Indiana-based Tri-Star Glove, founded in 2000 by industry veterans Rod Townsend and Eric Moll, provides consistent, high-quality and sustainably designed products. With comprehensive safety apparel expertise, TSG works with end-users to identify hazards in the workplace and engineer custom solutions to specific threats, strategically using thoughtful design and materials to enhance safety.

“Tri-Star has developed a reputation for manufacturing outstanding personal protective apparel that spans a variety of project types and serves a diverse group of customers,” said NSA CEO Chuck Grossman. “Through this partnership, we will continue providing premium PPE products to our customers, leveraging our combined experience and industry knowledge.”

“NSA is a market leader and acquirer of choice in the safety solutions space,” shared Tri-Star Glove President Rod Townsend. “Eric and I are proud to be joining NSA’s portfolio of companies with Blue Point’s support, as we sincerely feel this team will honor our combined 93 years of industry experience with a commitment to advancing Tri-Star’s business and its employees.”

TSG has expanded from solely manufacturing high-performance gloves for the domestic automotive space into a more diverse customer base, manufacturing personal protective apparel for the industrial safety markets, including welding, glass and molten metals. The hand protection market boasts the highest year-over-year growth compared to other adjacent safety segments, making this an ideal fit for NSA’s expansion.

“NSA’s rich history of M&A expansion and integration, combined with Blue Point’s manufacturing and safety sector investing experience, make this an exciting acquisition in the early stages of our partnership,” said Blue Point Partner Jonathan Pressnell. “We are here to support the management team with value-added operational resources and help maintain this momentum as we continue to collaborate and evaluate organic and M&A opportunities.”

NSA is actively seeking additional partnerships with like-minded founders and owners of PPE manufacturing businesses. Business owners interested in learning more may contact Blue Point Managing Director, Business Development Megan Kneipp at mkneipp@bluepointcapital.com.

Posted: July 10, 2024

Source: Blue Point Capital Partners

By Adam Grabowski

In today’s fast-moving manufacturing environment, the ability to capture real-time data in all areas of the business is vital for maintaining long-term success. When manufacturers conduct business with separate systems, data ends up in silos and information can’t flow in an efficient manner, preventing smooth coordination of data between people and departments.

This is especially true for manufacturing businesses that operate in more than one location or have subsidiaries that manufacture parts for the parent company. If you manufacture products in different locations, you probably know how difficult it is to get a complete and accurate picture of the business as a whole. Disparate systems make it hard to implement standard processes throughout the organization, and important data often gets lost or misplaced, causing productivity and profitability to suffer.

There is a solution. It’s called enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, and it manages multiple manufacturing plants in different locations as if they were one.

How ERP Integrates Multiple Locations

ERP software provides a powerful tool for organizing and managing virtually every aspect of a manufacturing business, from planning, production, purchasing, inventory and quality control to finance, sales, marketing, customer relations, and human resources. Or, as we say it in business, from quote to cash. Importantly, it does all this in one integrated system that provides instant access to real-time data throughout the organization, for complete visibility into all shop floor and back-room processes.

Initially, ERP was designed to manage one manufacturing entity per system. However, as the technology improved, ERP providers and manufacturers began to see the value in managing multiple locations in one system. Implementing this approach involved setting up one ERP server at the main production site and installing remote desktop servers in other locations. This network made it possible to share data among all locations and enable remote employees to log in and perform work in the ERP system. Implementation took longer than usual and purchasing the servers and other equipment increased costs. However, having all the data in one system instead of unrelated platforms created significant increases in communications, efficiency and productivity.

Fast forward a decade or two and now there’s a better way to bring multiple locations under one ERP umbrella — cloud computing. This process of managing applications, data storage and computer services via the internet makes it simpler and more cost-effective to integrate multiple plants into one ERP system. Each location is set up as a separate business in the ERP system, with its own inventory, workcenters, jobs, accounting, and everything else. A non-production company is set up to consolidate and print the financials for each business, and a comprehensive statement is produced for the business as a whole.

Cloud ERP is available in two configurations — outsourcing the ERP software to a third-party cloud services provider rather than owning it or owning the software to have more control over the system.

Many providers offer a built-in cloud solution with their ERP system. For Global Shop Solutions, you only need to implement one ERP server at your primary location and you can run it from anywhere you have an internet connection. It’s the easiest and most cost-effective way to provide complete visibility throughout multiple businesses, and it enables standardization of workflows, production processes, company policies, rules and guidelines for virtually every activity in your enterprise.

Success Stories Display The Flexibility of ERP

One of ERP’s most valuable assets is having the versatility and flexibility to meet the needs of diverse types of manufacturers. Here are four very different businesses who have transformed their manufacturing by managing separate locations in one ERP system.

1. Seeing The Business As A Whole And In Separate Pieces

Impact Converting Systems & Solutions consists of a family of eight companies that design and manufacture a variety of tools, dies, and systems to meet their customers’ needs. It started out with four distinct businesses in separate locations. The main plant operated on ERP while the other three struggled with outdated platforms.

Consolidating all four businesses on one ERP platform created an unprecedented level of data visibility at each Impact location, resulting in much-needed improvements in production processes and decision-making. The ability to look at the business as a whole and in separate pieces made everything simpler, enabling better planning and succeeded in consolidating and standardizing processes between the businesses.

Impact’s ERP system has handled growing from four to eight businesses with ease. All eight locations have access to real-time data, allowing them to greatly improve efficiency by quickly identifying and resolving shop floor bottlenecks that could impact some of the other businesses. Each location can now accurately apply labor and materials to a job for a better understanding of jobs costs. Perhaps most important, the business now has one common chart of accounts across all companies — all in one system.

2. Cutting Inventory Down To Size

Team Simpson is part of a multiple location business called Simpson Performance Products, which manufactures a wide range of vehicle racing safety products. Team Simson has its own ERP system, but it faces the challenge of maintaining thousands of different part numbers in inventory in several different locations — including mobile trailers used to sell product on-site at NASCAR racing events.

