://bit.ly/vci- Registrierung. 5