Posted September 23, 2014

 

The U.S. textile and apparel complex has never been described as apathetic. In the 1980s, thousands of employees rallied in Washington, D.C., and participated in a massive campaign in support of textile bills aimed at protecting the industry’s interests. At the leadership level, industry executives have united, collaborated and lobbied many times on numerous issues affecting their companies. And most recently, thousands of industry representatives signed petitions asking Congress to include strong protections in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

 

Though not always successful in realizing objectives, your active advocacy efforts over the years have made a difference. They’re part of the reason that looms are still clacking and spindles are still turning in this country. You know what’s important to your livelihoods and you’re willing to fight to ensure the best possible outcomes.

 

With that in mind, I have an urgent request on behalf of your industry brethren: Please consider putting on your promotional cap next week and attending a one-day workshop regarding the Fiber and Textiles Innovative Manufacturing Institute (IMI). While this isn’t a humongous legislative battle like we’ve faced in the past, this represents a major opportunity for the fiber and textile industry. And, as you know, we need all the opportunities we can get to remain competitive and viable. The workshop, requested by the Department of Defense’s ManTech (Manufacturing Technology) office, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 1 at Gaston College’s Textile Technology Center, Kimbrell Campus in Belmont, N.C.

 

The purpose of the workshop is to inform the fiber and textile industry of the IMI program as well as for the industry to convince ManTech that it is the best candidate for the institute. The U.S. government has an objective of creating 15 IMIs, each dedicated to advancing a manufacturing area that is considered critical to industry and the DoD. Although the program is handled by the Department of Defense, the entire U.S. fiber, textile and fabricated products industry will participate – not just Defense suppliers.

 

Each IMI will have a minimum of $70 million in federal funding and $70 million in funding from states and industry over a five-to-seven-year period. The DoD will start up two more major institutes this year. These IMIs represent a $70 million to $120 million investment by the government over that initial period. The head of the ManTech office, Adele Ratcliff, will attend along with her staff.

 

How can such an entity help the industry? Broadly, a Fiber and Textiles Innovative Manufacturing Institute will help bring together industry, academia and federal and state agencies to accelerate innovation by investing in relevant manufacturing technologies with broad applications. It will provide shared assets to help companies, particularly small- and medium-sized organizations, access cutting-edge capabilities and equipment and create opportunities to educate and train employees for advanced manufacturing techniques and processes.

 

So it’s easy to see how the industry would be better off with such an institute. Ambitious, yes. But, really, having such a body dedicated to advancing the industry’s activities is a no-brainer. As you know, multifunctional textile technological advances have been made in academic and laboratory settings, but they often face difficulty reaching the market. This institute certainly would help overcome these hurdles and bridge the gap between research and development and commercialization.

 

We, as an industry, need to show up in full force to help ManTech representatives more clearly understand why a Fiber and Textile IMI is needed. Let’s come armed with information, questions and the art of persuasion. The industry is counting on us.

 

Click here for more information on the workshop.