Vertically integrated manufacturer of flexible polyurethane foams, polyols, polyester fibers and insulation materials
Carpenter Co.
Richmond (US) · Pasadena (US) · Langeac (FR) · Wetteren (BE) · Toronto · Calgary · Montreal · Temple (US) · Russellville (US) · Conover (US) · Tupelo (US) · Riverside (US) · Elkhart (US) · LakelandNew on Amplifa
About Carpenter Co.
Carpenter Co. is a US company founded in 1950 in Richmond, Virginia and one of the world's largest vertically integrated manufacturers of flexible polyurethane foams. The product portfolio includes, in addition to PU flexible foam, chemical precursors (polyether and polyester polyols), polyester fibers, EPS insulation materials as well as finished material composites for applications ranging from mattresses and carpet cushion to thermal management systems for EV batteries. Production includes, among other things, continuous foam casting lines; own reactors at the Roger W. Powell Plant in Pasadena, Texas supply the foam plants with polyols. Downstream processing includes cutting, laminating, rolling, thermo-compression and the production of bonded urethane products (Rebond) from recycled full-size foam mattresses. With more than 6,600 employees in 18 countries and over 60 production sites, Carpenter serves the mattress/bedding, upholstered furniture, healthcare, automotive/e-mobility, carpet cushion and insulation industries. R&D centers are the Reinhart Technical Center in Richmond and a testing center in Wetteren, Belgium.
- Site
- Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Processes
- Production of flexible polyurethane foam (continuous foam casting line), Production of polyether and polyester polyols (reactors, Roger W. Powell Plant), Recycling of full-size foam products into bonded urethane products (Rebond), Cutting of foams, Laminating of materials, Rolling (spoeling), Thermo-compression, Production of polyester fibers
- Materials
- Polyurethane foam (flexible), Polyether polyols, Polyester polyols, Polypropylene glycol, Latex foam, PE foam, EPDM, Silicone (foam)
- Certificates
- ISCC PLUS, ISCC PLUS (Langeac)
- Founded
- 1950
- Employees
- 6600
- Industries
- Mattresses/Bedding, Comfort furniture/Upholstered furniture, Healthcare/Medical, Automotive/E-mobility (EV batteries), Carpet cushion, Insulation/Thermal insulation
- 01
Production of polyether/polyester polyols (Powell Plant)
- 02
Continuous polyurethane foam production
- 03
Cutting, laminating, rolling, thermo-compression
- 04
Recycling into bonded urethane products (Rebond)
- 05
R&D and testing at the Reinhart Technical Center / Wetteren testing center
Materials and Processes
Flexible polyurethane foam
Core product for mattresses, upholstery, carpet underlay and medical applications.
Polyether polyols
In-house raw material production for foam manufacturing in seven reactors.
Polyester polyols
Chemical precursor, also produced at the Roger W. Powell Plant.
PE foam
Technical foam for sealing and damping applications.
EPDM
Elastomer material for seals and sound damping in the automotive sector.
Silicone foam
Cast elastic pads for EV battery applications (Carryopt #5).
PET/polyester fibers
In-house fiber production for upholstery and composite applications.
Bonded urethane foam (Rebond)
Recycled product made from full-size foam mattresses for carpet cushion and other applications.
Polystyrene (EPS)
Insulation and packaging material for the Canadian market.
PU films, non-wovens, adhesives
Cover layers and composite components for material combinations.
Locations
Richmond
USHeadquarters; plant and Reinhart Technical Center (R&D)
- Materials
- PU-Schaum
- Continuous foam casting line
- Reinhart Technical Center (test laboratories)
Pasadena
USRoger W. Powell Plant – raw materials plant (polyether/polyester polyols)
- Materials
- Polyether polyols, polyester polyols
- 7 reactors
- Reactor P-6 (2003)
Langeac
FRFoaming plant for Consumer & Medical Care and Comfort; ISCC PLUS certified
- Materials
- PU-Schaum
- Foaming plant
Wetteren
BETechnical testing center (global)
- Test laboratories
Toronto
CAProduction of flexible polyurethane foam (Carpenter Canada Co.)
