ICIS Chemical Business Unveils Top 100 Chemical Companies

NEW YORK and LONDON - ICIS Chemical Business magazine has unveiled the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies, with rankings based on 2008 sales.

“The results, spanning the global chemical industry, reflect a strong start to the year, followed by a collapse in the third and fourth quarters, triggered by the global financial and economic crisis that began in the US,” said Joseph Chang, Global Editor of ICIS Chemical Business.

German major BASF led the pack, as it did in 2007, with $87.8bn in sales in 2008, while US-based ExxonMobil eclipsed US major Dow Chemical for the number two spot with $58.1bn in sales versus Dow’s $57.5bn - third in the rankings.

The crisis made its mark on the 2008 figures, most notably on net profit. Out of the ICIS Top 100 Companies, 23 posted net losses in 2008. Overall profits tumbled 53% year over year.

“Troubles in construction and automotive, key end-use sectors for chemicals, hit many players hard. Indeed, the link between chemicals, houses and cars would be exposed in 2008 like never before,” said Nigel Davis, ICIS Insight Editor.

The crisis continues to impact the chemical market, and 2009 will likely show further earnings declines.

But for some companies, sales will rise in 2009 as the impact from big acquisitions completed in early 2008 kick in.

“The year 2008 will be remembered in chemical circles for many things, but not least having the tail end of a spate of mergers and acquisitions that reshaped large parts of the industry,” said Davis.

Multibillion dollar deals announced in 2008 that closed in 2009 will propel Dow Chemical’s sales higher, following its acquisition of US specialty chemicals giant Rohm and Haas for around $19bn, including the assumption of debt.

BASF will also likely boost its industry leading sales figure with its Swiss francs 6.1bn ($5.9bn) buyout of Swiss specialty chemicals firm Ciba.

“While big deals like these have been put on ice, an M&A recovery could be in the making as confidence returns and the financing market slowly recovers,” said Chang.

The ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies table was compiled by Lara McNamee and the ICIS data & analytics team led by Paul Ray.

A PDF of the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies is available for download on ICIS connect at

www.icis.com/icisconnect/groups/icis-top-100-chemical-companies/de fault.aspx.

You must have an account at ICIS.com or register on ICIS connect to access the data.

See the article and analysis of the ICIS Top 100 at www.icis.com/Articles/2009/09/14/9245376/icis-top-100-chemical-compani es.html

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ICIS Chemical Business

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For media inquiries, contact: Joseph Chang, Global Editor, ICIS Chemical Business, +1-212-791-4224, joseph.chang@icis.com. www.icis.com/magazine Nigel Davis, ICIS Insight Editor, T: +44-20-8652-3397, nigel.davis@icis.com. www.icis.com Lara McNamee, Intelligence Editor, ICIS Data & Analytics, lara.mcnamee@icis.com.

Source: ICIS Chemical Business

For media inquiries, contact: Joseph Chang, Global Editor, ICIS Chemical Business, +1-212-791-4224, joseph.chang at icis.com. Nigel Davis, ICIS Insight Editor, T: +44-20-8652-3397, nigel.davis at icis.com. Lara McNamee, Intelligence Editor, ICIS Data & Analytics, lara.mcnamee at icis.com.