Chemical Industry: Spain and Andalusia’s Production
The Chemical Industry
The chemical industry encompasses the extraction and processing of raw materials, both natural and synthetic, and their conversion into other substances with distinct characteristics. This process aims to meet people’s needs, improving their quality of life. The primary objective is to produce high-quality products at the lowest possible cost while minimizing environmental impact. Common products include fertilizers, dyes, explosives, plastics, rubber, detergents, insulation, artificial fibers, photographic products, and pharmaceuticals.
Due to its reliance on technology, the chemical industry is primarily located in major industrial countries and plays a key role in modern economies. It is a crucial industry, present in all areas of life, such as:
- Food
- Clothing
- Housing
- Communications
- Transportation
- Recreation
- Education
- Household products
Furthermore, it plays a decisive role in developing other industrial sectors, such as environmental, energy, and information technology. The chemical industry can be divided into three groups:
- Developing products with a specific chemical composition.
- Primary processing or treatment of crude commodity products.
- Elaboration through chemical and mechanical processes.
Inorganic and organic products, including petrochemicals, plastic resins, thermosetting resins, artificial and synthetic fibers, synthetic rubbers, and chemicals, as well as fertilizers and pesticides, are grouped into sets of homogeneous products, which constitute the Chemical Industry.
The Chemical Industry in Spain
According to the latest National Accounts data for 2006, the chemical industry accounts for 10% of the total turnover of Spanish industry, with a turnover of 47,138 million euros. This makes the chemical sector one of the main pillars of the Spanish economy, only behind the Food, Drinks, and Tobacco sector (13.8%), basic metals and metal products (10.7%), and Transport Material (17.5%).
Chemical Industry in Andalusia
The largest industrial concentration occurs in the western area, particularly in the triangle formed by Seville, Huelva, and Cadiz.
- Seville: Generates 24.4% of the value added of the Andalusian industry. Its industrial base is quite diversified, representing most industrial activities.
- Huelva: A major industrial area of the region, generating 9.8% of the gross industrial value added in 1989.
- Cadiz: Accounts for 28% of GVA. It is notable for the high average number of employees per company, due to the existence of large companies. However, it is also characterized by a lack of diversification and high concentration in specific sub-sector activities.
- Malaga: Accounts for 10.7% of the industrial added value in the region and 14.6% of employment. This province notably lacks representation in the energy, extractive, and production/processing of metals sub-sectors. There is a large concentration of industries belonging to the electrical-electronic subsector.
In the rest of the region, the presence of industrial activities is considerably less, although there is a significant industrial area in Jaén, especially in the automotive and food sectors, and in others such as pharmaceuticals and electronics.