Chemical products are nature's building blocks. These chemical building blocks, or molecules, are transformed by scientists into countless everyday products. The largest supply of these molecules is found in the mixture we call crude oil or petroleum. Today we are able to separate oil into hundreds of building blocks, the petrochemical base products. We have learnt through research to make thousands of different products from these basic building blocks.

Thanks to the knowledge acquired by companies like ExxonMobil Chemical over a period of several decades, chemical products can now be custom-made. We are now able to make an endless range of products, such as rubber that doesn't bounce, a plastic hinge that gets stronger the more it is bent, miracle fibers for everlasting and easy to wear clothing and fuel additives that make your car run better. The search continues unabated for new chemical products and for new applications for existing ones.  

Nowadays, chemical products determine the degree of success and the quality of such varied products as cars, fertilizers, compact discs, footballs, paints, disposable nappies and even perfume, lipstick and chewing gum. And we can easily extend this list with dozens of other end products.