Orangeburg, S.C., Chemical Plant Honored for Safety Standards

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As a testament to maintaining environmental, health and safety standards as well as community involvement, employees at Orangeburg's Albemarle Corp. plant have made it back-to-back victories in the annual Responsible Care Achievement Award given by the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association.

Dec. 5—As a testament to maintaining environmental, health and safety standards as well as community involvement,


employees at Orangeburg's Albemarle Corp. plant have made it back-to-back victories in the annual Responsible Care


Achievement Award given by the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association.





The plant was recognized for all the basic elements of outstanding Responsible Care, but the plant's participation in


Orangeburg's "Relay for Life" was cited by SOCMA members as propelling the plant into an elite category of Responsible Care.





The plant raised $22,900 with about 70 percent employee participation in the Relay for Life. Funds go to fight cancer and to


celebrate the lives of those who have survived cancer.





"What this says is that we are doing our business right and that we are truly concerned about safety of our community and our


employees," said Scott Bottelberghe, plant manager. "We all live in this community and from an environmental standpoint, we


take that very seriously."





Bottelberghe credited all those affiliated with the company as key to responsible care.





"You are not going to get safety and environmental without the cooperation of all employees," Bottelberghe said. "Everybody


is a safety professional first and foremost when we do our jobs."





In addition to "Relay for Life," the company sponsors the Orangeburg County Community of Character campaign, has worked with


Clark Middle School in the establishment of informational and educational assistance, and has been a consistent contributor


to United Way.





Albemarle is a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical products such as ibuprofen and naproxen, an ingredient used in a pain


suppressant. The plant is also a manufacturer of aluminum alkyls, which are used as catalysts in the making of plastics.





The company employs approximately 500 personnel with more on the payrolls of contractors working on the site. The plant


contributes $24 million to the area's economy and between $1 and $2 million to the county's tax base.





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© 2004, The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, S.C. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.