NACE International was originally known as "The National Association of Corrosion Engineers" when it was established in 1943 by eleven corrosion engineers in the pipeline industry. These founding members were involved in a regional cathodic protection group formed in the 1930s, when the study of cathodic protection was introduced. With more than 60 years of experience in developing corrosion prevention and control standards, NACE International has become the largest organization in the world committed to the study of corrosion.