Industrial chemistry is the branch of chemistry which deals with raw materials. More specifically, industrial chemists analyze and solve the problems associated with obtaining raw materials for industrial use, and are concerned with how to create new products from these raw materials, or how to improve upon existing production techniques. Industrial chemistry takes natural resources and improves upon them for practical use. This field of chemistry is a blend of science and technology and allows for society to exploit the benefits of the Earth's natural resources. Industrial chemists are concerned with optimizing the process involved with this science and technology to make the most product efficiently and cost-effectively.

Historically, there have been two separate and distinct branches of industrial chemistry, organic and inorganic. Both branches have been concerned with the transformations of raw materials into useful products. Recently, the distinction between the organic and inorganic industrial...