CPMA Elects New Officers, Reflects on Evolution of Color Pigments Industry at Annual Meeting

As originally published in Coatings World and Ink World, Februrary 1, 2024

The Color Pigments Manufacturers Association (CPMA) held its Annual Meeting on Dec. 5, 2023 at Sun Chemical’s headquarters in Cincinnati, OH. CPMA elected its 2024-2025 officers and board members and convened CPMA members across the color pigments value chain for an opportunity to network and hear expert insights about latest business trends and regulatory outlook for 2024.

CPMA Elects New Officers and Recognizes Outgoing President

CPMA Elects New Officers, Reflects on Evolution of Color Pigments Industry at Annual Meeting

CPMA President Aaron Hollman, left, presents leadership award to outgoing president Ron Levi for his term during 2020-2023.

During the 94th Annual Meeting, CPMA honored Ronald Levi, outgoing CPMA president and chair, Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co KG, and elected new officers for the 2024-2025 term. Aaron Hollman, Sun Chemical, was elected as CPMA president and chair, and Chris Manning, Shepherd Color, was elected as vice president and chair.

“We have seen many changes over the years impacting the industry,” said Levi, “and it has been an honor to work with the CPMA Board and members to legislate locally and influence globally, while working with the industry value chain and strengthening CPMA’s position as the recognized industry leader.”

“On behalf of the CPMA, I want to thank Ron Levi for his dedicated leadership and contribution to the industry over the last four years,” said Hollman. “I look forward to working with the CPMA Board and members in continuing to advance the color pigments industry in North America through engagement with companies across the color pigments value chain and implementation of the CPMA sustainability initiative in the next two years.”

The 2024-2025 Executive Committee and Board of Governors include:

Officers/Executive Committee:
• President/Chair - Aaron Hollman, VP sales, Color Materials Americas, Sun Chemical Corporation
• Vice President/Vice Chair - Chris Manning, president and general manager, Shepherd Color
• Secretary and Treasurer - David Wawer, CPMA
• Member-at-Large - Brandon Devis, VP global business management, Heubach Group
• Immediate Past President/Chair - Ronald Levi, owner and president, Bruchsaler Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG

Board of Governors:
• Nick Jones, VP and general manager, Cabot Corporation
• Allen Zhao, general manager, CINIC Chemicals America, LLC
• David Putman, director of supplier management, Penn Color, Inc.
• Shigeru Suzuki, president, TOMATEC America, Inc.
• Phil Befumo, president, United Mineral & Chemical Corporation

Additionally, CPMA celebrated the association’s accomplishments and recognized the leadership of CPMA’s committee chairs:
• Global Value Chain Committee: Chair Susan Hipsky, senior regulatory affairs manager, Cabot, and vice chair Ralph Svenningsen, director of quality and environmental affairs, DCL
• Inorganic Pigments Committee: Chair Gary Strassell, EHS manager, Shepherd Color and vice chair Yani Gao, product stewardship and regulatory affairs manager, Heubach Group
• Organic Pigments Committee: Chair Earl Seibert, regulatory manager, Color Materials North America, Sun Chemical and vice chair Madeline Kaufman, product stewardship manager, Heubach Group

CPMA Reflects on Evolution of the Industry, Role in Supporting the Color Pigments Sector

Outgoing president Levi reflected on changes in the industry landscape over the last four years and the role CPMA has played to support its members’ business operations and facilitate growth.

Global and regional events have impacted the business landscape, economic conditions and business decisions. In addition, recent events have influenced how industry trade associations conduct programs and meetings to best support member needs.

CPMA has expanded its membership engagement across the value chain, developed programming with a focus on supply chain and customer trends and challenges, continued proactive engagement with US and Canadian government agencies, expanded collaboration with global industry partners, and developed a new in-person meeting structure in conjunction with large US customer industry trade shows.

Over the last few years, the industry has also seen an expansion of government regulations impacting the chemical sector, and particularly the batch specialty chemical industry, in both North America and Europe. The acceleration of government regulations, with an increased focus on chemicals in products, has led to a shift in association public policy objectives and focus.

There has been substantive engagement with state governments in response to emerging U.S. state laws impacting products contaminants, packaging and labeling. At the same time, CPMA has remained engaged in the US EPA’s risk evaluation and risk management of CI Pigment Violet 29, providing scientific data to support the industry’s position.

Business Trends and Regulatory Outlook

During the December Annual Meeting, members heard from industry experts across the color pigments value chain who shared their perspective and insights about the business landscape in 2024.

Jennifer Abril, president and CEO, SOCMA, shared key findings from SOCMA’s manufacturing outlook report for the specialty chemicals sector, highlighting anticipation of an industry rebound in 2024 despite recession and destocking trends in 2023.

Javaneh Tarter, CPMA policy counsel, Hunton Andrews Kurth, provided a view from Washington and what to expect from federal regulation trends in the coming year, including increase in costs of doing business to comply with regulatory mandates, increased information requirements, emphasis on supply chain communications and more. In addition, Heidi McAuliffe, VP government affairs, American Coatings Association, discussed federal and state regulations impacting paint products and opportunities to collaborate with the color pigments industry to inform the regulatory process.

2024 Industry Initiatives

Over the last few years, there has been a growing trend, influenced by global governments and product companies, for increased requirements to define and measure sustainability achievements within global industry sectors.

In 2022, CPMA launched a sustainability initiative in response to the evolution of downstream customer expectations and requirements for the color pigments industry value chain, which includes pigments processors and converters and plastics masterbatch companies.

Companies have turned to industry trade associations for leadership and guidance to meet customer expectations and requirements for continued business. In 2024, CPMA’s strategic objectives will continue to focus on the importance of working with downstream customer industries to address sustainability challenges and develop a sustainability framework for the color pigments sector.

If your company is in the color pigments value chain, it is more important than ever to get engaged through your association and participate in the dialogue with federal and state policy makers as well as stay informed about emerging trends and regulatory requirements. CPMA remains the leading expert for the color pigments sector, offering critical guidance and industry resources for its members and opportunities to collaborate on key issues impacting your business.

For more information about CPMA and its programs supporting color pigments manufacturers, importers/distributors, pigments processors and converters, and plastics masterbatch companies, contact CPMA executive director David Wawer, davidwawer@cpma.com.

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