The biggest problem resolved around the old system’s inability to provide reliable data on incoming materials or finished goods. ERP enables Team Simpson to efficiently manage both, including the inventories in mobile trailers. Setting up multiple locations in the ERP system allowed managers to easily see how much inventory was in each location as well as total inventory for the company.

As a result, Team Simpson reduced the amount of inventory on hand, which helped lower carrying costs and increase inventory turns. Using their ERP system’s barcoding and mobile capabilities further streamlined the materials management process onsite and off. The company also simplified the inventory process by having its vendor develop a customer ERP application to scan customer purchases in the field so the ERP system can automatically remove the purchased items from inventory and book the sale.

3. Tracking Costs Across Multiple Business Units

RK Mechanical operates seven different business units that work together to provide construction, manufacturing, fabrication and building service solutions. Each unit has its own management structure, and all engage in frequent inter-shop transactions. With RK Mechanical simultaneously working on hundreds of work orders at its various locations, job costs were hard to track with a high degree of accuracy.

Implementing ERP turned that around quickly by integrating data from dozens of different sources into one system and processing it in a standardized manner. RK Mechanical now tracks precise costs for all jobs in all locations. It also tracks interactions between shops, automatically processes payroll, and makes business decisions with data that previously wasn’t available.

Company-wide access to integrated data in one system increased efficiency in many areas. Most scheduling is now completed in half the time it used to require. Data retrieval is 400 percent faster. Inventory carrying costs declined 30 percent, on-time delivery rates improved 50 percent, and sales increased 20 percent. Even creating reports is more efficient. RK Mechanical’s standard weekly steel unit productivity report used to take four hours to produce. They now produce tailored reports in less than an hour.

4. Eight Locations, 14 Product Lines, One System

If you think operating a regular commercial manufacturing business is tough, imagine operating a state corrections business that produces 500 different products and services at seven different locations, with all being managed in one system.

Alabama Correctional Industries (ACI) manufactures furniture and supplies for state departments, institutions, and political sub-divisions to provide work training for Department of Correction inmates. As a self-sufficient business ACI must maintain some level of profit in order to replace equipment and expand into new areas — a difficult task when working with a diverse array of old, clunky business management platforms. When ACI received state permission to implement ERP software, it selected a system capable of setting up different companies in one system.

Each location runs a different business, but all production data and costs are tracked in ACI’s ERP system. This makes it easy to see the individual picture at each company and easily consolidate each company’s financials to see the big picture. ACI now has up-to-date information on every aspect of production from job status, inventory levels and on-time deliveries to sales and accounting, spurring dramatic improvements in job costing.

Costs can be allocated faster and more accurately at the shop level. Managers know which jobs are in production at each shop. They can easily see inventory levels. And the precise account reports produced by the ERP system provide better visibility of accounts receivables and customer payment rates. Managers are more aware of how much they’re spending and whether they’re pricing products at the right price points.

Whether you operate one production plant or several, ERP can simplify processes, streamline your workload and lower the total cost of ownership.

Adam Grabowski is the director of Marketing at Global Shop Solutions, The Woodlands, Texas.

June 24, 2024

Outgoing NCTO Chairman David Poston outlined key industry facts and economic data in his “State of the U.S. Textile Industry” address during NCTO’s 19th annual meeting.

By David Poston

Let me begin by saying what an honor and privilege it has been serving as chairman of the Washington-based National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO).

The business climate in 2022 was defined by a multitude of global and domestic challenges impacting our industry’s overall performance.

The U.S. textile and apparel industry faced challenging macroeconomic conditions throughout the year.

As we all witnessed, the headwinds from global supply chain disruptions, inflation at home, rising material costs and rising interest rates were strong. Fluctuating consumer demand started out strong in the first half but flattened by the second half of the year as inflationary pressures flipped the script from an economy fueled by excess demand and inadequate supply to one of too much supply and not enough demand.

Despite these challenges, there also were many positive trends that helped offset some of those pressures, including softening inflation towards the latter half of the year, coupled with a surge in onshoring and nearshoring that led to historic investments, commitments and expansion in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere.

Overall, our industry remained resilient with strong performances in some key areas in 2022. We remain cautiously optimistic that we will see growth this year, though inflationary pressures and rising costs are expected to persist.

NCTO has been highly engaged in working with the Biden administration and our allies in Congress to achieve key policy priorities, and we succeeded on many fronts in 2022.
I would like to sincerely thank our staff, led by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, as well as our industry leadership for successfully navigating through challenging economic times and polarization in Congress, while partnering with the administration and key congressional offices to secure a number of critical achievements last year.

NCTO’s effective advocacy efforts resulted in a long list of accomplishments in 2022, including enhancing government procurement of U.S. textile-based products, intensifying pressure to crack down on unprecedented abuse of our de minimis waiver system, safeguarding the integrity of our free trade agreements, and maintaining a strong position on China trade enforcement, including tariffs on finished textile and apparel.

Last month, many of you participated in a number of Zoom calls with House and Senate leadership on maintaining the integrity of the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and advancing a proactive agenda to drive investment and expand regional co-production in the CAFTA-DR region.
Your participation in these discussions matter and are critical to pushing our issues collectively.

I would like to sincerely thank the entire NCTO staff for this enormous effort and to all the NCTO members who participated in these critical discussions.

Before laying out NCTO’s policy wins in 2022, I want to quickly recap how the industry fared last year.

By The Numbers

We continued to expand our capital investments, exports and value of shipments in 2022.

Many metrics for our industry were strong last year, as business continued to increase exports and investments.

In 2022, the value of U.S. man-made fiber, textile and apparel shipments totaled an estimated $65.8 billion, compared with $64.04 billion in shipments in 2021.¹
Here are two additional key industry facts:

• U.S. exports were also up compared to 2021. Exports of fibers, textiles and apparel were $34 billion in 2022 compared with $28.4 billion in 2021.²
• Capital expenditures have remained strong. Investment in yarn, fabric, apparel and sewn product manufacturing in 2021 —the latest figure that is available —hit $2.27 billion in 2021 compared with $1.85 billion in 2020.

