Germany: TOP 10 Chemical Companies with Highest Sales

According to our database (as of April 2023), there are more than 5.3M companies registered in Germany. More than 1M of them operate in manufacturing - that’s 4.34% of all companies registered in the country. These companies have a share of 26.46% of all sales generated by Germany-based businesses and employ 19.35% of all employees in Germany. All data used in this overview is available in individual companies’ annual reports.

BASF SE had the highest sales in 2021

BASF SE had the highest sales among the companies in our ranking. In 2021, the company generated sales of more than EUR 78B (a year-on-year increase of EUR 19B). BASF SE operates in more than 80 countries and develops and produces chemicals, plastics, performance materials, crop protection products, and more.

Bayer Aktiengesellschaft was second. The company had sales of EUR 44.8B in 2021 (EUR 41.4B in 2020). Bayer is a pharmaceutical and life sciences company focusing on products and solutions in health care, crop science, and materials science.

Merck Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, also known as Merck KGaA, was third with sales of EUR 20.2B in 2021 (an increase of EUR 2B compared to 2020). It is a leading science and technology company that operates in three main areas: healthcare, life science, and electronics. Merck operates in more than 60 countries.

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA was fourth with sales of EUR 20B in 2021 (an increase of more than EUR 800M year-on-year). The company produces a wide range of consumer and industrial products including adhesives, sealants, and surface treatments.

Covestro AG was fifth with sales of almost EUR 16B in 2021 (a year-on-year increase of more than EUR 5B).This company is a leading manufacturer of high-tech polymer materials used in a wide range of industries including automotive, construction, and electronics.

Evonik Industries AG was sixth with sales of just under EUR 15B in 2021 (an increase of almost EUR 3B year-on-year). Evonik produces materials for the automotive, construction, and pharmaceutical industries.

Lanxess Aktiengesellschaft was seventh with EUR 7.6B in sales in 2021 (an increase of almost EUR 1.5B compared to 2020). Lanxess Aktiengesellschaft’s core business is the development and manufacturing of chemical intermediates, additives and consumer protection products.

HELM AG was eighth. This company generated EUR 6.1B in sales in 2021 (an increase of EUR 1.6B year-on-year). Helm is an international chemical company that manufactures and distributes a wide range of products including industrial chemicals, crop protection products, fertilisers, and pharmaceuticals.

SYNLAB AG was ninth with sales of EUR 3.7B in 2021 (EUR 2.6B in 2020). SYNLAB is a leading provider of laboratory testing and diagnostic services in Europe. The company focuses on medical testing, environmental analysis, and food testing.

Fuchs Petrolub SE was tenth with sales of more than EUR 2.8B in 2021 (an increase of EUR 500M year-on-year). Fuchs is a global manufacturer of lubricants and related products for the automotive, aerospace, and mining industries.

BASF SE had the highest profit both before and after tax in 2021

BASF SE had the highest profit before tax in 2021 - EUR 7.4B - which was the company's best result in the last 4 years. In 2020, BASF SE had a loss of EUR 1.5B. Merck KGaA was second with EUR 3.9B (an increase of EUR 1.3B year-on-year). Covestro AG was third with EUR 2.1B (the year before it was just over EUR 600M). Henkel was fourth with EUR 2.1B (EUR 1.9B in 2020). Bayer was fifth with just over EUR 2B. The year before, the company had a loss of EUR 17.2B. Evonik was sixth with a profit before tax of just over EUR 1B. Other companies - SYNLAB AG (EUR 805M), Fuchs Petrolub SE (EUR 358M), Lanxess Aktiengesellschaft (EUR 303M), HELM AG (EUR 192M) - all had a profit before tax of less than EUR 1B. None of the companies on our list reported a loss in 2021, and only BASF SE and Bayer Aktiengeselschaft had a loss in 2020.

BASF SE also had the highest profit after tax in 2021 - just under EUR 6B. The year before, BASF SE had a loss of EUR 1B. Merck KGaA was second with EUR 3B (an increase of EUR 1B year-on-year). Henkel was third with EUR 1.6B. Covestro was fourth with EUR 1.6B (EUR 11M less than Henkel). Bayer Aktiengeselschaft was fifth with EUR 1B (the year before, the company reported a loss of more than EUR 10B). Other companies - Evonik Industries AG (EUR 769M), SYNLAB AG (EUR 610M), Fuchs Petrolub SE (EUR 254M), Lanxess Aktiengesellschaft (EUR 219M), HELM AG (EUR 142M) - all reported a profit after tax of less than EUR 1B in 2021.