The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) is a statewide business development and technology transition entity of the State of North Carolina, embedded in community colleges and headquartered at Fayetteville Technical Community College. The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve the quality of life in North Carolina. The North Carolina Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) is a unit within the NCMBC. DEFTECH is the North Carolina hub for communications and collaborations between the Department of Defense (DoD) and Homeland Security and the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Both the NCMBC and DEFTECH are partners on the NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP) grant. The DMCSP grant is making long-term investments in critical skills, facilities, workforce development, research and development by providing guidance and resources to innovators looking to create a market for their advanced textiles and smart wearables in the defense industry. The two organizations are members of the grant Advocacy and Outreach group and in that role, DEFTECH held a series of five weekly coffee calls on advanced textiles during March 2023.
The following DEFTECH Coffee Calls were held in support of the DMCSP and offer valuable information about programs and opportunities available to North Carolina manufacturers. Click on the title of the presentation to listen to the discussion:
- March 3, 2023, the topic of discussion was “Military Needs for Innovation in Textiles and Nonwovens.” The guest speaker was Laurra C. Winters, Director of the Navy Clothing & Textile Research Facility (NCTRF).
- March 10, 2023, the topic of discussion was “Innovations in Textiles: Results of a Study Commissioned by the North Carolina Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (NC DMCSP).” The guest speakers included Steve McManus, Technology Commercialization, Research Triangle Institute (RTI) (DMCSP partner) and Emil Runge, Director of Programs, First Flight Venture Center (DMCSP partner).
- March 17, 2023, the topic of discussion was “Dr. Andre West’s Current Military Research and The New Flex Factory at Wilson College of Textiles.” Dr. Andre West is the Director of Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), NC State Wilson College of Textiles (DMCSP partner).
- March 24, 2023, the topic of discussion was “The Nonwovens Institute – Collaboration Opportunities.” The guest speaker was Thomas Daugherty, Deputy Director, The Nonwovens Institute at NC State University.
- March 31, 2023, the topic of discussion was “Textile Innovation in North Carolina” and a tour of the new Manufacturing Solutions Center (DMCSP partner) Building II in Conover, North Carolina. The guest speakers were Jeff Neuville, Director, MSC and Tony Whitener, Director, Special Projects/Entrepreneur Development, MSC and Tanya Wade, PPE/Textile Resource Lab Manager, MSC.
The Manufacturing Solutions Center is part of Catawba Valley Community College with a mission to support US manufacturers and to help create and retain US manufacturing jobs. The Center has a testing lab accredited to ISO 17025, provides textile and non-textile product development support to entrepreneurs and existing manufacturers, provides sourcing assistance to connect manufacturers to US suppliers and materials, and hosts an on-site incubator for manufacturing start-ups. Since 2019 the Center has helped create and retain over 200 jobs and has had a positive economic impact of over $30 million based on third-party surveys. The Center’s customer base includes over 3000 companies representing all 50 states.
The NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions Defense Industry Initiatives team partners with public and private organizations in North Carolina to connect entrepreneurs, researchers, educational institutions and manufacturers to support innovation and all phases of product development for smart textiles and wearables in support of the lethality of the warfighter.
Quarterly forums are held in communities across the state to inform of the opportunities to work with the Department of Defense. The next event will be a Defense Manufacturing Summit & Exhibition at the Emerging Technology Institute in Red Springs, NC on September 7, 2023. Follow NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions on LinkedIn to learn about upcoming events and symposiums!
