Luis Serrano, president of the Spanish Chemistry Industry Business Federation, presented at the last General Assembly the outlook for the chemical sector in 2011. The estimates are positive, as they point to the sustained recovery of the sector in 2010, and even the forecast of reaching maximums in 2011 in significant parameters such as turnover and exports.

However, Serrano also pointed out the need to be cautious, since the sector's recovery is largely based on its excellent performance in foreign markets, while domestic demand and consumption continue to show alarming signs of weakness.

This trend is endorsed by Professor Javier Peñas, from the School of Sciences of the University of Navarra, who considers that "the Spanish Chemistry industry seems to be glimpsing the end of the crisis, recovering a large part of the loss of activity suffered during the last two years. This improvement is mainly based on the increase in exports. In fact, foreign trade sales forecasts point to over 23,000 million euros this year, just over 17% more than in 2009, and will grow by almost another 17% for 2011".

"Thinking about the employment rate of our Chemistry graduates, this news is undoubtedly positive. It should be taken into account that the chemical sector directly employs some 130,000 workers in Spain, with indirect jobs estimated at approximately three times that figure," says Professor Peñas.