Onshoring and nearshoring trends strengthened Made in USA production as you can see from these metrics, and policies in Washington aimed at expanding Berry and Buy American rules are contributing to overall growth in American-made products for the military, PPE and federal agencies.

Once again, the Western Hemisphere supply chain remained a key driver behind the industry’s growth and remains a vital economic engine for the textile and apparel sectors.
We have $39.8 billion in annual two-way trade with the Western Hemisphere, representing an 18.4-percent increase over the past five years, which supports 2 million direct jobs in the entire supply chain.

Trade flows remained positive and on a growth track, despite the headwinds from three years of sourcing disruptions due to the pandemic.

U.S. textile and apparel exports to the Western Hemisphere rose 14.9 percent to reach $18 billion in 2022, compared with five years ago in 2017. Similarly apparel and textile imports to the United States from the Western Hemisphere continue to rise. These imports from the entire region to the United States grew by 21.4 percent to hit $21.8 billion over the same time period.

The bottom line is the fundamentals for the U.S. textile industry are sound, though headwinds this year will weigh heavily on business decisions. Our industry’s resilience in the face of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with COVID-19 gives me confidence it will weather the perfect storm of inflation, supply chain disruptions and rising costs.

Policy Issues

NCTO was highly engaged in policy debates in Washington last year, advocating on every aspect of critical trade and economic issues impacting our industry’s performance and growth.

I would like to highlight a few accomplishments NCTO staff achieved during the year.

CAFTA-DR

NCTO engaged directly with the administration and congress to underscore the importance of strong trade rules to the economic stability of Central America and the need for increased private sector investment in regional manufacturing. NCTO staff also worked to counter a well-funded effort by certain importers designed to undermine the yarn forward rule of origin in the CAFTA-DR agreement to allow third-party textile inputs from Asia to displace U.S. and Central American-made textile inputs.

Further, NCTO continues to work with various elements of the federal government, including the Vice President’s office, USTR, the State Department, and the National Security Council to identify and implement solutions that will increase regional co-production and expand export opportunities for U.S. textiles.

Thanks to these efforts, Administration’s Call to Action for new investment, and the strength of CAFTA-DR, nearly $2 billion of new textile and apparel investments were made in the United States and Central America region.

Buy American Reform

NCTO partnered with congressional allies in 2022 to press designated federal departments for quick adoption of the Make PPE in America — legislation that applies Berry Amendment rules to nearly all personal protective equipment purchased by the federal government and ensures minimum two-year federal PPE contracts. This is something NCTO is continuing to lead an all-out push for agencies to adopt these critical standards.

Additionally, NCTO worked with our allies at the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) and several other industry associations and labor unions to help secure passage of the Homeland Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act, as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The HOPR Act encourages increased domestic sourcing and aims to support U.S. small businesses by improving the ability of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to purchase high-quality, American-made uniforms and PPE for frontline personnel. NCTO will be working in concert with partner organizations to help ensure this new law is enacted swiftly.

There are numerous other issues requiring NCTO’s focus and resources, such as amplifying support for the Section 301 case against China’s intellectual property abuses, promoting tariffs on finished products, the need to pass a new Miscellaneous Tariff bill with immediate and full retroactivity, and continued engagement with the Hill on enacting a provision that would effectively close the de minimis loophole for Chinese imports.

Due to time constraints, I cannot go into all of these important issues. But please know that without exception, NCTO is highly engaged on every policy matter that affects the U.S. textile industry with the intent of shaping policy determinations in a manner that directly benefits U.S. textile investment, production and workforce.

Industry leadership and involvement is of paramount importance. From contributions to NCTO’s Textile PAC to arranging congressional visits to facilities, the industry can make a difference and help raise the level of awareness about its importance to the overall U.S. economy and workforce, and to the local and state economies it supports.

Conclusion

The business environment for the year ahead looks challenging but based on the growth we are seeing in capital expenditures, output, exports and investments in the Western Hemisphere partners, I remain cautiously optimistic.

We will closely monitor emerging issues this year and continue to engage with Congress and the administration on a whole host of policy issues impacting our industry. Working in conjunction with our Western Hemisphere trading partners, we believe we can capitalize on the onshoring and nearshoring trends that we are seeing and strengthen our co-production chain, investment and employment.

That concludes my formal remarks.

On a personal note, I have been honored to serve as chairman of a highly effective organization and dedicated staff, which tirelessly advocates on policies impacting the day-to-day operations of our organizations and this economically vital industry.

I truly am optimistic about the innovative strength of the industry and its resilience to economic challenges. With the support of this effective trade and lobbying organization in Washington, we can overcome unforeseen challenges and continue to cement our position as an integral sector to the U.S. economy and the Western Hemisphere.

References:
1 Bureau of Economic Analysis
2 U.S. Department of Commerce data for Export Group 0: Textiles and Apparel.

Editor’s Notes: David Poston is president of Palmetto Synthetics, Kingstree, S.C. He served as NCTO chairman for FY 2022. At the recent NCTO meeting in Washington, Norman Chapman, president of Inman Mills, succeeded Poston as NCTO chairman for FY 2023.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. NAICS Subsector 313 covers Textile Mills, sub-sector 314 covers Textile Product Mills and subsector 315 covers Apparel.

May/June 2023

MycoWorks’ breakthrough Fine Mycelium technology engineers mycelium, the infinitely renewable root structure of mushrooms, to craft a range of natural, customizable leather alternatives that match the performance of the highest quality animal leather with lower environmental impact. The company’s platform has enabled a new class of premium, non-animal materials which could have the opportunity to support GM’s continued progress toward its vision of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.

Animal-free and chrome-free, Fine Mycelium also has superior strength at low thicknesses, offering a compelling pathway to efficiency and weight reduction in car interiors while still meeting the most stringent performance, aesthetic, and environmental requirements of the automotive space.

