TO THE POINT blog
Stay up-to-date with industry updates, professional development trends, safety tips and more from IES experts
RECAP: Building a Collaborative Manufacturing Ecosystem In Support of the Department of Defense Forum
On April 27, 2023, NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Defense Industry Initiatives and the Defense Alliance of North Carolina (DANC) in partnership with Business High Point-Chamber of Commerce, Visit High Point and Heroes Center, hosted the Building a Collaborative Manufacturing Ecosystem In Support of the Department of Defense (DoD) event in High Point, North Carolina.

NC Textile Company Finds Help With Labor Among Inmates
Kings Mountain, NC textile company and NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) client STI Fabrics have found relief for their labor shortages by hiring men incarcerated at a local prison. The company pays these inmates the same wage as other entry-level workers...

IES Employee Spotlight: Angela Barger
Angela Barger is an Improvement Specialist at NC State University Industry Expansions (IES), where she assists organizations pursuing environmental management systems registration to achieve their goals through coaching and mentoring. She also performs training and...

Mexican Food and Mental Health
Last night I had dinner at a favorite, local Mexican restaurant. It’s a bit of a dive and quite small, but the food is amazing. A wall-mounted television was set on a soccer game while music with a distinctly Latin feel spilled out of two JBL speakers strategically...

Four Common Mistakes Companies Make When Implementing a Quality Management System
Quality management systems (QMS) are essential for companies looking to streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction and comply with regulations. Implementing a QMS, however, is no easy task. Many companies make mistakes that can derail the effectiveness of their quality management system.

Business NC: Mintz keys N.C. State push to aid manufacturers
Business North Carolina profiles NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) director Phil Mintz in an April 17th blog. Mintz discusses MFGCON 23, his background as an engineer, the solutions IES and NCMEP...

Four Reasons Why You Should Attend the North Carolina Manufacturing Conference, MFGCON, on April 20-21, 2023
Manufacturing is a vital industry that contributes significantly to the economy of our state and our nation. The North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership’s annual Manufacturing Conference (MFGCON) brings together manufacturers, suppliers, industry experts,...

Managing Stress for a Better Life
April is Stress Awareness Month. Stress is a common experience that everyone goes through at some point in their lives. It can be caused by different factors such as work pressure, relationship issues, financial difficulties and health problems. While stress may be a...
The North Carolina Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program is in the News!
The Speciality Fabrics Review, an Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) publication, recently interviewed Michael Mullins, the director of Defense Industry Initiatives, NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions, about the North Carolina Defense Manufacturing...

Another Fruitful Hack
Headlines regularly feature “Hack,” “Breach” or “Cybersecurity,” but it’s not often that we feel the brunt of these on our dinner plate, or in this case, salad bowl. You may think of pineapple (or sliced fruit cups) when you think of Dole, or maybe Dole Whips (anybody...