Advanced technologies for industry - Sectoral watch. Technological trends in the chemical industry

This sectoral report has been prepared in the framework of the 'Advanced Technologies for Industry' (ATI) project, initiated by the European Commission, Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs and the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. It analyses trends in the generation and uptake of advanced technologies, related entrepreneurial activities and skills needs in the chemical sector, covering in particular industry domains, but also with emphasis on trends and challenges in the area of the most relevant technological trends, namely digitalisation and 'biologisation'. It interprets data from a list of data sources compiled to monitor advanced technologies and their applications in industry across Europe and key competitor economies. The starting point of this analysis has been sixteen advanced technologies that are a priority for European industrial policy and that enable process, product and service innovation throughout the economy and hence foster industrial modernisation. Advanced technologies are defined as recent or future technologies that are expected to substantially alter the business and social environment and include advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, big data, blockchain, cloud technologies, connectivity, industrial biotechnology, Internet of Things, micro and nanoelectronics, mobility, nanotechnology, photonics, robotics, security.