With a sharp increase in customer demands and an influx of stricter quality requirements, the chemical industry has been forced to adapt to an evolving world that seems to be moving forward faster than it ever had before; gone are the days when it was acceptable for chemical products to act as ‘jack of all trades’, and now each company must be ready to adapt their chemistries to a vast range of applications, maintaining the highest level of quality and performance along the way.
High performance chemical solutions were once just an idea – until just decades ago, the thought of a chemical company customizing formulations for each individual client seemed like a fantasy that was discarded as too unrealistic for some – but the advent of simulation technology and advanced laboratory processes has allowed companies to develop the most specific chemistries available on the market, down to the last molecule holding the formulation together.
Green solvents, polymers, nanomaterials and surfactants are just a few of the high performance chemical solutions available on the market, and the industry is only just scratching the surface. The next age of chemistry has well and truly arrived, and it comes in the form of solving clients’ requirements.
"Reaching newer heights in terms of product performance is what currently drives the chemical industry - the competition is on."
- Ryan Esner, CEO
What defines a chemical solution?
Chemical companies have since opened their doors to new approaches: the days of mass-producing chemical substances to be sold and shipped out globally are quickly being left behind, mostly due to the fact that customer service is increasingly becoming based on specific needs.
A company can present a chemical solution in a number of forms: whether it comes as an efficient green solvent built for a client’s manufacturing process, enhancing their technological capabilities while keeping the process environmentally safe; a high-performance polymer that boosts the adhesive properties of a customer’s finished product; or a state-of-the-art nanomaterial for drug delivery systems in the case of the pharmaceutical fields.
Business has reinvented itself: the philosophy of modern-day, forward-thinking chemical companies is that if something can be thought of, then it can be created.
How have clients reacted to chemical solutions?
The general consensus towards the use of high performance chemical solutions has been positive. The evolution of the industry to allow for customization of products and formulation has done so well, in fact, that even the largest companies have redirected their investments towards R&D departments to boost their sales and customer fulfillment rates.
Finally, bridges have now also been built between clients and their suppliers, with chemical companies implementing decisions made by their customers and working hand-in-hand with them to solve their requirements. Healthy and trustworthy relationships have been born, and both sides of the arrangements have seen themselves benefitted by the modern approach to chemical solutions.
The thought of manufacturing high-quality materials, powerful additives and efficient performance chemicals catered to a specific application within an individual company was once a pipe dream, but those days are in the past now. The industry is ready to face this new stage, and things will only start getting better from here on out.
