Stitch Fix Announces Founder And CEO Katrina Lake To Become Executive Chairperson; Elizabeth Spaulding To Become CEO Of Stitch Fix August 1, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO — April 13, 2021 — Stitch Fix Inc., an online personal styling service, today announced Founder and CEO Katrina Lake will transition to the role of executive chairperson of the Board, effective August 1, 2021. Stitch Fix’s Board of Directors will be appointing President Elizabeth Spaulding to the role of CEO of Stitch Fix and electing her to the board of directors, effective August 1 2021.

Lake will remain closely connected to the company. In addition to her role as executive chairperson, she will remain an employee with a focus on Stitch Fix’s social impact efforts, in particular the intersection between sustainability and technology in apparel retail. She will also continue her engagement with the brand and merchandising partnerships that fuel our marketing, and retain a close connection with our leadership, to ensure we hire the very best talent for Stitch Fix’s future.

Lake founded Stitch Fix in 2011 when she was a Harvard Business School student. She took the company public in 2017 and in doing so was the youngest woman at the time to ever take a company public. Since then, Lake has grown Stitch Fix into an industry leading business with an annual revenue of $1.7 billion, serving nearly 4 million clients across the United States and United Kingdom, employing 8,000 people and shipping thousands of personalized items of apparel every day.

In an email shared with the company today, Lake said: “In founding Stitch Fix, I was inspired by a very human problem, to help people look and feel their best by finding clothes they love. Ten years into this journey, I’m even more inspired by this simple mission, proud of the way we’ve delivered against it, and incredibly optimistic about our future. The impact Elizabeth has already had, combined with the compelling future vision she’s mapped out and is leading us toward, make this the right time for a leadership transition that will usher in the next generation for Stitch Fix, for our business, our people and our clients.”

In her current role of president, Spaulding is focused on driving the next phase of the company’s growth, including the expansion of the next generation of consumer shopping experiences, inventory management innovations and international expansion efforts.

“I am so grateful to Katrina and the Board for the opportunity to take Stitch Fix on the next phase of its journey,” said Spaulding. “The opportunity that we have ahead of us at Stitch Fix is extraordinary, and grounded in Katrina’s vision and last 10 years of building personalization at scale. We are creating experiences that will change the way people shop for generations to come. Given the seismic shift of apparel moving online, Stitch Fix is incredibly well positioned to become one of the most innovative and most transformative companies in the world. And, we can do it all with a deep commitment to bringing joy, inspiration and convenience to all of our clients around the world.”

Prior to Stitch Fix, Spaulding spent more than 20 years at Bain & Co., where she was a partner, served on the board of directors and was global head and founder of the Digital Practice. During this time, she helped lead digital transformations for market-leading companies across the consumer and technology sectors. She also led the firm’s innovation efforts through partnerships and M&A.

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Stitch Fix

Burlington Reaches Production Milestone Of 1 Million Yards For Army Green Service Uniforms

GREENSBORO, N.C. — April 8, 2021 —  Burlington Industries LLC, a division of Elevate Textiles, is excited to report the production of more than one million yards of fabric for the new Army Green Service Uniforms. The one million yards of fabric is equivalent to about 200,000 jackets, 115,000 hats and belts, 320,000 pants and 195,000 ties — nearly 575 miles of fabric. If laid end to end, this amount would stretch from Burlington’s divisional headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina to New York City.

Burlington is proud to be an integral part of the United States Military defense supply chain for more than 55 years. The development of the new, worsted wool blended Army Green Service Uniform fabric has been in progress for over two years and includes partnerships with garment producer Fechheimer, the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Philadelphia (DLA), the United States Army and several private industry partners. In line with Burlington tradition, the process remains focused toward serving those in the United States Armed Forces. These new fabrics allow their wearers the confidence to perform at their best while experiencing unmatched comfort and durability. These fabrics are produced at the company’s facilities in Raeford and Cordova, North Carolina out of 100-percent American-made yarns.

“Burlington is thrilled to have reached the milestone of producing over one million yards of the new Army Green fabric, and we continue to be honored to serve the men and women of the U.S. Military with a dedication to quality and innovation. The worsted wool fabrics of our Raeford operation and brand consistently provide soldiers with comfort, durability, wrinkle resistance and color capability unlike any other,” said Joey Underwood, President of Burlington and Safety Components.

Since 1923, Burlington has been a global textile leader with core competencies in worsted wool and performance synthetics, and inherent FR fabrics. Offering a diverse range of vertical manufacturing capabilities and numerous fiber and fabric blends, Burlington® Military is proud to provide quality fabrics for United States Military personnel. Through innovation, Burlington’s in-house Research and Development department, Burlington Labs®, engineers advanced fabrications and technical finishes that are applied to protect and enhance performance while providing troops protection, easy-care and superior comfort in all of their diverse environments. Burlington Military combines the resources from the Burlington and Safety Components business units to create an extensive military products platform of diversified fabrics developed to service the specific needs of the military market.

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Burlington

SGS Approved By The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) As Its First Third-Party Laboratory Member

GENEVA — April 9, 2021 — SGS — a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company — has been officially approved as a Third-Party Laboratory Member and will soon be extending its fiber fragmentation testing services beyond consortium member organizations.

The textile industry has become increasingly aware of the issue of fiber fragmentation and its potential as a serious environmental polluter. The goal of TMC, founded in 2018, is to facilitate the development of practical solutions for the industry to minimize fiber fragmentation and its release into the environment from textile manufacturing and product life cycle.

The collaboration with SGS will provide TMC’s brand, retail and supplier members, with bespoke support and standardized testing services. Utilizing its global network of testing laboratories, including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei City, members will gain access to our testing services to help them understand the requirements, whilst demonstrating their environmental responsibility and improving sustainability along the supply chain.

Yvonne Tse, Vice President – Global Softlines, SGS, said: “We are delighted to become TMC’s first approved third party laboratory and welcome the opportunity it brings to work collaboratively with TMC members and the wider textile and apparel industry to support them in taking the practical steps needed to accelerate reductions in fiber fragmentation.”

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: SGS

igus Supports HydroPRS Pioneer Mura Technology’s Recycling Plant Efforts

COLOGNE, Germany — April 12, 2021 — Plastic waste that would otherwise pollute the environment can now be reused as a valuable raw material through a 25-minute chemical recycling process. igus, the Germany-based motion plastics specialist, is helping to support the initiative by increasing its investment in Mura Technology to approximately 5 million euros.

The investment by igus, which runs its North American operations out of Providence, R.I., amounts to nearly $6 million. Mura Technology is a pioneer in Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Solution and is constructing its first recycling plant in the United Kingdom. KBR, another major industrial company, partnered with Mura Technology in January.

Recycling plastic is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Eight million tonnes of plastic enters the world’s oceans1 every year. Much of the plastic is incinerated, and only 14 percent is recycled. This results in an economic loss of $80 billion per year.

At the same time, new plastic is continuously being produced from petroleum, which is associated with high CO2 emissions. This use already accounts for 6 percent of global oil production, which is expected to increase to 20 percent by 2050.2 With the Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Solution (HydroPRS) a groundbreaking new technology is waiting in the wings that will enable an entry into a sustainable circular economy for plastics.

HydroPRS has the potential to recycle all types of plastic and prevent plastic from being burned or landfilled and polluting the environment. It is estimated that each tonne of plastic processed via advanced recycling could save 1.5 tonnes of CO2 compared to incineration.

To convert plastic waste into valuable chemicals and oil, HydroPRS utilizes the Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor technology (Cat-HTR™) developed by Licella Holdings Limited using water, heat and pressure. This method is particularly interesting where mechanical recycling has not been successful so far, for example, with mixed and contaminated plastics.

Valuable resource instead of harmful waste

The potential for recycling plastic has captured the attention of igus, which last year invested in a company that plans to commission the first commercial HydroPRS plant in 2022. Now igus has increased its investment in Mura Technology to a total of 5 million euros.

“We know about the great possibilities that plastic has. Our tribo-polymers are used millions of times in moving applications all over the world, where they reduce weight, maintenance and lubrication,” says Frank Blase, Managing Director of igus. “We’re helping to make plastic a material that does not harm our world but helps through almost 100% recycling.”

Mechanical recycling is an important step in this direction. For example, igus has been regranulating 99 percent of the plastic waste generated in production for over 50 years. At the end of 2019, igus initiated the chainge program in which it takes back energy chains at the end of a machine’s life, irrespective of the manufacturer, pays a voucher, regranulates the plastic and then processes it again. “In the future, chemical recycling will be able to play out its advantages where classic recycling cannot get anywhere. That is why we are supporting Mura in this start-up phase to help this groundbreaking technology achieve a breakthrough worldwide,’’ Blase said.

