The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) marked its 100th anniversary during its annual meeting and industry convention, which was held Feb. 2-6 in Orlando, FL. It was the first convention ACI President and CEO Jennifer Abril, who joined the organization in August 2025 from SOCMA.

Before Abril began her inaugural state of the association address on Feb. 3, ACI showed a video that looked back at the past century, from its formation (as the Association of American Soap and Glycerine Producers) in 1926 to its fat salvaging campaign that helped the US during World War II to the industry-wide response to COVID-19.

Abril praised the industry’s resiliency during the pandemic.

“Resilience meant adapting. It revealed the strength of your teams, the chemists, the manufacturing teams and the leaders who made the impossible happen day after day,” she said.

This new century for ACI begins as members are facing numerous challenges to their business—geopolitical, tariffs, the erosion of consumer trust in institutions, and state, local and international regulations to name just a few of the topics on the minds of attendees during the week-long convention.

“Because today’s world is unsettled, we don’t need more noise. What we need is consistency and clarity,” Abril asserted.

Forecasting for Frictions

ACI officials said the focus will be on anticipating regulatory, scientific and supply chain stressors before they escalate.

“Every leader I speak to is clear-eyed. They talk about agility and preparedness, because frictions are not random. They follow patterns and predictable stress points that can influence market expectations overnight,” said Abril during her address. “The next era of marketplace pivots will come fast. We’ll see transformations to a complex system that will require constant collaboration with partners. But ACI is ready.”

ACI will expand its capacity to translate scientific, regulatory and sustainability trends into clear guidance and practical playbooks and elevate the role of shared intelligence.

“The cleaning products industry has always been collaborative, but today’s landscape demands more alignment than ever,” asserted Abril.

“As we’ve seen across 100 years, when we speak with one voice, we shape outcomes. The challenges of today are real, but they’re not insurmountable,” Abril continued. “In our next century, ACI will measure success not by the number of meetings we host, but by the trust we engender, by the science we strengthen and by the outcomes we deliver for you. The state of this association is clear. We know how to lead. We are aligned with your needs, and we are elevating our capabilities for the world that lies ahead. But this vision only works if we do it together.”

Industry Perspectives

The annual meeting has historically been the place where stakeholders from across the supply chain iron out deals in closed-door gatherings and chart a course for the future.

This year’s meeting was retrospective and forward thinking. In panel sessions, speakers looked back over the past 100 years, but also addressed current challenges.

The Industry Leadership Panel: 100 Years of Clean: Legacy, Leadership and the Next Frontier featured ACI Board member companies: Stephan Habif of Colgate-Palmolive, Lily DeStefano of dsm-firmenich and Charlie Zimmer of Dow. With Abril as moderator, they discussed today’s complex environment.

DeStefano, for example, addressed the lack of a “predictable pathway” to new chemical ingredient registration and the decline in new ingredient submissions.

Habif of Colgate-Palmolive noted the erosion of trust in institutions in general, and science, in particular. According to Habif, as an industry association, ACI has a great role to play in combating misinformation by communicating sound science.

In another panel session titled A Century of Science: The Evolution of Cleaning Chemistry, Tim Botts of Ecolab, Scott Power of IFF and Scott Rodrigue of Procter & Gamble discussed cleaning innovation, from antimicrobials of 1920s and synthetic detergents and chelating agents in the 1930s to enzyme-based cleaners of the 1960s and cold-water detergents in the 2000s.

According to Rodrigue, the growth in the value of the cleaning industry is directly correlated with the amount of “drudgery reduction” companies have provided to consumers.

“That’s how we view our role at P&G… We are in the business of doing chores and helping consumers do them in a much easier way,” he said.

The improvements stem from novel chemistries that have facilitated industry-wide advancements in performance and sustainability.

According to Power, advancements have come through chemists and biologists “working hand in hand, tackling not just fundamental cleaning, but also the creation of sustainable, environmentally friendly processes” that work at low temperatures, save water consumption and deliver a dramatic improvement in energy savings.

Power also stressed the need to keep consumer needs at the center of future innovations.

“Your real target is to work on the soils that matter the most to the consumer,” he told the audience.

