Major locations of the U.K. chemical industry

Almost all the areas in the U.K. where the chemical industry is concentrated are situated on river estuaries and have a very strong petrochemical link. Examples are Fawley (near Southampton), the Thames Estuary, Baglan Bay (south-west Wales), Merseyside, Humberside, Teesside and Grangemouth (near Edinburgh). Plans are also well advanced for petrochemical developments on the east coast of Scotland, well north of Aberdeen, where oil and gas from the North Sea oilfields are pumped ashore. 

Avonmouth (near Bristol) is one of the few concentrations which does not have a strong petrochemical base. It is noted for fertilizer manufacture and other inorganic chemicals. 

The above comments apply to the bulk of the chemical industry s operations. However, there are a few exceptions, and these are all concerned with products which are manufactured in small quantities, typically 10-100 tonnes per annum, but have a very high value per unit weight. For some products this might mean tens of thousands of pounds per tonne. Agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals are the best-known products of this type. Due to their high value and small bulk, transportation (and its costs) is no problem, and manufacturing units may therefore be sited anywhere. Quite often this means that they are located in attractive rural areas and many miles from the coast. Examples are Barnard Castle (County Durham), Loughborough, Macclesfield, and Ulverston (Cumbria). 

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