Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing

Gilden in Sanford, North Carolina, Changes Corporate Culture

The U.S. Small Business Administration's New Focus on Manufacturing

AI will be a Game Changer for an Optimistic Economic Outlook for North Carolina

CTI Systems Realizes the Value in Retaining Their Workforce.

One woman turned a family recipe into an award-winning snack company, combining innovative branding, sustainable growth, and community support to deliver high-quality cheesy snacks and create new business opportunities.

Husband and wife duo of Queen City Engineering and Design launch an in-house manufacturing company to control the development process resulting in greater flexibility, quality, shorter project lead times, and new business opportunities.

Kings Mountain, North Carolina fabric manufacturer STI Fabrics holds up against the test of time.

West Jefferson, NC-based Carolina Timberworks received the 2024 Sustainability Leadership Award.

Winston-Salem-based Ziehl-Abegg received the 2024 NCMEP Developing Markets Leadership Award.

Lenior, NC-based Teijin Automotive Technologies received the 2024 Continuous Improvement Leadership Award.

Burlington, NC climbing rope manufacturer wins the 2023 Coolest Thing Made in North Carolina Award.

Located in Durham, NC, First Flight Venture Center Hangar 6 is an NCMEP partner that focuses on the entrepreneurial and startup space.

The Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) BioWork program trains students for a career with biomanufacturing organizations like Pfizer.

NCMEP Partner, North Carolina Community College System, brings accessible customized training for businesses and individuals to counties across North Carolina.

North Carolina-founded brick manufacturer Triangle Brick Company, produces hundreds of millions of bricks yearly to build America.

The Sanford, North Carolina Bharat Forge facility continues to play a crucial role as the production of electric vehicles increases.

Stanza Machinery owner's experience paved the way for a successful industrial finishing manufacturer.

Burlington, North Carolina sustainable t-shirt manufacturer, TS Designs, works with natural fibers and earth-friendly printing. Always grown and made in the USA.

Aberdeen, North Carolina military communications manufacturer looks to grow in the industry.

The Manufacturing Solutions Center has grown to be a primer business incubator host.

Greenhill Anti-Ballistics Corporation looks to revolutionize how we think about blunt force trauma prevention.

As Emerging Technology Institute grows, the organization remains committed to helping its community flourish with them.

After three generations the Burlington-based electrical supply organization Southland Electrical continues to flourish.

Carolina Utility Customer Association (CUCA) provides a platform for customers to voice their concerns and works towards ensuring fair and affordable utility rates.

Concord, NC manufacturer is making waves in the advanced manufacturing world.

Davide Varze and Markus Rusznyak tell the story of how they helped transform Wieland Copper's Pine Hall, NC plant

Since 2015, the EDPNC has helped North Carolina win more than 500 recruitment and expansion projects, resulting in 67,000 new jobs and $14 billion in announced new investments across the state.

Greensboro, NC manufacturer beachBUB has worked to revolutionize beach umbrella safety.

Lillington, NC-based security door manufacturer Boon Edam, strives to make buildings safer with “smart doors.”

NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions' (IES) North Carolina Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (NC DMCSP), creates opportunities for smart textile innovators.  As our lives become ever connected through smart phones, tablets and other devices, the way we interact has changed dramatically and that even applies to textiles. Textiles come in a wide variety of forms, from clothing to bedding to household items. Smart textiles include the next generation of wearable technologies. They combine textile design with advanced sensing capabilities. This new class of materials promises to revolutionize the future of wearable computing. In 2021, the Department of Defense's (DoD) Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) awarded North Carolina State University IES a grant under the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP). The DMCSP is designed to support long-term community investments that strengthen national security innovation and expand the capabilities of the defense manufacturing industrial ecosystem. The program was created to recognize communities that demonstrate best practices in attracting and expanding defense manufacturing by bringing together key local stakeholders and using long-term planning that integrates targeted public and private investments across a community's entire defense industrial ecosystem. In this episode of Clocking In Phil Mintz sits down with Dr. William Reynolds and Dr. Casey Boutwell - two participants in the NC DMCSP sponsored propeller project looking to market their breakthrough smart textile technology.  Founded in 2017, Onda Vision Technologies (OVT) is a North Carolina State University startup company. OVT is a spin-out company from the North Carolina State University's Advanced Self-Powered Systems Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) Center, which is a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored Nanosystems Engineering Research Center (NERC).  Onda Vision has developed a wearable sensor for real-time hydration monitoring to optimize human performance and health. Onda Vision's Founder, Dr. William D. Reynolds, Jr Ph.D, has over 20 years of experience in research and development between the commercial and government sector. His management experience extends over fifteen years of building and leading high-performing corporate science and engineering teams. Onda Vision are developing a wearable sensor that has the ability to monitor body hydration in real-time. Dr. Reynolds' background and expertise cover signal processing, deep learning and algorithm development. Dr. Reynolds has attended the University of Delaware and the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Dr. Casey Boutwell, Ph.D MBA, is the chief executive officer of DermiSense Inc., a startup company commercializing a medical diagnostic technology developed at NCSU that uses a microneedle patch to extract and analyze interstitial fluids in the skin. DermiSense was founded in 2018 when the founding team licensed the underlying IP from NC State University. The company is extending their manufacturing and process optimization to increase patch area and reduce production time while continuing to collaborate with the originating lab at NCSU to explore new sensing applications. Mintz, Reynolds and Boutwell discuss the history of Onda Vision and Dermisense, Onda Vision's and Dermisense innovative smart textile technologies, how these technologies can help prevent things like heatstroke and detect diseases and more.  LINKS NCMEP Onda Vision DermiSense 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. Bill Reynolds  Dr. William D. Reynolds, Jr., has over 20 years of experience in research and development between the commercial and government sector. His management experience extends over fifteen years of building and leading high-performing corporate science and engineering teams. Dr. Reynolds' background and expertise cover signal processing, deep learning and algorithm development. Dr. Reynolds has attended the University of Delaware and the University of Illinois Chicago.  Casey Boutwell Dr. Casey Boutwell, Ph.DMBA, is the chief executive officer of DermiSense. Dr. Boutwell contributes his technical expertise in micro-and nanofabrication, business experience in technology commercialization, intellectual property, and licensing strategy, and professional network in digital health and wearable biosensing systems.

Sanford, North Carolina-based company emerges as one of North Carolina's leading precision machined components manufacturers

Central Carolina Community College strives to teach relevant skills needed in today's technology and artificially intelligent-driven workforce.

Dr. Jenni Harris discusses the value the North Carolina Department of Commerce - Workforce Solutions Division provides to North Carolina workers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 NCMEP Bleep Sleep 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.

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 Michael Walden NCMEP IES 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.

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 Service Thread   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.

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 Elastic Therapy Incorporated   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.

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 Zeis Textiles Extension   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.

NCMEP partner, North Carolina A&T State University collaborates with NC manufacturers to cultivate the engineers of tomorrow. North Carolina A&T State University Industrial engineers are professional problem solvers. Their role in manufacturing is to find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. In this episode of Clocking In, we sit down with a North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership partner working to connect promising industrial engineering students with NC manufacturers. The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University is well known for its innovative research, transformational teaching, learning and impactful community engagement. The department completes projects with local industry around topics including process improvement, ergonomics, in-plant logistics and layout. The ISE department has a long-standing capstone senior design project requirement for all BSISE students, plus graduate student project requirements. Phil Mintz speaks with associate professor and interim chair in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the university, Dr. Paul Stanfield. Dr. Stanfield has consulted, taught, and advised leaders across many government and  private sector organizations.While at NC A&T, Dr. Stanfield has taught over 35 different courses in the areas of systems engineering, supply chain/production systems, and leadership development.Dr. Stanfield has a bachelor's in electrical engineering, MBA in business administration, M.S. in industrial engineering and operation research and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering. In this episode of Clocking In we discuss the solutions NC A&T provides for North Carolina manufacturers, Dr. Stanfield's professional background, what manufacturers can expect when working with NC A&T students on their senior design projects 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. Dr. Paul Stanfield Dr. Paul Stanfield is the associate professor and interim chair in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. Dr. Stanfield has consulted, taught, and advised leaders from all DoD services, all DHS, and over 30 private sector organizations. He is past president of ABCO Automation, an engineering and consulting firm. While at NC A&T, Dr. Stanfield has taught over 35 different courses in the areas of systems engineering, supply chain / production systems, and leadership development. He has received the Goody's Powders, College of Engineering, and multiple department teaching awards. Dr. Stanfield has served as principal investigator on over 30 projects and published in Operations Research, European Journal of Operations Research, Computers and Operations Research, Computers and Industrial Engineering, IISE Transactions and International Journal of Production Research. He won the NC A&T Young Investigator award and the IISE UPS Minority Advancement, Young Industrial Engineer in Education, Pritsker Dissertation, and Graduate Research awards. Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

