Multi-coloured paint pots

Speciality chemicals

Scotland is a member of the EU27, the world’s largest producer and consumer of chemicals. Consequently, businesses operating in Scotland's speciality chemicals sector can maintain a high profile.

Significant opportunities exist for speciality chemicals companies in Scotland looking to capitalise on the growth in high value niche end-markets, such as cosmeceuticals, perfumes and toiletries.

An established specialist support infrastructure contributes to the ongoing vibrancy of the speciality chemicals sector in Scotland.

What are speciality chemicals?

Speciality chemicals are high added value chemicals, produced in relatively low volumes, predominantly by batch processes. These are then sold to chemical related companies based on their purity specification (‘fine chemicals’) or their ability to perform a certain function or achieve a specific effect (‘functional chemicals’).

Speciality chemicals come under the UK standard industry classification (SIC) term, SIC 24, and include:

  • Pesticides and other agro-chemicals − SIC 24.2 
  • Paints, varnishes, coatings, printing ink, sealants − SIC 24.3 
  • Explosives, glues and gelatine, essential oils, photographic materials, unrecorded media − SIC 24.6 
  • Man-made fibres − SIC 24.6 
  • Consumer chemicals such as soaps, detergents and cleaning products, toiletries, perfumes and cosmetics − SIC 24.5

The speciality chemicals sector represents just part of the overall thriving Scottish chemicals industry.

The other chemical sectors operating in Scotland, classified under the SIC 24 umbrella are pharmaceuticals and basic chemicals.