# Why Manufacturing Leaders Must Understand the Global Chemical Supply Chain w/ Doug Friedman

- Show: [The Manufacturing Executive](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive)
- Published: 2024-09-24
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 224
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou
- Listen: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-manufacturing-executive#episode-dc62ea8a-efde-405d-8d0d-fd369a338b43

## Summary

Doug Friedman, CEO of BioMADE, explains why every manufacturing leader must understand the global chemical supply chain, tracing products like laptop plastic cases back to petroleum-derived chemicals. He highlights the vulnerability exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Tivex suit shortages were caused by a disconnect between collapsing fuel markets and rising chemical demand. Friedman advocates for industrial biomanufacturing, using organisms to ferment agricultural inputs like corn into commodity chemicals, to decouple chemical supply from volatile fuel markets and secure national defense supply chains.

## Chapters

- [0:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=38) Introduction: Doug Friedman and BioMADE
- [5:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=336) The Ubiquity of Chemicals in Manufacturing
- [9:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=573) COVID-19 and the Petroleum Supply Chain Disconnect
- [14:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=870) Biomanufacturing vs. Petroleum-Based Production
- [20:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=1220) Technological and Commercial Hurdles to Scaling
- [23:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-09-24-why-manufacturing-leaders-must-understand-the-global-chemical-supply-chain-w-dou#t=1386) National Security and the Defense Industrial Base

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- BioMADE (company)
- Tivex suits (product)
- PDO (product)
- EBRC (company)
- Guerrilla 76 (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#331: 28 Days To Save The World: Lessons Learned from a Pandemic Month of Supply Chain Issues](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [245: A Grassroots Approach to Shaping the Future of American Industry with Bret Boyd, CEO of Sustainment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-08-245-a-grassroots-approach-to-shaping-the-future-of-american-industry-with-bret-b) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Midjourney's medical scanner, a Patriot missile's two-year supply chain, and why Ford had to rehire 350 engineers it let automated systems replace](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2026-07-01-midjourneys-medical-scanner-a-patriot-missiles-two-year-supply-chain-and-why-for) (Go/No-Go)
- [The Big Switch: Are Batteries the New Oil?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-04-11-the-big-switch-are-batteries-the-new-oil) (Catalyst)
- [Contract Manufacturing: Takin’ Care of Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-01-28-contract-manufacturing-takin-care-of-business) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

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