Current Affairs
June 4, 2025
PFA Spring Meeting
Polyurethane Foam Association Spring Meeting Tackles Key Issues,
Celebrates New Hall Of Famers
Jesse Mella of Leaf Polyol Wins Dr. Herman T. Stone Technical Excellence Awards
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (June 3, 2025)—The Polyurethane Foam Association’s Spring Meeting
in St Petersburg brought together more than 150 of the most influential people in the flexible
polyurethane foam industry to discuss
business conditions and the issues affecting
them.
The Historic Vinoy Autograph Hotel hosted
industry executives, researchers, EHS
specialists, marketers, and technologists for
networking and presentations on foam
sustainability, supply chains, artificial
intelligence, market trends, and the
regulatory environment.
“In spite of the uncertainties in the
marketplace, this meeting was very high
energy, with some of the best presentations
we’ve had in several years,” noted Dr.
Philippe Knaub, PFA President. “The
flexible foam industry continues to innovate
new products and processes, and continues
to move forward.”
Bill Gollnitz of Plastomer, PFA’s Technical Program
Moderator (L), recognizes Jesse Mella of Leaf Polyol as the
winner of this meeting’s Herman Stone Technical Excellence
Award. The audience of the Technical Program votes for the
winning presentation. As an indication of presentation
quality, all six eligible presentations received first place
votes.
PFA’s Industry Issues Session provided updates on end use markets, with special emphasis on
challenges in the auto industry. In addition, presenters covered topics such as using AI to
improve supply chain efficiency, recycling of mattresses returns, and regulatory issues.
The Thursday afternoon Technical Program focused heavily on sustainability, with presentations
on bio-polyols, polyols from CO2 recapture, recycling end-of-life (EOL) foam, factors affecting
mattress comfort, and new chemical additives. Speakers received some insightful questions,
which demonstrated that the topics connected with a sophisticated audience.
Following PFA’s Technical Program, Jesse Mella of Leaf Polyol was named winner of the Dr.
Herman Stone Technical Excellence Award. The award is voted on by attendees present for the
Technical Program. The award is named for Dr. Herman T. Stone, who served as PFA’s first
Technical Director. In 2007, Dr. Stone was inducted into the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of
Fame.
Bill Gollnitz of Plastomer Corporation, a PFA Past President and Moderator of the Technical
Program, noted the quality of presentations was exceptional. “Of the presentations eligible for
the Herman Stone Award, all six received first place votes, and our audience was made up of the
top technical minds in our industry.”
Another highlight of the conference was the induction of two industry veterans into the Flexible
Polyurethane Foam Hall Of Fame. Michael Crowell and Helen Sullivan, both recently retired
from CertiPUR-US ® , were honored.
The Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame was established to honor the leaders and
innovators of the industry and serves as an information source regarding the contribution of
individuals and companies who have significantly contributed to the growth and betterment of
the flexible polyurethane foam industry in North America.
Crowell served as the CertiPUR-US ® program’s executive director for the last decade. His
commitment to maintaining the program’s standards as a dynamic document, continuously
updated to reflect new safety and environmental regulations, has ensured its ongoing relevance.
He was honored with the organization’s Outstanding Leadership Award upon his retirement last
year.
Crowell’s career includes more than 40 years of senior management experience in the flexible
polyurethane foam industry, spanning technical, manufacturing, sales and marketing positions.
Before taking the helm at the Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, the nonprofit that
administers the CertiPUR-US ® program, he served as vice president of marketing and sales for
Flexible Foam Products. He previously was vice president of automotive sales for Foamex
International (now known as FXI).
Sullivan’s connection with polyurethanes began in 1983 as an advertising and public relations
agency account manager for the International Sleep Products Assn.’s Better Sleep Council.
During her decade-long tenure, she played a role in reshaping consumer behavior, shortening the
mattress replacement cycle and helping to establish a market for ultra-premium bedding. Her
creation of the “May Is Better Sleep Month” campaign helped boost mattress sales and increased
the use of polyurethane foam. The program earned Sullivan two of her three Public Relations
Society of America Silver Anvil awards.
Sullivan’s most enduring contribution to the polyurethane foam industry came through her work
with the CertiPUR-US ® program. As brand manager, communications strategist and continuous
improvement officer, she helped grow the program from its inception into a globally recognized
standard for foam safety and performance.
