Despite the current economic downturn, chemical sciences remains a huge wealth creator for Scotland – exporting products worth £1.9 billion to countries outside the UK and producing an annual turnover of £9 billion.

And over £70 million will be spent on expanding the site at Grangemouth this year, including the recruitment of an extra 50 staff for a new active ingredient facility.

The chemical sciences sector also accounts for a major chunk of all research and development under-taken in Scotland.

Ronnie Hendrie, site manager of Grangemouth Syngenta, said: "The chemical sciences industry plays a vital role in supporting both the Scottish economy and the creation of so many products we take for granted.

"The sector in Scotland is often at the centre of meeting global demand and driving world leading innovation, which should be recognised and encouraged in order to grow and develop an industry which can continue to make a significant contribution."

It follows recent research by Chemical Sciences Scotland which revealed that the public was in the dark about the true value of the sector to the economy.

In Central Scotland only 17 per cent of respondents in a survey correctly identified chemicals as the country's second highest value export. Across the country just eight per cent gave the right answer.

Most stated wrongly that financial services, textiles, clothing, food and shipbuilding took second place to whisky.

Sandy Dobbie, chairman of Chemical Sciences Scotland, said: "We are very proud of the contribution the chemical sciences makes to the Scottish economy but, as this survey reveals, this contribution is largely unknown by the population.

"The chemical sciences sector has a relatively low profile so it's not surprising that people don't really know how critical it is to our economy."

"While other sectors are falling away, we believe ours has the staying power to remain as a central plank in Scotland's pros-perity and it is important it receives the recognition it deserves."

Syngenta is one of the firms which has continued to prosper during the current slowdown.

The bio-tech company has been expanding its production of crop protection products which are being driven by the an increasing global demand for food.

Syngenta employs 285 people at Earls Road, helping to manufacture its key products of azoxystrobin; the active ingredient in the world's leading fungicide, Amistar; and the herbicide, pinoxadenver.