Posted August 18, 2015

 

As the Dog Days of summer begin to lose their bark, students start to crack the books and nightfall’s curtain call creeps up earlier each night, the fall calendar is getting fuller than a centipede’s sock drawer. Reminds me of spring, when the industry’s unofficial “meeting season” kept me skittering around hither and yon, bringing you all the textile news you could use – and then some. Fall brings a veritable redux version of those recent full-plate, many-irons-in-the-fire days of diligent, deadline-directed delivery of details and disclosures.

 

And I love(d) every minute of it.

 

So, I’ll admit, autumnal anxiousness has arrived as I peruse the calendar for the next few weeks and months. Seems like something is on the docket every week, prompting me to set a reminder to check the car’s vitals. (Yep, there’s an app for that.)

 

Looking at the looming lineup, I’ve redlined one event in particular that I’d like to bring to your attention. On Tuesday, October 13, the LET’S TALK TURKEY: U.S./Turkey Textile Machinery Technology and B2B Opportunities workshop will take place at the Textile Technology Center-Kimbrell Campus at Gaston College in Belmont, N.C. It’s especially important to me because I’m helping to organize the event with the American Textile Machinery Association (ATMA). And I’m hoping many of you are interested in attending, as well – and possibly opening your manufacturing plants to this Turkish delegation of machinery suppliers.

 

I must say, this event has been a tougher sale than I had hoped. But there are obvious reasons to attend. One, to learn more about the products many of Turkey’s top machinery producers will be showing at ITMA in November. (By the way: Turkey will have the third highest number of exhibitors, 134, of any country at the trade show in Milan.) Two, to learn more about the Turkish textile industry through a socioeconomic overview, growth projections and investment forecasts. And, three, to network with representatives of the Turkish delegation and explore potential synergies.

 

Then, there are intangible reasons. One, to extend a hand of friendship in a goodwill gesture to our guests, who come in good faith. (Working with some of the Turks on this project and having met Richard Salvatore, general coordinator of Turkey’s Textile Machinery and Accessories Manufacturers Association, I can personally attest to that.) Two, curiosity: Who knows what ideas and relationships may develop from learning more about this country’s textile manufacturing and machinery sector? And, lastly, to show support for your U.S. organizers and host, Gaston College’s Textile Technology Center.

 

If that’s not compelling enough, consider: Active and experienced companies are aware that the world is global and there are always possibilities for far-reaching cooperation that could manifest itself through partnerships, knowledge-sharing, licensing agreements, sub-contracting, agency agreements, et al. When business people meet face to face, they become better aware of their individual market advantages and typically are more apt to find ways to work together. And this opportunity is happening in the backyard of many of you.

 

As busy as we all are, I know we have to be choosy about which events are worthy of pulling away from day-to-day responsibilities. But please do me a favor: At least consider attending this workshop, which will include a networking reception immediately afterward. And, if you would like to host the group for a quick tour of your manufacturing operations one of the next two days, that would be fantastic.