Chemical Sector Gains Momentum with $3.1 Billion in April Exports

The global chemical sector is being reshaped in line with changing supply chains, energy costs, sustainability-focused production models and the search for regional manufacturing. With a size of approximately 6 trillion dollars, the sector provides core inputs to many strategic areas ranging from automotive to defense, textiles to agriculture, energy to health technologies.

Turkey's chemical industry continues to strengthen its position among the country's strategic sectors through export performance. Turkey's exports reached USD 25.4 billion in April 2026 with a 22.3% increase, marking the second-highest monthly export performance in the history of the Turkish Republic. The chemical sector achieved USD 3.1 billion in exports in April, becoming the second-largest exporting sector. Total exports from the sector in the January-April period approached USD 11 billion.

"The Chemical Industry Is Not Just a Sector, It Is the Basic Infrastructure of Production"
Ahmet Güler, Founder and CEO of Artkim Global, drawing attention to the role of the chemical sector in global production chains, said: "The chemical industry is often evaluated only under the heading of plastics, petrochemicals or chemical production. However, the real impact of the sector emerges in the production chain. Today, 27 different sectors from automotive to defense, textiles to agriculture, energy to pharmaceuticals and health technologies are directly dependent on raw materials and intermediate products supplied by the chemical industry. Therefore, the chemical industry is actually the invisible backbone of manufacturing," he stated.

Emphasizing that the chemical sector is not merely an area producing final products, Güler said: "From the production of an automobile to energy storage technologies, from food packaging to pharmaceutical development processes, the basic inputs for a very wide production ecosystem come from the chemical industry. Therefore, the sector plays a critical role in the economy not only through its own exports, but also through its contribution to the production capacity of other sectors."

Global Transformation Necessitates New Collaborations
Noting that recent geopolitical developments on a global scale, fluctuations in energy costs and disruptions in supply chains have reshaped the sector's production map, Güler said: "The chemical sector today is undergoing a major transformation not only in production capacity but also in technology development, sustainability and supply security. Regional production centers and alternative supply networks have become increasingly critical. Turkey's production capability, logistical advantage and export strength are creating significant opportunities for the sector in this process," he stated.

The Sector's Meeting Point: Turkchem Eurasia
Noting that the transformation taking place in the sector makes collaboration among producers, technology providers and suppliers even more important, Güler said: "The chemical industry has a very broad production ecosystem. Therefore, it is of great importance for sector representatives to come together to evaluate new technologies, discuss sustainable production models and develop commercial partnerships. Turkchem Eurasia Fair aims to contribute to the development of these partnerships by bringing together manufacturers, suppliers and technology providers operating in different areas of the sector," he said.