Chem321:Acme Chemical Company

Acme Chemical Company

Chemistry for the 21st Century

Key facts

• Founded: 1992
• Annual turnover: $20 million
• Annual profits: $2.7 million
• Employees: 87

Description

Acme Chemical Company has become an internationally recognized leader in the manufacture of sulfur-based heterocyclic building blocks. Major products include 2-thiopheneacetyl chloride (TAC), 5-methoxybenzothiophene, 2-methylthiazoline and 2-chloro-4-aminothiazole. Customers include Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers and Glaxo Smithkline.

The current facility, built in 1997, contains a general purpose manufacturing plant with 18 reactors ranging in size from 50 gallons to 2000 gallons. There is also an R&D laboratory with 5 fulltime chemists, and a QC laboratory with 5 fulltime analytical chemists. There is bulk storage of major solvents as well as key feedstocks, carbon disulfide and thiophene. A pipe from the BASF plant across the river supplies hydrogen sulfide gas. The factory has had an excellent safety record in recent years since it introduced its “Safety First” program in 1998, following a fire which damaged part of the old plant. The site operates to cGMP standards and is ISO 9001 certified, and it now plans to be certified for ISO 14001.

Some key employees

• Martin Walker: President

  VP for Sales

  Production Manager

  Environmental Manager

  Chief Financial Officer

  Union Organizer and Plant Foreman

  Lab Manager

  Quality Assurance Manager

  Quality Control Manager

  Occupational Hygiene Officer

  Safety Officer (aka Chemical Hygiene Officer)