“Working with General Motors to introduce Fine Mycelium to the automotive industry is an enormous step forward in the global new materials revolution,” said Matt Scullin, CEO of MycoWorks. “MycoWorks’s collaboration with GM is a first for us outside of the fashion industry, demonstrating the enormous potentialand applications for Fine Mycelium.”
“Our strategic investment in MycoWorks aims to advance the development of sustainable automotive materials,” said Wade Sheffer, managing director of GM Ventures. “This collaboration will help facilitate R&D efforts and build more sustainable alternatives for our designers.”

In August 2022, following an oversubscribed $125M Series C funding round, MycoWorks broke ground on its first full-scale production facility, which will enable initial mass-production volumes of several million square feet of Fine Mycelium materials per year, dramatically increase production and partnership capacity, and service Fine Mycelium to a wider range of industries and companies.

Posted October 18, 2021

Source: MycoWorks

The European textiles and clothing industry (T&C) is very globalized, with complex value chains and inter-dependencies with many other sectors. For T&C companies to operate well, they need open and “efficient” markets, but combined with effective controls where necessary.

Against this background, the absence of a level playing field and fair reciprocity between E.U. and third country competitors on the E.U. internal market, is a concern. The distortive effects of subsidies provided by non-E.U. governments have jeopardised the competitiveness of many E.U. T&C companies. These foreign subsidies could distort the internal market, specifically the general market activity of economic operators in the E.U., the acquisitions of E.U. undertakings, public procurement procedures and access to E.U. funding. The Commission proposal to create a new legal instrument to address these challenges is therefore very much welcomed.

In its contribution to the public consultation on the matter, EURATEX emphasised that the E.U. proposal needs to be as comprehensive as possible, both in its scope and in the redressive measures it proposes. The new legal instrument should take into account provisions already available in e.g. E.U. competition law, Trade Defence Instruments (TDIs) and the International Procurement Instrument. Indeed, consistency and complementarity with other E.U. tools is key.

According to Dirk Vantyghem, “the aim of the instrument is to level the playing field, not to be protectionist and not to discourage foreign investment. For this, the instrument must be non-discriminatory and WTO-compliant”. EURATEX therefore encourages the EU and member states to move forward with thin initiative as soon as possible.

Posted October 1, 2020

Source: EURATEX

Data released this time consists of cotton masks to be produced on both WHoLEGARMEnT® knitting machines as well as conventional shaping machines. one type of WHoLEGARMEnT® mask data is meant for production on SWG041n2, SWG061n2 and SWG091n2, as well as on the rest of Shima Seiki’s compact WHoLEGARMEnT® knitting machines also known as “WHoLEGARMEnT® Mini” machines that are suited to production of small accessory items, in 15 gauge. Another type of WHoLEGARMEnT® mask data is meant for production on the MACH2XS series flagship WHoLEGARMEnT® knitting machines featuring four needle beds, in 15L. Shaped knit mask data is meant for production on SVR093SP as well as the rest of Shima Seiki’s computerized knitting machine lineup equipped with the moveable sinker system, in 14 gauge. Users with machines that match the above criteria can download the mask data from the Shima Seiki Users’ Site, an archive featuring more than 10,000 knit samples for use by Shima Seiki customers. By releasing mask data for a range of different machines, the company aims to alleviate the shortage of masks as much as it can by allowing production of masks by as many of its customers as possible. With this release smaller sizes for children have now become available as well, in three sizes.

Each of the masks whose data is released this time is a 3D form-fitted mask providing superior fit and comfort. Integral ear straps that are knitted along with the mask portion reduces stress on the ears, and require no further sewing for quick response production. A filter-pouch is knitted-in for inserting commercially available virus filters and other filtration fabrics. Holes are also knitted-in for insertion of wires that provide further adjustment for improved fit.

Knitted cotton masks can be washed and reused repeatedly. It should be noted however that unlike common nonwoven surgical masks, knit masks do not have virus- and pollen-filtration functionality. Their main use is for prevention of spray from coughing and sneezing, and for reducing exposure to allergens.

Download location: SHIMA SEIKI Users’ Site www.shimaseiki.com/user/samplesearch/

Posted April 24, 2020

Source: Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd.

With a focus on meeting the U.S. textile supply chain’s increasing appetite for recycled and sustainable fiber solutions, USFibers eyes future growth.

TW Special Report

Whether for the automotive, filtration, nonwoven, furniture, or geotextile industry, USFibers is creating recycled polyester fiber to meet the specific needs of clients. Manufacturing in Trenton, S.C., for more than 25 years, this growing company has embraced “Recycling for a better planet” as part of its “Excellence Through Innovation” initiative.

USFibers is a minority-owned, ISO 9001:2015 registered company that is focused on post-consumer and post-industrial recycling. It specializes in manufacturing both recycled and virgin polyester staple fiber with an emphasis on various technical and industrial applications. The company is driven by a vision to provide innovative and sustainable fiber solutions — basic building links of the textile supply chain — to all sectors of the global market. Its commitment to this vision is best summarized below:

“USFibers is committed to fighting pollution by tackling the problem from the source by recycling plastic before it ends up in the landfills. It also lowers carbon footprints by helping companies reclaim their plastic rather than expend more energy and resources to manufacture the products from new material.”

Staying Close To The Customer

“USFibers is a company that is constantly evolving,” said Ted Oh, vice president of operations. “We began in 1994 as a domestic polyester trading company. Our president and founder, Edward Oh, had the vision to establish distribution in the Southeast, since it was in close proximity to the end users. We installed our first staple fiber capacity in 2002 and have consistently expanded, increasing not only our fiber capacity, but improving our product line to meet more critical applications and markets as well. USFibers has even received an award for excellence by the Governor of South Carolina.”

Recycling — The Beginning And The End Of The Supply Chain

USFibers recycles approximately 135 million pounds of post-industrial and post-consumer waste each year.

The company has grown through a continued investment in technology and staff. “Our products are dependent on both art and science — art, in the ability to blend materials to meet product specifications, and science in developing and enhancing recycling techniques in order to produce a consistent product with the most positive environmental impact,” said Steve Zagorski, vice president of new business development. “For both these things, it is necessary to have a skilled and experienced workforce. This combination of artistic and scientific focus enables us to deliver value to our clients because we manufacture our fiber to meet precise customer requirements. We keep inventory to provide just-in-time delivery and have more than 100 years of combined technical expertise.”

