Sales rose 10% to $5 billion.
Chemical industry sales not including fuels rose 10% in 1998 compared to 1997, amounting to $6 billion. Export rose 14%, amounting to $2.5 billion. This emerges from a survey conducted by Business Data, Israel.
Investment in the sector in 1998 fell 10%, amounting to $740 million. This followed a previous decrease in investment in 1997, of 5% compared to 1996. Industry concerns warn that most of the investments are directed to the development of the production technologies of generic products, rather than to the development of new products. They say that, in the long term, this type of investment will result in an erosion of sectarian growth. R&D investments amounts to 5% of sales.
Published by Israel's Business Arena June 13, 1999