Global success through investment and cooperation

Mura Technology has succeeded in appointing KBR as an exclusive license partner for further expansion. KBR, with its 28,0000 employees, is active in more than 80 countries as a planner, plant builder and operator of refineries and chemical plants.

“We knew that as a start-up company we had developed a highly innovative and promising technology,” Oliver Borek, managing director Europe at Mura Technology, pointed out. “However, it was also clear to us that we would never be able to roll it out on a large scale under our own steam. Thanks to igus’ investment in this crucial phase, as well as the establishment and expansion of further partnerships, we now have this opportunity.”

Construction of the first HydroPRS plant by Mura at the UK’s Wilton International industrial site has now started and is expected to be operational in the second half of 2022. A total of four Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactors will be built to process over 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. In addition, further plants are planned in Germany, the USA and Asia.

1 Plastic Oceans UK, https://plasticoceans.uk
2 The Ellen McArthur Foundation – the New Plastics Economy: Catalysing Action, 2017

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: igus

For The Second Consecutive Year, Red Carpet Green Dress™ Collaborates With Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Brand On Sustainable Eco-Couture Textiles For The OSCARS®

LENZING, Austria — April 13, 2021 —  Following the success of their 2020 partnership, Red Carpet Green Dress and TENCEL™ brand from sustainability leader Lenzing, are excited to announce the extension of the organisations’ collaboration for a second year running at the 93rd Academy Awards®.

As a part of the collaboration, RCGD x TENCEL™ launched a range of eco-couture materials made from TENCEL branded materials are currently being adapted into bespoke looks for a number of this year’s Oscars® nominees and physical red carpet guests. Paying homage to RCGD’s roots as a design contest, the looks themselves and the talent wearing these designs are to be unveiled the night of the Oscars on Sunday April 25. For the first time in its history, the Oscars is to be hosted across multiple sites in the United States and Europe. In what has been an unusual year for many, Red Carpet Green Dress is working to honour their commitment in creating design solutions that work from moment to movement on the red carpet of the biggest of all global stages.

Last year at the Oscars, RCGD x TENCEL partnered with Louis Vuitton and created sustainable a custom-made gown for James Bond Spectre’s Léa Seydoux to wear in attendance to the 92nd Academy Awards® as an ambassador for RCGD. Meanwhile, filmmaker Elena Andreicheva took home an Oscar wearing a sustainable gown created from RCGD x TENCEL Luxe branded fabrics in partnership with couture designer Laura Basci.
In addition, a stunning design created by leading ethical luxury designer Benedetti Life, that featured an RCGD x TENCEL Luxe eco-couture textile, was revealed at the Red Carpet Green Dress Pre-Oscar Gala last year.

This year’s designs will include TENCEL branded lyocell fibers, modal fibers and filament yarn that are of 100-percent botanic origin. Derived from renewable wood sources, the fibers and filament yarn are produced using eco-responsible production processes. Fabrics made of TENCEL Modal and Lyocell fibers are also gentle on skin with smooth, long-lasting softness, breathability, color vibrancy and color retention features. With silky smoothness, liquid-like drape and color vibrancy, TENCEL Luxe filament yarn gives fabrics an exquisite sensual appeal and is ideal for eco couture and luxury fashion. All TENCEL fibers are certified biodegradable and compostable under industrial, home, soil, fresh water and marine conditions.

Drawing attention to the importance of more sustainable practices in fashion and being part of bringing those solutions to the global market, Red Carpet Green Dress was conceived in response to a lack of ethical choices on the red carpet. Founded by leading environmental advocate, Suzy Amis Cameron, the organization has been committed to creating positive change for over a decade. TENCEL brand share a similar vision and aspire to lead the pursuit of eco-friendly solutions for textiles, garments and fashion as they aim to blend high fashion with sustainability whilst maintaining quality. Coming together and partnering to launch a range of eco-couture textiles felt like a natural next step. With the fashion industry being one of the top polluters across the globe, the RCGD x TENCEL textiles are now contributing towards positive change for a more green future.