Recycling, Traceability In The Mainstream

The business model that USFibers has adopted will continue to contribute to significant industry trends of sustainability and environmentally-friendly supply chain solutions.

“Recycling has changed tremendously and advanced technically due to multiple polymers mixed in the product stream,” Oh said. “USFibers has focused on new methods and technology. Because we recycle our own waste streams, sustainability is critical to our success. Additionally, we must be able to trace all of the fibers we produce back to the raw material blend that we use and each of its components.”

“The demand for recycled products continues to increase over time,” Zagorski said. “We see growth in all market segments as the value proposition for using recycled materials continues to grow. Consumer recycling efforts have not kept pace with that demand in the United States, thus the need for more industrial recycling. We feel we offer the most cost-effective solution by providing our customers with one stop shopping.”

Committed To Recycling For A Sustainable Supply Chain

As a firm committed to fighting pollution at its source by recycling plastic before it ends up in the landfills, USFibers helps clients enable a reduction in the U.S. textile supply chain’s overall carbon footprint.

“The work itself motivates me,” Zagorski mentioned. “Helping our customers improve their bottom line, while minimizing the impact on our landfills itself is very rewarding.”

Editor’s Note: This article appears in Textile World courtesy of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as part of the “American Textiles: We Make Amazing” campaign. NCTO is a trade association representing U.S. textile manufacturing. Please visit ncto.org to learn more about NCTO, the industry and the campaign.

November/December 2019

TSG Finishing enhances feel and functionality of fabrics.

TW Special Report

Whether produced using knitting, weaving or nonwoven processes, fabric most often moves along the supply chain to be dyed, printed and/or finished. Dyeing and printing adds color and pattern to untreated fabric, transforming it into today’s most popular hues or eye-catching designs.

Finishing — through either mechanical or wet processing methods — adds further value to a fabric by imparting enhancements that can improve the look, feel, functionality and performance of a fabric. Finishes can impart properties such as brightness, softness, embossed patterning, wrinkle resistance, shrinkage control, soil and water repellency, moisture management, flame resistance or abrasion resistance, among other properties.

Hickory, N.C.-based TSG Finishing LLC is an example of a forward-thinking finishing company.

Founded in 1901 in Baltimore, Maryland, by Jacob Levy as “Levy’s International Water Shrinking and Drying,” the privately-held company is now run by fifth-generation descendants. The business first thrived on preshrinking, shrinking and softening wool fabrics under the motto “We expand from shrinking.” In the 1920s, Levy opened a facility in Philadelphia to be closer to New England’s growing textile business.

After World War II, the company developed a process for foaming latex backings used in vinyl seat covers. This launched TSG into the upholstery fabrics market and led the company down to High Point, N.C., a hub for U.S. furniture manufacturing. Today, TSG’s finishing plants still operate out of Hickory with additional locations in East Conover, N.C., as well as executive office space in Pennsylvania.

While finishing wool fabrics for military dress uniforms has been an important part of the company’s business for the past 118 years, TSG’s current mission is to expand its finishing capabilities and offerings.

Upholstery finishing — including woven fabrics for furniture and wallcoverings for residential and contract markets — now accounts for approximately 60 percent of the company’s business. Much of the remaining activity is focused on what TSG CEO Brian Rosenstein terms “industrial products,” which includes filtration materials, medical products, automotive, crafts, geotextiles, apparel and a variety of other technical products.

The company offers a broad range of finishing services including coating, fabric impregnation, mechanical finishing, toll coating, engraving, material handling, as well as warehousing and distribution. Coating and impregnation finishing provides antimicrobial, flame resistance, water and stain protection, among other treatments. “Being able to protect a fabric from both water- and oil-based stains is huge across multiple markets,” Rosenstein said. “In addition to upholstery, it’s also big in medical right now. Essential to producing medical nonwovens is providing a fabric that will keep doctors and surgeons protected. But it has to be breathable and have antistatic properties as well. We’re playing a critical role in that supply chain.”

Defend® — “Your Fabric + Our protection”

TSG’s branded upholstery finish is known as DEFEND®, which the company relaunched in 2017 for its water- and stain-repellent technology. Still, as a historically technical company, incorporating a brand marketing strategy was a new path. “We redefined ourselves and shifted out of our comfort zone as we moved into marketing,” Rosenstein said. “Our previous mantra was we’re the guy behind the guy behind the guy. But for the most part today, the market demands a name and a story. You need to have a brand.” With that in mind, TSG also trademarked the tagline “Your fabric + Our protection,” which simplistically, but effectively captures what the company does and helps to market the brand.

DEFEND was originally developed for the woven residential and contract business, but it’s starting to break into other markets as well, according to Rosenstein. For example, denim producers and the U.S. military have shown interest in DEFEND. “What makes DEFEND special is that we can apply it to any fabric,” Rosenstein said. “There are no limitations. You want to protect a high pile velvet? Fine. High-end linen — no problem. Embroidered silk — bring it on. A treatment for a military camouflage product that can only be treated on one side — done.”

“I can’t imagine that we would be unable to apply DEFEND to any product,” Rosenstein said.

Customer-Driven Products

TSG has a library of technologies that it draws from, but business is often customer-driven.

“On the one hand, we’ve really started to push and market the DEFEND brand, but people are knocking on our door more than ever to solve problems that don’t involve our core business of woven upholstery fabric,” Rosenstein mentioned.

The company fields phone calls from customers — including Fortune 500 companies — looking for a partner to help them achieve a certain look or set of properties in a finished fabric. Even in cases where production has yet to be attempted, TSG approaches each new proposal with a “not yet,” rather than a “no” attitude. “We have a saying around here that ‘the difficult we can do now, the impossible just takes a little longer,’” Rosenstein said.

Tackling Challenges With Innovative Thinking

According to Rosenstein, “One of the cool things about the job is seeing all the different, highly-innovative things that we are able to do with our existing equipment.”

