Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers Association

• 1.1 The association shall be known as: the Container Handling Equipment Manufacturers Association.
• 1.2 The abbreviation CHEM has been adopted as the short name.
• 1.3 The CHEM logo shall be as displayed below:

   

  

• 1.4 The CHEM colour shall be green.
• 1.5 CHEM shall be a voluntary organisation.
• 1.6 The membership of CHEM shall comprise of companies which are actively engaged in the manufacture and/or supply of equipment designed for the compaction, collection and transportation of all types of dry waste and which satisfy the criteria for membership as set out in clause 3 of this Constitution. The equipment herein referred to includes but is not necessarily limited to:
  • Refuse collection bodies and associated lifters
  • Skip loader equipment
  • Ground level de-mountable equipment
  • Static and portable compactors
  • Bulk transportation ejection bodies/trailers

The aims of the CHEM are to:

• Develop and maintain Technical Standards which enhance the safety of the equipment represent the interests of members with related industry bodies which include: ESA; CIWM; HSE; BSI; DTI; CEN and others.
• Publish Codes of Practice covering the safe operation of equipment.
• Provide a forum for discussion of topics of interest and benefit of members and the waste industry as a whole.

Membership of CHEM shall be determined by Members in accordance with the following criteria.

• 3.1 Eligibility
  • 3.1.1 Membership shall be held only by companies which are registered in the U.K. and can demonstrate a minimum of two years successful trading.
  • 3.1.2 Companies which are manufacturers or primary suppliers of equipment referred to in 1.6 may apply for membership.
  • 3.1.3 Manufacturers are defined as companies which employ their own facilities and resources in the design and manufacture of their products. A manufacturer may also market its products.
  • 3.1.4 Primary suppliers are defined as any one of the following:
    • companies which own the brand name[s] of the products they market and employ resources for full technical support but are not the manufacturers.
    • companies which are the subsidiaries of foreign companies trading under the name of the parent and employing the resources in the U.K. to provide full technical support for their products.
    • companies which, under a formal agreement with foreign manufacturers, are the sole importers of the manufacturers’ products and are employing the resources to provide full technical support for those products.
  • 3.1.5 A branded family of products shall be represented by only one member.

  Notwithstanding any other interpretation put on the above definitions, clause 3.1.1 above shall apply to all members.

• 3.2 Application for Membership
  • 3.2.1 Prospective members are invited to apply to the Technical Secretary of CHEM.
  • 3.2.2 Application forms, together with a copy of the constitution will be sent to the prospective member.
  • 3.2.3 The prospective member shall complete the application form which will confirm:
    • [a] CE compliance.
    • [b] Confirmation that the prospective member will work to CHEM standards if not already doing so.
    • [c] Acceptance of the CHEM constitution.

  • In addition, the applicant shall provide a brief company profile and product brochures sufficient to enable members to determine eligibility under the terms of Clause 3.1.

  • 3.2.4 Completed applications shall be distributed to members of the P & R Committee and tabled by the chairman at the next general meeting of members and, after due consideration, each application will be put to the vote of members in accordance with the CHEM voting procedure [see Clause 5]. The Technical Secretary will inform each applicant of the result of its application and whether clause 3.3 or 3.4 will apply.
• 3.3 Approval of Membership
  • 3.3.1 Applicants whose applications for membership are approved in principle, shall be asked to submit to an inspection visit by two members and arrangements shall be made as soon as possible. The inspection shall concentrate and report on the following topics:
    • [a] design facilities
    • [b] manufacturing facilities
    • [c] technical support facilities
    • [d] CE compliance
    • [e] agreement to work to and enhance CHEM standards
    • [f] acceptance of CHEM constitution
  • 3.3.2 The inspecting members’ report will be tabled at the next general meeting and a decision taken by vote. The Technical Secretary will advise the applicant accordingly.
  • 3.3.3 Successful applicants will be invited to attend the next general meeting when they will be formally admitted as members.
  • 3.3.4 An applicant who refuses an inspection visit shall forthwith no longer be considered a candidate for membership and future interest in membership would require a new application.
• 3.4 Provisional Membership
  • 3.4.1 An applicant who, in the opinion of members represented by the Policy and Resources Committee, has demonstrated by the information given in the application, to be a company of substance and is known within the industry, may be provisionally accepted for membership and attend future CHEM meetings but without voting rights. The application will then follow the procedure as detailed in Clauses 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3 and 3.3.4.

The duties of members are to:

• obey the rules of the Constitution.
• participate in the work of sub-committees.
• regularly attend general meetings.
• offer themselves for election to the offices of CHEM.
• promote the name of CHEM through purchase and display of CHEM labels, codes of practice and display of the CHEM logo on stationery, product literature, etc.
• actively support the aims of CHEM.

• 5.1 Each member has one vote.
• 5.2 A quorum requires 60% of members to be present.
• 5.3 A member unable to attend a general meeting may appoint a proxy only from the member company by confirming in writing to the Chairman before the start of the meeting.
• 5.4 All matters other than changes to the Constitution will be determined by simple majority vote. Matters concerning the Constitution will be determined by the support of two thirds of all members.
• 5.5 The Chairman shall have a casting vote.

• 6.1 At least three general meetings will be called each year. The first meeting of the year shall be the Annual General Meeting.
• 6.2 Any member failing to attend two consecutive meetings shall be informed by the Chairman in writing. Failure to attend a third consecutive meeting will result in automatic cancellation of membership.
• 6.3 The offices of CHEM shall be:
  • Chairman
  • Vice Chairman
  • Committee Chairmen
• 6.4 The Chairman shall normally retire after one year but may continue to serve but not for more than three consecutive terms.
• 6.5 The membership may at Annual General Meetings consider offering the title of Honorary Vice President to individuals who have represented their companies as members of CHEM and who have made significant contributions to the aims of CHEM.
• 6.6 Meeting venues shall be at the discretion of the serving Chairman.
• 6.7 The Technical Secretary shall give twenty-one days notice of a meeting venue together with an agenda.
• 6.8 The Technical Secretary shall be appointed by the Technical Resources Committee to deal with the day to day affairs of CHEM. Remuneration for this post shall be determined by the P & R Committee and expenses incurred by the Technical Secretary shall first be approved by the Chairman of CHEM.

• 7.1 The Treasurer shall keep books of accounts and present a brief statement of affairs at each general meeting. At each Annual General Meeting he shall present a detailed account of income, expenditure and funds.
• 7.2 The amount of annual subscription shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting and become payable within 30 days of the meeting.