Inside Carpenter Company’s Evolution: CEO Brad Beauchamp Discusses Acquisitions, Company Culture, and European Strategy - Ep. 231

Connect with The Chemical Show guests and industry leaders at The Chemical Summit on September 30 - October 1, 2025 in Houston, TX. https://www.thechemicalsummit.com How does a 75-year-old manufacturing company successfully transform through bold acquisitions and shifting market conditions? Brad Beauchamp, President and CEO of Carpenter Company, sits down with Victoria Meyer to share Carpenter’s journey from “old-school” chemical company to global leader in comfort cushioning and consumer bedding. Brad offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Carpenter navigated the integration of major acquisitions—including Recticel, NCFI Polyurethanes, and the iconic Casper mattress brand—amid supply chain turbulence, economic uncertainty, and evolving industry demands.  Victoria and Brad also tackle the changing culture in manufacturing, Carpenter’s approach to digital transformation and AI, and how leaders can balance people-first values with the drive for profit and growth. With practical leadership advice and candid stories from the front lines, this episode is a must-listen for chemical industry professionals interested in business transformation, growth strategies, and the future of manufacturing.      Victoria and Brad discuss the following:  How to keep a company growing during unpredictable times. How bold acquisitions are reshaping Carpenter’s future.Maintaining a people-first culture through major change. Evolving the chemical value chain  Leadership, digital transformation, and Carpenter’s formula for resilience.  Killer Quote: "Sales is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash is reality."  — Brad Beauchamp, President and CEO of Carpenter Company  00:00 "Carpenter Company Insights with CEO"  03:42 Guest Appreciates Podcast's Positive Impact  06:55 Journey from R&D to Chemical Sales  11:45 Growth Strategy Over Coasting  15:53 Flexible Foam Acquisition Discussion  17:28 "Understanding the Casper Story"  21:37 Changing Mattress Market Dynamics  26:17 Brand-Driven Billion-Dollar Businesses  30:18 "Understanding Organizational Talent Variability"  31:17 Balancing Growth and Pace  34:48 Investing in Europe's Consumer Market  39:22 Carpenter's Transformative Profit Sharing Plan  41:16 AI's Role in Evolving Work Practices  44:53 Navigating Information in New Industries  49:51 "Curiosity Fuels Lifelong Learning"  51:05 Uncontrollable Career Advancement Factors    Subscribe to The Chemical Show on YouTube    ***Don’t miss an episode: Subscribe to The Chemical Show on your favorite podcast player.  ***Like what you hear? Leave a rating and review. ***Want more insights? Sign up for our email list at https://www.thechemicalshow.com  Sponsored by Newry. Newry helps you uncover growth where you're built to win - fast. Visit newrycorp.com and see the Newry team at The Chemical Summit.