RALEIGH, N.C. — April 25, 2019 — Twenty-four innovative small companies across North Carolina will get grants to develop new products, hire more employees, and purchase needed materials, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. A total of $1.1 million from the One North Carolina Small Business Program will go to the selected technology-oriented businesses in 14 communities across the state.

“These innovative companies have the ideas to succeed but need help with seed money to create new technologies and bring them to market,” said Governor Cooper. “These grants can help spur new products and industries, increase the number of high-paying jobs across the state, and improve our quality of life.”

The One NC Small Business Program, one of the first of its kind in the nation, provides state grants to match federal funds awarded through the highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which help small companies develop new and innovative technologies that have high potential for commercialization.

This year’s cohort of grantees is the most geographically diverse in the program’s history. Criteria were established for this grant cycle to prioritize new companies and companies outside the state’s most prosperous counties, resulting in an increased number of grants going to companies in the state’s 80 most economically distressed counties.

“The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation recognized the growing split between urban and rural parts of the state,” said Michael Cunningham, executive vice president and general counsel, Red Hat Inc. and Board Chair. “In an effort to bridge this divide, the board was able to provide more grants to rural parts of the state in this cohort of grantees, thus supporting greater innovation statewide.”

Since 2006, the One North Carolina Small Business Program has helped more than 270 companies in 45 cities across North Carolina develop and bring to market hundreds of high-tech products. North Carolina is among a handful of innovative states that have chosen to bolster their economy this way. A 2017 evaluation of the program’s results found it has created or supported more than 900 high paying jobs, attracted more than $500 million in external investment, and generated $125 million in total commercial sales directly from the technology developed with the program’s funding.

“The One NC Small Business Program has been instrumental in driving technological innovation across the state,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “The Program provides funding for companies in a wide variety of sectors, including life sciences, chemicals, agriculture, computers, communications, military/defense, pharmaceuticals, energy, materials, and others.”

The program’s grants support companies at a critical stage of their growth, shortening the time needed from takeoff to the point where they become large, successful companies. Many recipients have said the grants were the vital injection of capital they needed to put their companies on a successful trajectory.

The Office of Science, Technology, & Innovation, a division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, administers the program on behalf of the Board. For additional information, see https://www.nccommerce.com/grants-incentives/technology-funds/one-north-….

One North Carolina Small Business Awards,
July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

