Home Care In Glen Raven, NC

following the retirement of Steve Ellington on Jan. 1, 2024. Kelley and Ellington will work closely during the transition to provide customers and industry with continued support.

“Bret is laser-focused on solutions for Trivantage customers,” said Leib Oehmig, CEO of Glen Raven. “He demonstrates every day the power of relationships and puts the customer first and foremost in every decision. Bret’s vision and tireless energy will serve him well as the next president of Trivantage.”

Kelley has served as vice president of sales for Trivantage since 2014 and his career in the high-performance textile industry spans nearly 30 years. He joined Trivantage after 21 years with Highland Industries, Inc., where he led sales and marketing efforts for technical fabrics in commercial, industrial and military applications.

“At Trivantage, we need to be where our customers are before they get there,” Kelley said. “Our partners are evolving at a rapid pace and we are committed to their success over the long term. My priority is to ensure customers can count on Trivantage for new product innovation, best-in-class service and a customer experience that is second to none.”

Ellington has made a significant contribution to the growth of Glen Raven’s global business during his 41-year career with the company. He served as president and general manager of Glen Raven Custom Fabrics and was instrumental in the acquisition of Dickson-Constant, which established Glen Raven as a global company. He also was instrumental in the formation of Trivantage, one of Glen Raven’s largest global subsidiaries, and has led the distribution and marketing services business since 2009.

Ellington said Kelley’s passion for serving customers and earning their trust will continue to transform how Trivantage serves its partners.

“Bret’s deep industry knowledge, strategic vision and customer-centric approach make him the ideal choice to lead Trivantage into its next phase of growth,” Ellington said. “He is a trusted advisor who is steadfast in his commitment to our industry and the customers we serve. I look forward to working with Bret in the months ahead to ensure our transition is seamless and provide the support our customers count on from Trivantage.”

About Glen Raven Founded in 1880, Glen Raven, Inc. is a family-owned company known for delivering innovative fabrics and solutions with compelling design and exceptional quality through a portfolio of global businesses. The company serves a variety of markets, such as shade, marine, furniture, window, protective and more through category-leading brands including Sunbrella^®, Dickson^®and GlenGuard^® as well as its Trivantage^® distribution and Glen Raven Logistics businesses. Headquartered in Burlington, N.C., Glen Raven, Inc. has a presence in 23 countries and multiple production facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia to serve the global market. For more information, visit https://www.glenraven.com/.

About Trivantage Trivantage is the nation’s one-stop shop for fabrics, hardware, accessories and expertise for the awning, marine, upholstery, shade sail, window covering and related industries. Trivantage offers over 9,000 products, including wholesale performance fabric by the yard, hardware, cordage, trim, thread and more. Its best-in-class customer experience, hassle-free ordering, personalized service and commitment to having the largest inventory are second to none in industries where orders must be done right the first time. Visit Trivantage.com or connect @Trivantage on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Glen Raven, Inc., a producer of performance fabrics, has named Bret Kelley as the next president of its Trivantage distribution business following the retirement of Steve Ellington on Jan. 1, 2024. Kelley and Ellington will work closely during the transition to provide customers and industry with continued support.

“Bret is laser-focused on solutions for Trivantage customers,” said Leib Oehmig, CEO of Glen Raven. “He demonstrates every day the power of relationships and puts the customer first and foremost in every decision. Bret’s vision and tireless energy will serve him well as the next president of Trivantage.”

Kelley has served as vice president of sales for Trivantage since 2014, and his career in the high-performance textile industry spans nearly 30 years. He joined Trivantage after 21 years with Highland Industries, where he led sales and marketing efforts for technical fabrics in commercial, industrial and military applications.

“At Trivantage, we need to be where our customers are before they get there,” Kelley said. “Our partners are evolving at a rapid pace and we are committed to their success over the long term. My priority is to ensure customers can count on Trivantage for new product innovation, best-in-class service and a customer experience that is second to none.”

