Exports to drive chemicals growth
15 Jan 2000
Good times could be on the doorstep for European chemicals manufacturers once again, according to the latest predictions from economists at the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC).
The keys to this recovery are the strength of the US dollar and strong demand in the US and Southeast Asia, says CEFIC. Exports are set to rise by 5 per cent this year, compared with 3.9 per cent last year. This will drive a rise in volumes of 2.5 per cent both this year and next. Moreover, low interest rates and solid profits will fuel a rise in investment, although this will focus more on current operations than new sites.