• Adamas Nanotechnologies Inc., Raleigh: $50,000 to develop multicolor fluorescent nanodiamonds for improved imaging in cancer research and diagnostics. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Altis Biosystems Inc., Chapel Hill: $50,000 to develop a stem cell co-culture cassette for advanced compound screening to make drug discovery faster and cheaper. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Arcato Laboratories Inc., Greenville: $34,986.50 to develop a local treatment for pain associated with tooth extraction that does not include opiates in the medication. This STTR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Arrevus Inc., Raleigh: $50,000 to develop an in vitro assay to aid in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. This STTR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Energyxchain LLC, Huntersville: $50,000 to create a blockchain technology platform to track and improve efficiency in the natural gas industry’s contract/permissions, operations and settlement transaction processes. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
• Goldfinch Sensor Technologies and Analytics LLC, Cary: $50,000 to assess and model the feasibility of a new sensor to measure voids that cause weaknesses in systems of energy production. This SBIR project is sponsored by the Department of Energy.
• Haw River Mushrooms LLC, Graham: $50,000 to develop a replicable farming model ideal for small and mid-sized farms that can efficiently produce gourmet mushrooms, medicinal and culinary herbs, and vermicompost. This SBIR project is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture.
• Ingateygen LLC, Elizabeth City: $50,000 to develop a commercial prototype for a hypoallergenic peanut to combat peanut allergies and potential food recalls. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
• Intelli-Products Inc., Asheville: $50,000 to build and test an automated assembly system to reduce installation costs of solar panel arrays. This SBIR project is sponsored by the Department of Energy.
• Isolere Bio Inc., Durham: $50,000 to develop a faster and more cost-effective method for the purification of antibodies during drug development. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kepley Biosystems Inc., Greensboro: $50,000 to validate a renewable approach to horseshoe crab blood harvesting that decreases the mortality rates of crabs and increases their long-term sustainability. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
• Praetego Inc., Durham: $50,000 to develop and test new drugs for treating neuropathy caused by diabetes. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
•  Primeneuro, Inc. of Durham: $50,000 to develop software methods and algorithms for improved detection of autism spectrum disorder. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Rescindo Therapeutics Inc., Cary: $50,000 to develop a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of Kabuki Syndrome, a pediatric congenital disorder. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Secmation LLC, Raleigh: $50,000 to develop high-assurance software cryptography to increase the security of communications in small defense satellites. This SBIR project is sponsored by the United States Air Force, Department of Defense.
• Sinnovatek Inc., Raleigh: $48,958.50 to develop a low-cost and portable small-scale thermal processing system to help farmers get more of their products to market and reduce food waste. This SBIR project is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture.
• Studio Hagler LLC, Chapel Hill: $50,000 to develop a bassinet to support the safe implementation of skin-to-skin contact for mothers and newborns. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Treadwell Corp., Wilmington: $43,260 to develop momentum-enabled treadling methodology and device to improve mobility in patients with peripheral arterial disease. This STTR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• Triangle Biotechnology Inc., Chapel Hill: $50,000 to advance a nanodroplet reagent to decrease cost and increase speed and consistency in genetic sequencing. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
• United Protective Technologies LLC, Locust: $24,784.50 to develop nanocomposite gear coatings to increase fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance in air and ground vehicles. This SBIR project is sponsored by the Special Operations Command, Department of Defense.
• Upstream Biotechnology Inc., Sanford: $50,000 to develop broad-spectrum, disease-resistant soybeans to enhance crop yield potential. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
• Vigilant Cyber Systems Inc., Mount Airy: $50,000 to develop an electromagnetic, battle damage assessment toolkit to assess the effects of high-power electromagnetic attacks. This SBIR project is sponsored by the United States Air Force, Department of Defense.
• Voxel Innovations Inc., Raleigh: $50,000 to develop and test additive components and methods for heat-free, stress-free surface finishing in rocket engine pumps, turbine blade tips, and other turbomachinery. This SBIR project is sponsored by the United States Navy, Department of Defense.
• Zymeron Corp., Durham: $50,000 to develop a targeted and sustained-release aspirin formulation for preventing colon cancer. This SBIR project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

Posted May 2, 2019

Source: North Carolina Office of the Governor

CINCINNATI— May 2, 2019 — Cintas Corp. today announced a donation of more than 30,000 pieces of Cintas garments to The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Canada. The donation is valued at over $3 million.

“We’re always looking for ways to give back to the local communities we serve and are proud of our ongoing relationship with The Salvation Army,” said Abby Deere, Six Sigma Black Belt, Cintas Corp. “These donated items will help generate funds for the Salvation Army to operate the much-needed programs that are a vital part of the community.”

The Cintas donation includes discontinued inventory such as blazers, vests, dress shirts and suits. All items donated by Cintas will be offered for sale in 107 The Salvation Army Thrift Store locations across Canada at a reduced cost which allows the Thrift Stores to support several of The Salvation Army’s social service programs. Donated items are also given directly to those most in need through The Salvation Army’s voucher program.

“Donations are at the heart of what we do that allow us to support Salvation Army programs, services and emergency relief efforts that provide assistance to hundreds of neighbours in need,” said Tonny Colyn, National Donations Manager, The Salvation Army Thrift Store. “Through the generosity of businesses like Cintas Corporation, together we are able to make a huge impact and difference in our local communities.”

As one of Canada’s largest charities, The Salvation Army relies on generous donations to operate its Thrift Stores which help to fund programs, services and emergency disaster relief efforts throughout Canada.

Posted May 2, 2019

Source: Cintas Canada Ltd.

HONG KONG — May 2, 2019 — At Yarn Expo Spring 2019, Messe Frankfurt visited the ever-busy Birla Pavilion to chat with Manohar Samuel, senior president of marketing & business development at Grasim Industries Ltd. (of the Aditya Birla Group), about shifting trends that open up new collaborative opportunities for the yarn and fibre market.

