Chemical Manufacturing Companies in Virginia

Virginia has approximately 4,800 manufacturing establishments and 235,000 manufacturing employees. Virginia is a leading defense manufacturing state, home to Huntington Ingalls' Newport News Shipbuilding, extensive defense contractor operations in Northern Virginia, and a growing semiconductor presence.

Virginia contributes to the national chemical manufacturing landscape. Chemical manufacturing encompasses companies that produce basic chemicals, specialty chemicals, petrochemicals, agricultural chemicals, adhesives, coatings, and cleaning compounds. The US is the world's second-largest chemical producer, with major production concentrated along the Gulf Coast where access to natural gas feedstocks provides a cost advantage.

Petrochemical Producers: Large-scale manufacturers of ethylene, propylene, benzene, and other base chemicals from petroleum and natural gas feedstocks.

Specialty Chemical Companies: Producers of performance chemicals, catalysts, electronic chemicals, and other high-value chemical products.

Coating & Adhesive Manufacturers: Companies producing paints, coatings, sealants, and adhesives for industrial and consumer applications.

Agricultural Chemical Producers: Manufacturers of fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and other crop protection chemicals.

Industrial Gas Companies: Producers and distributors of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, and specialty gases for manufacturing.

Major industrial centers in Virginia include Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Arlington, and Chesapeake. These cities have concentrations of manufacturers across sectors including defense manufacturing, shipbuilding & marine manufacturing, and food processing manufacturing.