“Our partnership with TENCEL is one of the most exciting and rewarding for Red Carpet Green Dress,” said Samata, CEO at Red Carpet Green Dress. “The organization represents some of the key pillars of sustainability, ranging from accessible sustainable design solutions with a focus on circularity and decarbonization, across to its inherent understanding of the need for responsible production and consumption. Our Oscars collaboration is always a highlight, and we are so excited that innovations like this exist for the global design community.’’

“Once again, we are thrilled to partner with Red Carpet Green Dress to bring eco couture to the spotlight,” said Harold Weghorst, global vice president of Marketing & Branding at Lenzing Group. “This year, with the expansion of our collaboration to include TENCEL branded Modal and Lyocell fibers and TENCEL Luxe filament yarn, we are providing designers and brands with a bigger canvas that caters for greater creativity in fabric style, touch and feel. While our fibers and filament yarn are derived from wood harvested from certified and controlled sources and are some of the most sustainable materials used in fashion, we are not stopping there. At TENCEL, we are on a journey to True Carbon Zero, with a vision to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and contribute to a carbon neutral fashion industry. We hope that our collaboration will encourage more designers and brands to look out for materials that do not only expand the frontiers of aesthetic appeal, but also make a difference to our planet.”

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Lenzing Group

Teijin To Mass Produce Nanofiber Filament Made From Recycled Polyester

TOKYO — April 12, 2021 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group fibers and products converting company, announced today that it has developed technology to mass produce a new version of its Nanofront® ultra-fine polyester, which the company believes is the world’s first nanofiber to be made from recycled polyester raw materials. Moreover, the new technology will enable Teijin Frontier to produce all of its polyester fiber products with recycled raw materials.

Teijin Frontier expects filament and textiles made with this new version of Nanofront made from recycled polyester materials to replace conventional Nanofront made from petroleum-derived raw materials in a wide range of fields, including sportswear, functional clothing, industrial uniforms and more. The company is forecasting sales of recycled-polyester Nanofront to reach 300 million yen ($2.75 million) in fiscal 2021 and 800 million yen ($7.3 million) in fiscal 2025.

Nanofront made from recycled polyester offers the same functions as conventional Nanofront made from petroleum-derived raw materials:

In recent years, the demand for Nanofront has expanded in a wide range of fields due to growing needs for materials offering high functionality, such as absorbency and grip, and excellent comfort including soft texture and low skin irritation. Meanwhile, the demand for recycling raw materials is rapidly increasing, but it has been difficult to mass produce ultra-fine fibers made from recycled polyester due to needs for high-level polymer control and spinning. Teijin Frontier has now developed new polymer-control and spinning techniques for Nanofront made from recycled polyester materials. The key was the company’s proprietary “sea-island” composite-fiber processing technology, which distributes two types of polymers into the fiber’s “sea” and “island” parts, then dissolves and removes the “sea” part using an alkaline, etc. treatment, and finally extracts only the “island” part as raw yarn.

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Teijin

Freudenberg Launches An Eco-Calculator That Helps Customers Improve Their Environmental Footprint

WEINHEIM, Germany — April 13, 2021 — An innovative Eco-calculator to be launched by Freudenberg Performance Materials will help customers assess and choose Evolon® textile solutions for bedding and bath towels. The tool based on sustainability criteria also provides information on how customers can save energy and water during subsequent care steps for the relevant textile.

The new Eco-calculator from Freudenberg provides an overview of environmental impacts generated by Evolon solutions over their entire life cycle: From raw material extraction through the laundering phases to product end-of-life. Eight environmental criteria, including the carbon footprint, water impact and eco-toxicity, are evaluated.

Independent data and washing tests

The Eco-calculator relies on data provided and validated by independent external experts, who conducted a Life Cycle Assessment focusing on textile applications such as bed linen, bath towels and workwear used in hotels and hospitals. The Eco-calculator also takes account of data from washing tests to evaluate the durability and the consumption levels of water, energy and detergent required by the different fabrics. The testing program simulated industrial wash cycles to assess twelve different textile articles. Each type of product was evaluated in terms of the water, energy and detergent consumption required for its care as well as its appearance and mechanical properties over washings.