Messe Frankfurt: Thank you for taking some time to meet with us, Mr. Samuel! To begin, please could you tell us more about current industry trends?

Manohar Samuel: The global textile market is going through an exciting time! We find that there are four key trends, which are evolving very quickly. First of all, there’s sustainability, and in turn traceability, digitalization and innovation. In recent years, we’ve seen a quantum jump for sustainability from brands across the world. What’s shifted is the traceability of products. Our role now, as a fiber manufacturer, is to establish a common definition of sustainability. We understand our brands’ requirements and translate that on the ground — for example, with the Birla LivaEco brand, as well as eco-friendly Birla Spunshades and Birla Excel.

Circularity in the textile supply chain still needs to be worked on, but interestingly, we now see all stages of the supply chain working together to be more sustainable. A spinner cannot be sustainable by themselves. We see it as B2B2C. All of us face the common consumer, because the entire textile supply chain is now visible to the consumer. It’s through meaningful collaboration that we can prove to consumers that a product is fully sustainable, from start to finish.

MF: And how do you see digitalization impacting the yarn and fibre industry?

MS: The entire industry is going through a metamorphosis. Firstly, there’s e-commerce — yes, it’s known for fast fashion, but the advantage is that each click of the smartphone creates data, which provides a lot of market insight. By aligning with e-commerce brands, we can better understand consumer demand and adjust production accordingly. There’s enough information for us all to innovate and find sustainable solutions. The market is full of innovation now, everyone is focusing on innovation! I’ve been at this fair for eight years, and I feel this trend has shifted a lot in China. Everybody at Yarn Expo is exhibiting something interesting now.

MF: Last year, Birla Cellulose described Yarn Expo as a platform where yarn and fibre companies can be visible to the wider textile industry. Are you still experiencing this?

MS: This sourcing trend is definitely growing, for two important reasons. The first being sustainability – creating an environmentally-friendly product begins with fibre, and brands are increasingly recognizing this. The second reason is innovation – in order to create product differentiation, to be more rooted in industry trends, brands are required to collaborate with companies further up the supply chain. For example, at Birla Cellulose we come up with our own innovations, and we even work with trend forecasters around the world, like WGSN. This can be very useful for brands.

MF: How do you capture these opportunities with fashion brands?

MS: We access the market through different levels of engagement. We work with the headquarters of globally acclaimed big brands, and we work with buying houses and brand offices. To find these opportunities, we always participate in Yarn Expo. It’s important to be here, because it provides a good platform to meet everybody in one place over just three days. We’ve also met more brand offices, coming from different stages of the supply chain, at this fair. And to work with smaller companies, we use technology as a major tool. We have started a website called LAPF Connect to make networking easier.

MF: It’s great to hear that the Birla Pavilion continues to find exciting opportunities at this platform. As one of Yarn Expo’s most prominent pavilion leaders, what do you think are the strongest benefits of exhibiting here?

MS: The strongest pillars of Yarn Expo are the opportunities to connect with customers, and the opportunities to see what is new in innovation. Birla Cellulose has a lot of customers here at Yarn Expo – not only spinners, but from the entire supply chain. The concurrent events, like Intertextile, also support this. We meet brands from Europe, the US, Hong Kong and more here — and our existing customers all come here to see what is new. We use Yarn Expo as a marketing platform to tell our own innovative story. We are happy to see that our peers in this hall also have yarn and fibre innovations, which are more relatable to our own brand. The fair has grown a lot, it’s huge — we would like to bring a larger team next time!

MF: Thank you Mr Samuel, and enjoy the rest of the fair!

Yarn Expo overview

Yarn Expo Spring 2019 was held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, PH Value and the China International Fashion Fair (CHIC) from March 12-14, 2019, and featured 468 exhibitors from 12 countries & regions and 28,302 trade buyers from 87 countries & regions. The fair is organized by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT.

The next edition of Yarn Expo Autumn will take place from September 25-27, 2019, once again at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Posted May 2, 2019

Source: Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd