SOCMA: Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates

For More Information:
Gregory Minchak
Manager, Public Relations & Communications 
(202) 721-4182 (o)
minchakg@socma.com   

Joseph Acker, President and CEO of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), released the following statement regarding the collapse of the Doha Round trade talks in Geneva yesterday.

“SOCMA salutes the dedicated efforts of U.S. Ambassador Schwab and her staff to try to bring the Doha Round to a swift conclusion.  We are disappointed that the breakup of the meeting will prevent the approval of global trade initiatives critical to domestic chemical manufacturing. These discussions held the potential for a significant opening of world markets that would have been very beneficial for SOCMA members, especially if the Chemical Sectoral Agreement was to become part of the final deal. 

“However, we agree that the United States is better off walking away from a deal that would not have the ambition to deliver on the Doha Round's promises. SOCMA will continue to work with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to advance our industry’s global position as a leader in U.S. exports.”

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SOCMA is the leading trade association, serving the specialty-batch and custom chemical industry since 1921. SOCMA’s nearly 300 members employ more than 100,000 workers across the country and produce 50,000 products valued at $60 billion annually. For more information please visit www.socma.org.

ChemStewards® is SOCMA’s flagship environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) continuous performance improvement program.  ChemStewards was created from industry’s commitment to reducing the environmental footprint left by member’s facilities.  Industry created ChemStewards to meet the unique needs of the batch, custom, and specialty chemical industry. As a mandatory requirement for SOCMA members engaged in the manufacturing or handling of synthetic and organic chemicals, ChemStewards is helping participants reach for superior EHS&S performance.  To learn more visit www.chemstewards.com.