Chemical Clusters and Membership Organisations

?Why does the chemical industry exist in geographical clusters?

?The UK and other countries such as Germany have a long history of chemicals manufacture.?

Chemical plants are very capital and energy intensive so are not easily relocated.? They tend to be located close to each other in geographical “clusters” which offer a combination of access to raw materials, good transport options, a skilled engineering workforce and supply chain.? In the UK the main clusters are in the North East (Teesside), North West (Merseyside and mid-Cheshire), Yorkshire (Humber and West Yorkshire) and Central Scotland.

The products of one chemical plant are often raw materials for another so large integrated sites developed during the 20th century. The plants were mainly owned by one company such as ICI or BASF.

Industry-led cluster membership organisations such as NEPIC and Chemicals Northwest formed to allow non-commercial collaboration between the companies as divestment took place from the 1990s.?

These membership organisations provide a forum to discuss initiatives that benefit the industry and supply chain performance on topics such as safety, response to climate change and future skills requirements.

How can I get involved in chemical industry membership organisations?

A good start is to attend events such as NEPIC’s annual conference “Meet the Member”.? This is a well-attended event with presentations on updates on the local industry investments and plenty of opportunities to network with regional and national companies involved in the sector at the exhibition.

Industrial Technology Systems Ltd is a key member of the chemical industry supply chain.? Come and meet us at the NEPIC Meet the Member 2023 exhibition on 5 October at Hardwick Hall Hotel , Sedgefield County Durham.