Successful Merger

LATE SUMMER 2020 – Spray Foam Magazine – May 2020 was a very exciting month for the Huntsman Corporation as it announced the branding of its world leading spray polyurethane foam (SPF) business as Huntsman Building Solutions. Huntsman Building Solutions is a global platform within Huntsman's Polyurethanes division. Having already acquired Demilec in 2018, Huntsman added to its spray foam portfolio with Icynene-Lapolla, merging the two companies into one business.

The former president and CEO of Icynene-Lapolla, Doug Kramer and former president of Demilec, Simon Baker, collaboratively lead Huntsman Building Solutions with Kramer heading the U.S. market and Baker heading the Canadian and international side of the business, supported by a single unified leadership team. These established leaders have ensured a successful merger and plan exciting developments ahead. What does this merger mean for their customers, and how will Huntsman Building Solutions impact the industry?

Like any successful merger, the quality and experience of the people involved paves the way to success. The most imperative challenge following any merger is to quickly appoint the right leaders to take the business forward. Once done, additional challenges include building the right culture, defining the strategy and building the trust that enables the team to work well together and execute defined plans. 

Kramer has been in the industry for 30 years, with numerous technical accolades behind him from SPF products to IPI International, Foam Enterprises and BASF, before starting Lapolla Industries in 2005. His knowledge on products, marketing, sales and international business is equally matched to that of Baker who also has an impressive 30 years of experience under his belt. Working for ICI and Huntsman, his extensive repertoire includes purchasing, supply chain, operations, marketing, sales, mergers & acquisitions and international business development.

The two presidents will be joining their talents for a common goal. Not only will Huntsman Building Solutions have strong foundations, but their customers will be secure in the knowledge that two leaders within the spray foam industry agree on a shared objective of consistent quality, innovation, field technical support, architectural and engineering services, as well as growing meaningful customer relationships. Huntsman Building Solutions will retain the strongest product trade names and systems while maintaining all of the formulas and product brands contractors have relied on for years. This will provide reassurance to customers of their commitment to the highest levels of consistency, service, and care that will be delivered by a knowledgeable and passionate team. They will also continue to drive development in innovative eco-friendly products, such as their HFO (hydrofluoroolefin) technology and globally they will assist those markets to switch to better environmentally friendly products.

Doug Kramer states, “What an honor it is to run Huntsman Building Solutions in the U.S. market. Not just because we are one of the leading SPF companies in the world; not just because we are the fifth largest insulation company in the world, but because of the human impact our products make. By using proprietary technology, Huntsman is working to build PET processing plants around the world to help governments to clean the oceans and lands of plastic waste. We then process the waste into proprietary high-performance polyols, the backbone of Huntsman Building Solutions spray foam. The spray foam in turn provides building professionals and end users worldwide a higher level of energy efficiency which is difficult to achieve with traditional insulation systems, further reducing energy consumption, and reducing the carbon footprint. Further, through the Huntsman Foundation, the Huntsman family has generously donated part of their fortune to cancer research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and will be expanding their strategy to include mental health through the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. I can’t think of a better scenario providing real economic and ecological value to the world.”

The Huntsman Building Solutions team also recognizes the need to continually upgrade practices across the industry to make sure that spray foam is installed to the right standards in a safe and responsible manner. “We will continue to actively work with all stakeholders to make this happen, not just in North America but internationally as well; it’s an important part of who we are,” says Baker.

The team is working hard to deliver a successful integration, made more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic which has tested the strength of character to all those involved to deliver this exciting transformation and ensure its success. “During COVID-19, we remain committed to safeguarding the health and wellness of all our stakeholders, customers, and employees alike, while ensuring that our customers continue to receive the products and support they need to keep their businesses alive and running. We continually monitored the situation and from the outset kept our colleagues and customers safe by the early adoption of best practices to safeguard and socially distance. We were able to maintain operations in support of our status as an essential service.

Furthermore, the combination of Demilec and Icynene-Lapolla brought together two of the most respected names in the SPF industry. This has multiple benefits for our Canadian and U.S. customers including a commitment to innovation, product quality and exemplary service and support which is the foundation of good business that many customers value and is a key element to build customer satisfaction. We will continue to invest in our factories in Arlington TX, Boisbriand, QC, and Peel, ON to provide the highest quality products and service in the market and maintain our leading position. We will continue our developments in innovation and environmentally conscious products through the launch of our HFO closed-cell insulation and continued production of our own polyols,” concludes Baker.  

DOUG KRAMER

1. Originally from Michigan, but proud to be a Texan.
2. Similar to his 30+ years in SPF, he has been happily married to his high school sweetheart
   
3. He has served all functions throughout his career such as Operations, Technical Services, Marketing, Sales and Executive roles
4. Rides a Harley Davidson
5. His main hobby is to fish all around the world

SIMON BAKER

1. Originally from Manchester, UK, shaped by the people he has met since leaving the UK in 1994
   
2. He's worked in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. — lived in 5 countries, 3 continents.
3. Over 30 years in the Polyurethanes industry, across all functional disciplines
4. Cycled to the top of Mont Ventoux in France which is 6,263 feet above sea level
5. Proud father of 3 children and husband to Michelle for nearly 30 years