Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
News
September 13, 2019 08:19 AM

Barbour focuses on growth for ADS

Plastics News Report
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Advanced Drainage Systems
    ADS thermoplastic pipes ready for installation.

    Scott Barbour, who took over as CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems in Hilliard, Ohio, in 2017, said one of his early mentors taught him to think long term.

    Tom Bettcher, the division president at Emerson Climate Technology in Sidney, Ohio, taught Barbour about the importance of doing what was the "right thing, even if it wasn't necessarily the best move in the short term."

    Barbour earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University and his MBA in marketing from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management.

    Q: How would you describe your company and its culture?
    Barbour:
    Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) is the leading manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe, providing a comprehensive suite of water management products and superior drainage solutions for use in the construction, agriculture and infrastructure marketplace. Recently, we have focused on growth, increasing sales in the last quarter by 6.7 percent on revenues of nearly $414 million and completing a $1.08 billion acquisition of Infiltrator Water Technologies, a leader in on-site septic wastewater treatment.

    Sustainability is a natural fit with everything we do at ADS. From our beginnings more than 50 years ago as an agricultural drainage company to a water management company, ADS' focus has always been on the environment. We responsibly manage stormwater and employ sustainable raw materials using 400 million pounds of recycled plastic each year to keep it permanently out of landfills. As importantly, we really try to instill sustainability in our corporate culture, encouraging and allowing our employees to develop their own sustainable practices.

    Coutesy of Advanced Drainage Systems
    Scott Barbour (right), president and CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems, walks with employees on the production floor. Sales are up for the Hilliard, Ohio-based company, which manufcatures water management products for the construction, agriculture and infrastructure markets.

    Q: What's the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
    Barbour:
    My most interesting job was serving as group executive and division president of Emerson Climate Technologies, located in Hong Kong. As a family, we really enjoyed living in an exotic location such as Hong Kong and being in a different culture every day. Professionally, the challenge of managing an international organization and working with people from several different Asian cultures was incredibly interesting and rewarding.

    Q: What was your first job in plastics?
    Barbour:
    In 1987, I was a design engineer on throttle position sensors at Holley Automotive in Detroit.

    Q: When did you become CEO, and what was your first goal?
    Barbour: I was named CEO in September 2017, and my goal was to solidify our fundamentals, making sure we were doing the blocking and tackling that would allow us to grow and execute against our plan. This also meant being accountable to our shareholders and each other for achieving our plan to deliver results.

    Q: What's the best career advice you've received?
    Barbour:
    Success is achieved by doing a great job on your current role, the one that is in front of you. Above that, use good judgment and be ethical in all of your responsibilities.

    Q: What advice would you give to someone starting at your company tomorrow?
    Barbour:
    Be visible and seize the opportunities that are put in front of you.

    Q: What associations do you belong to?
    Barbour:
    The Columbus Partnership, Buddy Up Tennis and the Episcopal church.

    Q: What industry events do you attend?
    Barbour:
    Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), StormCon and plastics industry trade shows.

    Q: What do you want your legacy to be as CEO?

    Barbour: I would like to be remembered as an approachable leader who took ADS to new levels of performance and relevance for our customers.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Three Muteres-owned auto suppliers form Amaneos
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Industry sees Biden bioplastics goal as serious signal
    2
    Biden sets US goal to replace 90% of plastics with biomaterials
    3
    Material Insights: Challenges for Biden bioplastics goal
    4
    Official says Norfolk Southern fire likely started in rail car containing resin
    5
    Trinseo: Equipment failure blamed for latex emulsion leak
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified