Do fine chemicals and petrochemicals belong to the same category of enterprises?
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As the title suggests: Are fine chemical industries and petrochemical industries considered similar types of enterprises? The basis for this
Generally speaking, one is synthesis and the other is cleavage
Evaluations vary from aspect to aspect, whether it is laws and regulations, risk level, employees’ income levels, the company’s asset value, profit margins, and so on. What do you want to do?
Fine chemicals and petrochemicals are not defined by chemical reaction processes, and moreover “synthesis” and “cracking” do not cover all chemical reactions.
In terms of enterprise type, both fine chemicals and petrochemicals fall under the category of chemical enterprises； In terms of the production process, petrochemical industry is the process of producing petrochemical products using certain products/intermediates derived from the oil refining process as raw materials ； Fine chemical manufacturing is the process of producing fine chemicals using certain chemicals/intermediates as raw materials.
The difference is straightforward: the petrochemical industry involves heavy assets, large-scale plants, high levels of energy usage, and accidents in this sector can easily result in many deaths and injuries. Fine chemical assets are relatively lighter, require less energy, and result in fewer deaths in the event of an accident
In terms of the products produced, they generally do not belong to the same type of enterprises
GB50160 Terminology: Petrochemical enterprises are refineries, petrochemical plants, petroleum fiber plants, or combinations thereof that use oil, natural gas, and their derivatives as raw materials to produce and transport various petrochemical products. According to GB51283, a fine chemical enterprise is a factory that uses primary or secondary chemicals produced by the basic chemical industry, as well as biomass materials, as starting materials for further processing, in order to produce fine chemical products with specific functions and uses, characterized by small production volumes, a variety of products, high added value, and a high degree of technological complexity.
To outsiders, they may seem similar, but those who work in the field of fine chemicals know that the differences are enormous. Not to mention the process equipment, even just the requirements regarding the qualifications of the staff and their compensation show a huge disparity – working in fine chemicals is a tough job
It should not belong to the same category within the industry classification