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Chemicals

Although commodity and specialty chemical producers face different issues, they share a common imperative: responding to growing cost pressures and customer expectations. BCG’s chemical consulting team helps companies find innovative ways to meet these challenges.

Economic conditions, stiffer regulations, and concerns about the environment affect all corners of the $4 trillion global chemical industry—but not in the same way. Chemical distribution companies are faring better in certain regions than others, suppliers of specialty chemicals are outperforming commodity chemical industry purveyors, and oil prices continue to make chemical production companies less competitive.

Regardless of specialty or circumstance, chemical companies are united by a need to innovate in order to improve the blends that go into final products, get products to market faster, and better meet customers’ requirements.


Our Approach to Chemicals Consulting

BCG’s chemical consulting practice covers the breadth of the global chemical industry, whether it’s working with upstream producers of petrochemicals to optimize their assets’ deployment or helping downstream players with a personalization of their nutrition ingredients. We also help chemical companies deal with commoditization and develop unique offerings with defendable margins.

BCG’s comprehensive approach combines deep knowledge of dozens of chemical industry subsectors and end-user industries with global coverage of key business topics. The breadth of our experience and work gives us the perspective and ability to advise multinationals looking for effective chemical strategies in multiple subsectors, including in petrochemicals and commodity chemicals, along with niche players in specialty chemicals, differentiated chemicals, chemical distribution, and chemical equipment manufacturing.

BCG’s chemical consulting work encompasses:

  • Portfolio strategy and growth. Focusing on corporate, business unit, region, or function. 
  • Commercial excellence. Including pricing and key account management. 
  • Operations. Including supply-chain management and procurement. 
  • Cost transformation. Including full-potential planning. 
  • Digital Transformation. For commodity chemicals, focusing on operations and process improvements. For specialty chemicals, focusing on digitally enabled sales and development activities. 
  • Sustainability strategy. Addressing carbon footprints and circular business models. 

Our Clients' Success in Chemicals

BCG has proven experience helping chemical companies in five key areas:

 

Our Latest Thinking on Chemicals

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Article

Can Carbon Help Decarbonize Chemicals?

Carbon transformation, or CO2 to X, is rapidly emerging as an economically viable alternative to fossil fuel-based chemical production. Big companies need to engage.

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Article

The Lowest-Cost Path to Net Zero

By applying levers that reduce both carbon emissions and costs, industrial companies can generate savings to invest in further decarbonization initiatives.

Meet BCG’s Chemical Consulting Team

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