Alliance for Chemical Distribution

What Alliance for Chemical Distribution does

Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) is a US trade association headquartered in Arlington, Virginia that represents companies engaged in chemical distribution and related services. Founded in 1971 as the National Association of Chemical Distribution (NACD) and rebranded to ACD around 2023, the organization serves approximately 600 chemical distribution wholesalers operating across roughly 8,000 US locations. ACD operates as an independent, member-supported nonprofit with no parent company, no outside investors, and no disclosed acquisitions, with management led by President and CEO Eric Byer.

ACD's product portfolio is organized around three pillars. First, Policy & Advocacy includes government affairs engagement, the annual Washington Fly-In, the State Advocacy Network, ChemReACTions action alerts, and representation before federal agencies including the Surface Transportation Board, EPA, and CISA. Second, Responsible Distribution is the association's flagship 11-code third-party verification program covering environmental, health, safety, security, and product stewardship standards. Third, Education & Meetings spans a year-round calendar of webinars, workshops, four seasonal Regional Meetings (with a new Winter/Spring/Fall cadence for 2026), the ChemEdge trade show and conference, and the ACD Annual Meeting. Supporting member services include a searchable Membership Directory, the Workforce Advantage Playbook, the ACD Member Toolkit, and training programs delivered through strategic partners (ASK Distribution Consulting, Environment & Safety Solutions, ActVantage, and Sandler).

ACD monetizes primarily through annual membership dues billed on a recurring subscription cadence, supplemented by non-member rates for training and events, ChemEdge exhibitor and sponsorship revenue, and partner-delivered certification programs (Inventory Manager, Pricing Manager, ACD Sales Academy). Pricing for membership tiers is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, leveraging advocacy visibility, regional and national events, and direct outreach to recruit and retain chemical distribution members. Distribution is purely domestic (United States); ACD does not develop proprietary technology products and has no AI/ML capabilities present in the disclosed data.

Name

Alliance for Chemical Distribution

Legal name

Alliance for Chemical Distribution

Website

https://acd-chem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACD is a US trade association providing federal and state advocacy, Responsible Distribution EHS&S verification, and year-round education to roughly 600 chemical distribution wholesalers across 8,000 US locations, funded primarily by recurring membership dues and annual events such as ChemEdge and the Washington Fly-In.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ACD generates revenue through annual membership dues from chemical distribution companies. The association offers various membership levels with different benefit tiers including access to training, compliance resources, advocacy services, and industry networking events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) is a U.S. trade association that serves chemical distribution companies through three core service pillars: (1) Education and events including webinars, workshops, regional meetings, ChemEdge trade show, Washington Fly-In, and the annual meeting; (2) the Responsible Distribution program, a third-party verified environmental, health, safety, and sustainability standard with 11 compliance codes; and (3) Policy and government affairs advocacy before federal and state agencies including the EPA, STB, and Congress. Members pay annual dues and receive access to compliance resources, training, networking, and industry representation.

