The global chemical industry is positioned for steady growth in 2026, with the market expected to reach $6.324 trillion, a 2.3% increase on 2024. This ETS fact sheet summarizes the key metrics — global production growth, U.S. output growth, and the chemical distribution market CAGR — along with regional variation led by Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa, and the outlook for GCC specialty chemicals and clean-in-place chemicals.
It then addresses the supply chain complexity chemical manufacturers face from volatile raw material costs, stringent regulation, and limited visibility, and how SAP responds: Integrated Business Planning for scenario modeling, Supply Chain Control Tower for end-to-end visibility, and Business Network for supplier collaboration. BYK, a specialty chemicals company, used SAP IBP and Control Tower to harmonize demand planning and improve forecast accuracy across previously isolated legacy systems.
A closing section covers digital transformation and innovation — AI and machine learning for predictive maintenance and material discovery, IoT and industrial sensors, and advanced robotics and automation on the path to smart factories.
The full fact sheet is available above as a PDF. See also the "Chemical Industry 2026 Market Outlook: Executive Brief" and the full "Chemical Industry 2026: Market Conditions and Outlook" deck in the Resource Library.