gChem: Safeguarding a single essential molecule
Molecules move quietly through modern industry. One molecule in particular improves how medicines work inside the body. It supports semiconductor manufacturing and carbon fiber production. It stabilizes fertilizer in soil and replaces solvents that are toxic, carcinogenic or environmentally persistent. Few people recognize its name, but many industries depend on it.
gChem, an FM client since 2023, is the only producer of dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, in the Western Hemisphere. The company produces millions of pounds each year from a single facility in Alabama. When one molecule helps power essential systems across healthcare, technology and agriculture, protecting it is more than an operational priority. It is a responsibility.
Recognizing the benefit of enhanced risk mitigation, gChem’s leadership decided to pursue FM’s Highly Protected Risk (HPR) status, a designation of rigorous property loss prevention practices. gChem attained HPR in 2024 and again in 2025, a significant achievement in such a short period of time. gChem Chief Executive Officer Frank Roederer views the HPR designation as evidence of both partnership and performance. “FM is fundamentally different than anybody else,” he said. “They’re helping us prevent losses rather than waiting until they happen and just sending a check.”
Focused by design
DMSO functions as a versatile, high-purity solvent. gChem supplies specialized grades tailored to industries ranging from microelectronics to crop protection. Pharmaceutical-grade DMSO is refined to 99.99% purity and supervised by federal regulators for applications that enter the human body. “DMSO is our lifeline, our lifeblood. That’s all we do,” Roederer said.
In many applications, DMSO replaces more hazardous alternatives. gChem Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Priola sees the impact beyond the plant floor. “The more that we can produce, the safer we make the world,” she said, pointing to DMSO’s role in drug development, electronics and agriculture. Commercial production of DMSO began in 1962 using a paper mill byproduct. DMSO has remained gChem’s sole focus through ownership changes and the relocation of operations from Louisiana to Alabama. The company now operates one fully integrated facility with 100% domestic sourcing of raw materials. This enables a secure, reliable source of quality materials to minimize risks from global supply chain disruptions.
Consolidation brings obvious efficiency, but it also raises the stakes. There is no secondary site to absorb disruption. Every improvement is significant. “If you only have one plant, you treat it like you only have one plant,” Roederer said.
Discipline at every level
gChem conducts an annual maintenance shutdown to disassemble, inspect and recalibrate critical components before restarting for another year of nonstop production. Employees follow strict protocols, particularly in pharmaceutical operations where documentation and traceability are essential. “We see HPR status as simply doing the right thing,” Priola said. “We’re investing in our people, training and infrastructure to reduce risk at the source.”
Even disciplined operations benefit from outside perspective. Before becoming an FM client, gChem had already built a strong foundation. FM brought additional engineering depth. Nine improvement opportunities were identified during the first engineering visit, including fire protection enhancements in a warehouse storing plastic drums and testing of transformer oil on a newly installed unit.
“After about six weeks, we completed seven of the nine recommendations. And within three months we had them all complete,” Roederer said.
Rapid completion of engineering recommendations is uncommon in heavy industry, where risk improvement programs often unfold over multiple years. Transformer oil testing revealed early signs of a defect while the equipment remained under warranty, allowing corrective action before a larger exposure developed. Additional safeguards reduced fire spread potential between critical production and storage areas. The changes were practical, measurable and completed without delay.
FM Account Engineer Ray Dhimogjini described the alignment between gChem’s leadership and operations as “a commitment to continuous improvement.”
Protecting gChem’s purpose
DMSO rarely appears in headlines, but reliable access to it matters to manufacturers, researchers and patients around the world. Safeguarding DMSO requires engineering discipline, shared standards and daily accountability.
gChem’s operations in Alabama support customers across the globe, many of whom depend on uninterrupted access to high-purity DMSO for their own production lines and research programs. Every shipment shows gChem’s focused commitment backed by preventive engineering, operational excellence and a culture that understands what is at stake.
“Achieving the HPR designation has been a badge of honor for us,” said gChem Vice President of Manufacturing & Supply Chain John Davidson. “It showed us that while we’re quite good at what we do, there are always opportunities for improvement. The partnership with FM has helped us reach new heights.”