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US' Gaston College begins construction of Fibre Innovation Centre

05
Nov '21

Pic: Gaston College

Gaston College has initiated the construction of the Fibre Innovation Centre, an expansion of the college’s Kimbrell Campus and its textile technology centre. The innovation centre will provide a world-class facility to develop and test fibres for the advanced materials industry for use in proprietary products developed by national and international clients.

When the construction is completed, it will be the only North American facility open to industry that will house the entire range of advanced fibre development capabilities where scientists can start with an idea, move to small-scale trials, and work up to a commercially viable product ready for production, Gaston College said in a press release. Local and regional support from the textile industry and from the North Carolina office of state budget and management is helping make this state-of-the-art project possible.

“Today this groundbreaking represents a unique partnership that includes the Federal Government, the State of North Carolina, Gaston County, Gaston College, North Carolina State University, and our most important partner—private industry. I have worked with many partnerships and collaborations in my 24 years in the community college system, yet none compare to this. I am proud of our work and proud that we are owning our momentum as we join forces to build a world-class Fibre Innovation Centre,” Dr John Hauser, president of Gaston College, said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the centre.

“I have not seen in my lifetime in Gaston County a project with such overwhelming support from the state, county, city, academia, philanthropy, and industry. The Fibre Innovation Centre is the future of the textiles industry,” said Andy Warlick, chairman and CEO of Parkdale Mills.

The Fibre Innovation Centre represents Gaston College’s continuing commitment to the textile industry. For close to 80 years, the Textile Technology Center has played a significant role in helping the North Carolina textile industry remain competitive, manufacture quality products, and maintain a well-trained workforce. With this facility and the planned launch of a Textile Academy focused on addressing the workplace skills gap related to the textile industry, the college and the regional textile industry will be even more strongly woven together, the release added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)

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