The Growing Opportunity for Chemical Distributors

Reducing Complexity for Producers Through Tailored Service Offerings

By Stefan ScholzChristian HoffmannAnna Sinemus, and Udo Jung

In 2010, The Boston Consulting Group published a study1 1 See Opportunities in Chemical Distribution, BCG Focus, 2010. Notes: 1 See Opportunities in Chemical Distribution, BCG Focus, 2010. on the evolving global distribution market for chemical producers. The study identified an increasing need for new approaches to distribution that strike the proper balance between providing differentiated offerings and containing the resulting costs of complexity. In the three years since, the trends we identified have continued to develop, and new market factors for success have become apparent. To map the current competitive landscape for chemical distributors, we updated our findings by evaluating the most recent market data, conducting a comprehensive survey, and interviewing more than 150 key players in the industry—producers, distributors, and customers.