Firar 75 år av att göra världen hälsosammare, säkrare och mer bekväm
What began as a small latex foam distribution business in Richmond, Virginia, will celebrate its 75th anniversary having achieved the distinction as the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of flexible polyurethane foam.
Carpenter Co. was founded on April 28, 1950, by E. Rhodes Carpenter. He later hired Stan Pauley, and together, they made the critical decision to begin pouring flexible polyurethane foam – a decision that set the path for Carpenter’s continued success to this day.
“The legacy of Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Pauley is an important part of our history,” said Brad Beauchamp, Carpenter’s President and CEO. “Thanks to their tenacity and vision, Carpenter quickly earned a reputation for world-class service and unmatched efficiency. It became part of the company culture, so it’s something we always strive to maintain.”
Carpenter expanded across the United States and into Canada to accommodate customers in new locations who requested next-day delivery. In order to better control quality and costs, it constructed the Powell Plant in Texas to manufacture one of the key raw materials for making urethane foam. It also built the Reinhart Technical Center to enhance its research and development capabilities and better serve customer needs.
Beginning in the early 1990s and extending through the 2020s, the company expanded overseas and now has a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The company’s product portfolio also grew in kind, diversifying from flexible polyurethane foam products to include bonded, molded and technical foams, chemicals and chemical systems, expanded polystyrene systems, consumer products, furniture and bedding, polyester fiber and pet bedding.
Beauchamp said that Carpenter’s strategic growth has been possible thanks to employees at every level and every location who have embraced the company’s focus on continuous improvement.
“Because of their commitment to the company, one of our main focuses for this milestone is to show appreciation for everyone who has helped us get here,” he said, “from those who were around at the beginning of Carpenter to the people who have only recently come on board.”
In addition to Carpenter’s team of approximately 8,000 people worldwide, Beauchamp noted the company’s gratitude for its customers and the local communities where it operates.
He added that while the company is thrilled to be celebrating its 75th milestone throughout this year, Carpenter is also focused on what’s to come.
“Carpenter is a world leader today because our founding leadership was always thinking of the years ahead, so while we celebrate our accomplishments, we’re also looking at what’s next,” said Beauchamp. “Our goal has always been to provide the most innovative and cost-efficient products and solutions for our customers, and we’re eager to continue doing so well into the future.”