Support for customers’ eco-design programs

“Our Evolon experts help our customers determine the scenarios they wish to evaluate, for example by varying the weight of the materials, the types of finish, the number of washing cycles, or the country of use. Based on this data, the Freudenberg experts provide an economic and environmental evaluation using the Eco-calculator,” said Jean-François Kerhault, Business Segment manager Evolon at Freudenberg Performance Materials. “This information can help our customers to evaluate the environmental footprint of their own finished products. They can include the data in their own product eco-design approach, or meet new market requirements about information on the carbon footprint.”

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Freudenberg Peformance Materials

Lenzing Expands Lenzing E-Branding Service To The VEOCEL™ Brand

LENZING, Austria — April 13, 2021 — Lenzing is launching a nonwoven industry premiere with the introduction of E-branding service for certification and licensing service to the VEOCEL™ brand in an industry first move to elevate supply chain transparency for nonwoven fibers. The Lenzing E-Branding Service provides the VEOCEL brand’s expanding network of partners with a platform designed to increase the value of products by showcasing the use of sustainable, high-quality and ethically sourced materials.

Designed from the ground up to make the VEOCEL certification process simple, the Lenzing E-Branding Service creates peace of mind for all VEOCEL brand partners, allowing producers, retailers and brand owners from hygiene, beauty and home care products, to certify their use of VEOCEL branded fibers and develop co-branding campaigns that improve the value of their products.

Lenzing E-Branding Service elevates VEOCEL™’s industry-leading reputation

First launched in 2018 for the textile industry, the Lenzing E-Branding Service unifies registration, application and approval in a state-of-the-art online system designed to eliminate the use of paper and reduce response times, with the aim to enhance efficiency by digitizing workflow. The system’s early success and positive feedback made the expansion to the VEOCEL brand a natural next step for the industry-leading platform.
As a digital hub for VEOCEL brand partners, the platform includes features to apply for new licenses, monitor application status, and manage existing licenses. Simultaneously, the platform will act as a support portal, showcasing the latest branding guidelines and support for VEOCEL brand certified products.

“We are excited to expand our industry-leading Lenzing E-Branding Service to VEOCEL brand customers and partners. The expansion showcases Lenzing’s unwavering commitment to sustainability for nonwoven applications, accelerates the digitalization of the industry and sets new standards for driving greater transparency,” said Jürgen Eizinger, vice president of Global Nonwovens Business, Lenzing AG.

The VEOCEL™ brand continues to push for greater sustainability boundaries

The expansion of the Lenzing E-Branding Service comes nearly two years after the VEOCEL brand introduced its pioneering certification requirements mandating nonwoven products use 100-percent cellulosic and biodegradable materials before qualifying to feature the VEOCEL brand logo. Alongside the industry-first requirements, the Lenzing E-Branding Service creates an unparalleled guarantee for consumers that products featuring the VEOCEL brand logo are genuinely sourced and produced.

“The VEOCEL brand is rapidly becoming an industry-leading credential for hygiene and personal care brands and end-users who are serious about increasing their environmental responsibility. The new E-branding Service will truly complement our VEOCEL certification criteria to ensure trustworthy supply chain transparency for our partners, customers and end-users,” Eizinger added.

“We have observed an overwhelmingly positive shift in consumer preferences as they seek greater sustainability from the nonwoven brands they trust. During this exciting time of transition toward the greater use of environmentally responsible materials, we are thrilled to provide our brand partners and end-users with the peace of mind that products containing VEOCEL™ branded fibers help to better protect the environment and safeguard the future of our planet,” says Harold Weghorst, vice president of Global Marketing & Branding, Lenzing AG.

Posted April 13, 2021

Soure: Lenzing

Asahi Kasei Europe Uniting Sales, Marketing And R&D Activities At Düsseldorf Harbour

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — April 13, 2021 — Asahi Kasei is starting a new chapter of its business expansion on the European market. On November 16, 2020, Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH and its sister company Asahi Kasei Microdevices Europe GmbH started office operation at the new “C-View Offices” at Düsseldorf Harbour, Germany. After the cornerstone laying on October 7, 2019, the construction work went smoothly and was finished on schedule. The Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center — originally located at CHEMPARK Dormagen near Düsseldorf — relocated to the new location in March 2021.

