About Us
The Chemical Industry Vision2020 Technology Partnership (Vision2020) is an industry-led process among public and private sector stakeholders in the chemical and allied industries. Vision2020 seeks to expand the amount of funding available for pre-competitive R&D in priority areas. Through collaborative efforts among industry, national laboratories, and academia, the Vision2020 Partnership fosters step-change technology innovation, which may be beyond the risk threshold of individual companies.
The Vision2020 partnership was launched in 1996 when company representatives released a Vision for the chemical industry's future and identified the key technical challenges that need to be overcome to realize that vision. Since then, detailed roadmaps and technical publications have been developed to outline research needs addressing many of these challenges and more. Theses publications are used to guide academic and government funding and research in directions that will benefit the chemicals and allied industries. An ongoing process has been implemented to update the priority R&D needs, establish collaborative R&D projects, influence government funding, and help the chemical industry move from Vision to reality.
The Vision2020 Steering Committee regularly reviews the R&D projects that are under way. Your company can leverage resources by joining the Vision2020 Steering Committee or participating in activities. All companies with shared interests are eligible and encouraged to participate. Get Involved!
How Vision2020 Came to Be
In 1994, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy requested an industrial perspective on how the U.S. government could better allocate R&D funding to advance the manufacturing base of the U.S. economy. In response, chemical industry leaders created the report Technology Vision 2020 – The U.S. Chemical Industry (PDF 310 KB). This landmark document established a long-term path for the future of the chemical industry based on key market, business, and environmental needs. Priorities were established in new chemical science and engineering technology, supply chain management, information systems, and manufacturing and operations. Over 300 industry leaders worked together to reach consensus. The projects success spawned the creation of Vision2020.
