Navigating complex regulations and driving innovation on tighter budgets—2 key insights from SOCMA 2025 and solutions to help manufacturers adapt
The chemical industry gathered at the SOCMA Show in Nashville this past week. Every year, this event brings together a wide array of partners, suppliers, buyers and industry experts across the entire specialty and industrial chemical value chain. This includes researchers, laboratory services, equipment providers, manufacturers, packagers, distributors, downstream users, and waste management providers.
This key event for the sector is hosted by the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates® (SOCMA). SOCMA is a leading trade association dedicated to advancing the specialty chemical sector through advocacy, safety initiatives, and business intelligence. The organization plays a crucial role in helping companies navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape while fostering industry growth through networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities—like the SOCMA Show.
Although the past few years have been trying times for many in the chemical industry, this year’s SOCMA show reflected a cautiously optimistic industry outlook–despite ongoing challenges such as supply chain disruptions, evolving regulatory pressures, and shifting market dynamics. Many topics were discussed, such as the localization of supply chains, the role artificial intelligence (AI) will play in specialty chemicals, upcoming policy changes, and general market trends for 2025.
In this blog, we highlight two key takeaways from the show that Aropha’s co-founder and CEO, Travis Johnston, identified as critical trends for the coming year:
1.) Navigating Regulations is Becoming Increasingly Difficult
Global regulatory landscapes are evolving, some faster than others. Regulatory changes don’t always mean enacting new policies; they can also include retractions, revisions or stricter enforcement of existing policies.
Recent regulatory developments, such as the tightening of PFAS restrictions, updates to TSCA in the U.S., and evolving requirements under EU REACH, all highlight the growing complexity of the compliance environment. Additionally, sustainability regulations, such as carbon reporting mandates and stricter environmental controls, are reshaping supply chain expectations.
These constantly shifting requirements create an ever-increasingly difficult landscape to navigate for chemical companies manufacturing in, or shipping into, different regions around the world.
Now, more than ever, staying up to date and informed on changes to rules and regulations is vital. Companies focused on proactive compliance can actually turn regulatory changes into competitive advantages. As regulations continue to evolve, the companies that stay informed and agile will be the ones best positioned for long-term success.
2.) Reduced Spending on Internal R&D is Creating Opportunities
Several difficult years have led to widespread cost-cutting measures across the chemical industry, including downsizing and shutting down new internal initiatives. Subsequently, chemical companies are beginning to prioritize and focus on core products.
While it is not unique to the chemical industry by any means, internal research and development (R&D) is unfortunately one of the first areas to experience budget cuts when an industry faces hardships. Rather than relying solely on in-house teams, companies are increasingly turning to external Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and innovation partners to explore new formulations, processes, and technologies on an as-needed basis.
While unfortunate, this shift creates an opportunity to advance how R&D is being done. Adoption of simulation, digitization, and automation throughout R&D can spur cost-effective innovation at a time when there is hesitancy to accelerate new initiatives. These new advancements open the door for more agile, tech-enabled approaches to R&D—ultimately creating new opportunities for innovation in the specialty chemical sector.
Aropha’s Biodegradation Testing Platform Solves the Biggest Challenges from the SOCMA Show
Aropha is revolutionizing specialty chemical R&D with tools and services that address both regulatory and budget challenges. The company’s AI-powered predictive modeling and laboratory automation offer a smarter, faster, and more cost-effective approach to biodegradability testing and ingredient selection. They ensure specialty chemical companies have the tools to stay compliant, accelerate innovation, and reduce costs in a rapidly evolving industry.
The introduction of advanced modeling software and AI-driven analytics can reduce the time and cost required to test new compounds and formulations. Automated lab processes and high-throughput screening further improve efficiency, allowing for more cost-effective experimentation even amid reduced budgets.
Chemical manufacturers and suppliers are using Aropha’s technology to pinpoint the best ingredients for commercialization (eliminating costly trial and error), cut annual testing costs by up to 40%, shorten product development cycles by 6+ months and make regulatory approval faster and more efficient.
By integrating AI and automation, chemical companies can adapt, comply, and grow in an evolving industry.
Conclusion: SOCMA 2025
Apart from these takeaways, the SOCMA show also fostered a welcoming, collaborative environment where industry leaders could share their insights with one another. It provided a great gathering point for reconnecting with old friends and starting new partnerships.
For those who missed SOCMA, it’s not too late to connect with the Aropha team and start exploring how you can streamline your biodegradation testing throughout R&D. Contact the team to get started.