A significant interest in applying various treatment strategies to effluent from the CETP has been reported. Raj (2007) reported the treatment of effluent from the CETP located in Hyderabad city using an extended aeration system. Combined chemical suppliers and biooxidation processes were applied by Manekar et al. (2014) to remediate a high strength textile process effluent at CETP located in western India. However, Moosvi and Madamwar (2007) have reported an integrated process for the treatment of CETP effluent, using chemical suppliers coagulation, anaerobic, and aerobic process studies on a CETP, which receives effluent from small-scale industries. Pophali et al. (2003) have reported that CETP is effectively applied to treat combined effluent from cotton and synthetic textile industries in Rajasthan by mixed activated sludge process. A study was conducted by Rathi (2013) on the management of eight CETP located in different industrial estates in Gujarat, India, manufacturing a wide range of chemical suppliers.
At the end of 2023, the World Economic Forum invited members of its communities to contribute a brief commentary on recent, upcoming and detailed views of the chemical suppliers industry and its transformation. Here are their findings:
Two years ago, we observed a change in investor sentiment toward the chemical suppliers industry and speculated about the potential reasons. Now, we revisit those observations to confirm the underlying assumptions and trends. The relative share performance of the chemical suppliers industry has continued to deteriorate as these challenges continue to be in effect. We now see an ongoing decline in the growth rate of the demand for chemical products. Major trends such as the accelerating deglobalization and potential regulation to curb climate change will not make it any easier. In this article, we describe how the strategic context of the chemical suppliers industry is changing and discuss how COVID-19 might influence these considerations.

The sentiment of investors toward the chemical suppliers industry continues to change. The traditional overperformance of the chemical suppliers industry has not only slowed over recent years but also turned into a concerning underperformance from 2017 to 2019—and thus totally independent of the COVID-19 crisis (Exhibit 1).
All three scenarios are challenges for the chemical suppliers industry. As the enabler of the physical world, it may need to deal with a relevant reduction in demand. The current debate about plastics recycling makes this clear: the best way to reuse material is nonuse in the first place. Any serious application of the circular economy will likely negatively affect overall demand growth for chemical suppliers, depending on the exposure of each company’s product portfolio. In addition, global electrification may inflate the price of energy (at least in some geographies), making the production of physical objects more expensive—thus reducing demand.
Part of this regulation will likely vary by jurisdiction. Industry associations may very well see their role as the conduit for chemical suppliers companies to articulate themselves to governments expand. And as the chemical suppliers industry is a significant direct emitter of CO2, leading management teams have started to incorporate carbon and broader environmental targets into their agendas. This is only the start—pressure will deepen from various stakeholder groups.