Posted July 26, 2017

 

By Devin Steele (DSteele@eTextileCommunications.com)

 

GASTONIA, N.C. – Jack Scott didn’t live to see his dream quite come to fruition, but without his vision and direction, Lubrizol Corp.’s Textile Coatings Center of Excellence here likely would not have been upgraded.

 

Last week, the company officially opened the renovated development and testing center and dedicated its new lab to Scott, who served as global applications manager for Lubrizol’s Performance Coatings business until his death on March 6. Employees, customers and friends joined the company for the event.

 

“Jack Scott is really the one who championed the need for Gastonia to have a proper, formal lab,” Steve Blashka, Lubrizol’s Performance Coatings business director, North America, told eTC. “He was the brains and architect behind this.”

 

Scott’s widow Patti, who was on hand for the dedication, was presented a framed photo of her late husband with an inscription acknowledging him for his lifetime commitment to the textile industry and community service. Project Manager Jim Kelly also gave a stirring tribute to Scott.

 

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company based in Wickliffe, Ohio, produces specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their environmental impact.

 

The new facility, which focuses on research and development of coatings technologies for textile and nonwoven substrates, is dedicated to formulating and testing innovative coating technologies for an array of technical textile applications. The new Center of Excellence is a state-of-the-art textile coating product development and applications testing facility.

 

"By upgrading our capabilities, we continue our longstanding commitment to the textiles industry," said Bob Bonner, technical manager. "This investment expands our ability to deliver a wide range of textile coating and testing services for customers, including flame retardancy, abrasion resistance, water repellency, chemical resistance and stretch-restriction capability."

 

The Center of Excellence was renovated to improve the layout, flow and collaborative atmosphere for product development and testing, the company said. This investment, designed to increase capability, ingenuity and speed to market of advanced textile coating solutions, significantly modernizes the lab and integrates advanced testing and coating applications equipment:

 

• A new digital functional coating machine helps Lubrizol deliver design freedom to customers – achieving the digital application of function as freely as printing color on fabrics;

• A new RF welding machine enables testing of coating solutions on welded fabric seams of various widths to deliver optimal textile function;

• A new precision spray applicator allows Lubrizol to prototype a novel continuous textile finishing process; and

• A new weather simulator enables Lubrizol to better predict a coating’s durability and performance over its service life, providing customers with peace of mind for challenging textile application facing harsh environments.

 

"Our textiles team in Gastonia is focused on providing an outstanding experience for customers through technical service," said Ted Parigian, sales manager, Textile Coatings. "They're constantly developing new technologies, and these upgrades will enhance our ongoing ability to deliver winning solutions."

 

Lubrizol’s investment in global the Center of Excellences ensure the ability for highly skilled technical experts to collaborate with customers and each other in world-class labs with modern equipment to efficiently deliver advanced coating technologies to customers, the company said.

 

"Reducing our response time to customers is a key business goal," said Lee Young, technical director. "When we can bring the right, differentiated products to customers and meet their time requirements in the process, then we are a critical part of their success and profitability."

 

A ‘special day’ about Jack Scott and his vision

 

During the ceremony, Blashka said the day was about Jack and his vision, before reflecting on their interactions.

 

“I first met Jack last year when I moved over from our Paints Division, and I got to know him well,” Blashka said. “I asked him to tell me about the coatings and textile industry. And, right away, I realized he had a passion for it. He’s seen this industry during its hard times, but he said it’s a good business with good opportunities, and he knew this was a great place for us to be in business. And he went on to explain how we work hand in hand with our customers on some of the most pressing issues facing the textile industry such as durability, washability and performance. Being a longtime Lubrizol guy, I really liked what I was hearing because that’s really in Lubrizol’s DNA.

 

“I’ve come to realize that Jack was absolutely right – this is a good industry and there are some great opportunities here – and it’s a perfect place for Lubrizol to be in,” he continued.

 

Blashka added that Lubrizol is dedicated to the U.S. textile industry, especially now that it is making something of a comeback.

 

“Even though the gross business may not be at the same magnitude as it once was, it’s still a good business,” he said. “There are still very tough technical challenges to be solved. So if you find the right customers and the right opportunities, there is still a need for domestic manufacturing and domestic performance textiles. We’re investing not just in this lab, but we’re also investing in people.

 

“I know that Jack is looking down and smiling, knowing that Lubrizol is in it for the long haul,” he added. “Today is a special day.”