艾米·伯彻(Amy Bircher):新的IFAI主席

Amy Bircher

MMI Textiles的Amy Bircher分享了她对IFAI及其对该行业的价值的看法,以及纺织行业的总体,她开始担任IFAI董事会主席。

TWSpecial Report

A我的伯奇主义分子最近被任命为主席第53届e Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) at the IFAI Annual Meeting held during IFAI Expo 2021 in Nashville, Tenn. Bircher, founder and CEO of MMI Textiles Inc., Westlake, Ohio, succeeded outgoing Chairman Kathy Schaefer, CFO of Glawe Awning & Tent Co., Fairborn, Ohio.

自1997年以来,ISO 9001认证的MMI纺织品从事业务,专门提供技术纺织品(从编织和针织织物到织带,弹性,挂钩和环形紧固件等)到军事和战术,医疗和商业市场。该公司最初是作为制造商的代表运营的,现在还监督其自己的股票和定制产品的生产,其中许多是国内生产的。据该公司称,自从开业以来,它每年都经历了两位数的增长,这一事实将其归功于强大的供应商合作伙伴关系和客户承诺。该公司的增长包括2007年收购NDW Textiles Inc.,这是她的家人的转换业务,此后的业务规模四倍。MMI还在北卡罗来纳州莱诺尔开设了一个新的狭窄织造设施,该设施负责监督其专利的CTEdge®和其他MIL -SPEC狭窄织物的生产。

188BET金博宝下载recently had the opportunity to speak with Bircher as she embarks on her term as IFAI chairman.

TW: What led you to the textile industry?

桦树: My family owned and operated a textile dyeing and finishing plant in Lynchburg, S.C., from 1980 to 2000. I started cutting fabric swatches for customers at a very young age and then worked in various parts of the business during high school and college summers.

TW: IFAI reached its 100th anniversary last year? What do you see for your term as chairman, and how does the history of the organization impact your role?

桦树: It is quite a historical milestone for the association, and I am honored to be chosen as its 53rd chairman. IFAI is in the middle of an extensive rebranding exercise that will ultimately raise the brand perception and awareness within our textile industry so that IFAI can capture an audience that exists in growth markets for them, while maintaining the importance of legacy markets that are the heart of the association. Our board is very engaged in this important exercise and our membership is very excited and ready for this change. I would also like to continue to push for more collaboration among our divisions. In this ever-changing business environment, and with all of the issues that have come out of the pandemic, it is more important than ever to get out of the silo-effect and work across the industry to tap into growth opportunities and discuss common issues. It’s an exciting time for IFAI — it is a remarkable association with very strong leadership that is driven to take IFAI to the next level and provide member benefits that resonate with everyone.

TW: What do you think is the true value of IFAI membership?

桦树:几乎每个人都会说网络 - 是的。为了发展您的业务并保持相关性,您需要在任何行业中尽可能多地进行联网。IFAI提供了做到这一点的平台 - 具有出色教育内容,网络研讨会,倡导和在线连接论坛的网络活动,该论坛已经产生了同行团体共同分享共同的问题。

TW:您如何看待IFAI的作用,该组织对美国纺织业行业意味着什么,尤其是今年对医疗纺织品的需求增加?

桦树:这绝对是该协会的重点 - 在医疗纺织品空间中发展其足迹。IFAI在大流行期间与许多其他组织(NCTO,Inda,effoa,seams等等)合作,以共同努力,为美国制造的个人保护设备(PPE)而战 - 在非常困难的时期,这确实帮助了Ifai的品牌。我相信,这是IFAI的关键时刻,并真正阐明了史蒂夫·席夫曼(Steve Schiffman)的领导。IFAI有一个军事部门和USIFI倡导,强烈支持浆果修正案。这些部门的成员确实在2020年努力使纺织品掩盖和礼服生产商,并推动为国内生产的PPE做出长期承诺。

TW: As the leader of an innovative textile business, how do you see the current state of the industry, including current and/or future challenges and opportunities?

桦树:不幸的是,纺织行业已经解决了可能不会很快消失的棘手问题。从劳动问题到供应链问题,每个人都在努力及时为客户提供产品。这些是前所未有的时期,也是我在长期纺织生涯中从未见过的。这也是与客户成为好伙伴并在满足他们的需求方面具有创造力的时刻的时候。我们一直在创新,并寻找前进的机会,我们将度过这些挑战的时代。最后,我认为我们会比以前更强大,并获得了我们从未想过要寻找的知识。我们正在不断投资于我们的行业,2022年,MMI纺织品正在搬到我们在俄亥俄州克利夫兰市的40,000平方英尺的总部设施,我们正在北卡罗来纳州的Lenoir添加设备,狭窄的编织设施以扩大能力和能力。

TW: For textile industry leaders who step forward to serve in elected positions, there is a tremendous commitment of time and brain power to the duties involved. How will you balance those new demands with your responsibilities at MMI Textiles?

桦树: Thankfully I have the best team in place within MMI Textiles that will allow me to have the time to commit to my responsibilities as chairman. I have also had time to prepare for this moment. I take this role and responsibility seriously — MMI stands for Me, Myself, and I — a commitment that I will give 110 percent to anything that I do. And that is the same with my responsibilities as IFAI chairman.

TW: Trade has been a significant issue for the current administration. What are your thoughts as IFAI chairman as well as a CEO of a company with global business interests?

桦树: From an MMI perspective, trade has been, and always will be, a tough topic for business — we live in a global environment with trade policies evolving and potentially changing all the time. We import product from Asia, including China, and while tariffs affected me when they were put in place, I actually agree with them. What has been difficult is the tariff exclusions for PPE. We have proven that the United States can produce PPE products and we need to have those products produced on American soil. What happened when we were cut off from PPE out of Asia — where some 80 percent was produced pre-pandemic — and the subsequent price gouging is a wake-up call that we can’t rely on foreign entities to keep us healthy and safe. Now we are fighting for “Made in USA” PPE laws so that all of the companies that made huge investments in equipment can continue to produce PPE in this country.

从IFAI的角度来看,该组织是全球性的,必须在其对贸易的看法中保持中立,但是它确实具有USIFI部门,倡导监管和立法问题以保护其基于美国的制造成员资格。

TW:想象一下,您正在回顾自己担任董事长的一年。IFAI在哪里,您对组织做出了什么贡献?

桦树:一年后,我希望我为史蒂夫和他的领导团队提供了他们所需要的支持,以继续以他们每天接近愿景和使命的方式推动他们前进。我们还将完成品牌重塑,并向整个行业推出。

TW:您将来对IFAI的看法是什么,除了您担任董事长的任期之外,您会看到什么?

桦树: Post chairman role, I see great IFAI board leaders and next chairmen continuing the hard work and support of Steve Schiffman and his team to stay the course they have taken in their strategic vision for IFAI. The organization will continue to evolve and will not only strengthen and grow its core divisions, but will add new markets that feel the need to belong to IFAI.

November/December 2021