The Polyurethane Foam Association is a trade association founded in 1980 to help educate
regulators, users, allied industries, and others about flexible polyurethane foam. PFA provides
facts on environmental, health and safety issues and technical information on the performance of
flexible polyurethane foam (FPF) in consumer and industrial products. FPF is used as a key
comfort component in most upholstered furniture and mattress products, along with automotive
seating, carpet cushion, packaging, and numerous other applications.
To learn more, visit www.pfa.org.
June 4, 2025
Furniture Growth
Furniture bucks trend as manufacturing contracts for third straight month
Spencer Musick //Senior Editor//June 3, 2025
TEMPE, Ariz. — The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted for the third consecutive month in May, with the Manufacturing PMI falling slightly to 48.5%, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s latest Report On Business released Monday.
Furniture and related products industry was among a handful of sectors to show growth despite the broader slowdown.
Susan Spence, chair of ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, said the report reflects continued economic headwinds for U.S. manufacturers, as production and employment indices remained in contraction territory.
New orders, a key measure of demand, contracted for the fourth month in a row, with an index reading of 47.6%, a slight improvement over April’s 47.2%. Production also remained in contraction, although it ticked up to 45.4%, from 44% in April. The Employment Index showed similar modest improvement, increasing to 46.8% but still below the 50% threshold that indicates growth.
One bright spot came from the Supplier Deliveries Index, which rose to 56.1% that suggests ongoing delays, often seen as a sign of rising demand. However, Spence attributed the slower deliveries more to port congestion and tariff-related disruptions than to increased consumer or industrial demand.
Raw materials inventories fell sharply, with the Inventories Index dropping to 46.7% from April’s 50.8%. Imports fell into deeper contraction, down 7.2 percentage points to 39.9%, while export orders also declined significantly.
Despite the overall downturn, several industries managed to expand in May. Furniture and related products were among the seven sectors reporting growth, along with plastics and rubber products, petroleum and coal products, nonmetallic minerals, electrical equipment, fabricated metals and machinery.
The other seven sectors surveyed — including wood products, food and beverages, and transportation equipment — contracted, highlighting the unevenness in the manufacturing economy.
Spence noted that 57% of the sector’s gross domestic product contracted in May, up from 41% in April. However, the share of manufacturing GDP with a composite PMI at or below 45% fell to 5%, down from 18% the prior month, a potential sign that the worst of the slowdown may be behind.
Still, uncertainty remains. “Companies are continuing to revise production plans downward,” Spence said. “Head-count reductions are ongoing, and input weakness — including inventory drawdowns and import contraction — points to continued caution in the months ahead.”
Customer inventories in the manufacturing sector continued to decline in May, with ISM’s Customers’ Inventories Index falling to 44.5%, down from 46.2% in April. According to ISM Chair Susan Spence, inventory levels remain below what panelists consider “about right,” indicating that demand for products is likely to support future production growth.
Furniture was one of 10 industries reporting customer inventories as too low in May. Alongside categories like wood products, electrical equipment and machinery, the low inventory levels suggest that replenishment demand could help support furniture production even as broader manufacturing activity contracts.
The Prices Index remained elevated at 69.4%, indicating continued cost pressures, albeit slightly less severe than in April.
The ISM report, based on a monthly survey of supply executives, is closely watched as a leading indicator of U.S. manufacturing health. A reading below 50% signals contraction, while a reading above 50% indicates expansion.
www.furnituretoday.com/furniture-manufacturing/furniture-bucks-trend-as-manufacturing-contracts-for-third-straight-month/
May 26, 2025
Crowell and Sullivan Inducted into PFA Hall of Fame
CertiPUR-US Trailblazers Crowell and Sullivan Inducted Into Flexible Polyurethane Hall of Fame
Sullivan is first woman to be honored
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 22, 202
St. Petersburg, Fla. — Michael Crowell and Helen Sullivan were inducted into the Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame at the spring Polyurethane Foam Association (PFA) meeting.
They were honored for their work with the CertiPUR-US® foam certification program, which has transformed the flexible polyurethane foam, bedding and furniture industries and significantly contributed to safer and more sustainable homes across America.
Sullivan is the first woman inducted into the hall of fame, marking a historic milestone for the industry.
