SOCMA Celebrates Twenty-Fifth Anniversary

A STAFF REPORT

J. HE twenty-fifth anniversary was ob­served by the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association in New York on Dec. 17 with a get-together dinner at the Hotel Roosevelt, followed by a pro­gram of entertainment, and preceded by a board meeting and executive meeting.

Ralph E. Dorland, Dow Chemical Co., was re-elected president of SOCMA at the executive meeting, and the association also renamed its other officers to serve during 1947. As a result of a new pro­cedure in the election of officers, the mem­bers also voted to amend the constitution in order to provide the additional time re­quired for nominations.

The association was organized in 1921 for the purpose of encouraging the de­velopment of a synthetic organic chemical industry, and to cooperate with govern­ment agencies with the same objective. First president of the group was Charles H. Herty, noted chemist and former president of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL

SOCIETY.

When synthetic organic chemical manu­facturers in this country were engaged in these expansion plans only a compara­tively few had facilities for the production of dyestuffs, intermediates, and pharma­ceuticals. German competition had ef­fectively checked the establishment of a self-sufficient organic chemicals industry prior to the first world war, and the short­age of dyes became so acute during 1914-18 tha t textile plants in a number of instances were forced to shut down. Through various government measures German activities in dyes and chemicals here were held to a minimum, and the new industry flourished during the period which followed between the two wars.

Compared with the handful of plants which preceded the first world war, there were establishments engaged in synthetic organic chemical manufacture in some 30

states during World War I I . Production of intermediates amounting to 323,000,000 lb. in 1917 rose to 1,007,000,000 lb. in 1941. During 1945, according to the U. S. ' Tariff Commission, the production of cyclic intermediates amounted to 2,200,000,000 lb.

Dyestuffs probably demanded the heavi­est investments in research and manufac­turing facilities. The Commerce Depart­ment showed some time ago tha t when the first mention was made of coal-tar dye

. manufacture in 1880 in government com­pilations, production amounted to 80,518 lb.; more than 560 times tha t much was made 37 years later, in 1937. Between the latter year and 1941 another fourfold increase was shown, this time to 168,600,-000 lb., or some 2,000 times more than when the industry was in its infancy, 62 years previously.

The production of synthetic coal-derived medicinal products has also regis­tered striking gains, rising from 2,400,000 lb. in 1917 to 29,800,000 lb. in 1941, when we entered the second world war. Medi­cinal chemicals were produced here last year to the extent of 44,000,000 lb. Peak output for this division of the industry was reached in 1943 with a total of 56,000,-000 lb. Some of the leading items under this heading are acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), phenolsulfonic acids, sulfa drugs, penicillin, theobromine derivatives, and synthetic vitamins.

Government surveys have showrn more­over tha t the synthetic organic chemicals industry has migrated from its original location in the middle Atlantic area to the south, southwest, middle west, and the west coast. Contributing factors to this extension of the industry are improved transportation, availability of raw ma­terials, cheaper labor and power, proxi­mity of consumption, and the need for im­proved distribution facilities.

From the original classifications of dyes and intermediates, synthetic organic manu­facture now also embraces the newer activities of medicinals, as noted above, aromatics, resins, rubber chemicals, and a large miscellaneous group including such things as aliphatic flavors and perfume materials.

The growth of the industry, however, was not the subject of speakers at the 25th anniversary meeting. The speakers were few and their topics were given over to more general matters of interest to the association. E. H. Killheffer, Du Pont Co., chairman of the budget committee, reported that the budget would be in­creased next year to $30,000, but that there would be no gain in the assessment rate. The increase is necessary to meet clerical salaries.

The treasurer, C. M. Richter, reported an estimated year-end cash balance of $4,250. August Merz, past president of SOCMA, and one of the research directors of the Calco Chemical Division, American Cyanamid Co., spoke briefly on federal legislative steps taken recently affecting patents and trade-marks.

Other officers re-elected by SOCMA to serve for the following year were: C. M. Richter, Pharma Chemical Co., treasurer; E. H. Killheffer, vice president; E. C. Kunz, Givaudan-Delawanna, Inc., vice president; Charles A. Mace, secretary.

Additional board members, 1947, were Victor Williams, Monsanto Chemical Co., and August Merz; class of 1948, Harold L. Simmons, Harold L. Simmons, Inc., and Harold W. Dingee, Zinsser & Co.; class of 1949, Wyly M. Billings, Hercules Powder Co., and George W. Burpee, General Aniline & Film Co.

Murray Shields, Bank of Co.; RalphE. Dorland, the ical Co.

Below. C. C. Concannon, Department of Commerce; Fred G. Zinsser, F. G. Zinsser & Co.; E. H. Killheffer, Du Pont Co. Right below. August Merz, Calco Chemical Division, American Cyanamid Co.; Charles E. Munson, Air Reduction Co. and U. S. Industrial Chemical Co.; Henry Herrmann, General Dyestuff Corp.

Manhattan Dow Chem-

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