Written on 09.07.2013 - Personnel
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Robert Duffy named Executive Director of Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam and CertiPUR-US Certification Program

Robert “Bob” Duffy, a long time and well-respected veteran of the chemical and flexible polyurethane foam industries will succeed retiring executive director Doug Sullivan, the Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam (AFPF) announced.

“Doug Sullivan has done a superb job taking the CertiPUR-US program to new heights during the past two years and we are fortunate to have Bob Duffy step in as the new executive director,” explained Mike Crowell, chairman of AFPF, the not-for-profit organization that manages the CertiPUR-US program.

Duffy, who has a chemical engineering degree from West Virginia University, has both technical and sales experience. He started as a process development engineer at Olin and went on to work with polymer, catalysts and surfactants at Union Carbide. He spent more than a decade as a Senior Research and Development Advisor at Arco. For the past twelve years, Duffy has served as an independent consultant troubleshooting slabstock foam and carpet backing applications in the flexible PU foam industry.

“Duffy provides a perfect balance of deep technical knowledge about polyurethane foam, along with an understanding the markets and the needs of our downstream customers,” explained Crowell. “He has a unique combination of technical, sales, and marketing skills which will serve the CertiPUR-US program well.”

CertiPUR-US, a program of the Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, Inc., is a voluntary testing, analysis and certification program. The CertiPUR-US program has grown dramatically with 20 foam producers offering about 70 certified foam products and hundreds of manufacturers and retail outlets promoting products containing certified foam as an effective way to address consumer’s health, safety and environmental concerns. A national publicity campaign targeted at bedding buyers is in the planning phases.
There is no cost involved to be a participating upholstered furniture or bedding manufacturer, distributor, or retailer, but to use the CertiPUR-US name or logo, or to be listed in the online consumer directory, a terms of use agreement and supply chain verification is required.
All major U.S. foam producers now offer CertiPUR-US certified foams and producers from Canada, Italy, Mexico, and China are also among those offering foams that have been certified through the program. In order to become registered, foams must comply with voluntary standards which require testing by independent laboratories for content and emissions, as well as performance criteria.