Product overview

Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) is a trade association offering a portfolio of member services organized around three pillars: Education & Events (webinars, workshops, regional meetings, and annual conferences including ChemEdge and the Annual Meeting), Responsible Distribution (a comprehensive 11-code verification program for EHS&S compliance), and Policy Advocacy (government affairs engagement on regulatory issues). The association also provides member resources including a membership directory, workforce development tools, and training programs delivered through strategic partners. There is no unified software platform; rather, ACD functions as a membership organization delivering services through in-person events, virtual trainings, web portals, and direct regulatory engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Responsible Distribution Program A comprehensive environmental, health, safety, and sustainability third-party verification program covering 11 codes including emergency response, security, and product stewardship, designed for chemical distribution companies seeking verified compliance credentials.
• ChemEdge Trade Show and Conference The premier annual trade show and conference for chemical distribution operations and logistics professionals, featuring targeted training, industry experts, and solution-provider exhibits.
• Washington Fly-In Annual advocacy event where members meet with Members of Congress and federal regulators to educate and advocate for industry policy goals.
• ACD Annual Meeting The industry's premier annual event featuring industry leaders, customers, and colleagues for learning, networking, and business development.
• Regional Meetings Quarterly regional meetings (Winter, Spring, Summer/Autumn) rotating across different U.S. cities, providing mid-year education and networking for chemical distribution professionals.
• Education Webinars and Workshops A year-round calendar of educational webinars and workshops providing training on regulatory compliance, safety, tariffs, supply chain, and industry best practices for chemical distribution professionals.
• ACD Membership Directory A searchable online directory of ACD member companies serving as a resource for finding potential partners and business connections within the chemical distribution industry.
• ACD Member Toolkit Resources and tools provided to members including compliance materials, best practice guides, and operational support documentation.
• Policy and Advocacy Services Government affairs activities including regulatory engagement, policy issue tracking, state advocacy network coordination, and representation before federal agencies including the Surface Transportation Board and EPA.
• ASK Training Programs Virtual and in-person training programs covering EHS auditing, hazardous materials transportation, hazmat shipping, RCRA compliance, and inspection readiness, offered in partnership with Audit Safety Know.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Chemistry Council (ACC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2026ACD partners with American Chemistry Council to co-host the annual Swings for STEM charity golf tournament, raising funds for STEM education initiatives including FOSSI (Future of STEM Scholars Initiative) and CEFinSTEM. The partnership supports HBCU partnerships and STEM workforce development.
• Manifest 2026minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026ACD partnered with Manifest 2026, a global supply chain and logistics technology conference, providing members access to insights on supply chain resilience, logistics operations, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. Members receive a $200 registration discount.
• ASK Distribution ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerACD partners with ASK Distribution Consulting to provide training programs including inspection readiness, EHS auditing fundamentals, hazardous materials transportation training, and Responsible Distribution verification services.
• Environment & Safety Solutions, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerACD partners with Environment & Safety Solutions to deliver compliance training including TSCA, Hazard Communication, RCRA, and chemical safety programs for members.
• SandlerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerACD partnered with Sandler to provide the ACD Sales Academy, a comprehensive sales training program designed to equip members with tools and techniques for closing strategic deals.
• ActVantageminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerACD partners with ActVantage to offer Inventory Manager Certification and Pricing Manager Certification programs, providing practical approaches to inventory and pricing management for chemical distribution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Chemistry Council (ACC): The primary U.S. trade association for the broader chemistry value chain, focused on manufacturers rather than distributors. Comparable as a Washington, D.C.-based industry advocacy and policy organization serving overlapping regulatory issues (EPA, TSCA, CIRCIA), and a current ACD strategic partner on STEM initiatives.
• Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA): Trade association serving specialty and batch chemical manufacturers with advocacy, EHS compliance, and education programs. Closely comparable membership-organization model and Responsible Care-style verification programs that ACD members also navigate.

Broad incumbents

• Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA): Trade association for manufacturers of specialty products including cleaning, disinfecting, and air care. Overlaps with ACD on EHS advocacy and federal regulatory engagement for downstream users of chemicals ACD's distributor members handle.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): The largest U.S. industrial trade association covering all of manufacturing. Comparable as a D.C.-based advocacy and policy organization providing collective voice on tariff, supply chain, and regulatory issues that ACD engages with at the chemical-distribution level.

Emerging players

• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): Professional association for industrial hygienists and EHS practitioners. Comparable in addressing worker EHS compliance and exposure topics that ACD members must manage under OSHA and HazCom rules.
• International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA): Trade association for the cleaning, sanitation, and hygiene industry, including distributors. Comparable in operating a convention-and-trade-show model, providing EHS and regulatory training, and serving supply-chain intermediaries in adjacent chemistries ACD members also touch.
• Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC): Professional society focused on hazard communication, GHS, and SDS standards. Comparable niche where ACD partners with Environment & Safety Solutions for HazCom training, and where ACD members also need compliance support.
• Hazardous Materials Cooperative (HMCo): Purchasing cooperative and informational resource for the hazardous-materials and chemical distribution sectors. Comparable membership model serving hazmat shipping, OSHA, and EPA compliance needs directly relevant to ACD members.

Others

• Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP): Professional association serving the broader supply chain and logistics community that ACD members participate in via the Manifest 2026 partnership. Comparable in providing logistics education, networking, and best-practice content for the same end-user population.

Regional players

• National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA): U.S. trade association representing waste, recycling, and hauler businesses. Comparable as a D.C.-based membership organization providing EHS training (RCRA, DOT hazmat), advocacy, and an annual convention, with structurally similar services to ACD's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACD_chem
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/nacdrdp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alliance-for-chemical-distribution-acd
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalAssociationofChemicalDistributors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alliance for Chemical Distribution