Sector footprint
$31.2B in exports
Reported chemicals exports in 2024 across 33 qualifying HS6 products.
Sector export playbook ยท HS 28-38
Ireland Chemicals exports
where capability meets demand
Explore Ireland's HS 28-38 product portfolio, buyer markets, growth signals, and diversification opportunities. Use this guide to prioritize research, not to treat calculated indicators as guaranteed sales.
Sector exports$31.2B2024 reported value
Products33Qualifying HS6 products
Buyer markets26Markets represented
Average CAGR+13.9%Product-level growth signal
Global sector size$532.3BReported buyer imports
Chemicals capability
How strong is Ireland in this sector?
Compare exporter scale with product breadth, buyer demand, growth, and destination reach. A large sector does not remove the need for product, compliance, pricing, and buyer validation.
Global demand
$532.3B buyer imports
The sector's reported buyer import base provides context for product and market prioritization.
How to use the guide
Find the next credible move
Start with products that combine demand and exporter capability, then validate standards, route economics, buyers, and competition.
Product portfolio
Which products anchor the sector?
Each HS6 product is ranked by calculated opportunity and shown with reported market size, exporter exports, growth, and destination reach.
| Product | Global size | Your exports | Opportunity | CAGR | Markets | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 300490Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $255.4B | $18.5B | $76.6B | +14.0% | 15 | +6.1% |
| HS 300215Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale | $67.9B | $6.4B | $21.9B | +51.0% | 10 | +7.4% |
| HS 293399Heterocyclic compounds: n.e.c. in headings no. 2933 | $16.3B | $17.3M | $16.7B | +0.3% | 3 | +0.2% |
| HS 293719Polypeptide hormones, protein hormones and glycoprotein hormones, their derivatives and structural analogues: other than somatotropin, (its derivatives and structural anaologues) and insulin and its salts | $14.9B | $2.8B | $15.6B | +33.7% | 5 | +8.4% |
| HS 382499Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | $21.8B | $586.4M | $15.0B | +22.3% | 7 | +3.8% |
| HS 300439Medicaments: containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $26.0B | $1.6B | $13.7B | +6.4% | 8 | +2.6% |
| HS 293359Heterocyclic compounds: containing a pyrimidine ring (whether or not hydrogenated) or piperazine ring in the structure, (other than malonylurea (barbituric acid) and its derivatives),and loprazolam, mecloqualone, methaqualone, zipeprol and salts thereof | $11.1B | $527.7M | $13.7B | -0.2% | 2 | +7.5% |
| HS 300212Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: antisera and other blood fractions | $20.9B | $324.0M | $11.3B | +5.6% | 4 | +1.0% |
| HS 382600Biodiesel and mixtures thereof: not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals | $10.5B | $3.2M | $8.5B | +6.7% | 3 | +0.0% |
| HS 330499Cosmetic and toilet preparations: n.e.c. in heading no. 3304, for the care of the skin (excluding medicaments, including sunscreen or sun tan preparations) | $14.9B | $41.1M | $5.8B | +11.4% | 2 | +0.4% |
| HS 290110Acyclic hydrocarbons: saturated | $2.9B | $3.0K | $5.1B | -3.4% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 300220Vaccines: for human medicine | $6.4B | $137.9M | $5.0B | +28.9% | 3 | +2.0% |
| HS 310420Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: potassic, potassium chloride | $6.8B | $122.6K | $5.0B | +41.7% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 293590Sulphonamides: n.e.c. in heading no. 2935 | $2.8B | $8.7M | $4.6B | +30.7% | 2 | +0.4% |
| HS 330300Perfumes and toilet waters | $6.6B | $5.7M | $4.1B | +12.6% | 2 | +0.1% |
| HS 382200Reagents: diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing and prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, other than those of heading no. 3002 or 3006: certified reference material | $10.8B | $327.1M | $3.8B | +27.7% | 2 | +3.0% |
| HS 290919Ethers: acyclic, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives, other than diethyl ether | $3.6B | $1.3M | $3.4B | -19.5% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 381800Chemical elements: doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms: chemical compounds doped for use in electronics | $5.7B | $181.9K | $3.3B | -18.1% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 282590Inorganic bases, metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxides: n.e.s. in heading no. 2825 | $1.5B | $862.9 | $2.4B | -10.5% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 285390Phosphides, chemically defined or not, not ferrophosphorus: other inorganic compounds n.e.c. (including distilled, conductivity water and water of like purity): liquid air, rare gases removed or not: compressed air: amalgams, not precious metal amalgams | $1.3B | $295.3K | $2.4B | +36.0% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 381512Catalysts, supported: reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, with precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, n.e.c. or included | $3.1B | $999.9 | $2.1B | -15.1% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 300420Medicaments: containing antibiotics (other than penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $3.8B | $40.4M | $1.9B | +10.0% | 1 | +1.1% |
| HS 382319Industrial monocarboxylic fatty acids: acid oils from refining: (other than stearic acid, oleic acid or tall oil fatty acids) | $1.3B | $1.2K | $1.9B | -0.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 281820Aluminium oxide: other than artificial corundum | $2.2B | $657.3 | $1.8B | -29.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 310540Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: ammonium dihydrogenorthophosphate (monoammonium phosphate) and mixtures thereof with diammonium hydrogenorthophosphate (diammonium phosphate) | $2.7B | $53.3 | $1.8B | -58.1% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 370790Photographic goods: chemical preparations other than sensitised emulsions, put up in measured portions or put up for retail sale in a form ready for use | $2.2B | $69.5 | $1.8B | -4.1% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 284190Salts of oxometallic or peroxometallic acids: n.e.c. in heading no. 2841 | $1.7B | $2.2K | $1.7B | -15.2% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 380893Herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators: not containing substances of 3808.50: put up in forms or packings for retail sale or as preparations or articles | $2.0B | $101.3 | $1.7B | -34.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 284390Inorganic or organic compounds: of precious metals (excluding gold and silver), whether or not chemically defined, amalgams of precious metals | $892.9M | $107.3K | $1.7B | -3.0% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 293219Heterocyclic compounds: with oxygen hetero-atom(s) only, containing an unfused furan ring (whether or not hydrogenated) in the structure, n.e.c. in item no. 2932.1 | $990.6M | $88.8 | $1.5B | +11.6% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 340220Washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put up for retail sale | $1.2B | $682.4K | $1.4B | +14.8% | 1 | +0.1% |
| HS 293722Steroidal hormones, their derivatives and structural analogues: halogenated derivatives of corticosteroidal hormones | $1.5B | $24.8K | $1.3B | -3.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 293339Heterocyclic compounds: containing an unfused pyridine ring (whether or not hydrogenated) in the structure, other than pyridine and its salts, other than piperidine and its salts | $648.2M | $450.4 | $1.2B | -23.5% | 1 | +0.0% |
Best markets
Where does sector demand concentrate?
