Good morning, and thank you for this opportunity to present briefly on who we are, why this trade agreement and trade generally matters, and then to take questions.
CIAC is the voice of Canada's chemistry industry. We represent the large industrial chemical producers and chemistry service providers across the country. In 2015, we had shipments of $53 billion. Most important, we are second in exports in manufacturing, third in value add. Over 70% of our production is exported. Over 80% of any new investment will be aimed at the export market.
To put this in perspective, though, we are 1% of global production, and 2% of global trade. We may think we're a big manufacturing sector in Canada, but growth in China in 2014 was five times the entire size of our sector. The U.S., at 15% of world production, and China at 37% are the elephants in the room, and they do impact global trade.
With regard to change, 10 years ago, global production of chemicals was roughly a third in the Americas, a third in Europe, and a third in Asia. Today, Asia is 54%; China alone is 37%. That's up from 10% in less than 10 years. While over three-quarters of our exports are to the U.S., this will change. The U.S. is investing heavily in new capacity in the chemical sector. That will be my key message today.
On slide 8, is Canada ready for this new world? New investment in the U.S. will first back out imports and then compete into global markets. The U.S. is the destination of most of our current production. We need access to new markets if we're going to remain globally competitive. The TPP opens up major new markets. More important, it sets the bar for Pacific Rim trade—fair, reciprocal, rules-based market access. Our members believe that we can compete on that basis.
Canada makes its chemicals, at least its petrochemicals, from natural gas. Our carbon footprint is the lowest compared to making the same material from oil or coal, an emerging route in China where the emissions are ten times that of making it from gas. So way to go, Canada.
I've included some information on our responsible care ethic and our delivery of continuous improvement in our environmental performance. We invented responsible care here. What I want to say is that making stuff here for the world from the best technologies and processes with the least waste, that is our vision.
Slide 8 I mentioned earlier, and this should cause some alarm bells to go off. We have the same shale gas as the U.S., the same technologies and skilled workforce. We export 60% of our gas to the U.S. As of today, the U.S. is exporting gas, so our exports will soon be zero—and maybe less than zero. Unless our gas reaches tide water and trades to offshore markets, we will leave it in the ground, and then the chemicals we make from that gas will be made in China from coal. Remember that footprint that I mentioned earlier.
In speaking in favour of exports, of fair market access, of TPP as a model for the future of investments and jobs based on resource upgrading and value-add manufacturing, I'm challenging all of us to facilitate more trade. Bringing down global barriers, achieving certainty around market access, will be factors in securing future investments and the latest and best technologies.
Thank you for this opportunity to present, and I look forward to your questions.