Milliken & Company is a privately held American global chemical and performance materials company based in South Carolina. In business since 1865, the company’s main activities include the production of textile, chemical, and floor-covering solutions.
How has Milliken’s portfolio diversified over the years, and where are your main markets headed into 2025?
Milliken has diversified significantly over the decades. Starting with textiles in the late 1800s, we expanded into flooring, chemicals in the 1960s, and healthcare in the 2000s. Today, we operate across textiles, specialty chemicals, flooring, and healthcare, with 8,000 associates in 15 countries and over 40 manufacturing locations. Our commitment to research, design, and innovation has resulted in over 5,500 patents and sustained adaptability across our portfolio.
Heading into 2025, our focus remains on aligning with emerging market demands. For example, in the specialty chemicals segment, we see opportunities in electronics, such as semiconductor fabs and biodegradable capsules for agriculture. These are areas where our patented innovations position us well for long-term growth. As a privately held company, we leverage this flexibility to make forward-looking investments that align with these evolving demands.
Milliken is a global company. Which geographies have you identified as presenting the most growth potential?
We’re seeing significant growth in Southeast Asia, where we are establishing a plant in Singapore to support micro-encapsulation needs and ensure business continuity. Similarly, India presents substantial opportunities as a consumer-driven market with evolving demands in sectors like coatings, detergents, and appliances. This trajectory mirrors China’s growth path, allowing us to leverage our experience in addressing local needs.
Our global lab footprint, with locations in Shanghai, Pune, São Paulo, and others, enables us to act locally while thinking globally. This approach helps us tailor solutions to the unique requirements of each region, from agricultural practices to weather conditions, ensuring we meet customer needs with precision and relevance.
What are the main advantages, and conversely the challenges, of being a privately held company for so long?
Being privately held allows us to focus on long-term goals while maintaining the year-over-year returns expected by our shareholders. This balance gives us the agility to pivot strategically without the pressures of quarterly public market demands. Having worked in both the public and private sectors, I appreciate the long-term perspective and decision-making flexibility that private ownership affords.
The challenge lies in maintaining this balance, as we must navigate short-term obligations while positioning ourselves for future opportunities. However, this dynamic is a strength for Milliken, enabling us to adapt and innovate effectively across our diverse business portfolio.
Milliken has adopted an increasingly collaborative model in recent years. Can you share some examples of partnerships you are most excited about?
Sustainability is central to our innovation strategy. As such, we partnered with Tidal Vision to incorporate biodegradable solutions like chitosan into our micro-encapsulation technologies. Additionally, with PureCycle, we invested in a groundbreaking recycling process for polypropylene that can separate color, odor, and impurities from plastic waste feedstock and transform it into ultra-pure recycled resin, creating recycled materials that perform like virgin resin.
We’re also collaborating on initiatives like Holy Grail 2.0, which focuses on digital watermarking technology to improve plastic sorting and recycling. These partnerships exemplify how we co-develop innovative solutions to meet global sustainability goals while enhancing our value chain contributions.
This year, Milliken earned a gold rating on its 2024 EcoVadis assessment for the third year running. Which innovations can you point to that exemplify this commitment?
We’re particularly proud of reducing energy consumption by up to 10% in polypropylene part manufacturing through our additives, which help converters lower their carbon footprints. Another breakthrough involves mono-material-based flexible pouches, developed with Nova Chemicals, that simplify recycling by enabling an alternative to multi-layer barrier films.
Additionally, we worked with Ferrero Rocher to transition from polystyrene to recyclable polypropylene for their iconic packaging, achieving clarity and helping progress their sustainability goals. These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to closing the loop in materials design and lightweighting for environmental benefits.
Given Milliken’s naming in lawsuits related to PFAS contamination, what steps are you taking to ensure the safety of products and mitigate environmental impact moving forward?
Consumer safety is a top priority, as reflected in our Safer Choice-certified colorants approved by the EPA. Regarding PFAS, our textile division exited this chemical category in 2022, introducing non-PFAS textiles to provide a better alternative. While I can’t comment on ongoing litigation, this proactive approach underscores our commitment to safety and innovation in addressing industry challenges.
2025 is projected to be a year of major global changes. What are you anticipating to see, and how is Milliken preparing accordingly?
As we approach 2025, agility and adaptability remain key. A beloved symbol within our company, the leaping gazelle, represents this philosophy—being swift and able to pivot in the face of uncertainty. With unpredictable factors like tariffs and global policy shifts, our focus is on remaining pragmatic and responsive to maintain momentum and meet evolving customer needs.
We’re also optimistic about continued growth opportunities, particularly as sustainability becomes an even greater driver of innovation. By staying attuned to global and regional demands, we aim to build on our 165-year legacy of resilience and forward-thinking.
