Spain's Chemical Industry from the 19th Century to the Present

In the wake of the mid-20th century emergence of the oil-based global chemical industry and the rise of Europe as an International market force, Spain's chemical industry has become modern and competitive. 

Spain's chemical industry first coalesced in the 1880's, albeit on a modest scale. During that era, like its European neighbors of Germany, Great Britain, and France, Spain launched its chemical industry by exploiting the potential for hydrocarbons and organic synthesis in order to obtain commodities (such as dyes) that were in demand by the nation's most active industrial sectors (including the textiles industry).