Ellington contributed to the growth of Glen Raven’s global business during his 41-year career with the company. He served as president and general manager of Glen Raven Custom Fabrics and was instrumental in the acquisition of Dickson-Constant, which established Glen Raven as a global company. He also was instrumental in the formation of Trivantage, one of Glen Raven’s largest global subsidiaries, and has led the distribution and marketing services business since 2009.

Ellington said Kelley’s passion for serving customers and earning their trust will continue to transform how Trivantage serves its partners.

“Bret’s deep industry knowledge, strategic vision and customer-centric approach make him the ideal choice to lead Trivantage into its next phase of growth,” Ellington said. “He is a trusted advisor who is steadfast in his commitment to our industry and the customers we serve. I look forward to working with Bret in the months ahead to ensure our transition is seamless and provide the support our customers count on from Trivantage.”

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NORLINA – Glen Raven, Inc. Custom Fabrics, LLC, has announced its plan to expand its Norlina plant in Warren County, NC. The expansion will create 205 new jobs, anticipated to be approximately $6.5 million in annual salaries, with an average salary of $31,710; this exceeds the median income for Warren County. The capital investment is $82,000,000 ($58,000,000 in real property and $24,000,000 in personal property).

“Glen Raven has been an indispensable fixture of our business community for 37 years. To take part in the company’s realization of their strategic growth doesn’t just feel good; it feels right,” stated Charla Duncan, Warren County Economic Development Director, who commented that as a native of Warren County, she hasn’t known a day of her life that Glen Raven hasn’t supported working families in the region.

“As a halo county of the Triangle, we look very different than our urban and more populous neighbors, and we’re ok with that because we know that Warren County, too, can be a place for sustainability, growth, and vitality. It’s our goal to be a part of the Glen Raven family as well, knowing that in turn, we are also supporting our families here in the community.”

Governor Roy Cooper announced on July 21 that a performance-based grant of $1,000,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate this expansion.

The Warren County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a local incentive package to compete for the expansion of this existing Warren County industry.

The total local incentive package offered to Glen Raven includes 10 annual performance-based grants equaling 60% of the paid tax liability for the year and a fee waiver of up to $150,000 in county building and inspection fees. The grant will not be issued until the year’s property taxes have been paid.

“With the devotion and commitment of the County Commissioners, coupled with the hard work of our staff, we were able to secure this much needed economic growth,” stated Tare “T” Davis, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Commissioners. “This expansion speaks to what the citizens have been asking to happen in Warren County- good paying jobs and good opportunity for people to advance. We look forward to a continued partnership with Glen Raven.”

“Glen Raven has been an anchor in our local, regional, and state business community for decades. We are thrilled that they have called Warren County home for so long and that they believe our community can help in the growth of their company,” said Victor Hunt, Vice Chair of the Warren County Board of Commissioners and member of the Economic Development Commission board.

Glen Raven, a 2020 Governor’s Export Award Winner (NC), is a global company headquartered in North Carolina, recognized by the state for being a Top Large Business Exporter. Founded in 1880, Glen Raven is a provider of performance fabrics with sales in more than 120 countries. The Glen Raven Norlina Plant, which commenced operations in 1984, produces the synthetic yarn used in the performance fabrics, including their well-known flagship Sunbrella brand of performance fabrics.

“This project is a trajectory changer for Warren County. Glen Raven has recognized the value in Warren County, the workforce we can attract, and how that will positively impact their bottom line,” commented County Manager Vincent Jones. “I have to commend our Board of Commissioners for pushing us as County staff for results, as well as our Warren County team that helped us through this economic development process, especially our Community & Economic Development Director, Charla Duncan, who led our efforts.”

Glen Raven plans to renovate the existing building, constructed in 1970, as well as add new buildings and new equipment.

“We know there is value and opportunity here in Warren County, and we are thankful for this level of investment,” said Jones.

For more information, contact the Warren County Community & Economic Development Director at 252-257-3114 or by emailing Charla Duncan at [email protected].

