The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. It is central to the modern world economy, converting raw materials like crude oil, natural gas, air, water, metals and minerals into more than 70,000 different products.

Polymer and plastics especially polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polycarbonate comprise about 80% of the industry's output worldwide. Chemicals are used to make a variety of consumer goods, as well as thousands of various inputs to the agriculture, manufacturing, construction and service industries. The chemical industry itself consumes 26% of its own output. Major industrial customers include rubber and plastic products, textiles, apparel, petroleum refining, pulp and paper, and primary metals. Chemicals are nearly a 3 trillion dollar global enterprise.

In the U.S. there are 170 major chemical companies. They operate internationally with more than 2,800 facilities outside the U.S. and 1,700 foreign subsidiaries or affiliates. The U.S. chemical output is 400 billion dollars a year. The U.S. industry records large trade surpluses and employs more than a million people in the United States alone. The chemical industry is also the second largest consumer of energy in manufacturing and spends over 5 billion dollars annually on pollution abatement. Cost effective water treatment solutions continues to top the needs for successful operations within this water intensive industry.