1. Making Things Work in Rural America

2. 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

3. 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

4. What Do We Do at MSC?
• Testing
• Prototyping
• Applied R&D
• Sourcing
• Entrepreneur Help
• Export Help
• Technical Resource for Industry
• Technician Training

5. 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.
.

6. Using 3D CAD, and Rapid Prototyping to speed
products into production…
Z510 Spectrum 3D printer capabilities…

7. 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!!!!

8. • 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

9. MDCP Success Recognized In DC

10. Why Did Our Marketing Strategy Work?
Did they come to see these guys?
Or Her?????

11. Our Partners

12. 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)

13. 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%

14. Testing expanded to 1051 companies in 32 Countries Worldwide

16. www.manufacturingsolutionscenter.org

17. 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

18. Worked with Companies on
New Product Launches!

19. What About Furniture?
Structural Testing Up 100% with
Many New Customers
Nationwide!
Just got back from Trade Mission to
Guadalajara, Mexico

20. 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

21. 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

22. IMCP Impacts – 9 months for Carolina Textile District

23. Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies
+ Networking =BIG IMPACTS
Children’s Hospital Beanies – Organic
Fabric from Turkey -Created and Sewn
in the USA

24. Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small Companies
+ Networking =BIG IMPACTS
Cuddly Monkeys from Sock
Entrepreneur and Local Sock Company

25. 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

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

27. 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!

28. Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small
Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS
Upcycled Sari’s from India, product designed and
produced in USA!!

29. 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!!

30. Success Formula- Entrepreneurs+Small
Companies + Networking =BIG IMPACTS
Designed in New York - Produced by The Carolina
Textile District – Exported to Japan!
(Gina Made It)

31. 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!!

32. 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 –

33. 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!