As part of its ongoing commitment to support customers, expand capacity and meet record demand for its Sunbrella performance fabrics, Burlington-based Glen Raven Inc. has announced a second round of significant investments in facilities and infrastructure.

The $250 million investment represents phase two of a multi-phase expansion plan specifically focused on growing Glen Raven’s U.S. capacity. The expansion will include additional production facilities and a new distribution center in the U.S., as well as new equipment to increase output levels for Glen Raven’s Custom Fabrics division, which includes Sunbrella fabrics.

“As with many other industries, we’ve continued to battle unforeseen supply chain disruptions and raw material shortages,” said Glen Raven Custom Fabrics President Dave Swers. “We’re producing more Sunbrella fabric than ever before and are committed to investing a quarter of a billion dollars in our operations to support our customers in the long term. We’re doing everything possible to better meet their expectations today and return to the service levels that have defined our reputation in the industry for decades.”

Glen Raven’s phase two investments build on its phase one investments to expand production at all levels, from yarn to finished fabric. Phase three planning is underway and details will be announced at a later date. The investments will increase the company’s production capabilities by more than 30%, in addition to creating more than 400 new jobs across the country.

Phase two investments include:

“We’re going to keep focusing on our partnerships and building for the future as demonstrated by these actions,” Swers said. “We remain resilient and determined to implement strategic initiatives that will make a positive and lasting impact for our customers, employees and the textile industry as a whole.”

Founded in 1880, Glen Raven Inc. is a family-owned company with a portfolio of global businesses built around category-leading brands. The company manufactures a host of textiles for a variety of markets including awning, marine, furniture, protective, military and more.

The company’s three divisions include Glen Raven Custom Fabrics with flagship brands Sunbrella and Dickson; Glen Raven Technical Fabrics with GlenGuard, Strata and Glen Raven Logistics; and distribution subsidiary Trivantage. It has multiple production facilities in the U.S., as well as Europe and Asia. The largest plant is in Anderson, South Carolina, which is vertically integrated to include yarn spinning, fabric weaving and finishing capabilities, and third-party-certified test facilities.

Glen Raven, Inc., a producer of synthetic yarns, has announced plans for an $82 million expansion for its Norlina plant that is expected to bring more than 205 new jobs to the community.

Tare “T” Davis, chairman of the Warren County Board of Commissioners, told the newspaper that the expansion project would address needs expressed by local citizens.

“The citizens of Warren County, for a very long time, have been asking their commissioners to attract good paying jobs, good industries that are good for the areas, to bring good jobs and good economic growth. We took this as our marching orders,” he said.

Warren County government announced that the Norlina plant was in the running for the expansion in June when county Economic Director Charla Duncan told county commissioners that the expansion had a potential investment of $58 million in real property and $24 million in personal property, which would include renovation to the local facility on US Highway 1 in Norlina and construction of new buildings.

Last month, county commissioners approved offering, over a 10-year period, annual tax grants equal to 60 percent of the paid tax liability for the year on the new liability based on the value as appraised by the Warren County tax office. This incentive totals just over $3.2 million. At the same time, the county would retain $2.1 million in new tax revenue over the 10-year period.

The board of county commissioners also waived up to $150,000 in county inspection and building permit fees, and approved a resolution to make application for a North Carolina Commerce Building Reuse Grant with a match of up to $25,000.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced the expansion on July 21 with a news release indicating Warren County would see a $6.5 million payroll impact from the new jobs being created that would carry with them an average salary above the county’s average wage of $30,494.

“Ever since Glen Raven was founded in the great state of North Carolina in 1880, we’ve invested in our community and have celebrated many accomplishments together,” Leib Ohemig, the company’s chief executive officer, states in the news release. “We look forward to building on this legacy as we further grow and strengthen both Warren County and Glen Raven for the future.”

With a portfolio of global businesses, Glen Raven includes divisions focusing on custom fabrics, technical fabrics, fabric marketing and logistics. It is known for such brands as Sunbrella© and Dickson©. The company provides performance fabrics sold in more than 120 countries. Glen Raven’s existing Norlina building was constructed in 1970.