The existing equipment Rosenstein is referring to is a tenter frame — a piece of equipment for drying fabric while it is stretched and held under tension between two parallel chains — which is central to most textile finishing operations. Options built into a tenter frame can differ, but the basic functions of the machine are the same. But according to Rosenstein, what can be done using that machine both before the fabric enters the machine and after it comes out is something that TSG has excelled at over recent decades.

“Our company is built on intellectual property and strong partnerships,” Rosenstein said. “Anyone can go out and buy a tenter frame, but it’s what we are able to do with that tenter frame that sets us apart. We will custom design and build our own chemical coating systems for a customer. We will stand behind and protect what we believe is rightfully ours, but we also recognize the benefit of partnering with both suppliers and customers. In today’s day and age, you cannot maintain a solid business if you don’t value those relationships.”

Future Growth

According to Rosenstein, innovations and staying ahead of design trends are key to remaining successful in the finishing industry. “Design trends really push the finishing industry,” Rosenstein mentioned. “The latest is this idea of Resimercial, where workspaces are created and designed to be more reflective of your living room. We now need to take woven fabrics that used to be relegated to the part of the home that was seldom used, fabrics like decorative velvets, and find ways to make them work in heavy traffic workspaces. TSG can definitely help prolong the life of those fabrics using DEFEND so they don’t have to be replaced every other year. And imagine what that could do for the environment?”

Other growing areas of TSG’s business include building and filtration products. When Mother Nature bears her teeth, the company is proud to help consumers get back on their feet. “When there are tornados or hurricanes and people lose their homes or the roofs, our fiberglass services provide durable solutions to people in need,” Rosenstein noted. “Business on the filtration side is also increasing because of the wildfires in California. The air quality out there is really bad so there is an increased demand for air filtration products.”

Rosenstein sees definite opportunities for TSG in the future. The diverse nature of the company’s business and involvement in many different markets allows for the technology crossover and product diversification in which TSG finds strength. “We’ve been spread out and diversified over the years, which might lead some to say we cannot focus on any particular area to give it the attention it deserves,” Rosenstein said. “But the fact that we were so diversified and involved in so many markets helped us through the recession. When one market is down, another one is up. That diversification, along with our inability to say ‘no,’ now exposes us to growth areas and sales opportunities.”

“I think if my great-great-grandfather were alive right now, he would be absolutely astonished to see some of the stuff we are running on those finishing machines,” Rosenstein mused. But Jacob Levy may be equally surprised to see the company also staying true to its roots finishing those military wool fabrics as it did back in 1901.

Editor’s Note: This article appears in Textile World courtesy of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as part of the “American Textiles: We Make Amazing” campaign. NCTO is a trade association representing U.S. textile manufacturing. Please visit ncto.org to learn more about NCTO, the industry and the campaign.

November/December 2019

TW Special Report

Washington is a busy place. Every day, Congress and dozens of federal entities are making, implementing and enforcing policies on innumerable matters that affect U.S. textile jobs and trade. While some issues are broad and easy to understand, others are highly technical, if not arcane.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is structured into four governing councils — Fiber, Yarn, Fabric & Home Furnishings, and Industry Support — to help the U.S. textile supply chain form a consensus and speak with one voice on policy matters affecting the sector.

When the United States enacts new laws or federal agencies make administrative rule changes, some issues recur so often or are so complex that NCTO has formed special standing committees to complement its four-council structure. These committees inspire vibrant inter-council exchanges of expertise and ideas that enable member companies to better understand and influence policies affecting everything from cotton consumption to government procurement and flammability standards to customs rules. With technical input from all sectors of the supply chain, NCTO’s committees can vet policies even more rigorously than its councils. By harnessing expertise and fostering more robust policy deliberations, NCTO’s committee systems helps NCTO’s four councils make better-informed decisions, while serving as a unifying force for the U.S. textile industry. For more information on how NCTO’s four standing committees benefit the industry and consumers, check out the following profiles.

Government Textiles Committee: Encouraging Uncle Sam To Buy “Made In The USA”

The single biggest customer for the U.S. textile and apparel supply chain is the U.S. government. The Department of Defense (DOD) alone purchases more than 8,000 different textile items for use by the U.S. military and other allied organizations, and this figure rises to more than 31,000 line items when individual sizes are factored into the item mix. Including DOD purchases, the U.S. government routinely spends more than $2 billion annually on textiles and clothing.

NCTO’s Government Textiles Committee, chaired by Nick Pence, director of Materials and Trims for Baltimore, Md.-based Under Armour, connects member companies from all points in the U.S. textile supply chain. Together, these companies oversee issues related to all facets of government procurement, including preservation and expansion of the Berry Amendment, contracting matters, and liaison with other organizations and government contracting agencies.

“As a U.S. Army Ranger, I know when equipment fails in action, lives can be endangered,” Pence said. “American-made military textiles and clothing are world-class. Knowing that gives warfighters added confidence going into a mission.

… America’s security depends on our military having guaranteed access to high-quality, innovative textile materials, apparel, and personal equipment made at home.”

Under the law known as the Berry Amendment (10 USC 2533a), most textiles and clothing purchased by the U.S. military are required to contain 100 percent U.S.-made fibers, yarns, and fabrics. Additionally, those textile and clothing goods must be cut and assembled in the United States.

In recent years, attempts have been made during consideration of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to weaken sourcing requirements for some products — including textiles, apparel, and footwear — covered under the Berry Amendment. NCTO has strongly opposed efforts to undermine the integrity of Berry and other “buy American” preference laws.

Besides supporting domestic preferences, NCTO’s Government Textiles Committee works closely with the Defense Logistics Agency, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier and other entities to proactively anticipate the services’ future textile and clothing needs and develop the next generation of military textiles.

“Still, meeting those needs requires careful planning,” Pence said. “For example, if the services say they require 200,000 ballistic-resistant armor plate vests next year, someone must produce the fiber and/or yarn, weave the fabric, dye and finish the fabric, and finally cut and sew it before a finished product can be shipped to the troops.”

