Presentation for americas competitiveness tour

Making Things Work in Rural America

Brief History of MSC

• Started in 1990 as The Hosiery Technology Center at the request of local industry with small grant funding - less than $75,000

• Part of Catawba Valley Community College • 21 full time and 12 part time people who all came from industry • Changed name 4 years ago to The Manufacturing Solutions Center • Currently 60% self funding and 40 % state and federal funding

Mission – Promote and create jobs in the US

www.manufacturingsolutionscenter.org

Industries We Serve – It’s Not Just Hosiery Anymore

Medical Devices Motorcycles Safety Protection Foam

Textiles – Upholstery, etc

Food Green Mfg Logistics

Plastics Retail Energy Bio-Tech

Aerospace Furniture Shoe and Shoelace Water Purification

What Do We Do at MSC?

• Testing • Prototyping • Applied R&D • Sourcing • Entrepreneur Help • Export Help • Technical Resource for Industry • Technician Training

Manufacturing Solutions Center Testing - Utilized Worldwide

We Are A Little Different Than Most Testing Labs • We Invite Customer Interaction. • Strict Confidentiality • Fast Accurate Results • ISO 17025 Lab Certification, CPSC Certified • We focus on finding and solving the problem.

.

Using 3D CAD, and Rapid Prototyping to speed products into production…

Z510 Spectrum 3D printer capabilities…

Entrepreneur Projects Coming from Everywhere!

From R&D, Sample Development, Logos, Websites, Catalogs, Packaging, Distribution, Exporting/Logistics we have or have partnerships to make a business successful!!!!

• Over $30,000,000 in new sales

• 75/1 return on investment • Sales have continued since through private network that was created. Much higher

return now than the 75/1. • Learned about International Trade from US Dept of Commerce Partners – • Joint marketing is still being used today - SEAMS Apparel Association. • Other Industries Are Benefitting – American Furniture Exporters created as a result of

MDCPwww.americanfurnitureexporters.com

Exporting Success - Market Development Cooperator Program

MDCP Success Recognized In DC

Why Did Our Marketing Strategy Work?

Did they come to see these guys? Or Her?????

Our Partners

Outgrew Our Old Building and Received EDA Grant to Build This Building –

• Received Money Fall 2011 • Broke Ground February 2012 • Moved in October 2012 • Building built on time and on budget at $100/sq. ft • Up and running in 4 days, move performed by staff • Increased space from 8,300 sq... ft to 30,000 sq... ft • Allowed us to expand services and add things such as incubator

space, structural testing and outreach to schools, etc (more on that later)

What Has Happened Since October 2012?

• Export Ready Road Show Held Here from NCDOC with representatives from 7 foreign countries

• Visitors and training held for such companies as Nike, Smartwool, REI, Gymboree, Gildan, Adidas and others

• 3 incubator clients have started at MSC, one has graduated and created 5 employees total, one is getting close and the other is building.

• Testing Volume Up 20%

Testing expanded to 1051 companies in 32 Countries Worldwide

www.manufacturingsolutionscenter.org

Outreach to Schools/Youth/Public • Over 400 attended grand opening from several states • Over 2000 Catawba County School principals, students,

teachers and board members have toured the MSC. Seven interns have worked at MSC.

• 4 radio program interviews, PBS, 2 local tv affiliates have done stories plus numerous newspaper articles, Entrepreneur Magazine – June 2014

• Outreach to UNC, NCSU, WCU and ASU to see how we can work with their students

Worked with Companies on New Product Launches!

What About Furniture?

Structural Testing Up 100% with Many New Customers Nationwide!

Just got back from Trade Mission to Guadalajara, Mexico

Sourcing-A Whole New Level

• Increasing almost daily – 4 people on staff who do this regularly • Everything from socks, apparel, furniture, plastics, lighting, etc • Mills do a poor job of telling folks what they do, minimums required • No one wants to handle entrepreneurs but missing out on a huge

opportunity! • Could not handle all Cut and Sew plus hosiery inquiries so started

Carolina Textile District, partnered and wrote a grant

Investing in Manufacturing Communities Challenge (IMCP) Phase 1 Project - Carolina Textile District • Started in May 2014 • Hired Intake Coordinator • Set up a system to handle clients • Formed a network of 28 companies from seven states that are

producing goods • Handled 303 clients from 36 states in 9 month time period • Created http://www.carolinatextiledistrict.com

IMCP Impacts – 9 months for Carolina Textile District

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Children’s Hospital Beanies – Organic Fabric from Turkey -Created and Sewn in the USA

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Cuddly Monkeys from Sock Entrepreneur and Local Sock Company

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

New Brand now being sold online, boutiques all over the South and at Belk’s Department Stores

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

As seen on CBS Sunday Morning Featured in The New York Times and on My Cat From Hell, Catnip magazine Cat Harness of the Year!

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Upcycled Sari’s from India, product designed and produced in USA!!

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Look at The Masters Golf Tournament Next Week – Products from the Carolina Textile District Will Be There!!

Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS

Designed in New York - Produced by The Carolina Textile District – Exported to Japan!

(Gina Made It)

Why Do We Need IMCP 2 Designation?

Demand for Services is On FIRE and Our Window of Opportunity is Small, We have to SCALE UP Quickly!

Basically we want to take this to another level for an entire region of the US and add more industries!!

How Can We Do This In Our Region? -

• Realize that your region has creative, smart people with certain skill strengths - Be Who You Are As A Country/Region/Company

• It is not about how much money you have but how you spend what you have – Get Creative and Partner!

• Innovative thinking by education and public officials • Small nimble companies connecting with entrepreneurs • Need a catalyst to network and make things happen • Coopetition - Two or more competitors working together to achieve a

common goal. • It does not matter who gets the credit –

Time for a Tour!! • We have 13 stations and a number at each table • Will rotate from each station until you are through the MSC. • Will have guides to take you to where you start and to make sure you

will not get lost • Just a few minutes at each station. • Coming back for Lunch and Network and Chance to See the Booths

and our Incubator Tennants!