A second-generation family business located in Charlotte, NC, is keeping the family legacy alive. Tropical Foods Family businesses are great. They can help transfer family values, grow leaders, strengthen inter-generational bonds and they’re also a large part of the American economy. According to the Family Business Alliance, family enterprises employ 63% of the U.S. workforce. In addition, 75% of all new jobs are generated by family businesses. In this episode of Clocking In, we’re highlighting a second-generation family business that shows no signs of slowing down. Tropical Foods is a woman-owned family food manufacturer based out of Charlotte, NC. Tropical Foods, established in 1977, manufactures nuts and snack mixes and distributes a wide variety of convenience food products with more than 3,000 selections in their product line. The organization maintains additional operating centers in Orlando, Atlanta, Washington DC, Dallas and Reno. Phil Mintz speaks with the co-owner and CEO of Tropical Foods, Angela Bauer. Before joining the family business, Angela worked as a marketing specialist for Scientific Atlanta and a logistics coordinator for AJC International. Angela graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in International studies and again with a master’s degree in business administration. We discuss how Tropical Foods came to be, what Angela Bauer learned from her parents about the family business, how the organization was affected by the pandemic, the process of manufacturing nuts and candies and more. Watch Tropical Foods video "We Are Truly Good Foods" LINKS NCMEP Tropical Foods 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. Angela Bauer Angela Bauer is the co-owner and CEO of Tropical Foods in Charlotte, NC. Prior to joining the family business, Angela worked as a marketing specialist for Scientific Atlanta and a logistics coordinator for AJC International. Angela graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in International studies and again later with a master’s degree in business administration. Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

High Point furniture manufacturer, Custom Contract Furnishings, pivots to making gowns to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Custom Contract Furnishings According to AARP, the leisure and hospitality industry was the hardest hit by the pandemic.  Our guest, whose business has been focused on supplying a booming hospitality industry, saw three months’ worth of orders dry up—virtually—overnight in March 2020. In this episode, we speak with a leader from Custom Contract Furnishings about how they discovered how to utilize their talents and technology to create a competitive protective gown solution for the healthcare industry. Custom Contract Furnishings is a furniture manufacturer located in High Point, North Carolina. Established in 1989, the organization makes high-quality upholstered seating for the hospitality, healthcare and senior living industries. Custom Contract Furnishings has been featured in national publications such as Network of Executive Women in Hospitality magazine, Hospitality Design magazine and Boutique Design magazine. Phil Mintz speaks with the vice president of Custom Contract Furnishings, Chris Morris. Chris has worked many years in the hospitality furniture industry and previously worked for a furniture company in Oakland, California as the director of contract furnishing sales. Chris is a locally grown leader who attended Guilford Technical Community College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In this episode, we discuss how Custom Contract Furnishings has been affected by the pandemic, views of the furniture business, the organization’s pivot to making personal protective equipment (PPE), what the future looks like for the organization and more. LINKS NCMEP Custom Contract Furnishings 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 Morris Chris Morris is the vice-president of sales at Custom Contract Furnishings in High Point, NC. Chis has worked many years in the hospitality furniture industry and previously worked for a furniture company in Oakland, California as the director of contract furnishing sales. Chris attended Guilford Technical Community College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

Spindale North Carolina tissue manufacturer, Cardinal Tissue, works overtime to aid the tissue shortage. Cardinal Tissue The pandemic caused a sudden surge in hoarding. As a result of people buying tissue in bulk and manufacturers not being able to keep up with the demand, toilet paper became one of the many products that was hard to find during the pandemic. Today I’m talking to a North Carolina tissue manufacturer that rose to the challenge to get tissue back on grocery store shelves. Founded in 2018, Cardinal Tissue is a specialized contract tissue manufacturer located in Spindale, North Carolina. The organization specializes in providing tissue suppliers with solutions for contract converting, training and supply chain optimization. In this installment of Clocking In, I speak with the owner and president of Cardinal Tissue, Vince Reese. Vince has been in the tissue-making business for over 25 years and has previously worked as an executive for another North Carolina tissue company. In this episode, we discuss how Cardinal Tissue came to be, how the organization has worked to get tissue back into stores, the reason behind the shortage and decreased tissue shortage and more. LINKS NCMEP Cardinal Tissue 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. Vince Reese Vince Reese is the founder and president of Cardinal Tissue. Vince has been in the tissue-making business for over 25 years and has previously worked as an executive for another North Carolina tissue company. Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