Gov. Cooper also announced last week that the One North Carolina Fund had awarded a performance-based grant of $1 million to facilitate expansion plans. The Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no funds upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. The grants require a local government match.

In a news release from Warren County government, county Economic Development Director Charla Duncan said that Glen Raven has been a fixture in the community for more than three decades.

“Glen Raven has been an indispensable fixture of our business community for thirty-seven years,” she said. “To take part in the company’s realization of their strategic growth plan doesn’t just feel good; it feels right.”

In the county news release, Warren County Manager Vincent Jones said that the expansion project represents the efforts of many people.

“This project is a trajectory changer for Warren County,” he said. “Glen Raven has recognized the value in Warren County, the workforce we can attract, and how that will positively impact their bottom line. I have to commend our board of commissioners for pushing us as county staff for results, as well as our Warren County team that helped us through this economic development process, especially our Community & Economic Development Director, Charla Duncan, who led our efforts.”

Davis echoed Jones’ statement.

“This expansion speaks to the hard work and dedication of private and public partnerships in a rural community,” Davis told the newspaper. “Glen Raven has been a long time in the community and has done wonderful things for the community.”

He expressed appreciation to all partners involved in efforts to bring the expansion to Norlina, including Warren County administrators, Glen Raven and the governor’s office.

Davis said that he hopes that the Glen Raven expansion represents the first of many economic development opportunities that will come to Warren County in the future.

“We are just so excited. This is one of many to come,” he said. “We are working hard to build relationships and bring economic growth to the citizens of Warren County.”

For Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, LLC, the expansion of its 200,000-square-foot Norlina plant extends beyond the brick and mortar structure to include people and technology.

The Norlina plant manufactures synthetic yarn to be woven into its flagship product, Sunbrella.

Motorists traveling along U.S. 1 can see that the expansion project has progressed significantly since Glen Raven, Inc. announced the plant expansion with an investment of up to $82 million in Norlina in July 2021.

The expansion project is expected to expand the Norlina plant’s physical base by 1 1/2 times, said Plant Manager Todd Wemyss.

However, he added that the expansion represents more than an opportunity for growth and to increase self-sufficiency as part of the growth process.

“Glen Raven, for over 130 years, has been a family-owned business,” Wemyss said. “As we grow, we look to take care of our associates, business and community.”

The Norlina plant’s presence in the community is evident in that most of its current associates reside in the local region: Warren, Vance and Granville Counties in North Carolina and locations in southern Virginia. Wemyss estimated that the furthest that Glen Raven employees travel each day to come to work is between an hour and an hour and a half.

The Norlina plant’s impact on the local labor force will continue to grow for some time to come. When Glen Raven announced the expansion, it also announced plans to add an anticipated 200 jobs, expanding its base of associates 1 1/2 times.”

Wemyss said that between 40 and 50 people have joined the Glen Raven team with more employees to be added in 20-30 person increments until the full operation is achieved in early 2023. He indicated that the incremental hiring allows time for new employees to complete training and to receive more individualized attention as they prepare for their new positions.

The new associates will join an existing base of employees who have worked with Glen Raven for between one day and 40 years.

As the expansion progresses, upgraded equipment will be installed in increments.

“As the equipment is added and fully installed, we will add people,” Wemyss said. “The people we are hiring and the people already there will help install the equipment. With this knowledge gained and additional training, they will work the equipment.”

Glen Raven will continue to run the legacy plant portion of its Norlina facility during expansion. The expanded plant is expected to reach partial operation by the middle of this year.

During the expansion, Glen Raven will utilize a building on Norlina’s Hyco Street for at least 18 months for training and inboarding, Wemyss said.

Wemyss said that Glen Raven’s existing employees will play a key role in helping new associates learn the ins and outs of daily operations and to become skilled with the new technology.

“As we start to install equipment, we hope to have a blend of experienced and newly-hired people,” he said. “We hope to build knowledge and enthusiasm for the same purpose: ungraded technology.”

