The Urethane Blog
June 1, 2025
Chemical Grade Propylene is $0.365/lb in May
June 1, 2025
2 manufacturers, a retailer, a supplier tapped for 2025 Hall of Fame
Vicky Jarrett //Managing Editor//May 29, 2025
HIGH POINT — Four influential industry leaders will be inducted into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame on Oct. 26 during the fall High Point Market.
Joining the current 139 members of the Hall of Fame are Jeffrey S. Child, president, R.C. Willey Home Furnishings; William A. Hinks, founder and chairman, Furniture Mart USA; Stanley F. Pauley, former CEO and chairman, Carpenter Co.; and Norman Waxman, Norman Waxman Consulting.
“This year’s class of inductees represents the core values of superior accomplishments and enduring excellence by two retailers, a manufacturer and a supplier,” said Satya Tiwari, president of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation board of directors. “Each has impacted the industry with innovation, and each represents high personal character and ethical standards.”
A seven-member selection committee chose this year’s inductees based on their contributions to the growth and development of the home furnishings industry in the U.S.
Jeffrey S. Child has grown the Top 10 retailer fivefold in his 24-year tenure as president of R.C. Willey Home Furnishings, a Berkshire Hathaway company based in Salt Lake City. He began working in the family business when he was 14 waxing the warehouse floors and then working his way up as a sales associate, buyer and merchandise manager where he developed his great love for furnishings. Child is known for sharing strategies for success not just within his company but also with other retailers.
Under Child’s leadership, the retailer has honed a fully integrated supply chain to enhanced its competitive edge. The retailer of furnishings, appliances, electronics and flooring operates 10 stores and three distribution centers in Utah, Nevada, Idaho and California.
William A. Hinks started selling used furniture in 1977, becoming a serial entrepreneur who provides consumers in rural markets with the access to a wide range of brands typically only found in metropolitan stores. The Top 40 Furniture Mart USA operates in six Midwestern states offering furnishings, flooring and design services supported by an in-stock, rapid delivery network.
With a mission to transform “houses into homes, employees into family and customers into friends,” the three-generation family business based in Sioux Falls, S.D., owns most of its 60 storefront and warehouse properties. The Priority Sales program partners with nine Native American Reservations to provide private funding to tribal members, thereby enabling many to buy furniture for the first time.
Stanley F. Pauley became president of Richmond-based Carpenter Co. seven years after E. Rhodes Carpenter was founded in 1950 as a latex foam distributor. Over the next 60-plus years, he built the company into a global vertically integrated manufacturer of polyurethane foams used for upholstery, bedding, carpet cushioning, furniture and fabrication, and other consumer products.
An electrical engineer by education, Pauley had an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement and creating innovative foam solutions for Carpenter’s customers. He was known for his attention to every detail of the business, always doing things the right way and keeping an eye on reducing waste, promoting sustainability and practicing circularity. The company employs some 7,000 people at its more than 70 production facilities located around the world.
Norman Waxman has been an advisor and mentor to dozens of manufacturers and retailers. His career began in upholstery sales, expanding into executive management positions for Schnadig Corp., Rowe Furniture Corp., Quaker Fabrics and Corson Furniture Inds.
Waxman was an early adopter of merchandising the whole room through correlated groups and developing brands by expanding market share through the export business and engaging with retail customers as partners. He is known for growing talent through executive development based on a foundation of trust as the right way to conduct business, and he is a socially responsible leader and philanthropist.
May 28, 2025
China PO Imports & Exports in April 2025
PUdaily | Updated: May 28, 2025
Import
In April 2025, China imported roughly 1,960 tonnes of PO, representing a year-on-year decrease of 90% and a month-on-month decrease of 87%.
The sources of China’s PO imports are limited to two countries: the U.S. and Thailand. In April, imports from the U.S. reached 1,260 tonnes, while imports from Thailand were 701 tonnes.
China’s PO imports from January to April 2025 amounted to 41,006 tonnes, only 42% of the import volume in the same period last year (97,766 tonnes). It indicates a remarkable reduction in China’s reliance on PO imports.
Export
In April 2025, China’s PO exports were 216 tonnes, remaining largely unchanged at a relatively low level. This has contributed to decreased costs for polyether polyols production domestically and enhanced price competitiveness of end products in overseas markets.
China’s PO exports in the first four months of 2025 totaled 872 tonnes. The exporters are mostly based in Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu. India was the largest destination for China’s PO exports due to its polyols capacity expansion, accounting for 60% of total exports.
Figure 1: China’s Monthly PO Imports 2024-2025 (tonne)
May 28, 2025
Huntsman Completes European Maleic Anhydride Strategic Review
May 28, 2025 5:00am EDT
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) announced today that it has completed the strategic review of its European Maleic Anhydride business. As a result of this review, the Company will close its Maleic Anhydride facility located in Moers, Germany. The closure of the operations at Moers is expected to be complete by the end of the current quarter. In 2024, the European Maleic Anhydride business generated an adjusted EBITDA loss of approximately $10 million. Going forward, the Company intends to serve customers in the European region from its North American facilities located in Pensacola, Florida and Geismar, Louisiana. As a result of the closure of the Moers, Germany facility, Huntsman expects to incur a one-time non-cash asset impairment charge of approximately $75 million during the second quarter of 2025.
About Huntsman:
Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2024 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 60 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 25 countries and employ approximately 6,300 associates within our continuing operations. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company’s website at www.huntsman.com.
BASF | Formulator’s Corner
Gain valuable insights about polyurethanes and flexible foam.
Session 2: Categories of Foam
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
11:30 AM ET
1 hour
Register Here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4912077/2020F75146195FC7140640CD43F3BF13
Click here and register to watch Session 1: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4867708/0D282DD4DF20763BBDFBF3C54C335F53
Whether you’re new to the flexible foam industry or looking for a refresher on all-things urethanes, come join BASF for Formulator’s Corner, a multipart virtual live info series hosted by BASF urethane technical expert, Mark McBride.
Reserve Your Spot Today!
Register here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4912077/2020F75146195FC7140640CD43F3BF13
Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Register now to secure your place and get ready to have some fun and stretch your industry knowledge.
Speaker
Mark McBride
Slab Foam Technology Lead, Urethane Flexible Chemicals, BASF
With a background in chemical engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan, Mark is at the forefront of innovation in flexible polyurethane foam. His work not only supports the furniture and automotive industries but also emphasizes sustainability.
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