Posted August 11, 2014

 

More positive signs that the U.S. textile industry is regaining its footing continue to emerge. The Textile Technology Center (TTC) on the Kimbrell campus of Gaston College in Belmont, N.C., and the Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC) in Hickory, N.C. – which specializes in training for the hosiery and knitting sectors – each received $150,000 in additional funding with the passage of the North Carolina state budget.

 

This is particularly good news. Why? Because it means folks outside the industry (legislators) have put real dollars into something they believe is needed. And that speaks volumes about the ever-changing perception of the textile industry and the direction it’s heading. Though most of the general public may consider textiles dead, dying or on life support, this boost of confidence from lawmakers sure may help others rethink the industry. One of the Senate’s chief budget writers, Sen. Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston), helped push through the money for the Textile Technology Center.

 

Since 1941, the Textile Technology Center has played a significant role in helping the textile industry remain competitive, manufacture quality products and maintain a well-trained workforce. It went through a couple of name iterations over the years, but its purpose has remained immutable: “To improve the training and enlarge the opportunities of those engaged in the textile industry.” Over time, the areas of need within textile companies have changed, but the center has remained flexible and evolved along with the need. Today, jobs are more technologically advanced and typically require highly specialized training, of course.

 

The TTC offers product testing of fiber, yarn and fabric; sample production in areas such as carding and spinning; and problem solving, including electron scanning microscopy and yarn and fabric defect analyses. The center has two physical testing labs that house more than $1 million worth of equipment. The center also can arrange instruction in any number of textile, quality and management topics on its campus or a company’s site.

 

Additionally, the center has a terrific meeting facility, as many of you know. Over the years, I’ve covered dozens of textile conferences, attended training sessions and toured its facilities, so I recognize firsthand its value to the industry. This week, the center will host the Southern Textile Association’s annual Summer Marketing Forum, where more than 100 industry professionals will gather to hear speakers cover a range of compelling, useful topics.

 

With the industry in something of a growth mode, training new or current employees is becoming even more important as companies try to increase their competiveness on a global basis. In the last year, the North Carolina textile industry has seen $513 million in new investment and the creation of 810 jobs, according to Dr. Joe Keith, dean of the Kimbrell campus and Textile Technology Center. And more than 46,000 North Carolinians worked in textiles last year, representing the state’s second largest manufacturing sector, said Sam Buff, the center’s director.

 

Let’s hope such numbers will encourage others to rethink textiles, too.