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The Sorptive Minerals Institute (SMI) was founded in 1970
to represent the absorbent clay industry. The six founding
member companies, Engelhard Minerals and Chemicals Corporation,
Floridin Company, General Reduction Corporation, Lowe’s,
Inc., Oil-Dri Corporation of America, and Waverly Mineral
Products Company, envisioned a not-for-profit industry trade
association that would serve as the marketing, promotion and
research arm of the absorbent clay industry with the goal
of enhancing long-range growth and profitability.
The absorbent clays mined and processed by the founding members included
attapulgite, bentonite, diatomite and montmorillonite. These naturally
absorbent minerals possess unique properties that make them suitable for
use in a wide variety of applications. At the time of its founding SMI
members produced products that were being used in industrial oil &
grease absorbents, cat litter, soil conditioners and carriers for pesticides
used in farming. Over the years many additional products have been developed,
with applications as varied as cosmetics, filtration media and clumping
cat litter.
In 1982, SMI moved its executive offices from Chicago, IL
to Washington, DC. The purpose of this move was to allow the
organization to become more proactive in working with government
agencies to ensure that SMI had a voice in legislative and
regulatory issues that might impact the industry. Over the
past 21 years SMI has submitted comments on numerous regulatory
proposals and worked cooperatively with several state and
federal agencies on issues related to environment, health
and safety.
In recent years the SMI Technical Committee, which is comprised
of scientists from the member companies, has undertaken several
projects related to the science and minerology of sorptive
minerals. Their groundbreaking work in this area has garnered
recognition from scientists around the world.
After 37 years the SMI is still going strong. The membership now totals
ten companies and includes several multi-national corporations. Thanks
to the energy and commitment of the members, SMI continues to be a proactive
organization dedicated to the same ideals and the same vision that marked
its founding in 1970.
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