Investments in research and technology development create the basis for renewal and secure the success of the field in the global market. The chemical industry is one of the most research-intensive fields of Finnish Industry, and its own investments in R&D are significant.

Strong areas for the Finnish chemical industry are for example health and well-being, forest industry solutions, solutions for the information and communications industries, products related to energy and the environment, metals chemistry as well as functional and innovative materials. According to the technology strategy by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Chemical Industry, research investments and cooperation should be directed into these competence areas in particular. One important factor for successful R&D is co-operation that transcends industrial and scientific boundaries. The Chemical Industry Federation and other industrial federations are intensifying their efforts to generate new cross-sectoral R&D project. The role of the National Technology Agency, TEKES, as a funding organisation, is most important for both cross-sectoral and company- or industry-specific R&D projects.

The European chemical industry has actively used the R&D funding granted by the European Union. In the ongoing sixth framework programme chemistry has, however, received less attention than previously. In the preparatory work for the next framework programme chemistry has strengthened its position and is visible for example in the activities launched by the Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry, SusChem.