CONTEMPLATING THE PAST,
MOVING INTO THE FUTURE...

As Barnhardt Manufacturing Company prepared to celebrate its 100th anniversary on July 10, 2000, the Charlotte-based, family-owned business was doing much more than looking back on the past. It was also looking to the future, preparing for the new century with the energy, commitment and vitality of a brand-new enterprise, eagerly anticipating change and ready to innovate on a variety of fronts. “We’re not reinventing or reengineering,” explained Ralph Falero, vice president, finance and administration, in June 1999. “We’re evolving into a company of the 21st century.”

BUILDING A LEGACY...
Thomas M. Barnhardt was a savvy businessman from the beginning. By using wastes from the vast number of nearby cotton mills, he was able to build his company’s growth on the success of other manufacturers in an emerging industrializing society. He learned quickly, changing his operations and expanding product lines as times changed and new trends emerged. It did not take long for the company to find new uses for its cotton. In 1911, Barnhardt Manufacturing sold the first cotton batting ever put into an automobile, when it completed an order for the Packard Motor Car Company.

In the meantime, other lines of business had already been developed. In 1914, Barnhardt had begun to design and produce the first cotton filters for use in the manufacture of rayon and acetate yarns. Just as that new market came into being, World War I broke out, increasing the demand for Barnhardt’s cotton. The company was a major supplier to the Red Cross of nonsurgical, unbleached batting used for orthopedic padding. Then came the upholstery fabrics and cushioning materials in the ‘20s.

The year 1929 has always stood out for many – after all, it was the year the Great Depression hit. But for Barnhardt, it was a landmark year, marking a major thrust into a new line of products, one that has defined the company ever since and created the foundation for many of its future endeavors: building a Bleachery. Raw cotton is not absorbent but bleaching gives it that characteristic, plus makes it whiter and purer by getting rid of dirt, leaves and stems. Barnhardt bleaches their cotton with environmentally friendly hydrogen peroxide. Barnhardt is also a leading producer of pharmaceutical, dental and disposables for the professional beauty and spa market.

Barnhardt established North Carolina Foam Industries in 1964 in Mt. Airy, NC. NCFI now has plants operating in High Point and Hickory, NC in addition to Dalton, Ga. and Salt Lake City, Utah providing foam and chemicals for the furniture, bedding, roofing and consumer markets.

THE SECOND & THIRD GENERATION...
After the death of Barnhardt’s founder, Thomas M. Barnhardt, in 1946, Barnhardt Manufacturing underwent reorganization at the executive level. The next generation of Barnhardt’s – Thomas Jr., Jake, Jim and Nell – ran the company until 1979, when Thomas Jr.’s son, Thomas Munroe Barnhardt III, became President of the company.

After many CEOs turn 65 and leave the president’s office, their thoughts often turn to retirement and whatever leisure pursuits might interest or intrigue them.

Not Tom Barnhardt III. In 1999, at age 67, the chairman of the board of Barnhardt Manufacturing continued to do what he had done since 1957: come into the office every day, not only interested and involved in the company operations, but also in the individuals who work there. “My father has a great sense of pride in where the company is, and he still watches over the operation,” observes his oldest son, Tom L. Barnhardt, who succeeded his father as company president. The other three Barnhardt children are also owners and active participants in the day-to-day operations. Lewis is the President/CEO of the Barnhardt Division and Bobby became Credit Manager and Assistant Treasurer, while Lee became Secretary of the corporations.