For the industry it is important to monitor and predict the progress of technology development. The Scientific Advisory Board for the Chemical Industry has published a total of three strategies illustrating the developments in technology. These publications include predictions of the developments in technological and social trends and illustrate their impact on the chemical industry in the future. The technology strategies were published in 1994, 1996 and 2001.

Anticipating the future sheds light on the technological success factors to come and guides the directions of activities. The strategies feature challenges and actions involving both the companies in the field as well as cooperation partners and the public sector. This way the policies promote, among other things, the direction and utilization of public R&D funding.

The most recent technology strategy of the chemical industry sketches the future of the field all the way to the year 2010. In this vision chemistry and bio cluster form a strong concentration of know-how.

According to the strategy, the most important change-promoting forces are technological progress, founding of activities on values and specialization. The key competence areas for the field include functional and smart materials, precision medications and diagnostics, forest industry-applied chemistry and other specialty and fine chemicals products. Among the key technologies are synthesis technology, applied materials technology, catalyst technology, modern bio and gene technology, process technology, nanotechnology as well surface chemistry and physics.

Predicting technology developments requires constant, active utilisation of networks. The Chemical Industry Federation of Finland works in cooperation with TEKES (The National Technology Agency), technology developers and other central science and technology policy makers.