The UK, once a global leader in the chemical sector, has faced a dramatic decline over the past five years.
Ten large chemical complexes have shut down, leaving a highly skilled workforce with fewer opportunities.
Unlike the USA, which has seen new chemical plants emerge, the UK has not built a single one for an entire generation.
Rising Energy Costs Cripple Competitiveness
Energy prices in the UK have doubled over the last five years, reaching levels five times higher than those in the USA.
The staggering cost disparity has made it nearly impossible for UK chemical manufacturers to compete on the global stage.
Synthetic Alcohol Now Imported
Synthetic alcohol, a critical ingredient for many pharmaceutical drugs, will no longer be produced domestically.
The shift includes new blockbuster drugs that rely on this material, forcing the UK to depend on imports.
Grangemouth Ethanol Plant’s Legacy
The ethanol plant in Grangemouth, Scotland, stands as one of only two such facilities in Europe.
Over its forty years of operation, it has produced enough ethanol to fill the equivalent of 25 billion bottles of Scottish whisky.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe Warns of Industrial Decline
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman, INEOS stated, “De-industrialising Britain achieves nothing for the environment. It merely shifts production and emissions elsewhere. The UK, and particularly the North, needs high-quality manufacturing and the associated jobs. We are witnessing the extinction of one of our major industries as chemical manufacture has the life squeezed out of it”.
As per the press release, by shifting focus away from domestic production, the UK risks losing both its industrial heritage and thousands of high-value jobs, leaving a vacuum in its once-thriving chemical sector.
