Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
891 Belgian companies whose main activity falls under NACE code 20 have filed annual accounts. Their median solvency is 46.9% for financial year 2024.
Sector medians
Computed by IdonisDistribution across the sector's companies for financial year 2024: a quarter of companies sit below the 1st quartile, half below the median, three quarters below the 3rd quartile.
| Indicator | 1st quartile | Median | 3rd quartile | Companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solvency | 18.6% | 46.9% | 70.7% | 817 |
| Current ratio | 0.94 | 1.55 | 2.92 | 800 |
| ROE | -0.0% | 8.2% | 19.7% | 697 |
| Equity | 57,923 € | 927,492 € | €7.56m | 824 |
| Total assets | 366,944 € | €2.43m | €15.9m | 823 |
| Net result | −8,208 € | 40,409 € | 688,564 € | 818 |
| Headcount (avg FTE) | 3.9 | 15.0 | 64.8 | 567 |
Medians computed by Idonis from annual accounts filed with the National Bank, all sizes combined. The same panel is the sector benchmark on every company page. Method
Largest companies: Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
Ranked by total assets in the latest filed accounts. This is a size criterion, not an assessment.
| # | Company | Total assets | Revenue | Equity | FTE | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umicore 1000 Brussels | €6.26bn | €5.43bn | €2.10bn | 3,209.0 | 2025 |
| 2 | Bayer 1831 Machelen (Brab.) | €5.56bn | €175.2m | €5.53bn | 153.9 | 2025 |
| 3 | Solvay 1120 Brussels | €4.88bn | €72.2m | €1.63bn | 317.0 | 2025 |
| 4 | Ineos Olefins Belgium 2040 Antwerp | €4.79bn | €48.9m | €426.2m | 190.1 | 2025 |
| 5 | Tessenderlo Group 1050 Ixelles | €2.51bn | €513.9m | €2.03bn | 707.5 | 2025 |
| 6 | BASF Antwerpen 2040 Antwerp | €2.38bn | €5.69bn | €998.9m | 3,640.9 | 2025 |
| 7 | Borealis Kallo 3583 Beringen | €2.06bn | €163.8m | €340.5m | 320.2 | 2025 |
| 8 | Allnex Belgium 1620 Drogenbos | €1.89bn | €202.7m | €891.1m | 299.7 | 2025 |
| 9 | Solutia Europe 9000 Ghent | €1.58bn | €436.0m | €1.30bn | 333.3 | 2025 |
| 10 | Darling Ingredients Belgium Holding 9000 Ghent | €1.47bn | €17.4m | €1.36bn | 9.8 | 2026 |
| 11 | Agfa-Gevaert 2640 Mortsel | €1.27bn | €423.3m | €67.9m | 1,420.4 | 2025 |
| 12 | Lubrizol Advanced Materials Europe 2260 Westerlo | €1.12bn | €394.0m | €949.1m | 301.3 | 2025 |
| 13 | Prayon 4480 Engis | €861.8m | €874.4m | €202.2m | 1,082.8 | 2025 |
| 14 | Floridienne 1410 Waterloo | €826.6m | €14.9m | €777.6m | 5.4 | 2025 |
| 15 | Recticel 1130 Brussels | €746.4m | €128.3m | €655.6m | 226.5 | 2025 |
| 16 | Air Products 1831 Machelen (Brab.) | €704.4m | €220.8m | €631.3m | 258.3 | 2025 |
| 17 | Capsugel Belgium 2880 Bornem | €673.9m | €307.8m | €369.9m | 473.8 | 2025 |
| 18 | Covestro 2040 Antwerp | €624.6m | €1.18bn | €361.9m | 950.0 | 2025 |
| 19 | Soudal 2300 Turnhout | €604.4m | €768.5m | €158.2m | 1,148.1 | 2025 |
| 20 | Oleon 9940 Evergem | €602.5m | €713.4m | €233.9m | 571.0 | 2024 |
Where are they based?
Municipalities with the most
- 9000 Ghent22
- 1050 Ixelles19
- 1000 Brussels16
- 2040 Antwerp (Berendrecht, Lillo, Zandvliet)13
- 8800 Roeselare (Beveren, Oekene, Rumbeke)11
- 3980 Tessenderlo-Ham (Tessenderlo)10
- 9042 Ghent (Desteldonk, Mendonk, Sint-Kruis-Winkel)10
- 2070 Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht (Burcht, Zwijndrecht)9
- 3600 Genk8
- 4480 Engis (Clermont-Sous-Huy, Ehein, Hermalle-Sous-Huy)8
- 8400 Ostend (Stene, Zandvoorde)8
- 2220 Heist-op-den-Berg (Hallaar)7
Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products: rankings by region and province
The largest companies in the sector in each region and province, by municipality of the registered office. A ranking is published once 10 companies in the sector publish the figure there.
| Area | Total assets | Revenue | Headcount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flanders | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Wallonia | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Brussels | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Antwerp province | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Flemish Brabant | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Limburg | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| East Flanders | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| West Flanders | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Walloon Brabant | Largest | — | Employers |
| Hainaut | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Liège province | Largest | Revenue | Employers |
| Namur province | Largest | — | Employers |
Sub-sectors
- 2059 Manufacture of other chemical products n.e.c.147
- 2042 Manufacture of perfume and toilet preparations135
- 2041 Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations109
- 2016 Manufacture of plastics in primary forms103
- 2030 Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics101
- 2014 Manufacture of other organic basic chemicals83
- 2015 Manufacture of fertilisers and nitrogen compounds56
- 2013 Manufacture of other inorganic basic chemicals53
- 2011 Manufacture of industrial gases37
- 2020 Manufacture of pesticides, disinfectants and other agrochemical products24
- 2060 Manufacture of man-made fibres23
- 2012 Manufacture of dyes and pigments11
Frequently asked questions
How many Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products companies are there in Belgium?
891 Belgian companies whose main activity falls under NACE code 20 (Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products) have filed annual accounts with the National Bank.
What is the median solvency in Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products?
For financial year 2024, median solvency (equity over total assets) is 46.9%. The middle half of companies lies between 18.6% and 70.7% (817 companies).
What is the largest company in Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products?
By total assets, it is Umicore (€6.26bn, financial year 2025).
Where are Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products companies based?
The municipalities with the most: Ghent (22), Ixelles (19), Brussels (16).
Analyse companies in Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
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Open the full file →Active companies (legal entities) that have filed at least one set of annual accounts, based on the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and the National Bank of Belgium. The sector is the main activity in the register; the municipality is that of the registered office. Data updated on 14 Nov 2026.