Wemyss said that the construction phase of the expansion project is running on schedule. Equipment installation is expected to begin in April and continue into September.

He noted that community involvement will continue to be a focus for Glen Raven.

“We are working to have a structured focus to be effective in helping the community,” Wemyss said.

Glen Raven has been a stalwart of U.S. textile manufacturing since it was founded in the 1880s. It has evolved through the decades to stay ahead of the ever-changing industry. The privately-held North Carolina-headquartered company is owned by the Gant family. One of the biggest recent changes is at the top, where, for the first time, someone outside the family is CEO.

Leib Oehmig, who joined the company in 1989, succeeded Allen Gant last October, following a four-year transition period. Oehmig is a native of Anderson, where the company operates its largest manufacturing facility. His first big project with Glen Raven was working with the team that conceptualized and oversaw construction of the Anderson plant, which began in 1994. He was associated with the operation until 2004.

Oehmig has a strong textile industry heritage. His dad spent 30 years in the industry before moving into real estate sales and development. When another large textile manufacturer recruited Oehmig, his dad offered advice that he says has served him well during his career.

“He simply said, ‘Before you commit to this opportunity, please make an inquiry to Glen Raven,’” Oehmig recalls. “He said Glen Raven is a company with incredible integrity, a high level of commitment to its employees, and they have something really special in their Sunbrella brand of fabrics.”

His recent promotion notwithstanding, Oehmig says the 15 years he spent working in Anderson remains the highlight of his career. He says Anderson employees were incredibly generous and patient in providing him with industry knowledge.

“Having spent more than half my life with Glen Raven, these associates remain very much like family to me,” Oehmig notes. “Regardless of the title given to my position within Glen Raven, it only defines what I do and not who I am. Therefore, many of our associates still see me as the young man walking in the door in 1989 and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope to make them proud.”

The new Glen Raven CEO grew up in a family of Clemson fans. So, it’s not surprising his parents were a little taken aback when he announced he would be attending the University of South Carolina. But after two years, they convinced him to switch schools.

“I had a wonderful experience at USC, but after two years, my parents came to me with a “return to Clemson” package that included moving from a dorm at USC to a condo in Clemson. Along with other benefits they offered, it was compelling. Therefore, I transferred to Clemson to finish my undergraduate degree in business, and then completed Clemson’s MBA program.”

Oehmig says the company’s overall business is good, and it continues to grow. Glen Raven now considers itself a marketing company with textile manufacturing assets. The largest of those assets is the Anderson facility, which has been Glen Raven’s flagship plant since it opened in the mid 1990s. With nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing space, it is the company’s primary producer of Sunbrella fabrics, its best-known consumer brand. Approximately 750 people work there.

Globally, Glen Raven has 40 locations in 17 countries on six continents. Operating three divisions—Custom Fabrics, Technical Fabrics, and a distribution operation called Trivantage—the company sells products into more than 100 countries. Anderson is the major manufacturing engine for Custom Fabrics.

The current Anderson plant was built to replace an antiquated, multi-level building acquired from now-defunct WestPoint Pepperell. With business requiring more capacity, management opted to build a modern plant from scratch.

“The plant was built to manufacture performance fabrics, and especially what we do,” Oehmig says. “It is also the model we use whether we are up-fitting existing facilities or building plants around the world.”

Anderson is a vertical plant, with processes starting with opening and moving on through twisting, warping, slashing, weaving, and finishing. A logistics center sends products to a network of distribution sites.

Sunbrella, introduced in 1961, is now the company’s best-known consumer brand. In the early years, markets were primarily shade and marine applications. Convertible tops for automobiles were added later, and now Glen Raven is the largest producer.

“In the 1990s, we had the idea to expand to outdoor furniture, and that has been a tremendous growth engine for us,” Oehmig says. “We’ve had to adapt, too, going from making plain weave fabrics to some of the most highly decorative fabrics you will see.”

As a private company, Glen Raven says very little about its processes or machinery. Anderson’s huge weaving room is filled with Dornier weaving machines, many of which are equipped with jacquard heads to produce decorative fabrics. Glen Raven has made significant investments in the plant, and introduced new technologies and processes and improved workflow.

