Hickory, North Carolina -- Foam producer Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co. has hired Eric Geiger as corporate director of foam research and development - organic growth.
Geiger will join the flexible polyurethane foam R&D team at Hickory Springs' foam plant in Conover, North Carolina and will be responsible for the internal growth of new foam products and new process development.
Hickory Springs points out that Geiger joins a team that introduced PIPA (poly-isocyanate poly-addition) polyol technology, melamine as a fire retardant, acetone as an auxiliary blowing agent and more recently Preserve, which it calls "the world's first bio-based foam," and bio-viscoelastic foam PreserveVG.
Geiger has over 21 years experience in PU foam and has spent the past three years as global R&D manager with fire-retardants producer Albemarle Corp. Before that he was with Urethane Soy Systems in South Dakota and with polyester polyol producer Stepan Co.
Pointing out Hickory Springs pioneering history in developing new types of PU foam, Bobby Bush, senior vice-president of foam and environmental technology at Hickory Springs said, "We look forward to seeing how Eric and his 21 years of R&D experience will help lead Hickory Springs' foam division into a new era of innovation and diversification."
Privately owned Hickory Springs is a major employer in North Carolina, supplying bedding and furniture foam from more than 50 manufacturing plants in 16 states and China. In addition to its core business in home furnishings, the company also serves a growing range of customers in the transport, healthcare, packaging, and government markets.
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