ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY
CHEMICALS DRIVE SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION
Philippa Glover, Managing Director of The Rakem Group, says the chemical industry is crucial to the UK delivering sustainability or reaching its net zero ambitions
C
hemicals are the unseen backbone of everyday life, underpinning every sector and supply chain and accounting for 96% of all manufactured products. Without changes across the industry to deliver low-carbon, sustainable chemicals, all downstream sectors including construction, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical and packaging can’t decarbonise at the pace required. And renewable technologies and battery storage will fail as they are reliant on advanced chemistry. Without the chemical industry the UK simply can’t deliver sustainability or reach its net zero ambitions. Chemical suppliers and manufacturers are
already leading the transition through investment in R&D to develop and commercialise innovative sustainable formulations, bio-based alternatives and lower-carbon chemistries. As one of the UK’s biggest investors in R&D, around £5bn annually, the chemical industry is continually looking at new ways to improve safety standards, traceability and environmental performance. And UK manufacturers are investing heavily in R&D for sustainable formulations including bio- based polymers, low-volatile organic compounds (VOC) coatings and water-based alternatives to replace solvent-heavy chemistries. Subject to strict safety and environmental regulations, chemical companies are validating greener materials through rigorous testing, ensuring regulatory compliance and that they’re stable, safe and suitable for specific purposes from construction and infrastructure to food production and consumer goods.
Contributing £18.5bn GVA annually and supporting over 500k jobs across supply chains, the chemical industry is led by SMEs, accounting for around 90% of UK chemical companies. They are effectively driving sustainable innovation from the bottom up. Able to pivot production quickly, enter niche or emerging markets at speed in response to customer problems and climate
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change, they’re already proving the commercial viability of bio-based feedstocks, circular materials and low-carbon additives. This is alongside responding to ever tightening regulations such as UK REACH, VOC limits, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and embodied carbon reporting. Their agility and ability to absorb market challenges such as rising energy prices and disruption to global supply chains, while still keeping production lines moving, is enabling larger manufacturers and organisations to meet their sustainability commitments.
“ Almost every
attempt to decarbonise any industry is dependent on chemicals
Low-carbon admixtures, binders, coatings and insulation materials are critical to construction, for example, which accounts for around 40 per cent of global carbon emissions. In textiles, chemical innovation is enabling recycled fibres, low-impact dyes and water-saving processes. In coatings, greener additives and pigments reduce embodied carbon and improve durability, extending asset life. The challenge is that almost every attempt to decarbonise any industry is dependent on chemicals. Recognised as a foundational sector by government, there is a growing focus on UK-based production, circular feedstock loops and waste-to-chemical technologies. Manufacturers are also collaborating more closely with customers, universities and research centres to co-develop
” PROCESS & CONTROL ENGINEERING | SEPTEMBER 2026
new, more sustainable materials such as graphene. With demand rising for sustainable chemicals due to ESG reporting requirements, Scope 3 -emissions pressure, supply chain traceability, corporate commitments and the UK government’s 2050 net zero target, the sector is responding. Yet it’s facing challenges of its own. Uncertainty and fears of additional administrative and cost burdens with the introduction of UK REACH and high energy costs for businesses and intensive energy users such as chemical manufacturers, mean the sector is “in the fight of its life” with a 60% decline in British chemical output over the last year. With such a strong interdependence with the chemical industry, every plant closure makes the sector more inefficient and vital links in regional manufacturing supply chains are lost, as are capabilities and skills. The loss of basic raw materials coupled with energy costs, four times higher for UK manufacturers than in the US, means the UK is increasingly reliant on imports, threatening supply chain security. Problems in the Strait of Hormuz for example, and rising oil prices have had a massive impact on polymers. With petroleum the primary feedstock for plastics, supply chain disruptions and oil spikes have significantly affected both flexible and rigid plastic production and downstream activities in automotive, construction and other sectors. Ultimately, net zero not only starts with chemicals, it could also fail because of them. The vital role of chemicals and the role of manufacturers in driving sustainable innovation isn’t negotiable or insignificant. Recognising and valuing the chemical industry will determine whether the UK keeps the capabilities and economic confidence needed to keep the sector alive and deliver a more sustainable, lower carbon future for everyone.
The Rakem Group
rakemgroup.co.uk
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