AATCC- Brief History

1. AATCC-Brief History

2. Brief History • Founded at a meeting of 140 men on November 3, 1921, at the Engineer’s Club in Boston, Massachusetts • Local Sections of AATCC began forming immediately after AATCC was formed. • Louis A. Olney was a professor at the Lowell Textile School and is considered the Founder of AATCC. • Olney had been a founding member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, a member of the American Chemical Society, involved in higher management at several New England mills, and was editor of the Technical Section of American Dyestuff Reporter. • Proceedings of the Association’s activities were carried in American Dyestuff Reporter until AATCC launched Textile Chemist & Colorist in 1969.

3. Brief History • The need for American textile test methods became apparent during the First World War, when the blockade in the Atlantic prevented European dyes from coming to America, and the fledgling American dye manufacturers struggled with providing consistent products. • AATCC was housed at the Lowell Textile School until 1963. • AATCC published its first four color fastness test methods in 1923. • We built and moved into AATCC Technical Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina in 1964. • AATCC began conducting test method training programs in 1965. Training for testing for durable press was the most popular training initially at the Technical Center.

4. Brief History • AATCC symposia also began in 1966 at hotels and other venues around the country. What to Test for Durable Press was the first AATCC symposium held in Washington, D.C. in March, 1966 followed by a Flock Technology Symposium also held in Washington, D.C. in December 1967. • AATCC launched www.aatcc.org in 1996. • In 1997 AATCC launched its public charitable arm, AATCC Foundation, Inc., which provides scholarships and research grants. • In 1999 AATCC purchased American Dyestuff Reporter. • We began exhibiting at international trade shows in 1999. • In 2000 established a Mexican office and conducted test method training in Mexico.

5. Brief History • AATCC transitioned Textile Chemist & Colorist and American Dyestuff Reporter into AATCC Review in 2001 and received its first of many Apex Awards for Publications Excellence. • We launched AATCC Proficiency Testing Programs in 2002. • The Membership Directory went on-line for easy use by all members that same year. • In 2002 we began first major renovation of Technical Center to include new ceilings and lighting, new HVAC and boiler, refurbished lab counters and cabinets, and a new roof over a two year period. • AATCC launched International Test Method Training Programs in 2003, beginning in India and now in many countries. • We launched test method training on CDs in 2003. • We launched AATCC U.V. Calibration Program in 2004.

6. Brief History • In 2004 we made major changes to the AATCC Constitution to transition the 50-plus member governing Council to an approximate 20 member Board of Directors and launched three Interest Groups: Chemical Applications, Concept 2 Consumer, and Materials. • We launched the On-Line Buyers Guide and downloadable test methods from the website in 2004. • For the first time in 2004, we co-located the AATCC International Conference with American Textile Machinery International (ATME-I) show in Greenville, S.C. • In October 2004 we launched on-line newsletter, AATCC News • In November 2004, we approved selling AATCC Technical Manual in a searchable CD format.

7. Brief History • In that same year we agreed to be one of the four sponsoring organizations for the on-line peer-reviewed Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics (JEFF). • In 2006 we signed an agreement to syndicate AATCC Review with China Textile Leader. • AATCC purchased the Computer Integrated Textile Design Association (CITDA) in 2005 and launched the C2C Student Design Competition. • We formed our first international local section, the Indian Section, around Mumbai in 2005. • AATCC made available all magazine articles from 1969 to the present in an on-line archive in a searchable format for our members, and the magazine became available in a digital format as well as in printed form in 2005. • We launched the Materials Engineering Competition in 2005.

8. Brief History • A lower priced developing nation membership was developed in 2006 incorporating the digital magazine. • We contracted the China Textile Information Center to translate the AATCC Technical Manual into Mandarin, print, and sell the manual in China. • AATCC dedicated the William R. Martin, Jr. Walkway at the Technical Center with proceeds from inscribed bricks going to support AATCC Foundation’s charitable activities at the end of 2007. • We launched our second international section, the Kongu Section, around Tirupur, India in March 2008. • AATCC approved an international Student Chapter at SASMIRA in Mumbai in November 2008 and launched early 2009.

9. Brief History • We launched on-line web-based Textile Fundamentals education consisting of fourteen chapters, quizzes, and certificates of completion with the College of Textiles at NC State University. • In 2008 AATCC developed a CD book, Color Vision and Technology, by Rolf Kuehni. • AATCC launched another international Student Chapter at UNMSM in Lima, Peru in 2009.

10. Please see our staff for any details and visit www.aatcc.org