Celebrating the Past with an Eye toward the Future

By Christine Sanchez, Sr. Manager of Public Relations & Media

Ninety years ago this fall, 65 organic chemical manufacturers joined a newly formed trade association to advance their shared goals of ensuring the establishment of a permanent synthetic organic chemical industry in the U.S.

They called their organization the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA) and based it in New York. Together, the founding members set out to forge close relations with U.S. government agencies, promote the highest scientific and business standards and support manufacturing of their products. The group also worked to influence the passage of laws impacting the industry and eventually moved their office to the nation’s capital.

Over the last nine decades, SOCMA has accomplished its original goals and many more. Today, with more than 200 member companies, the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, as it is now known, is the country’s most influential voice for batch, custom and specialty chemical makers.

“We are extremely proud of how far we have come over the past 90 years,” said SOCMA President and CEO Lawrence D. Sloan. “The organization’s longevity is a testament to SOCMA’s ability to remain relevant to companies manufacturing batch chemicals.”

Now, with SOCMA’s centennial anniversary on the horizon, the association has new goals to accomplish by its 100th birthday.

SOCMA's Marketplace & Chemical Services Directory In the next decade, SOCMA plans to increase its membership base to 350 companies by penetrating a greater share of the organic, inorganic and biotech batch chemical companies. Plans are also under way to create a Marketplace and Chemical Services Directory, a comprehensive search engine of SOCMA member company capabilities, which will be launched later this year and available to members and non-members alike.

“SOCMA’s endurance can be attributed to its constant ability to create valuable tools and programs that have always helped members grow their businesses and value their membership,” explained Senior Membership Director Dolores Alonso. “We expect the Chemical Services Directory will be another highly popular tool for our membership within the coming year.”

The association is also working to increase national awareness of ChemStewards®, its environmental, health, safety and security program. To that end, SOCMA is taking specific steps to ensure the benefits of the program are known throughout member facilities and communities, as well as government agencies like EPA and OSHA.

On the advocacy front, SOCMA will further solidify and grow its representation as the voice for the specialty chemical industry in Washington. SOCMA previously held a much lower profile and, as a result, saw limited gains. These days, the association is called upon by Congress to testify two or three times a year on top industry priorities, allowing SOCMA to make forward progress in a much more public and tangible way. SOCMA’s premier advocacy event – the Washington Fly-in – has also grown in size and scope since its 2008 launch. In the decade ahead, such opportunities to expand members’ business interests will grow and possibly expand.

SOCMA will also continue working with policymakers to eliminate unnecessary regulations that create an unfair burden for small and mid-size companies. Additionally, the organization will work to ensure the country’s chemical control law is reformed based on sound science, that the current chemical site security rules are permanently extended and free-trade agreements are expanded worldwide.

Sloan added that the organization’s mission and vision is a key component to its success.

“When SOCMA was founded in 1921, these 65 companies had a dream for the future. World War I had recently ended, and SOCMA members were rallying together to ensure their industry would thrive in a post-war world.”

These days, SOCMA is largely focused on helping companies grow their businesses, increase public confidence in the industry and influence the passage of rational laws and regulations.

“While a lot has changed over the last nine decades within the industry and SOCMA, one thing has remained the same: our members are still the driving force of this proud organization,” said Sloan.