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Chemistry in the Netherlands
( bekijk feiten over de Nederlandse chemie in het Nederlands)
The chemical industry plays an essential role in the Dutch economy. In 2008, more than 66,000 employees generate a turnover of 50 billion euros a year, which is 3% of the Dutch Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This turnover has continued to grow by between 5% and 6% in recent years.
View the VNCI overview of 2008
View the facts & figures about the Dutch chemical industry 2008
Global leader
The Dutch chemical industry indirectly contributes 10% to the GDP and is the global leader in sectors such as basic chemistry, food ingredients, coatings and high-performance materials. The industry accounts for 17% of total Dutch exports.
Success
This success is based on a favourable location, the availability of natural gas, and highly innovative companies. The Netherlands’ high-quality knowledge infrastructure is also an important factor. Scientific research in the Netherlands is among the best in the world. In a recent report published by OWT (the Netherlands Observatory of Science and Technology), the Netherlands was ranked third amongst the top research countries, after the United States and Switzerland. This position is due to a large degree to the contribution made by the chemical industry.
Driving force
The Dutch chemical sector is a high-quality, knowledge-intensive sector that plays an essential role in the Dutch economy. In the decades to come, the sector aims to be the driving force behind a substantial growth in business and a far-reaching increase in sustainability in society.
The sector’s ambition is to improve prosperity and wellbeing in a sustainable way. In specific terms, its goal is to double its contribution to the Dutch GDP within 10 years, halve the use of fossil fuels within 25 years and develop the technological competences that are required to do so to a level of global excellence.
Research and development
The chemical industry in the Netherlands spends approximately 2.5% of its turnover on in-house research and development (R&D), which amounts to a total of 900 million euros. In addition, approximately 200 million euros are spent on outsourced R&D. The expenditure on innovation and the expenditure on R&D both amount to approximately 25% of the total industrial budget for these segments. The chemical industry is currently working with the government to develop plans for raising the innovativeness of the sector to an even higher level.
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