Welcome to Clocking In—Voices of NC Manufacturing. Your host is Phil Mintz, Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). We will be interviewing manufacturers who have helped make North Carolina manufacturing the powerhouse it is today.
Episodes
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Dr. Jenni Harris discusses the value the North Carolina Department of Commerce - Workforce Solutions Division provides to North Carolina workers.
Monday Oct 10, 2022
Monday Oct 10, 2022
In this episode, Phil Mintz sits down with Dyer Bennett, the senior vice president at Sirchie Corp. Bennett is responsible for leading all aspects of the business operation, including purchasing, manufacturing, engineering, inventory management, and order fulfillment/shipping. He also builds teams to meet the Sirchie goals of delivering world-class criminal investigation and security products with excellent customer service. Bennett has a Bachelor’s in textile engineering from Philadelphia University, a Master’s in textile science from the Institute of Textile Technology and an MBA from the Wake Forest School of Business.
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
An Asheville, North Carolina-based business boasts a 60% rate of repeat customers because of their excellent customer relations.
In this episode of Clocking In, Phil Mintz sits down with Jason Dingess, president and owner of Quis Machinery. Jason began his career as an apprentice to a master furniture maker before attending Inside Passage School of Craftsmen.
Friday Jul 01, 2022
Friday Jul 01, 2022
In this episode of Clocking In, Phil Mintz talks with Chris Rojas, the vice president of Fairystone Fabrics. Chris has been at Fairystone for over five years. He started as the plant manager and was later promoted to vice president. Chris is a part of the Wolfpack family and graduated from NC State with a Bachelor's in textile management.
Monday Jun 13, 2022
Monday Jun 13, 2022
In this episode, Mintz and Dr. Mack discuss the relationship between NCMEP and NCCCS, the journey Dr. Mack took to become the vice president of the NCCCS, what solutions NCCCS provides to North Carolina business and more.
Monday Apr 11, 2022
Monday Apr 11, 2022
Chapel Hill-based CPAP manufacturer Bleep Sleep is a breath of fresh air in the CPAP industry.
CPAP masks have been a long-standing nightmare for sleep apnea patients. Many CPAP masks on the market tend to leak, are too loud and can even result in the breaking of hair and bald spots due to headgear. On this episode of clocking in, I talked to a CPAP manufacturer who — through innovation — has eliminated many of the problems that are stereotypically associated with CPAP masks.
Established in 2019, CPAP manufacturer, Bleep Sleep is based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Bleep Sleep was rated a Top CPAP in 2019 and 2021 by CPAPAdvice.com. The organization was awarded the 2021 NIH SBIR Grant Award for PAP Innovation by the National Institute of Health.
Listen in as I speak with the Founder, Executive Chairman and Head of R&D/Product Design of Bleep Sleep, Stuart Heatherington and CEO and President of Bleep Sleep Rebecca Holland New. Stuart is the creator of Bleep’s DreamPort solution and a 30-year pioneer in the sleep industry securing approximately 15 sleep apnea product patents during the course of his career. Rebecca has served on the board of Bleep Sleep, LLC since 2019 and directs the company’s advisory board.
We discuss the invention of Bleep Sleep’s Dreamport, how Stuart came up with the concept of Bleep Sleep, how Rebecca optimizes her years of expertise to take Bleep Sleep to new heights and more.
LINKS
ABOUT
Phil Mintz
Phil Mintz is the executive director of NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). At NCMEP, Phil drives outreach to NC manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders and coordinates efforts to drive profitable manufacturing growth in the state. He also leads the broader IES Extension Operations outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists and business development leaders providing business engagement, assessment and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions.
Stuart Heatherington
Stuart Heatherington is the creator of Bleep’s DreamPort solution and a 30-year pioneer in the sleep industry securing approximately 15 sleep apnea product patents during the course of his career. As a certified sleep technician, researcher, and sleep apnea patient he has cultivated a deep domain expertise surrounding the 22 pain points that lead to poor CPAP compliance. He is a sleep lab owner with extensive experience in sales, product development and sleep apnea treatment. Stuart has been a DME and sleep apnea patient for 18 years. He has a BA in American History from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is RPSGT certified.