“NCTO wants to make sure upstream suppliers are making today what the military’s downstream customers will be needing tomorrow; if a key input is out of stock, production can be delayed for weeks,” Pence said.

NCTO also coordinated closely with the Department of Defense in organizing Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA). This Cambridge, Massachusetts, innovation center managed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is tasked with developing next-generation textile fibers that can harvest energy, facilitate data transmission and more.

Upholstery Fabrics Committee: Showcasing Your Style, While Keeping You Safe

Lounging in your favorite recliner? Sporting a vibrant hue on your living room chairs? Curling up with a book on your favorite sofa? Upholstery fabrics not only showcase living spaces, they also must withstand the rigors of everyday use. In addition to abrasion resistance and repelling water and stains, upholstery fabrics also are made with fire safety in mind to protect their users.

Chaired by Michael Shelton, president and CEO, Valdese Weavers LLC, in Valdese, N.C., NCTO’s Upholstery Fabrics Committee oversees all upholstered furniture flammability issues at federal and state levels. It also addresses performance standards, chemical regulations, intellectual property rights and other matters affecting the upholstery fabrics industry sector.

“The Upholstery Fabrics Committee has had a full plate in recent years,” Shelton said. “Tracking flammability standards and ensuring that they are reasonable, effective, realistic and affordable is a large part of the work of our committee.”

The committee also works to help make sure fabrics meet consumer expectations, which include strength and colorfastness, as well as protection from accidental spills such as coffee, ketchup and mustard. Spill protection is achieved using finishes that repel dirt, water and oily substances, and the latest generation of performance fabric finishes are the result of numerous technical advancements that meet regulatory standards designed to protect health and the environment.

The committee also has filed public comments with the United States Trade Representative about imported upholstery fabrics, particularly certain products from China, that violate copyright laws and infringe on intellectual property protections in the United States.

“What sets American upholstery manufacturers apart is our proven track record of continually producing new fabrics with the most fashionable colors and designs anywhere in the world,” Shelton said. “But if overseas competitors can illegally knock off the product, U.S. manufacturers are denied the rewards of their unique styling and design, research and development, disincentivizing domestic investment. That’s why the Upholstery Fabrics Committee has been fighting so hard to make sure U.S. Customs and American courts rigorously enforce intellectual property rights.”

Cotton Committee: Influencing Policy From Farm To Fabric

The most commonly used natural fiber in textiles is cotton, a highly preferred fiber choice for jeans, shirts, bedding and other products because it is soft, absorbent, breathable and does not retain odors.

According to the National Cotton Council of America (NCC), U.S. farmers grew 20.9 million bales of cotton in 2017. Net domestic consumption of the fiber totaled an estimated 17.7 million bales, including 3.2 million bales by domestic yarn spinners.

“NCTO’s Cotton Committee brings together cooperatives, brokers, shippers, yarn spinners, and fabric knitters and weavers to oversee all policy matters pertaining to the cotton textile supply chain,” said Cotton Committee chairman Anderson D. Warlick, chairman and CEO of Gastonia, N.C.-based Parkdale.

These issues include the Farm Bill, fiber quality, contamination, manufacturing, trade agreements, and relations with U.S. Department of Agriculture and cotton organizations like the NCC and the American Cotton Shippers Association. “The Farm Bill is especially important,” Warlick said.

Normally passed by Congress every five years, the Farm Bill sets policy impacting the prices of all farm commodities. Whenever the bill comes up for reauthorization, NCTO’s Cotton Committee teams with NCC to press for common sense provisions to ensure there is consistent availability and steady consumption of U.S. cotton, while balancing the interests of cotton manufacturers.

“Since government-influenced commodity prices affect the competitiveness of cotton-consuming mills, it is imperative that the Farm Bill benefits both farmers and the domestic textile supply chain,” Warlick emphasized as he explained the importance of maintaining productive working relationships with policymakers in Washington, D.C. on cotton issues.

“When you combine world-class farmers, a good Farm Bill, efficient looms, and cheap, reliable utilities, U.S. cotton yarn spinners can compete with anyone in the world and that’s why NCTO’s Cotton Committee works hard to make sure U.S. policy reflects that position.”

Regulatory & Standards Committee: Helping Textile Companies Run Safely & Smoothly

Businesses must comply with a host of regulations and standards on everything from health and safety to customs reporting and recordkeeping.

Chaired by Jim Booterbaugh, CEO of Washington, N.C.-based National Spinning Co. Inc., NCTO’s Regulatory and Standards Committee works to ensure that U.S. textile companies can run their operations safely and smoothly.

“NCTO members recognize the necessity of regulation, but regulations must be well-defined, quantifiable, realistic and affordable,” said Booterbaugh.

“A poorly crafted workplace or environmental regulatory regime can drive entire industrial sectors offshore,” he added.

With California taking the lead, many states have adopted or are looking at adopting chemical regulations more stringent than those of the federal government.

“A multiplicity of standards creates havoc when you have a nationally distributed product,” said Booterbaugh.

“The need for safety is unquestioned,” Booterbaugh continued. “The Regulatory & Standards Committee works on behalf of NCTO members to make sure regulations are written in a common sense way that makes them readily understandable and realistic to comply with.”

Because most regulatory matters are complex, the Regulatory and Standards Committee works with other trade associations to address issues collectively.

“The best way to get a regulation that benefits all Americans is to work across industry lines,” Booterbaugh said. “One day you’ll be working with the chemical industry and the next with a consumer advocacy group.”

Other areas where NCTO tries to coordinate with others include occupational safety and health matters, (OSHA) and motor freight regulations to encourage the safe and reasonable transport of products.

Finally, NCTO also liaises closely with ASTM International and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) to establish test methods for textile abrasion, tensile and tearing strength, and wet processing methods like water repellency, among other performance attributes.

“In practice, the only way to make sure a product performs in the field the same way it was designed to do on the drawing board is to test it,” Booterbaugh said. “While testing can be expensive and time consuming, it ensures textile companies will be able to market performance benefits to the consumer with confidence derived from rigorous scientific data.”