A distillery in Statesville, NC, uses their equipment to produce highly sought-after hand sanitizer.Southern Distilling CompanyBaking flour, paper towels, bicycles and canning jars. What do all these things have in common? They were all scarce at one point during the pandemic. Another item that was really hard to find on market shelves early in the pandemic and came recommended as a means to slow down the spread of COVID-19 was hand sanitizer. In this interview, I talk to one of the hundreds of distilleries who answered the call to assist with the extreme hand sanitizer shortage of 2020.Founded in 2013, the Southern Distilling Company is an award-winning distillery located in Statesville, NC. Their product line, Southern Star, was awarded thirteen medals in their first year of production by prestigious international spirits competitions. The company supports farms in their community by making their bourbon, rye whiskey and liqueurs with locally-sourced grain.In this installment of Clocking In, I speak with the co-owner of Southern Distilling Company, Vienna Barger. Vienna has over 20 years of experience working in the health field. Vienna holds a bachelor’s in child development and family studies from Humboldt State University and a master’s in social work and master's of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina.In this episode, we discuss how Southern Distilling Company came to be, the legislative obstacles in place throughout the country concerning the production and distribution of liquors, why they began producing hand sanitizer to combat the spread of COVID-19 and more.LINKSNCMEPSouthern Distilling CompanyABOUTPhil MintzPhil 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.Vienna BargerVienna Barger is the co-owner of Southern Distilling Company. Before founding the company in 2013 with her husband Pete Barger, Vienna has over 20 years of experience working in the health field. Vienna holds a bachelor’s in child development and family studies from Humboldt State University and a master’s in social work and master's of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina.Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website. 

NCMEP Partner, UNC Charlotte Industrial Solutions Lab, collaborates with North Carolina industries to develop solutionsUNC Charlotte Industrial Solutions LabNo one likes to waste time, especially manufacturers. If there is a more efficient and faster way to conduct operations, manufacturers want in. This is why the Industrial Solutions Lab at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) works hand-in-hand with NC manufacturers to create processes that make them more productive.The UNC Charlotte Industrial Solutions Lab is one of the nine partners that make up the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP). The Industrial Solutions Lab is an extension of the UNC Charlotte Lee College of Engineering which is designed to provide low-cost innovative solutions for North Carolina industries through advanced facilities, technical expertise, senior and graduate student educational projects, research and development and consulting with faculty.In this installment of Clocking In, I speak with Industrial Solutions Lab director, Jim Hartman. Jim has been with UNC Charlotte since 2017, has more than 20 years in technical businesses across multiple industries and has a background in marketing and business development. Jim has a Bachelor's degree in engineering from Wayne State University and an MBA from the University of Central Florida.In this episode, we discuss the services Industrial Solutions Lab provides, the job responsibilities of Industrial Solutions Lab director, Jim Hartman, how North Carolina organizations have benefited from working with UNC Charlotte engineering students and more.LINKSNCMEPUNC Charlotte Industrial Solution LabABOUTPhil MintzPhil 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.Jim HartmanJim Hartman is the director of the UNC Charlotte Industrial Solutions Lab. Jim has been with UNC Charlotte since 2017 and has more than 20 years in technical businesses across multiple industries. Jim has a Bachelor's degree in engineering from Wayne State University and an MBA from the University of Central Florida.Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

