2025 SOCMA Summit: Resilient. Regional. Ready

By Jenny Gaines, Vice President, Membership 

Last week, we gathered 170 senior executives from across the specialty and batch chemical sector for the 2025 SOCMA Summit & Annual Meeting at The Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX, our largest Summit to date. If I had to sum up this year’s event in one phrase, it would be: “Strategic pause, collective gain.” 

From the outset, the Summit established its tone with a keynote session that anchored the conference and shaped the discussions that followed. Ken Gronbach delivered an engaging, data-rich look at how North America’s demographics uniquely position the region for long-term growth — highlighting trends in workforce, consumption, and economic stability. His message was clear: the industry is operating within one of the most favorable global environments for manufacturing and market expansion, provided companies adapt strategically to seize the opportunity. 

That keynote energy carried throughout the event as attendees explored what the next 12 months — and beyond — might hold for specialty and batch chemical manufacturing. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

Regionalization and Supply Chain Resilience Shifts 

A recurring theme was the evolving approach to supply and production strategies. As one panelist put it, “In the past, the focus was on diversity in supply—sourcing globally to reduce risk. But over the last year or so, we’ve seen a pivot. There’s now a stronger emphasis on regionalization, even bringing materials and production back to the U.S. to ensure supply security. It’s not about fully localizing, but about staying nimble—tightening vertical integration, cutting development timelines, and protecting IP where it matters most.” 

Another added, “Many believe we can’t produce locally at the lowest cost, but the real value lies in time—faster development, quicker response to market shifts, and tighter control over the process.” 

The consensus was clear: cost alone is no longer the key metric. Agility, speed, intellectual property protection, and supply-chain resilience now define competitive strength. 

Customer-Centric Service and Integrity 

Speakers also emphasized the power of service and trust in today’s competitive environment: 

  • You’ve got to offer solutions even with capacity. Integrity of the products is so important — what other services can you offer? 
  • Knowing your customer is critical to why you are the right solution for them. 
  • Marketing your capabilities is important but do one extra thing for your customer and you will win the deal. 

The takeaway was unmistakable — companies that pair technical capability with a strong service mindset and customer intimacy will lead the next phase of industry growth. 

Data-Driven Insights and Policy Direction 

SOCMA also unveiled findings from its Contract Manufacturing Outlook Report during “The Next 12 Months: Manufacturing & Market Outlook” session. Now in its third year, the report highlighted data-backed trends shaping executive decision-making — from investment confidence and production expectations to workforce and innovation priorities. 

In our final session, “From Insight to Action: Shaping the Policy Path to Vision 2030” brought the conversation full circle, exploring regulatory and policy challenges that impact the industry’s ability to reshore and regionalize supply chains. Attendees discussed the policy changes needed to support regional competitiveness — and how SOCMA can help drive those changes forward. 

Meanwhile, the Capital Market Outlook took a deep dive into economic conditions influencing manufacturing investment. Our industry expert shared forecasts on GDP drivers and interest rates, analyzing how current market factors could shape growth trajectories and financing opportunities for the specialty chemical sector. 

Community and Benchmarking 

Beyond the sessions, what defined the 2025 Summit was its strong sense of community. Attendees echoed the same sentiment again and again: “We’re in this together.” 

The ability to compare notes with peers, discuss operational challenges, and identify new opportunities created genuine value. With 170 attendees — including manufacturers, custom/toll producers, suppliers, and service providers — the networking was intentional, energizing, and collaborative. 

Recognizing Excellence 

The Summit concluded with our Safety Recognition Dinner, celebrating 31 SOCMA member companies for their unwavering commitment to safety and operational excellence. Congratulations to all honorees for continuously raising the bar across the industry. 

A heartfelt thank you also goes to our 32 SOCMA Summit Sponsors, especially our Platinum Sponsors — International Process Plants (IPP) and Infor. Your partnership made this event a rousing success. Full List of Sponsors  

Final Thoughts 

For those who attended, I hope you left inspired, connected, and ready to act on new insights. For those who couldn’t join us this year — we missed you, and the door is wide open for next time. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed, shared openly, and made this Summit one to remember. Together, we’re building momentum to strengthen and grow our industry. 

SOCMA Summit Attendee List 
Summit Photo Gallery 

If you want to learn more about the SOCMA Summit and our growing membership community, contact me at jgaines@socma.org, or 571-348-5110. 

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