Leggett & Platt: Difference between revisions
* J. Mitchell Dolloff, CEO and President
* J. Mitchell Dolloff, CEO and President
* Steven K. Henderson, EVP and President, Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring, & Textile Products Segments
* Steven K. Henderson, EVP and President, Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring, & Textile Products Segments
* Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP and CFO
* . , EVP and CFO
* Susan R. McCoy, SVP Investor Relations
* Susan R. McCoy, SVP Investor Relations
* Scott S. Douglas, SVP General Counsel and Secretary
* Scott S. Douglas, SVP General Counsel and Secretary
American manufacturing company
Leggett & Platt (L&P), based in Carthage, Missouri, is an American diversified manufacturer that designs and produces various engineered components and products that can be found in homes and automobiles. The firm was founded in 1883, and consists of 15 business units, 20,000 employee-partners, and 135 manufacturing facilities located in 18 countries.[2]
Leggett management[edit]
As of January 2022, senior corporate executives included:
- J. Mitchell Dolloff, CEO and President
- Steven K. Henderson, EVP and President, Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring, & Textile Products Segments
- Benjamin M. Burns, EVP and CFO
- Susan R. McCoy, SVP Investor Relations
- Scott S. Douglas, SVP General Counsel and Secretary
- Christina Ptasinski, SVP and CHRO
- Tammy Trent, SVP and CAO
Board of directors[edit]
| Director | Joined In | Position | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark A. Blinn | 2019 | Retired President, CEO, Director | Flowserve Corporation |
| Robert E. Brunner | 2009 | Retired Executive VP | Illinois Tool Works, Inc. |
| Mary Campbell | 2019 | Chief Merchandising Officer | Qurate Retail Group |
| J. Mitchell Dolloff | 2020 | CEO & President | Leggett & Platt |
| Manuel A. Fernandez | 2014 | Managing director | SI Ventures |
| Karl G. Glassman | 2002 | Retired CEO | Leggett & Platt |
| Joseph W. McClanathan | 2005 | Retired President & CEO | Energizer Household Products Division of Energizer Holdings |
| Judy C. Odom | 2002 | Retired Chairman & CEO | Software Spectrum, Inc. |
| Srikanth Padmanabhan | 2018 | Vice-president | Cummins Inc. |
| Jai Shah | 2019 | Group President | Masco Corporation |
| Phoebe A. Wood | 2005 | Principal | CompaniesWood |
Company history[edit]
In 1883 in Carthage, Missouri, J.P. Leggett developed a new type of bedspring consisting of single cone spring wire coils, formed and interlaced, then mounted on a wood slat base. The bedspring could then be used as a base for the then-popular cotton, feather, or horsehair mattresses. Needing expertise in manufacturing and production, he recruited his soon-to-be brother-in-law, C.B. Platt, whose father owned and operated Platt Plow Works, into the partnership. Together, they produced the components of their Leggett & Platt bedspring, which was patented in 1885.
| Bedspring vs. Innerspring |
|---|
| At the time of their invention, bedsprings referred to cone-shaped wire coiled springs, attached to a wooden slat foundation, used to support then-popular mattresses. These mattresses were typically made of horse hair, corn husks, cotton, feathers, or another soft material. Early bedsprings functioned similarly to today’s box springs in their support of a mattress. However, box springs are rather rigid in structure, while bedsprings provide a more flexible surface. |
| Innersprings, by contrast, refer to the core system of wire springs that, along with various types of foam and other padding materials, comprise the insides of today’s mattress. The mattress is usually coupled with a box spring to create a sleep set. Innersprings can be coiled springs laced together, continuous coil springs, or individually encased springs, that support a person sleeping on the mattress. |
The Carthage market for their new product was very limited. To expand the market to a wider region, Platt and George Leggett, brother of J. P. Leggett, would load a horse-drawn wagon with bedsprings and travel to surrounding communities. Often, to conserve space, they would load the springs and slats separately into the wagon and assemble them in a store or on an adjacent sidewalk. The partnership prospered, and the business was incorporated in 1901.
The company built its first factory and offices in Carthage in 1890. The workforce at that time consisted of the two partners and five employees. Soon after completion of the Carthage plant, a second factory was built in Louisville, Kentucky. During the next 50 years, three more factories were built. Demand for the company’s improved bedsprings was rising, and a second plant was built in Carthage in 1925. The new, much larger plant was located next to a railroad to allow for expanded shipments of products and supplies. In 1942, an additional factory was built in Winchester, Kentucky, which was subsequently consolidated with the Louisville plant. For some time, Texas had proven to be a main market…