BASF once again topped Chemical & Engineering News’s annual ranking of the top 50 global chemical firms. The German company’s $78.6 billion chemical sales in 2013 dominated, outdistancing the second-largest firm, China’s Sinopec, which had 2013 revenues of $60.8 billion. Sinopec rose to the number-two spot this year, overtaking Dow Chemical. Another change among the top five was Saudi Basic Industries, which rose to number four, displacing Shell Chemicals to number five. Combined 2013 revenues for the top 50 firms grew 1.5% to $908.5 billion. Profits for the 47 firms that provided such information increased 3.7% to $93.8 billion. Average profit margin was 10.3%. Among the companies with the highest capital spending as a percentage of sales in 2013 were Sasol (23.0%) and PotashCorp (22.2%). Among the companies with the highest R&D spending as percentage of sales in 2013 were DuPont (6.3%) and DSM (5.5%).

Source: Chemical & Engineering News