Customer Reviews

Fine Chemicals: The Industry and the Business

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What exactly are fine chemicals? Pollak explains how to distinguish these from commodities and specialities. While no precise definitions exist, these are broad categories readily recognised as such within the chemical industry. In terms of value added, fine chemicals sit between the commodities and specialities.

He then goes on to explain the business. Including management aspects, which are quite different from those of the large chemical firms. The volume of product is much smaller, mitigated by the higher price per kilo. There are also high fixed costs and large amounts of working capital. Though of course the commodity producers share much of these characteristics.

The text also delves into the customer categories. Who do you typically sell to? As well as the geographic regions. And the distribution channels often used. Since a firm in this business might not have the sales volume to justify having many of their own salespeople. So distributors are essential.

A brief, accurate and rare insider look at fine chemicals industry.

As a practioner in the industry I found the material to be useful as an all-around introduction. The description of fine chemicals industry's R&D function was almost exactly true to the point by my own experience. The business side is quite educational for a technical person like me.

It should be valuable to everybody in the industry to get an idea of the whole picture and help to understand what the others are contributing in your organization / industry.

The book covers in a very concise and professional way the key elements of the activity. It includes a very useful scorecard to monitor the performance of a Fine Chemicals' operation.