The American Ceramic Society

What The American Ceramic Society does

The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) is a nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1898 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. It serves more than 10,000 members across 70+ countries, comprising scientists, engineers, manufacturers, educators, and students working in ceramic, glass, and related materials science disciplines. The society operates as the central community hub for the field, offering peer-reviewed publications, conferences, professional development programs, and curated technical databases, and operates an affiliated nonprofit, the Ceramic & Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF), focused on education and workforce development.

ACerS's core product portfolio includes four peer-reviewed journals (Journal of the American Ceramic Society, International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, International Journal of Applied Glass Science, International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science) published in partnership with Wiley, the PHASE Equilibria Diagrams database co-produced with NIST (containing 33,000+ critically evaluated diagrams, with a major Version 6.0 release in 2024 adding browser-based analysis software), and the CERAMIC XCHANGE (CXC) online directory launched in 2026. The society runs multiple annual and endorsed conferences (ICACC, MS&T, Ceramics Expo USA, ICC11, CMCEE-15, ICCCI2028), short courses, certificate programs (Ceramic Manufacturing, Advanced Ceramics, Glass Manufacturing), the Edward Orton Jr. Foundation co-delivered Refractory Technology Program, and the Department of War-funded Hypersonic Materials Training Program delivered with USACA.

The business model operates on a hybrid of subscription and transaction revenue streams: individual and corporate membership dues, institutional journal subscriptions (via Wiley), conference registration and exhibition fees, PHASE software licensing (USB and online), short-course and certificate fees, book sales (with 35% member discount), and advertising/sponsorship packages sold through a structured Marketing Planner reaching 10,000 members, 45,000 monthly website visitors, and 12,000 opt-in newsletter subscribers. Corporate partnerships follow a tiered Diamond-level structure with industry backers including Corning, Harrop, Imerys, Mo-Sci, Saint-Gobain, and STC Material Solutions. Federal grants from NIST (AMTech) and the Department of War fund consortium roadmaps (FGMIC) and workforce-development programs, supplementing dues- and event-driven income.

Name

The American Ceramic Society

Legal name

The American Ceramic Society

Website

https://ceramics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), founded in 1898, is a nonprofit professional membership organization serving 10,000+ ceramic and glass professionals across 70+ countries. It publishes four peer-reviewed journals, operates the NIST-co-produced PHASE phase-equilibria database, hosts conferences, and runs certificate programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific Technical & Certification Prep (e.g., Construction, Manufacturing, Energy) (EDAGANAN)

Keywords

• Professional society membership
• Scientific journal publishing
• Ceramic materials research
• Glass science education
• Technical conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees providing access to journals, publications, networking, conferences, and professional development resources. Multiple tiers including Individual, Lifetime, Associate, Graduate/Doctoral Student, Undergraduate Student, and Corporate Partner.
2. Journal Publications: Four ACerS journals published in partnership with Wiley: Journal of the American Ceramic Society (JACerS), International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology (ACT), International Journal of Applied Glass Science (IJAGS), and International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science (IJCES). Revenue from institutional subscriptions and open access fees.
3. Events and Conferences: Registration fees, exhibition space, and sponsorships for annual meetings, endorsed meetings, and partner conferences including ICACC, Ceramics Expo, and MS&T.
4. Short Courses and Education: In-person and virtual short courses on ceramic science, manufacturing, and specialty topics. On-demand course catalog and certificate programs including Ceramic Manufacturing, Advanced Ceramics, and Glass Manufacturing certificates.
5. Books and Publications Sales: ACerS-Wiley book publications including Ceramic Transactions (CT) Series and Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings (CESP). Members receive 35% discount.
6. Advertising and Sponsorship: Marketing planner offering digital marketing (retargeting, geo-fencing), print advertising in ACerS Bulletin, CXC directory advertising, and exhibition/sponsorship opportunities at conferences. Reaches 10,000 members, 45,000 monthly website visitors, 12,000 opt-in subscribers.
7. Phase Equilibria Diagrams Software: PHASE 5.2 database software available as USB or online subscription. Single and multi-user licenses with update pricing for existing version owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The American Ceramic Society operates as a nonprofit professional membership organization serving 10,000+ ceramic and glass materials professionals in 70+ countries. It generates revenue and delivers value through individual and corporate membership dues, four peer-reviewed journals, the ACerS Bulletin magazine, books and newsletters, in-person and on-demand educational courses with certificate programs, and major industry conferences including ICACC, the Annual Meeting, and MS&T. The society also licenses the ACerS-NIST PHASE Equilibria Diagrams database and runs the CERAMIC XCHANGE online industry directory.

Product overview

The American Ceramic Society operates as a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of publications, educational programs, and networking services for the ceramic and glass materials community. The core offerings include four peer-reviewed journals (JACerS, ACT, IJAGS, IJCES), the ACerS Bulletin magazine, news publications (Ceramic Tech Today, Ceramic & Glass Manufacturing Weekly), and the Ceramic Tech Chat podcast. The Society provides professional development through short courses, certificate programs (Ceramic Manufacturing, Advanced Ceramics, Glass Manufacturing), the Orton Refractory Technology Program, and the Hypersonic Materials Training Program. Key technology products include the PHASE Equilibria Diagrams database (with NIST) and the CERAMIC XCHANGE (CXC) online directory. Additional services include webinars, career center resources, events/conferences, and membership directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACerS Peer-Reviewed Journals (JACerS, ACT, IJAGS, IJCES)

