Decline of UK chemical industry - Sky news report

[ROTELLA]

Saw this earlier & it's an interesting analysis - https://news.sky.com/story/why-ending-the-manufact...
I do remember when production of sulphuric acid was reckoned to be an indicator of economic strength!

[Simpo Two]

Interesting. If imported salt is more expensive than home-grown salt, why does the UK salt industry need government intervention to survive? Normally UK industries fail when imported stuff is cheaper...

[motco]

Simpo Two said:

Interesting. If imported salt is more expensive than home-grown salt, why does the UK salt industry need government intervention to survive? Normally UK industries fail when imported stuff is cheaper...

Sounds like it's ignorance and obsession with net zero making energy prices unrealistic.

[hidetheelephants]

The chemical industry is highly dependent on energy cost. The end.

[abzmike]

Not just a UK issue - Every chemical company in Europe is struggling. Plants closing and cutbacks everywhere. High energy costs, high regulation, environmental controls and imports from Asia of bulk chemicals has made anything but speciality production very challenging to turn a profit.

[Simpo Two]

hidetheelephants said:

The chemical industry is highly dependent on energy cost. The end.

True; I hear the UK has one of the highest costs for business electricity in the world (see 'net zero eco' bks).

[Brother D]

Successive governments submitting to suicidal empathy and marxist doctrine really isn't doing the UK any favors. I'm sure China and others appreciate the UK destroying itself for Net Zero which just results in pollution moving to other places in the world and lower living standards here.

[TomTheTyke]

Brother D said:

Successive governments submitting to suicidal empathy and marxist doctrine really isn't doing the UK any favors. I'm sure China and others appreciate the UK destroying itself for Net Zero which just results in pollution moving to other places in the world and lower living standards here.

Or, on the other hand, you could argue this is one area where (whisper it quietly) something close to socialism might help.

Don t abandon strategically important industries to the fluctuations of the market. See coal, steel, oil refining, shipbuilding. It s an abdication of governmental responsibility to allow their failure because it s cheaper in the very short term to import.