Hideki Tsutsumi, managing director at Asahi Kasei Europe, said: “This relocation marks the next important milestone of Asahi Kasei’s expansion on the European market. Europe is at the forefront of an evolution in the automotive industry that is said to happen once in a century. In addition, it is the forerunner in environmental topics. Uniting sales, marketing, R&D and technical service activities at one single location will enable us to quickly address the changing demands by customers and to enhance joint projects with local partners.

The office building has wide open office and meeting spaces with a clear view on the water side and the Düsseldorf skyline. In the brand-new showroom the company displays its materials and solutions for the future automotive, ranging from sustainable microfiber materials for interior seat and headliner coverings to innovative foam products and separators for battery applications. The adjacent hall building is home to the Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center, with laboratory space for various materials, such as engineering plastics, synthetic rubber, as well as for battery and coating materials.

“The new office spaces will further foster the cross-divisional communication within Asahi Kasei Europe, but also the cross organizational communication with other European Asahi Kasei Group companies. Naturally, this will also be of great benefit to our customers,” Tsutsumi added.

A strong commitment to the home base Düsseldorf

After the establishment of Asahi Kasei Europe and Asahi Kasei Microdevices Europe at “Am Seestern”, Düsseldorf in April 2016, the companies have been accelerating the activities towards the European automotive industry. This has been followed by the opening of the Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center in CHEMPARK Dormagen in October 2017, providing local technical support and strengthening the cooperation and joint development with European companies and universities.

In the five years since its establishment, Asahi Kasei Europe has built a strong network in Düsseldorf. The annual “Asahi Kasei Europe Business Forum” has become a well-established conference and networking event for customers and partners. Furthermore, Asahi Kasei Europe is a strong supporter of Sports City Düsseldorf and is actively promoting the traditional Japanese Judo sports by conducting annual Judo Workshops with young enthusiastic Judo-ka in Düsseldorf.

Tsutsumi continued: “Düsseldorf is a great hub for business activities in Europe and in close proximity to technical universities. With this relocation we are further committing ourselves to our home base Düsseldorf — a very important sign in times of COVID-19. We are very much looking forward to create this next chapter of Asahi Kasei Europe together with our customers and partners.”

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: Asahi Kasei

Filtration Supplier To Invest $26 Million In Hickory, N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. — April 12, 2021 — Gusmer Enterprises Inc., a manufacturer of filtration and fermentation products, will create 73 new jobs in Catawba County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $26.5 million to build a production facility in Hickory, N.C.

“We are excited to welcome Gusmer Enterprises to our state,” said Governor Cooper. “When growing manufacturers choose North Carolina, it highlights the company’s confidence in our state’s workforce and resilient economy.”

Gusmer Enterprises is a leading supplier of fermentation, filtration and processing aids and equipment for the beverage, food and pharmaceutical industries worldwide. A family-owned company for almost 100 years, Gusmer’s filtration and fermentations products are used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. The 135,000-square foot GMP manufacturing facility in Hickory will be Gusmer’s third plant and will support the production of filtering devices for liquids including COVID-19 treatments.

“After a nationwide search to identify the best fit location, the Gusmer family is pleased to partner with the State of North Carolina for our latest GMP manufacturing facility,” said Marla Gusmer Jeffrey, president, Gusmer Enterprises. “Hickory and Catawba County provide access to a skilled workforce, competitive cost structure, and a real estate solution that met our aggressive timeline and workforce needs. As an almost century-old company, the Gusmer family is proud of our long-term collaborative partnerships that we continue to grow and develop with all our employees, customers, and suppliers. We look forward to developing another long-standing relationship with our newest investment in the State of North Carolina.”

“North Carolina has the largest manufacturing workforce in Southeast and the sixth largest manufacturing economy in the nation,” said Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “We have the highly-skilled talent, strong supply chain and exceptional quality of life to support Gusmer Enterprises’ next phase of growth.”

The North Carolina Department of Commerce led a team of partners in supporting Gusmer’s decision to establish a manufacturing plant in North Carolina. The new positions include engineers, mechanics, packagers, production staff, quality control, warehouse supervisors and administrative support. The average annual salary for all new positions is $44,000 creating a potential payroll impact of more than $3.2 million per year. Catawba County’s overall average annual wage is $43,290.

A performance-based grant of $300,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Gusmer’s expansion to North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

Joining the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina were key partners in the project that included the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County, Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, the City of Hickory, Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy.

Posted April 13, 2021

Source: North Carolina Office of the Governor

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