50周年会议吸引近记录的与会者

Syfa举行了活泼的秋季会议，庆祝其成立50周年，并注册了170人。

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The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association celebrated its 50th anniversary during its recent fall conference. Under the theme “Past, Present & Future,” SYFA looked back on its 50 years while looking to the future of the industry.

To mark the occasion, the association prepared an augmented agenda that included its traditional speaker lineup over the two days of the event, along with a sit-down dinner featuring keynote speaker Kim Glas, president and CEO of the Washington-based textile advocacy group the National Council of Textile Organizations, and a panel discussion featuring six industry leaders who talked about the ideas of the past, present and future in-line with the conference’s theme.

The panel — moderated by188BET金博宝下载吉姆·伯恩曼（Jim Borneman）酋长的编辑 - 包括：

  • Amy Bircher, founder and owner of MMI Textiles Inc., Brooklyn, Ohio — a supplier and manufacturer of technical textile products;
  • Cameron Hamrick, president of Gaffney, S.C.-based weaving company Hamrick Mills Inc.;
  • 北卡罗来纳州加斯托尼亚的纱线制造公司Parkdale Mills Inc.的总裁兼首席执行官Charles Heilig；
  • Eddie Ingle, CEO and director of Unifi Inc. — a producer of premium, value-added fibers;
  • Leib Oehmig, CEO of Glen Raven Inc., Burlington, N.C. — a fabric manufacturing and marketing company; and
  • Jeff Price, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Milliken & Company — a global manufacturing company with textile, chemical, floor covering and healthcare divisions.

聚集的小组进行了深思熟虑的讨论，有时会分享经验和关注，以及未来几年纺织业的机会。

谈话要点涉及历史，诸如COVID-19大流行，可持续性，能源，自动化和人工智能等挑战之类的挑战。

（从左到右）：Hamrick Mills Inc.总裁Cameron Hamrick；查尔斯·海利格（Charles Heilig），
president and CEO, Parkdale Mills Inc.; Eddie Ingle, CEO and director, Unifi Inc.;
Amy Bircher, founder and owner, MMI Textiles Inc.; Leib Oehmig, CEO, Glen Raven Inc.; and Jeff Price, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives, Milliken & Company.

Bircher说：“从我的角度来看，有机会与其他五个人一起成为行业领导，增长，创新和可持续性良心的良好记录的小组成员是一次非常令人兴奋和有意义的经历。”“ MMI纺织品比其他公司要小得多，但是，我们对整个行业的相关和热情的方法一直很积极 - 从合作伙伴关系到协作，我们需要互相支持并找出克服方法来克服方法我们行业面临的许多挑战。我们不会停止投资于我们的行业，我们必须继续克服这些障碍，而是成功地推动我们进入下一章。”

“I would like to congratulate SYFA on its 50th anniversary,” Oehmig said. “I would also like to thank each SYFA member company, and188BET金博宝下载，您所做的一切都可以使我们的行业前进。成为我继续学到很多的行业领导者，这总是让我鼓舞人心。因此，有机会与行业中的同龄人和朋友一起参加小组讨论是美好的一天。”

与会者喜欢活动，尤其是小组讨论。“感谢Syfa在北卡罗来纳州夏洛特举行的杰出的50年纪念会议，”弗洛伊登伯格绩效材料Evolon的北美市场经理伊娃·威尔士（Eva Welsh）说，他多年来首次参加该活动。“会议期间出色的纺织行业小组讨论。”

扬声器和赞助商

Presentations were given by Wood MacKenzie’s Laura Murphy; Walmart’s Julie Rader; Gildan’s Nello Masciarelli; NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles’ Dr. Andre West; and Consultant Jeff Dugan. Murphy also presented Alasdair Carmichael’s “RPET in Fibers — What is Next for Sustainability” talk because the long-time SYFA board member was unable to attend the event. In addition, Joseph Plasky, a retired DuPont employee and former TYAA president was a guest speaker.

Conference sponsors for this special event included Diamond Sponsor Premiere Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsors Goulston Technologies and Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Teijin Aramid USA; Bronze Sponsors Avient, Thies Corp., Measured Solutions Inc. and Unifi Inc.; and Patrons Mariplast North America Inc. and188BET金博宝下载.

New SYFA Scholarship Fund, Golf Tournament

SYFA also announced the creation of the SYFA Scholarship Fund for Gaston Community College’s textile program. The association is planning a fundraising golf tournament before the Spring 2023 conference to support ongoing funding for the scholarship. “I know I’m not alone feeling a personal connection to supporting textile students financially, because, for many of us, scholarships are what initially attracted us to the industry,” said SYFA President Hardy Sullivan. “Whether it’s drawing people into textile manufacturing or the 2+2 feeder program with NC State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, we’re proud to be making a tangible effort to support the industry that has supported us.

Sullivan reflected on the event as the association is already looking to the next one.

“The conference was a fitting celebration of SYFA’s 50-year history of education and relationship building, and it was a great launching pad for what lies ahead,” he said. “For a normal SYFA conference we would be happy to bring in a speaker from Wal-Mart to discuss re-shoring, Gildan to cover resource conservation, or have a panelists of top industry leaders hosted by Jim Borneman. But to have them all, and more, in a single conference, was really special.

沙利文继续说：“ SYFA董事会非常感谢所有赞助，参加并参加秋季会议的人。”“有很多新面孔，我们期待在春季再次见到它们！”

The next SYFA conference is scheduled for April 20-21, 2023, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

November/December 2022