Germany’s Chemical Plants Operate at Lowest Level in 20 Years

Germany’s chemical companies are grappling with another year of decline as Europe’s biggest economy is at the onset of a de-industrialization process, industry group VCI warns.

Its preliminary 2025 figures released on Wednesday show that plants operated at only 70% capacity, the lowest since 2002 and clearly under the profitability threshold of about 80%, VCI said. While the pharmaceutical industry’s production and revenue expanded this year, the chemical sector’s output fell 2.5%.