Glen Raven management became environmentally conscious long before it was trendy to do so. Everything is recycled, with nothing sent to landfills. That’s true throughout the company. In Anderson, this includes all fiber, yarn, and fabric waste. The company even composts the food scraps from its canteens.

“To be cash-flow positive with our landfill-free efforts, you must reduce, re-use, and repurpose,” says Randy Blackston, vice president of operations at the Anderson plant. “After that is complete, you need to look for value in your waste stream. A great example: we were putting all plastics in a generic plastic bin. Through research, we learned our fiber bale wrap is high-density polyethylene. We increased the selling price of that product by 25 cents per pound by separating that product from generic plastics.”

Blackston says that, overall, Anderson has reduced its water consumption by 50 percent and its energy usage by 20 percent. Finding alternative sources of energy is also a company pursuit. A solar farm, the largest in Upstate South Carolina owned by a privately held company, was turned on in 2017. It produces enough power to run the Anderson plant’s lights, which is no small feat.

The textile industry, like other manufacturing sectors, is dealing with a tough labor climate. Although this isn’t your grandfather’s, or even your father’s, textile industry, companies find it tough to find and keep qualified workers.

“If you are in industry in this country today, you had better make a compelling case for this current generation,” Oehmig asserts. “Getting capable and invested employees is always a challenge. Many baby boomers are retiring and manufacturers are finding it challenging to recruit young people who want to build a career in manufacturing. Glen Raven is working to create apprenticeship programs that go all the way back to middle school, and we try to bring students along and show them how the industry has changed.”

To illustrate how the industry has advanced, Oehmig notes that Glen Raven has working relationships with several Silicon Valley tech firms for R&D projects. This effort to explain today’s high-tech industry to young people is part of the National Council of Textile Organization’s “We Make Amazing” campaign.

There is a good chance that Glen Raven’s Anderson campus will get a lot bigger in the future. There is space to grow, and Oehmig says the company is planning how the next stage will develop.

“We are committed to this community, and will continue to make investments here,” he says. “If we bring the Gant family a compelling business case, they will fund projects without question.”

Three Triad-based companies were among the 13 winners of the 2020 Governor’s Export Awards, ranging from a small wooden boat builder in southeast North Carolina to one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world. The office of Gov. Roy Cooper announced the winners on Tuesday.

Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) selects award winners from the more than 600 companies its international trade team supports each year. Award winners from the Triad are Nester Hosiery of Mount Airy, Latitude Aero of Greensboro and Glen Raven Inc. of Alamance County.

Latitude Aero was honored in the Top Global Reach category. The company, located next to Piedmont Triad International Airport, overhauls commercial aircraft seating with services that include cleaning, refurbishing and integrating in-seat entertainment and power systems. EDPNC has helped the company participate in a Turkey trade mission and to exhibit in targeted trade shows in Mexico, United Arab Emirates, England, Germany and the Netherlands.

“Latitude Aero began in 2015 in earnest with three employees,” said President and CEO Kelvin Boyette. “Since then we have grown to 20 employees in North Carolina and delivered over 50,000 seats to top airlines, private organizations and governments in over 30 countries globally.”

In the wake of commercial airlines being grounded as a result of the response to Covid-19, Latitude Aero expanded its business model to include cleaning and sanitizing passenger buses and launched Latitude Sea to offer services to luxury charter yachts and fishing boats throughout the Caribbean. The company also recently doubled its square footage at its headquarters and operations center at Air Park North.

Founded in 1880, Glen Raven Inc. was recognized in the the Top Large Business Exporters category. The company is a global provider of performance fabrics with sales in more than 120 countries. Its brands, which include well-known Sunbrella, serve markets such as upholstery, marine, shading, automotive, military and protective work wear. The company has exhibited with the EDPNC in Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, and other locations.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of economic development in North Carolina and is critical to elevating our state’s competitiveness in the global economy,” said Glen Raven President and CEO Lieb Oehmig. “A key indicator of North Carolina’s economic progress is export growth, and for Glen Raven, that includes the global reach of our Sunbrella brand.”

