*THE STORY OF AN INDUSTRY THAT SHAPED OUR PAST, IMPROVES OUR PRESENT AND BUILDS OUR FUTURE * *PUBLISHED ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN PETROCHEMICAL ASSOCIATION* *FOREWORD* *Dear reader,* This year marks EPCA’s 50th anniversary. In order to celebrate this milestone in our history, we have chosen “50 Years of Global Chemical Industry Evolution: What’s Next?” as the theme of the EPCA Anniversary Annual Meeting. Implied in this theme is the assumption that the future builds on the foundation of the past. There are many quotes from people of all walks of life that underline this correlation. Eric Micha’el Leventhal, a literary consultant and holistic educator on the island of Maui, Hawai’i, put it this way: *“You invoke a new future when you envision your past in the light of your present.”* This also holds true for our industry. In order to reflect our past, EPCA has published this History Book that you are holding in your hands. On the following pages you will read about milestones reached by the chemical industry over the past 50 years aligned with the history of EPCA. It is a story of achievements and challenges, of progress and setbacks, and of inventors, leaders and visionaries. The History Book looks back on the beginnings of the petrochemical industry and its evolution during the past 50 years. But it also takes an opportunity to look ahead and outline our way into the future. The petrochemical industry has come a long way, it has navigated stormy waters and fought its battles, but at the same time it has created ground-breaking materials and enabled *sustainable solutions for mankind.* Moreover our industry is here to stay because the global challenges we are facing to maintain life on our planet – conquering climate change, providing health care, and ensuring energy and water supply – can only be resolved with innovative chemical solutions and efficient (as well as effective and innovative) supply chains. All over the world, EPCA member companies and their visionary leaders and *ingenious researchers are working to make our future a bright one.* EPCA – with its more than 700 member companies – has been actively supporting these efforts by stimulating collaboration and knowledge transfer to enable progress and by advocating framework conditions to facilitate trade and business. And EPCA is committed to helping the industry be a responsible corporate citizen, good workplace, and enabler of sustainable solutions in the future. Enjoy reading, Tom Crotty, President, EPCA *“The global challenges can only be resolved with innovative chemical solutions and efficient supply chains.”* *​*