“Sullivan and Crowell’s leadership of the now highly recognized and respected CertiPUR-US® program has had a positive and lasting impact on the polyurethane foam industry globally. The program is a powerful reflection of our industry’s safety, health and environmental stewardship,” says Russ Batson, executive director of the PFA, which organizes the hall of fame.
Crowell has served as the CertiPUR-US® program’s executive director for the last 10 years. His commitment to maintaining the program’s rigorous standards as a dynamic document, continuously updated to reflect new safety and environmental regulations, has ensured its ongoing relevance. He was honored with the organization’s Outstanding Leadership Award and retired as executive director at the end of 2024.
Crowell’s distinguished career includes more than 40 years of senior management experience in the flexible polyurethane foam industry, spanning technical, manufacturing, sales and marketing positions. Before taking the helm at the Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, the nonprofit that administers the CertiPUR-US program, he served as vice president of marketing and sales for Flexible Foam Products. He previously was vice president of automotive sales for Foamex International (now known as FXI).
Sullivan’s connection with polyurethanes began in 1983 as an advertising and public relations agency account manager for the International Sleep Products Association’s Better Sleep Council. During her decade-long tenure, she was influential in reshaping consumer behavior, shortening the mattress replacement cycle and helping to establish a market for ultra-premium bedding. Her creation of the now-iconic “May Is Better Sleep Month” campaign significantly boosted mattress sales and increased the use of polyurethane foam. The program earned Sullivan two of her three prestigious Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvil awards.
In 1995, Sullivan headed a PFA-led marketing initiative aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of flexible polyurethane foam. She later served as communications counsel for the PFA, where she worked with association leadership on complex issues such as fire prevention, crisis communications and flame-retardant policies.
Her most enduring contribution to the polyurethane foam industry came through her work with the CertiPUR-US® program. As brand manager, communications strategist and continuous improvement officer, she helped grow the program from its inception into a globally recognized standard for foam safety and performance.
Sullivan crafted the CertiPUR-US® program’s memorable tagline — “foams that feel good and you can feel good about®” — and developed its distinctive branding and promotional strategies. She also played a key role in designing the supply-chain record-keeping systems that underpin the program’s credibility.
More than 100 foam producers worldwide supply certified foam through the program to more than 1,000 companies and brands, covering a significant share of foam used in the U.S. bedding and upholstered furniture industries.
The Flexible Polyurethane Foam Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and companies who have significantly contributed to the growth and betterment of the North American flexible polyurethane foam industry. Awardees are nominated by their peers and elected by the PFA awards committee.
www.pfa.org
April 13, 2025
Mattress Imports
April 7, 2025
Algorithm Change May Impact Advertising
Small Business Owners Reel as Google AI Destroys Google Search
by Tyler Durden
Monday, Apr 07, 2025 – 02:25 PM
In March 2024, Morgan McBride stood in her half-renovated kitchen posing for a photo shoot. The images were for a new Google ad campaign, a celebration of the ways the search engine had empowered her family’s do-it-yourself home improvement site, Charleston Crafted, to flourish. Just weeks later, she said, traffic from Google dropped more than 70%.
McBride had weathered Google algorithm changes before. But this time, the recovery never came. She suspects that more of her readers are getting advice from Google’s AI-generated summaries, which now appear prominently atop many search results – sometimes giving renovation tips that she says are incorrect or potentially unsafe. “You can’t just sit around waiting for things to turn around,” she said. Advertising revenue on her site has since dropped by 65%, costing her tens of thousands of dollars.
These summaries often draw directly from websites – like Charleston Crafted – but don’t send users to them, according to a report by Bloomberg. That’s left publishers like Gisele Navarro, managing editor of HouseFresh, watching as her content appears in summaries without translating into clicks or revenue. Internal analytics, which she shared with Bloomberg, show a growing share of impressions without traffic.
Across the web, independent publishers are reporting similar experiences. The rise of Google’s AI Overviews – which deliver synthesized answers from across the internet – along with a series of search algorithm changes, has upended the traffic patterns many small websites once relied on. Bloomberg, which conducted interviews with 25 publishers and digital experts, found widespread concern that Google’s shifting strategy is unraveling a symbiotic relationship that has powered the internet for years: websites provide helpful content, and Google delivers the audience.
Now, many creators say they’re being cut out of the equation entirely.
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