In an effort to better serve
the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry, SOCMA members voted on March
19th to change the organization’s name from the Synthetic Organic Chemical
Manufacturers Association to the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and
Affiliates.
“This is the first time in
our 88-year-long history that SOCMA has changed its name,” said SOCMA Board
Chairman Charlie Hinnant. “By formally reflecting the sector of the industry
we’ve successfully represented for many years already, we can better help the
industry and the public at large understand what our organization and members
are all about. I’m pleased to be a part of this modernization.”
Since its founding, SOCMA’s
overall charter has been to serve the synthetic organic chemical industry,
despite recent decades of achievements in service to the batch, custom and
specialty chemical industry. The adopted bylaw changes, in addition to updating
SOCMA’s name, formally broaden the scope of SOCMA’s activity to reflect service
to the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry. All categories of SOCMA
membership are now available to companies involved in batch, custom and specialty
rather than just synthetic organic chemical manufacturing.
“When we look at our
accomplishments over the last 20 years, we can proudly say we have moved
forward the batch, custom and specialty chemical industry,” Hinnant said at the
March meeting. “We have done this by creating Informex; by creating and
bringing along many small batch chemical manufacturers in ChemStewards and we
created the specialty batch chemical manufacturing sector under the EPA’s
sector strategies program.”
These concerns about the
stated focus of SOCMA’s efforts led the organization’s Board of Governors to
propose a bylaw change to the general membership. SOCMA’s work has and will
continue to reflect its three strategic directions. These are:
- Accelerate
members’ growth by maximizing commercial and networking opportunities.
- Increasing public
confidence in the chemical industry.
- Influence the
passage of rational laws and regulations that allow members to operate in a
productive manner as good corporate citizens.
For more information, visit
www.socma.com.
