Chemicals manufacturing: future trends

The industry is forecast to reach a turnover of £56.8bn in 2015, and is expected to see significant changes as old technology is replaced by new techniques and methods.

The sector in the UK faces challenges from the emerging Asian and Eastern European markets and their lower labour and raw materials costs. This is likely to see consolidation within the sector through mergers and acquisitions, and innovation in manufacturing techniques and supply chains.

There is anticipated to be a significant increase in the use of biotechnology, particularly in agrichemicals, in chemicals processing, in the plastics and polymers industries, and the production of biofuels. This is likely to have a significant effect on research and development.

Skills needs

The skills mix in the future is likely to be wider and more interdisciplinary, and it is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in the skills level of the sector, with professional roles becoming much more postgraduate. There is expected to be more collaboration with universities; research will rely on innovative technology platforms, be concentrated on niches and be conducted at the interfaces between sciences.

Employment projections suggest that by 2017 the sector will require approximately 15,000 new employees in the UK, over and above natural replacement demand, which is significant. The main recruitment areas are anticipated to be in managerial and professional roles, which are frequently filled by doctoral graduates, in associate professional roles (typically first degree level) and at machine and technical operative level (typically skilled manual workers). 

At present, turnover in scientist roles in the sector is low, and job turnover since the recession has been largely concentrated in operation and production roles, in technician positions and in administration. Hiring in the industry since the recession has largely focused on experienced professionals and recruitment through agencies. In the short term, these are likely to be the most effective entry routes for holders of doctorates, rather than through traditional graduate entry schemes. However, concern has been addressed about the attractiveness of the sector to graduates, and the possible effects on future skills needs of the industry in light of recent reduced graduate intakes.