- Materials
- PU-Schaum
Las Vegas
USShowroom at the World Market Center
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of flexible polyurethane foam (continuous foam casting line)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polyurethane (flexible foam), Polyether polyols, Polyester polyols |
| Production of polyether and polyester polyols (reactors, Roger W. Powell Plant)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polyether polyols, Polyester polyols, Polypropylene glycol |
| Recycling of full-size foam products into bonded urethane products (Rebond)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polyurethane foam |
| Cutting of foamsPlastics | – | – | – | – | PU foam, PE foam, EPDM, Silicone foam |
| Laminating of materialsJoining | – | – | – | – | PU foam, PE foam, EPDM, Silicone foam, PU films, Non-wovens, PET fibers, PU fibers, Adhesives |
| Rolling (spoeling)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PU foam, PU films, Non-wovens |
| Thermo-compressionPlastics | – | – | – | – | PU foam, PE foam, EPDM, Silicone foam |
| Production of polyester fibersPlastics | – | – | – | – | Polyester (PET fibers) |
| Production of insulation materials (Expanded Polystyrene / Insulation)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polystyrene (EPS) |
| Production of mattresses and sleep products (Casper Core+ technology, Podz Pocket)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polyurethane foam (100% PU foam) |
| Production of bonded carpet cushionPlastics | – | – | – | – | Polyurethane foam, Bonded urethane foam (Rebond) |
| Casting of elastic PU and silicone pads up to thickness (Carryopt #5)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PU, Silicone |
| Production of thermally conductive pads (Carryopt #10)Plastics | – | – | – | – | thermally conductive materials |
| Testing: physical tests, mattress durability tests, flammability tests, wet chemical analysisTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Production of foam grades for medical applications (Positioning Systems, WheelchairPlastics | – | – | – | – | Polyurethane foam |
7 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous foam casting line | – | – | – | – | Richmond, Virginia |
| Reactor (polyether/polyester polyol production) | – | 7 | – | – | Roger W. Powell Plant, Pasadena, Texas |
| Reactor P-6 (large-scale polyether polyol production, largest of its kind worldwide) | P-6 | 1 | – | 2003 | Roger W. Powell Plant |
| Foaming plant (foaming plant, ISCC PLUS certified) | – | – | – | 1967 | Langeac, France |
| Technical testing center (Reinhart Technical Center) | – | 1 | – | 1989 | Richmond, Virginia |
| Technical testing center (global) | – | – | – | – | Wetteren, Belgium |
| Production plant (flexible polyurethane foam) | – | – | – | – | Toronto, Ontario / Calgary, Alberta / Montreal, Québec (Canada) |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
The Reinhart Technical Center in Richmond and the testing center in Wetteren perform physical tests, mattress durability tests, flammability tests, wet chemical and instrumental analysis as well as thermal analyses.
| Evidence | Richmond | Wetteren |
|---|---|---|
| ISCC PLUS (Langeac) |
History
- 1950
Founded by E. Rhodes Carpenter as a latex foam distribution company in Richmond, Virginia; distribution warehouses in High Point and Hickory, North Carolina
- 1956
Start of in-house production of urethane flexible foam
- 1961
Relocation of the Richmond plant to its current location on Richmond Highway; first continuous foam casting line in Virginia
- 1967
Start of foam production at the Langeac site, France (Consumer & Medical Care and Comfort)
- ca. 1968–196
First expansion westward: plants in Temple, Texas and Russellville, Kentucky
- 1972
Founding of the Choate Chemical Company in Pasadena, Texas as a raw materials source
- 1973
Start-up of the Roger W. Powell Plant (polyether polyols), named after the developer of the chemical processes
- ca. 1978–198
Start of bonded carpet cushion production; new plants in Conover (NC), Tupelo (MS), Riverside (CA), Elkhart (IN), Toronto and Calgary (Canada)
- 1984
Construction of the corporate headquarters on Monument Avenue in Richmond
- 1989
Opening of the Reinhart Technical Center (RTC) in Richmond, named after Bud Reinhart (developer of the continuous foam casting process and Richlux foam)
- ca. 1990–199
Expansion into Europe: acquisition of the foam plants of Hyman PLC in the UK and France; 1993 new plant in Germany; launch of the U.S. Tire Fill business unit
- ca. 2000–200
Acquisition of Cirrus AB (Sweden/Denmark) and Dumo N.V. (Belgium); new foam plants in Lakeland (FL) and Fogelsville (PA); 2003 construction of the reactor unit P-6 (largest polyether polyol reactor in the world) at the Powell Plant
- 2010er
Decade of internal growth; expansion of several production facilities
- Juni 2023
Acquisition of the Engineered Foams Division of Recticel N.V.; Carpenter becomes the world's largest flexible foam manufacturer; market entry in Africa and Asia
- September
ISCC PLUS certification of the Langeac plant, France (first Engineered Foams plant; mass balance approach)
- Dezember
Acquisition of the Consumer Products Division of NCFI Polyurethanes, Inc. including the BedInABox and sleepdog brands
- Oktober 2024
Casper Sleep Inc. becomes a subsidiary of Carpenter
- 2026
Casper Core+ technology receives the 2026 CPI Polyurethane Innovation Award (Center for the Polyurethanes Industry)