Markets are ranked by calculated opportunity across the qualifying products in this sector view.
SVN
Slovenia
6 products represented in the sector.
$38.6B$27.9B reported buyer importsCHE
Switzerland, Liechtenstein
3 products represented in the sector.
$32.6B$51.7B reported buyer importsUSA
USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands
12 products represented in the sector.
$30.9B$130.0B reported buyer importsCHN
China
11 products represented in the sector.
$28.1B$58.0B reported buyer importsITA
Italy
4 products represented in the sector.
$17.5B$37.1B reported buyer importsDEU
Germany
7 products represented in the sector.
$17.2B$37.2B reported buyer importsBEL
Belgium
4 products represented in the sector.
$14.0B$28.5B reported buyer importsFRA
France
5 products represented in the sector.
$7.6B$25.0B reported buyer importsCAN
Canada
4 products represented in the sector.
$7.6B$12.4B reported buyer importsGBR
United Kingdom
4 products represented in the sector.
$7.5B$20.7B reported buyer importsESP
Spain
3 products represented in the sector.
$7.4B$14.6B reported buyer importsNLD
Netherlands
2 products represented in the sector.
$6.8B$15.3B reported buyer importsGrowth stars
Which products show the strongest growth?
Average product-level CAGR is a screening signal. Confirm the latest trend, base effects, buyer quality, and commercial feasibility before acting.
| Product | Average CAGR | Opportunity | Markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 300215Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale | +51.0% | $21.9B | 10 |
| HS 310420Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: potassic, potassium chloride | +41.7% | $5.0B | 2 |
| HS 285390Phosphides, chemically defined or not, not ferrophosphorus: other inorganic compounds n.e.c. (including distilled, conductivity water and water of like purity): liquid air, rare gases removed or not: compressed air: amalgams, not precious metal amalgams | +36.0% | $2.4B | 1 |
| HS 293719Polypeptide hormones, protein hormones and glycoprotein hormones, their derivatives and structural analogues: other than somatotropin, (its derivatives and structural anaologues) and insulin and its salts | +33.7% | $15.6B | 5 |
| HS 293590Sulphonamides: n.e.c. in heading no. 2935 | +30.7% | $4.6B | 2 |
| HS 300220Vaccines: for human medicine | +28.9% | $5.0B | 3 |
| HS 382200Reagents: diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing and prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, other than those of heading no. 3002 or 3006: certified reference material | +27.7% | $3.8B | 2 |
| HS 382499Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | +22.3% | $15.0B | 7 |
| HS 340220Washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put up for retail sale | +14.8% | $1.4B | 1 |
| HS 300490Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | +14.0% | $76.6B | 15 |
Diversification opportunities
Which products reach the widest buyer base?
Destination count is a simple breadth indicator. It does not measure destination concentration or guarantee resilience.
HS 300490
Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
15 markets$76.6B calculated opportunityHS 300215
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale
10 markets$21.9B calculated opportunityHS 300439
Medicaments: containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
8 markets$13.7B calculated opportunityHS 382499
Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824
7 markets$15.0B calculated opportunityHS 293719
Polypeptide hormones, protein hormones and glycoprotein hormones, their derivatives and structural analogues: other than somatotropin, (its derivatives and structural anaologues) and insulin and its salts
5 markets$15.6B calculated opportunityHS 300212
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: antisera and other blood fractions
4 markets$11.3B calculated opportunityHS 293399
Heterocyclic compounds: n.e.c. in headings no. 2933
3 markets$16.7B calculated opportunityHS 382600
Biodiesel and mixtures thereof: not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals
3 markets$8.5B calculated opportunityFrequently asked questions
Using the Chemicals export playbook
Practical guidance for interpreting sector scale, growth, product breadth, and buyer markets.
How strong is Ireland in this sector?
Compare sector exports, product breadth, buyer markets, growth, and global demand. These signals identify research priorities rather than guarantee market access.
What are growth stars?
Products with higher average reported growth in the screened rows. Validate the time period, base effects, buyer demand, and current exporter position.
What does diversification mean here?
Products reaching more buyer markets in the screened data. Destination breadth is useful context but does not replace concentration, route, or buyer analysis.
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.