Editor’s Note: This article appears in Textile World courtesy of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as part of the “American Textiles: We Make Amazing” campaign. NCTO is a trade association representing U.S. textile manufacturing. Please visit ncto.org to learn more about NCTO, the industry and the campaign.

September/October 2019

Teijin is investing $600 million in a carbon fiber manufacturing facility in Greenwood, S.C.

TW Special Report

The U.S. textile industry is innovative and resilient. It has persevered through economic downturns, changing global market conditions and offshore pressures. The industry, as one of the most significant sectors of the U.S. manufacturing base, fuels the economy, sustains communities and supports some 1.5 million jobs across the United States.

From 2006 to 2016, the U.S. textile industry invested $20 billion in new plants and equipment, with $2.4 billion invested in 2016 alone. In recent years, U.S. manufacturers have opened new facilities throughout the textile production chain. But American textile manufacturing and its highly efficient supply chain — one long associated with quality and performance — is also attracting foreign investment.

“Not so long ago, headlines were replete with news of textile and apparel manufacturers offshoring their production,” said former National Council of Textile Organizations President and CEO Auggie Tantillo. “Today, the reverse is true. The United States has become a popular destination for large scale textile investment on the part of foreign companies, and in many cases from Asian companies.”

One such foreign company investing in the American textile industry is Tokyo-based Teijin Limited — a global technology-driven company operating in the areas of advanced fibers, plastics and films, composites, healthcare and IT businesses. Teijin Carbon Fibers Inc. (TCF), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Teijin Limited, recently broke ground on a new $600 million carbon fiber facility in Greenwood, S.C.

Carbon Fiber — An Advanced Material

Carbon is a very versatile element that can exist in a variety of natural forms from graphite to diamonds. State-of-the-art, man-made carbon fibers possess a variety of properties, but are especially prized for their high strength and low weight. In fact, carbon fiber is 10 times stronger than steel, which makes it an ideal engineering material to replace metals in high-tech applications. Some of the most common uses of carbon fiber today include airplane and automobile components, where reduced weight and high strength can translate into fuel savings. Other applications include wind turbine blades, pressure vessels, medical devices bicycle frames and tennis racquets (see box on page 39). In theory, the possibilities for carbon fiber are limited only by the imagination.

Carbon fibers can be manufactured using a variety of starting materials. Teijin uses a specifically engineered high-quality polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a precursor in its Tenax® carbon fiber production process. According to the company, Tenax fibers consist of 1,000 to 48,000 filaments each featuring a micro graphite crystal structure. The small diameter — between 5 and 7 micrometers — of these carbon fibers makes them flexible enough to be processed using traditional textile manufacturing methods such as knitting, weaving or braiding. When combined with a resin, carbon fibers can be turned into composite materials.

“Carbon fiber is a next-generation fiber,” said Wayne Trotter, director of government relations, Teijin Holdings USA Inc. “We have only scratched the surface with the applications and we see endless possibilities. Every industry I can think of is going to benefit from the textile composites industry. It’s very interesting and very dynamic.

Significant Investment Puts TCF On High-Tech Growth Path

Teijin’s decision to invest in carbon manufacturing in the United States was a result of demand from the aerospace and automotive industries, as well as Teijin’s desire to manufacture carbon globally.

“There is demand for carbon fiber here in the United States,” said Shukei “Daniel” Inui, Teijin Group corporate officer, and general manager, Carbon Fibers Business Unit at Teijin Limited. “We have a carbon fiber plant in Japan, and also in Europe based in Germany, but [we] were missing capacity in the United States. Carbon fiber demand is global, and we have been eager to have a plant in the United States for many years.”

Teijin considered several locations for its U.S.-based carbon fiber plant, but ultimately decided on Greenwood. “People here in South Carolina always are very supportive of our business. Not only with the incentives and the infrastructure, but also with support of the people, we decided on South Carolina,” Inui said.

The $600 million investment will occur in stages. By the end of the fiscal year 2020, one carbon production line will be in operation and the facility will employ approximately 70 people. TCF will import its precursor material, PAN, from Japan initially, but may invest in equipment to produce PAN in Greenwood, if the demand is there. By 2030, the company hopes to have several carbon fiber production lines running with 220 associates in place.

“We have enough land so it’s not necessary to limit to the three lines,” said Inui. “If necessary we can invest more.”

Different grades of carbon fiber can be manufactured depending on the end use and required properties, and the lines at TCF will have the flexibility to produce various grades of fiber depending on demand. Capacity at the plant will be determined by the product mix because of process variations for the different grades. Teijin hopes to have its highest-grade fiber qualified by the aerospace industry, but this process can take several years. In the meantime, TCF will focus on producing grades of fiber used by other industries and expand sales to other markets.

“I think the United States’ demand for carbon fiber increases more and mainly for aerospace and automotive, so we have to follow this demand,” Inui said. “But we are not limited to just these applications, and will manufacture for other industries including pressure vessels, wind energy and any other applications we are open to also.”

The Future of Carbon Fiber

“I see synergies between the carbon fiber industry and the traditional textile industry,” Trotter commented. “Carbon fiber is in fact the next-generation fiber, and I think there are multitudes of yet-to-be-identified opportunities to work in conjunction with textile companies particularly here in the Southeast. The folks in the textile industry are very proud of their craft, their workmanship. That’s something we were looking for as well, and we saw that in the rich heritage, the textile heritage that exists here in this part of the country.”

Inui added: “As a supplier, we have been expecting new applications for carbon fiber for many years, and we want to create new applications and new demand with our customers. While it’s very difficult, together with our customers, we can develop these new applications. Our customers and partnerships are very important — people here in South Carolina can support us, and we will grow together here in the United States.”

Teijin’s goal is to become a leader in the composites industry in the United States according to Inui. The company’s commitment and $600 million investment undoubtedly set them on a path to achieve this goal.

Editor’s Note: This article appears in Textile World courtesy of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as part of the “American Textiles: We Make Amazing” campaign. NCTO is a trade association representing U.S. textile manufacturing. Please visit ncto.org to learn more about NCTO, the industry and the campaign.

July/August 2019