The Consumer Perspective

The mindset of the consumer was explored in a session featuring Michael Eknoian of Church & Dwight and Jamie Rosenberg of Mintel. Both noted changing demographics and lifestyle factors that have brought about changes in consumer needs and consumer expectations about cleaning products.

They also addressed the rise of social media as a purveyor of information about cleaning products. Retailers and manufacturers are still trusted resources but are not always the primary source of information for consumers.

“Anyone with a smartphone can put content online and tell a story. Sometimes those stories are completely valid and worthwhile. Some can be completely dangerous,” Eknoian said.

Innovation On Stage

Split into two sessions, companies from across the supply chain presented their latest technologies and services during ACI’s Innovation Showcase. Presentations covered malodor solutions, new esters and polymers, solid-format cleaning products, carbon capture and replacements for SLES, among other topics.

In addition, Clorox’s Kyle Erickson shared details about the development of Clorox Pure, a new product for household allergens that debuted in January. According to Erickson, 60% of households in the US suffer from allergies each year and 70% of those consumers are shopping the air care aisle for products like air fresheners—even though products can have an irritating effect, triggering allergies.

Erickson said Clorox’s goal during development of Pure was two-fold: the product had to work permanently to keep allergens at bay and it needed to fragranced in a way that didn’t have the same risk of irritation for the consumer.

Honors and Awards

ACI also honors members during its yearly gathering. This year, the Sustainability Spotlight Award was presented to Henkel for its holistic integration of sustainability from product formulation to packaging design and logistics. According to ACI, Henkel “comprehensively reimagined” select liquid laundry product lines for All free clear, Persil and Snuggle brands, concentrating formulas to provide more cleaning power per drop and innovating packaging to maximize efficiency.

In addition to concentrating formulas, Henkel reduced bottle complexity and size, simplifying the structure to smaller bottles made of more recycled plastic. The compaction increases shipping efficiency, resulting in fewer trucks on the road and saving a projected 4,000+ metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. All bottles are 100% designed for recycling, supporting a circular economy, and the concentrated formula results in an estimated amount of water conserved in Henkel’s manufacturing facilities equivalent to 450,000 standard loads of laundry, or nine million gallons of water annually. (Additional details can be found in our January 2026 fabric care feature.)

These successes are the result of collaboration with innovative suppliers. To that end, Henkel used ACI’s convention as the backdrop to honor its partners, including BASF and Inolex, which netted “Best Innovation Contributor” awards.

Inolex was recognized for its unique conditioning system that creates a luxurious feel and provides deep hair moisturization. BASF was honored for a new surfactant system for automatic dishwashers, delivering superior rinsing, enhanced shine and faster drying.

(For a fuller look at supplier innovation for cleaning applications, see this feature from our March 2026 issue.)

ACI also presented Dr. Larry Berger, a long-time member of its board of directors and recently retired EVP and chief technical officer of Ecolab, with the Elva Walker Spillane Distinguished Service Award for his many years of outstanding service.

Throughout his career, Berger has been a champion of innovation, collaboration and scientific leadership, according to ACI. His commitment to sharing perspectives and fostering thoughtful dialogue helped inform initiatives that continue to strengthen Ecolab’s mission. Additionally, his focus on expanding the global RD&E network and cultivating a high-performing, execution-driven and inclusive culture laid a strong foundation for the company’s long-term innovation and growth.

Berger, a long-standing member of the Ecolab Foundation, is an inaugural member of the technical advisory board for the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Environment. He continues to advise organizations and leaders across the industry today.

“ACI has provided science-based, fact-based leadership at times when there has been a lot of conflict and challenges for science-based institutions,” Berger told the audience after accepting his award on stage. “The work we have done—and you will continue to do—will become more important in the current environment.”

The Path Ahead

His words echoed the sentiments of Abril in the closing remarks of her state of the association address.

“A century ago, our founders united to confront the challenges of their time, and they could never predict the world we now navigate. And a century from now, the world will be just as unrecognizable,” she said. “But one thing will remain constant: the world will always need clean, and the world will always need the people that make that possible. And that’s you—your companies, this industry and the American Cleaning Institute.”

ACI’s next annual meeting and industry convention is Feb. 8-12, 2027.

Photos: ACI’s Annual Meeting & Industry Convention 2026