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. Waste is treated offsite by incineration (organics) or by water treatment then ocean disposal (aqueous), with waste disposal costing around $1.65 million annually (more details here).

Some key employees

• Martin Walker: President

  VP for Sales -

  Production Manager -

  Environmental Manager -

  Chief Financial Officer -

  Union Organizer and Plant Foreperson -

  Lab Manager (aka R&D Manager)

  Quality Assurance Manager -

  Quality Control Manager -

  Occupational Hygiene Officer -

  Safety Officer - Katie Fetcie

  Health Officer (aka "Company nurse")

  Wastewater Officer - Alexane Rodrigue

  Chief Legal Officer

If some links are currently unavailable, please look at the employee page for information.

Names that are linked to user pages are CHEM 321 participants; names that are not linked are fictitious.