SIA News

Solvents Industry Association Annual General Meeting & Conference 2024

Solvents Industry Association Members and guests gathered for the 38th Annual General Meeting and Conference on 26th September, at Worsley Park & Country Club, near Manchester, UK.

Proceedings began with the formal Annual General Meeting and a summary of the work of the SIA and ESIG, delivered by SIA Chair, Nick Key and Chief Executive, Andrew Norman.

Guest speakers included:

• The wellbeing Project, delivering an insightful address entitled, ‘Pressure to Performance’. The session invited delegates to interact and reflect on their own behaviours, with a view to managing stress.
• Siemens Energy, sharing insights on decarbonisation and some of the exciting new projects taking place to help to deliver Net Zero for the UK, many of which have direct synergy with the chemical industry.
• UK Home Office Explosive and Precursor Engagement Team, presenting an update of the current threat level, Regulated and Reportable Substances and how to report suspicious activity in and around facilities handling chemicals.
• The UK-based Chemical Industries Association, with an address entitled, ‘New politics, New World: UK Chemical Industry Challenges and Opportunities’.

SIA Chief Executive, Andrew Norman said, ‘The Conference would not be possible without the support of our Members, who turn out in great numbers to join us for our events, despite difficult market conditions. We are very much looking forward to meeting again at the SIA Spring Dinner in March’.

ESIG Sector Group Manager, Norbert Hannig joined the Conference for what was an excellent introduction to the work of the SIA.

2024 SIA Gerald Soane Award for Health & Safety

The Solvents Industry Association is very proud to announce that Bill Atkinson, Chief Scientific Advisor with Associate Members, Adler & Allan, is this year’s recipient of the SIA’s Gerald Soane Award for Health & Safety.

The Award, in place for many years and named after a former Chair of the Association, is in recognition of an individual’s outstanding contribution to the work of the SIA’s Technical Committee.

SIA Chief Executive, Andrew Norman said, ‘Bill has been with the SIA for a relatively short time, but his expertise and professionalism has stood out this year. His contributions in Technical Committee discussions have been extremely valuable, coupled with an excellent presentation on the SIA’s behalf at Surfex in June’.

Bill said, ‘I am deeply honoured to receive the Gerald Soane Award. Since joining the Technical Committee, I have been impressed by the knowledge, the experience and the commitment of my fellow members, as well of course as Andrew and his team at the SIA, to continuous improvements in safe and sustainable working practices in the industry. Therefore to be recognised by such a group is doubly honouring’.

I look forward to continuing to work with the Technical Committee and the Association in providing insight and experience where possible, for example in tackling such challenges as from emerging pollutants like PFAS.  Once again thank you to the SIA for this award’, he added.

The SIA Technical Committee is instrumental in compiling safety and environmental guidance, specific to solvents and flammable liquids.