BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA — Earth Renewable Technology (ERT) aims to create conventional, recycled and biobased polymers with their innovative polymeric microfibers. ERT worked with Charlotte’s Polymers Center of Excellence (PCE), a North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) partner, to help develop their products and manufacturing practices while in the startup phase of their business.
ERT needed to introduce an innovative, bio-based polymeric microfiber into the market as quickly and efficiently as possible. They turned to PCE for production and product development expertise, as well as access to expensive equipment.
“We didn’t have in-house production capabilities, so having access to a variety of instrumentation, both with compounding sample production as well as the laboratory facility, was very attractive to us,” said Carmen Finnessy, ERT’s Director of Technology. “It was a much more cost effective route for us to come here and use a variety of twin screw sizes, for instance, that we wouldn’t have had access to anywhere else.”
As a result of utilizing PCE as a knowledge resource, ERT was able to shorten product development cycle time cut and reduce inefficiencies, allowing ERT to get their products to market faster.
Read the full success story here or view the video here.
Contact: Teresa A. Bradford, Marketing Director, NCMEP
About NCMEP
The North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) is the official representative of the MEP National Network™ and NIST MEP in North Carolina. The MEP National Network™ is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. NCMEP is administered by NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) and is joined by partners from the North Carolina Community College System, NCWorks Customized Training; the Economic Development Partnership of NC; the Polymers Center of Excellence; the Manufacturing Solutions Center; and North Carolina A&T State University.
About Polymer Center of Excellence
The Polymers Center of Excellence is a not-for-profit 501(c)6 organization created by the state of North Carolina to increase knowledge, provide technical support, and assist in the development of emerging technologies in the plastics industry.