Durham-based NCMEP partner, Hangar6, is working to assist North Carolina manufacturing in achieving their product design goals.Hangar6Imagine you manufacture a product advertised to help install doorknobs. Customers order the product, but there’s a major problem. It doesn’t work. Embarrassingly, you recall the product and your organization’s customer loyalty suffers. You do a deep dive and track all your product’s defects back to the fact you missed steps in the prototyping and testing process. This is why prototyping is so important. Proof that a product works as intended in the form of a prototype is the foundation of every successful product. Today, we’re talking to an organization that helps inventors get their designs off of the napkin and onto the assembly line.Hangar6, a First Flight Venture Center program and NCMEP partner, is the Research Triangle region’s premier prototyping and design assistance space for technology-based companies. Hangar6 enables designing, building and modeling product prototypes using tools, such as 3D scanners, CO2 lasers, metal fiber lasers, CNC mill, 3D printers and more. Hangar6’s partnership with NCMEP provides North Carolina manufacturers access to Hangar6’s additive manufacturing machines with various design capabilities.In this installment of Clocking In, I speak with Hangar6 shop manager, Sam Dirani. Sam manages the day-to-day operations, equipment at Hangar6. He also trains and works directly with all members to help ensure their project success. In the latter part of the episode, we talk to the program manager, Emil Runge from Hangar6’s parent company, First Flight Venture Center.In this episode, we discuss the services and technologies Hangar6 provides, what to expect when working with Hangar6, the steps it takes to create a prototype, First Flight Venture grant initiatives and more.LINKSNCMEPHangar6First Flight Venture CenterABOUTPhil MintzPhil 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.Sam DiraniSam Dirani has been the shop manager at Hangar6 since 2017. He has previously worked as a structural designer and lead fabricator in the industrial design industry. In 2008, Sam created a non-profit children’s science program, Light Up Education LLC, the program has reached 3000+ kids in four states.  Sam graduated from North Carolina State University with a BS in Biological Science and a Masters in Industrial Design.Emil RungeEmil Runge is a program manager at First Flight Venture Center. He has consulted, advised and assisted elected and appointed officials in capacities at the federal, state and local level for nearly 20 years. Emil graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology.Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

Dr. Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and extension economist, discusses how the economy and jobs have been affected by the pandemic.Dr. Michael WaldenThe pandemic has done a number on our economy. The shut down necessary to stem the spread of COVID-19 caused the economy to recede and led to massive layoffs. To dissect the status of the economy, the manufacturing industry and the possible track to recovery, we're talking to someone we had on the podcast a year ago under different circumstances—economist Dr. Michael Walden.Dr. Walden is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and extension economist at North Carolina State University. Dr. Walden’s role at NC State is composed of teaching, research and extension responsibilities in consumer economics, economic outlook and public policy. He’s an accomplished author who has published eleven books and over 300 articles and reports.In this episode, we discuss how the pandemic has affected our economy and North Carolina manufacturing, our economic recovery outlook, the positives and negatives of the US trade deals, Dr. Walden’s new publications and more.LINKSMichael WaldenNCMEPIESABOUTPhil MintzPhil 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 WaldenDr. Michael Walden is a 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. He has served on several local and state level commissions. He currently teaches ARE 201 Introduction to Agricultural and Resource Economics.Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.

Mooresville, North Carolina manufacturer, Roush Yates, continuously strives for the competitive advantage.Roush Yates Manufacturing SolutionsAutomotive racing is a lot like manufacturing. The team with the best crew, finest parts and most skilled driver often has a competitive advantage. Just like the manufacturer with the best workforce, equipment and leadership has a one-up on their competition. No one knows this better than a manufacturing company that was created to initially support a world-class race engine company that would compete at the highest levels of the motorsports industry, Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions.In this installment of Clocking In, I sit down with Bob Ucman, director of business development at Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions. Bob is responsible for keeping Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions competitive by expanding their reach into various industries. He has over 20 years of manufacturing experience.Out of the passion for power and performance excellence, Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions was formed. This unit provides world-class CNC machining of complex parts for critical applications into the aerospace, defense, automotive and other high-tech industries. The company is located in Mooresville, North Carolina. It also delivers expertise in multi-axis and waterjet processing of metal and plastic parts with complex geometries.In this episode, we discuss how the pandemic has affected the work Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions does, how Bob Ucman came to work in the manufacturing industry, how Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions grew from support Roush Yates Engines to become a manufacturing powerhouse of its own and more.LINKSNCMEPRoush Yates Manufacturing SolutionsABOUTPhil MintzPhil 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.Bob UcmanBob Ucman is the director of business development at Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions with over 20 years of manufacturing experience. He previously served as a technical sales specialist, application specialist and division manager for several different manufacturing organizations. Bob graduated from Valparaiso University with a BA in Recreation Land Use Planning.Check out the Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing website.