Quantifiable outcome

• 68% of ACerS professional members have a PhD and 17% have a master's degree
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• CorningflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner of ACerS, providing sponsorship and brand visibility to the ceramics and glass community. Corning is a leading manufacturer of specialty glass and ceramic materials.
• HarropflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner specializing in refractory testing equipment, supporting ACerS events and gaining visibility among ceramics professionals.
• ImerysflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner, global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions for the ceramics and glass industry.
• Mo-SciflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner providing specialty glass for medical and technical applications, supporting ACerS through sponsorship.
• Saint-GobainflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner, global leader in light and habitat construction materials including ceramic and glass products.
• STC Material SolutionsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Partner providing technical ceramic solutions, supporting ACerS as corporate partner.
• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIST AMTech funded the Functional Glass Manufacturing Innovation Consortium (FGMIC) project to develop technological roadmap for advanced manufacturing of functional glasses (2015-2017, Award No. 70NANB15H073).
• Nexight GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ACerS to hold workshops and develop the FGMIC roadmap through expert interviews and literature review.
• U.S. Advanced Ceramics Association (USACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACerS partnered with USACA to create the Hypersonic Materials Training Program, funded by Department of War under IBAS National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative. Attracted 220+ participants from industry, government, and academia.
• Edward Orton Jr. FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to offer ACerS-Orton Refractory Technology Program with two certificate tracks: Basic and Intermediate Refractory Technology, taught by Orton professionals including Dr. Joseph Homeny.
• WileycoreTechnology or IntegrationACerS journals published in partnership with Wiley (ceramics.onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Includes Journal of the American Ceramic Society, International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, International Journal of Applied Glass Science, and International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science. Wiley provides online hosting, distribution, and open access infrastructure.
• Ceramics Expo USAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner conference for ceramics industry trade show and exhibition in the USA.
• MS&T (Materials Science and Technology)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner conference MS&T26, joint event bringing together materials science professionals.
• Advanced Materials Show USAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner conference for advanced materials exhibition.
• Electronic Materials ConferenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEndorsed meeting June 24-26, 2026 in Ann Arbor, MI, USA. ACerS endorsement indicates alignment with membership interests.
• International Conference on Self-Healing Materials (ICSHM 2026)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEndorsed meeting July 8-10, 2026 at Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA.
• 11th International Congress on Ceramics (ICC11)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEndorsed meeting September 6-11, 2026 in Sapporo, Japan.
• 15th International Conference on Ceramic Materials and Components for Energy and Environmental Systems (CMCEE-15)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEndorsed meeting September 5-9, 2027 in Budapest, Hungary.
• 9th International Conference on the Characterization and Control of Interfaces for High Quality Advanced Materials (ICCCI2028)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEndorsed meeting July 4-7, 2028 in Fujiyoshida, Japan.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Society of Glass Technology (SGT): UK-based professional society dedicated to glass science and technology, with a comparable operating model of membership, publications, conferences (Annual Conference and Glass Reflections), and educational events. Direct peer for ACerS's glass-focused member segment.
• ASM International: Professional society for materials engineers with comparable offerings including journals, conferences (MS&T alongside ACerS), member directories, and educational courses. Strong overlap in metals, ceramics, and structural materials communities and co-organizes the MS&T conference with ACerS.
• International Ceramic Federation (ICF): Umbrella organization of national ceramic societies worldwide, coordinating ICC congresses and global technical collaboration. Functions as ACerS's global federation peer and a partner for international events such as ICC11 (Sapporo, 2026).
• Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3): UK-based professional body covering materials, minerals, and mining with membership tiers, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and technical certificates. Directly comparable institutional model and significant overlap with ACerS on ceramics content and corporate partnerships.
• Materials Research Society (MRS): A peer-sized professional society serving the broader materials science community. Closely comparable operating model: membership dues, peer-reviewed journals, large annual meetings (MRS Spring/Fall Meetings), educational programming, and corporate partnership tiers. Directly competes for the same materials-research audience that overlaps with ACerS's ceramic and glass members.
• Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft (DKG): German Ceramic Society, the largest European professional association dedicated to ceramics. Runs conferences (including the European Ceramic Society conference cycle), publications, and working groups that directly parallel ACerS's structure; together they collaborate via the International Ceramic Federation.
• The Electrochemical Society (ECS): Mid-sized professional society in an adjacent materials sub-field (electrochemistry, solid-state, batteries) with the same revenue mix of membership dues, journals, conferences, and short courses. Comparable scale and member demographics, making it a strong operational benchmark for ACerS.

Others

• Wiley: Publishing and distribution partner for ACerS's four journals (JACerS, ACT, IJAGS, IJCES) and book series. Functions as ACerS's primary channel to institutional library customers and an enabling partner rather than a direct competitor, but a critical dependency for journal revenue.
• Ceramic Arts Network: Digital community and education platform for ceramic artists and hobbyists. Listed on the ACerS website as an affiliated entity; while it serves a more maker/hobbyist segment rather than ACerS's industrial and research audience, it shares the ceramics subject area and illustrates ecosystem adjacency.

Broad incumbents

• American Chemical Society (ACS): Largest US chemistry professional society with a much bigger membership base, journals portfolio (including partnerships with Wiley), and conference business (ACS National Meetings). Operates the same membership + publications + meetings + education model but at significantly greater scale across a broader discipline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACerSNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ceramicsociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/acersnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-american-ceramic-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/acersnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 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 The American Ceramic Society