Leading European chemical companies based on revenue 2022

The leading chemical company in Europe based on revenue in 2022 was BASF. In that year, the Germany-based chemical company generated a revenue of approximately 87.3 billion euros. This was over 40 billion euros more than the revenue recorded by BASF’s nearest competitor that year, the Dutch company LyondellBasell Industries. BASF operates globally, with operations in chemicals, plastics, performance products, functional and agricultural solutions, and oil and natural gas.

European chemical industry's market shares in decline

Based on revenue, Europe’s market share of the global chemical industry is second only to Asia. Since 2009, however, the region’s global chemical market share has been on a gradual decline and fell to a low of 20.4 percent in 2015. Since then, European chemical market share has had some recovery, and by 2021 it amounted to 23.4 percent. In comparison, Asia’s chemical market share has been increasing annually: it reached 59.2 percent in 2021.

German chemical industry: the largest in Europe

  A large proportion of the leading chemical companies in Europe shown in this ranking are based in Germany. The German chemicals industry is by far the largest in Europe, generating a turnover of approximately 190.6 billion euros in 2020.