Rebecca Holland New
Rebecca Holland New carries a history of helping healthcare and life sciences companies effectively scale operations to capitalize on rapidly growing market segments. Over the course of her career, she has helped several leading companies including Thermo Fisher Scientific/Patheon, Novo Nordisk and Bristol-Myers Squibb, expand market share, execute transformational business strategies and complete several public market transactions. Rebecca has served on the board of Bleep Sleep, LLC since 2019 and directs the company’s advisory board. Rebecca received an MS in Industrial Labor Relations and a BS in Economics, Marketing, and Finance from Cornell University.
Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.
Friday Nov 12, 2021
Friday Nov 12, 2021
Retired William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and extension economist Dr. Walden discusses the current supply chain and workforce issues.
Dr. Michael Walden
The pandemic has put the economy into a tailspin, leaving supply chain disturbances, workforce vacancies, and spiked inflation in its wake. But what is exactly going on and how long will it last? We’re speaking to a regular guest— economist Dr. Michael Walden, to make sense of current events.
Dr. Walden is a retired William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and extension economist at North Carolina State University and a member of the graduate economics faculty with The Poole College of Management. His Ph.D. degree is from Cornell University and he has been at N.C. State since 1978. He has also been a Visiting Professor at Duke University.
In this episode, we discuss where the NC and US economy stands today. Also, about how different factors including the continued global uncertainty of the virus may continue to have an impact for several months to come and more.
LINKS
ABOUT
Phil Mintz
Phil Mintz is the Executive Director of NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). At NCMEP, Phil drives outreach to NC manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders and coordinates efforts to drive profitable manufacturing growth in the state. He also leads the broader IES Extension Operations outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists and business development leaders providing business engagement, assessment and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions.
Dr. Michael Walden
Dr. Michael Walden is a retired William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and extension economist at North Carolina State University and a member of the graduate economics faculty with The Poole College of Management. His Ph.D. degree is from Cornell University and has been at N.C. State since 1978. He has also been a Visiting Professor at Duke University.
Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.
Monday Sep 27, 2021
Monday Sep 27, 2021
Laurinburg, NC-based industrial thread manufacturer Service Thread is working hard for the people who work for them.
Service Thread
According to a recent Gartner study of employees from across the U.S., only 13 percent of employees are largely satisfied with their work experiences. Additionally, nearly half (46 percent of employees) are largely dissatisfied with their work experiences. With the current labor crisis, many organizations are scrambling to find ways to appeal to the modern American workforce. On this episode of “Clocking In”, we speak with a manufacturer who invests in their employees and attracts talent in an unconventional way.
Established in 1942, Service Thread is a manufacturer based out of Laurinburg, NC that designs, develops and delivers engineered yarns and sewing threads specifically to solve product and processing problems and add value through longer running times or faster processing speeds. Service Thread has been awarded the NC Governor's Award for Workforce Development, Microsoft Award for Customer Service and NC Dept of Labor OSHA Sharp Award. In 2018, Service Thread was recognized with the IFF Greater Good Award. The Greater Good Award is given in recognition of member companies of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) that do good business and strive to be good neighbors, good citizens and good partners.
Phil speaks with the CEO of Service Thread, Jay Todd. Jay has been a part of Service Thread for 25 years and has formally held the positions of CFO and COO. He graduated from Saint Andrews Presbyterian College with a bachelor’s in business administration, marketing and management and Elon University with an MBA in management and finance.
We discuss the services the company provides, the unique way they care for their workforce, what they’re doing to try to remedy the labor shortage and more.
LINKS
NCMEP
ABOUT
Phil Mintz
Phil Mintz is the Executive Director of NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). At NCMEP, Phil drives outreach to NC manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders and coordinates efforts to drive profitable manufacturing growth in the state. He also leads the broader IES Extension Operations outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists and business development leaders providing business engagement, assessment and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions.
Jay Todd
Jay Todd is CEO of Service Thread. Jay has been a part of Service Thread for 25 years and has formally held the positions of CFO and COO. He graduated from Saint Andrews Presbyterian College with a bachelor’s in business administration, marketing and management and Elon University with an MBA in management and finance. Jay currently serves as the Lumber River Workforce Development Board (LRWDB) Chairman and received the Board Member of the Year Award in 2009, 2013, and 2019. He also serves as the President of the Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container Association (FIBCA), Chairman of the Laurinburg Scotland Chamber of Commerce in 2019, and as Chairman of the City of Laurinburg’s Downtown Advisory Committee and as Secretary for the Scotia Village Advisory Board. Jay also serves as a board member for the Cape Fear Boy Scouts Executive Council, North Carolina Manufacturing Advisory Partners (NCMEP), Richmond Community College (RCC) Foundation and the Scotland Memorial Foundation.
Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Elastic Therapy, Inc., a compression wear manufacturer located in Asheboro, NC, strives to maintain its niche dominance in the hosiery industry.
Elastic Therapy, Inc.
It may come as no surprise that a state with a rich textile history also has deep roots in the hosiery industry. According to IBIS World, North Carolina leads the nation in the state with the most hosiery manufacturing mills with 64 mills as of 2021. On this episode of Clocking In, we’re sitting down with a hosiery manufacturer in Randolph county that is paving the way in compression wear.
Established in Asheboro, North Carolina in 1989, Elastic Therapy, Inc. (ETI) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of private label medical compression products. Their products are worn to aid in the treatment and prevention of vein-related disorders. ETI started with 25 associates working to manufacture medical compression products on 30 knitting machines. Today, ETI maintains 250 employees working with more than 200 knitting machines and producing millions of medical hosiery products annually.
Phil speaks with the director of operations and general manager of Elastic Therapy, Chris Harrington. His previous leadership positions include general manager at Technicolor, vice president of operations at Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation and the head of North American operations at Draeger Safety. Chris has a bachelor’s in organizational management from Crichton College, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate of philosophy in Leadership Studies from NC A&T State University.
We discuss the history of ETI, how Chris got into the hosiery industry, how the pandemic has impacted ETI’s game plan, the future of the hosiery industry and more.
LINKS
NCMEP
ABOUT
Phil Mintz
Phil Mintz is the Executive Director of NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). At NCMEP, Phil drives outreach to NC manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders and coordinates efforts to drive profitable manufacturing growth in the state. He also leads the broader IES Extension Operations outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists and business development leaders providing business engagement, assessment and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions.
Chris Harrington
Chris Harrington is the director of operations and general manager of Elastic Therapy. His previous positions include general manager at Technicolor, vice president of operations at Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation and the head of North American operations at Draeger Safety. Chris has a bachelor’s in organizational management from Crichton College, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate of philosophy in Leadership Studies from NC A&T State University.
Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
The NC State University Wilson College of Textiles uses modern technology to take textile manufacturing into the future.
NC State University Wilson College of Textiles
What does the healthcare, fashion, defense and advanced material industry have in common? They all utilize textiles as a way to invent. Long gone are the days where the word “textile” exclusively refers to woven fabric. Heart valves, cells and organs and vein grafts are now being created with the use of textiles. Institutions like the NC State University Wilson College of Textiles use cutting-edge technologies to discover innovative uses for textiles.
Located on the NC State campus, the Wilson College of Textiles is the only one of its kind in the United States devoted entirely to textiles. In recent years, companies worldwide have used the assistance of Wilson College to begin or expand operations in North Carolina, bringing hundreds of new jobs and investing more than $100 million — mainly due to access to superior textiles education, research and development.
The Wilson College of Textiles is a member of the North Carolina Extension Manufacturing Partnership (NCMEP) which uses federal program assistance to provide increased access to technical and management support for smaller manufacturers across the state. Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), one of the Wilson College of Textiles’ units, works with textile manufacturers to advance economic development, educate the workforce, provide testing services, and promote quality improvement.
Phil Mintz speaks with the associate director of Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), Melissa Sharp. Phil and Melissa discuss how Melissa got into the textile industry, highlights of the Wilson College of Textiles’ services, some of the breakthroughs being made with textile innovation, thoughts on where the textiles industry is headed and more.
LINKS
NCMEP
NC State University Wilson College of Textiles
ABOUT
Phil Mintz
Phil Mintz is the Executive Director of NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). At NCMEP, Phil drives outreach to NC manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders and coordinates efforts to drive profitable manufacturing growth in the state. He also leads the broader IES Extension Operations outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists and business development leaders providing business engagement, assessment and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions.
Melissa Sharp
Melissa Sharp is the associate director of Zeis Textiles Extension, one of the units of the Wilson College of Textiles. While working with the Wilson College of Textiles, Melissa has been business development coordinator and interim director of marketing and communications. She has experience in business development, economic development, marketing strategies, lean six sigma, textiles, and sustainability. Melissa has a bachelor’s in molecular biology and structural biochemistry.
Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.