Catalonia’s chemical sector generates €29.1 billion in revenue, equivalent to 9% of GDP

The chemical and plastics sector in Catalonia is made up of 1,747 companies (2025 data) with a combined turnover of €29.096 billion (2024 data, the latest available), equivalent to 9% of Catalan GDP. Furthermore, it also directly employs 65,755 people (2024 data).

These are some of the main findings of the study The Chemical sector in Catalonia published by ACCIÓ- Catalonia Trade & Investment. The publication of these figures coincides with this week’s edition of Expoquimia, one of the sector’s leading international events. It also comes at a time when Catalonia holds the presidency of the European Chemical Regions Network (ECRN), the leading European network of regions with a strong chemical industry, which it will chair during the 2026–2027 period.

The report highlights Catalonia’s leadership within Spain, accounting for 25% of the country’s chemical companies, 37% of sector turnover and 31% of total employment. In addition, Catalonia ranked as the fifth region globally in terms of foreign investment projects attracted in the sector between 2021 and 2025.

 
A snapshot of the Catalan chemical sector

The chemical sector covers a value chain ranging from the extraction and processing of raw materials, both natural and synthetic, to their transformation into new products for industrial and consumer applications.

In Catalonia, the sector includes activities such as raw materials, petrochemicals, basic and specialty chemicals (including pesticides and other agrochemical products; paints, varnishes and coatings; soaps, perfumes, detergents and cosmetics; and other chemical products and synthetic fibers), as well as plastics and rubber production.

According to the study, the sector is concentrated around three major chemical hubs -Tarragona, Barcelona and the Vallès region - which together account for 77% of companies, 87% of turnover and 80% of employment in the sector across Catalonia. Each hub has developed a different specialization: Tarragona focuses on basic chemicals and petrochemicals; Vallès on specialty chemical products; and Barcelona on corporate activities as well as perfume and cosmetics production.

Particularly noteworthy is the Tarragona chemical hub, the most significant in southern Europe. It represents 50% of Catalonia’s chemical production and 25% of Spain’s. The Tarragona hub is also a major exporter, with more than half of its production destined for international markets. It is home to two of Spain’s three operational molecular separation facilities, known as crackers, operated by Repsol and Dow, which serve as major attraction points for companies in the sector.

At the same time, Catalonia’s chemical industry forms the most important logistics node in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the Port of Barcelona and the Port of Tarragona serving as key infrastructures. In 2024, the Port of Barcelona handled nearly 9 million tonnes of chemical products, while the Port of Tarragona moved 3.5 million tonnes, representing growth of 80% compared with the previous year.

The study underlines that this is a mature sector, with nearly 77% of companies having been in operation for at least ten years. It also highlights the role of startups, noting that Catalonia is home to 151 startups linked to the chemical sector in 2025. Together, these companies generate more than €105 million in revenue and employ close to 1,400 people.

Catalonia, an attractive investment region

Catalonia’s chemical sector also stands out for its ability to attract foreign investment. Between 2021 and 2025, Catalonia attracted 53 international investment projects in the sector, representing total investment of €955 million and the creation of 1,735 jobs. These figures position Catalonia as the fifth region in the world and the second in the European Union in terms of international investment projects in the chemical sector, surpassed only by Flanders (Belgium).

Catalonia also consolidated its position as Spain’s leading destination for foreign investment in the sector, both in terms of capital invested and the number of projects and jobs created.

The main source countries for these investments are Germany, China, the United States and the Netherlands, with projects promoted by companies such as Covestro, AkzoNobel, Dow and Archroma.

Sector internationalization

Catalonia has also been Spain’s top exporting and importing region in the chemical sector over the last five years (2021–2025), according to ACCIÓ’s analysis. During this period, Catalan exports in the sector reached €98.499 billion, representing growth of 43% compared with the previous five-year period (2016–2020).

Overall, these exports account for around 42% of Spain’s total chemical exports. The main destination markets for Catalan products are France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and the United States. In addition, 44 countries have been identified as offering business opportunities for Catalan companies operating in the sector.

Imports also increased during the same period, reaching €91.279 billion, up 23% compared with the previous five-year period and accounting for 38% of Spain’s total imports in the sector. The main countries of origin are Germany, France, China, Italy and the Netherlands.

Trends, challenges and opportunities

The study places the chemical sector within a context of significant structural transformation, where geopolitical tensions are driving the reconfiguration of global supply chains. This is forcing companies to redesign logistics and production networks to reduce risk, volatility and critical dependencies.

At the same time, the sector is advancing its digital transformation through the adoption of technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and automation, which will enable companies to anticipate disruptions and strengthen operational resilience.

To address these developments, the report identifies the main global trends that will shape the future of the chemical industry, with the Tarragona hub positioning itself at the forefront of many of them. These include carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), electrification and clean energy, renewable hydrogen, chemical recycling and new safety assessment models.

Expoquimia as a driver of the sector

The updated report on Catalonia’s chemical sector coincides with the celebration of Expoquimia and Equiplast this week. Organized by Fira de Barcelona, these two trade fairs, held every three years, will jointly bring together more than 800 exhibitors and over 1,500 leading brands from the chemical and plastics industries. The events will provide a platform to address the sector’s main energy, environmental and competitiveness challenges, particularly through a congress program featuring 200 activities and more than 400 leading speakers