In December 2020, Glen Raven announced a $65 million investment in an expansion plan to meet growing global demand for its specialty fabrics. That includes purchasing a production facility in France as the second of its multi-phase strategy to open more of the European market to its Glen Raven Custom Fabrics division. https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2020/12/21/glen-raven-investing-65-million-in-expansion.html

Based in Mount Airy, Nester Hosiery was honored in the Top Rural Exporters category. The company manufactures innovative merino wool socks for mountaineers, firefighters, military personnel, athletes and others who need high performance. Its Farm to Feet brand made in Mount Airy exclusively uses U.S.-sourced materials. The company has consulted with EDPNC overseas trade offices and used EDPNC-administered federal grants to help pay for trade show participation in Germany.

“Growing our global business has been a core initiative for us, all the while remaining true to our North Carolina roots,” said Nester Hosiery Vice President of Sales Matt Brucker. “We produce some of the most innovative socks in the world and do everything with an eye on our communities, both locally and globally. We are well positioned for the future as we continue to build solid, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers, brands, and licensing partners.”

In September 2020, Nester won a contract from the Defense Logistics Agency to supply the U.S. Army with its Farm to Feet brand of performance socks.

The remaining 10 winners are:

Editor's note: This article is the first of several Triad Business Journal will publish this week looking at the impact Allen Gant Jr. has had on technical textiles company Glen Raven Inc., as well as in the community.

Randy Blackston was a 23-year-old college graduate who had just started work at his new employer, Alamance County-based textile giant Glen Raven Inc., when his boss, Allen Gant Jr., challenged him to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the company during the early 1990s.

A new textile manufacturing plant? At a time when U.S. production jobs were being outsourced in droves?

Blackston hesitated, and for good reason: At that time, manufacturers weren’t spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new capital investments in the U.S., let alone venturing out to build new plants.

So he suggested to Gant, who would soon rise to become president and CEO of Glen Raven in 1996, the less risky solution of renovating one of the many vacant textile buildings around Anderson, S.C., where the company already had an extensive presence.

“I said ‘Allen, we can get it for 50 cents on the dollar. It’s much cheaper,” said Blackston, a 1992 Clemson University graduate who today is a vice president of operations for the firm. “He looked at me and said ‘You know, Randy, you might put our machines in that building. But what can you do to radically change our business?'”

And so began a multiyear effort to build from scratch a 1 million-square-foot plant in Anderson, S.C., designed to grow and centralize production of Glen Raven's Sunbrella fabric, which is now the firm's flagship brand used in a variety of products from automotive headliners to outdoor furniture.

That’s classic Allen Gant, always encouraging and empowering his employees to embrace bold, innovative thinking — and taking on massive projects that can at first seem impossible. Later this year, Gant will embrace the philosophy of constant change to his own career when the septuagenarian officially hands over the reins of the Alamance County textile firm to his successor, company President Leib Oehmig.

It's a huge break in tradition: Oehmig happens to be the first non-family member to lead the company, which was founded 137 years ago by Gant’s grandfather, John Q. Gant. But it's an appointment that Gant believes is essential to continue Glen Raven's push to innovate.

“I think the company needs new blood,” said Gant, a Burlington resident who turned 70 on June 1 and will remain company chairman. “And I’ll still be able to provide some strategy, but I think it’s time to move to another level of proficiency and I think his energy, and strength of personality and character are going to be fantastic. So I’m excited about it. I’m pumped about it.”

But even as he steps out of the limelight as Glen Raven's CEO, Gant leaves behind a legacy that has led Glen Raven to become a manufacturing titan in a region that has suffered the loss of thousands of amid global competition.

Despite the region's shrinking manufacturing footprint, Glen Raven has become a global powerhouse, with 40 locations across 17 countries and 2,800 employees, 550 of whom work in the Triad. Its footprint and headcount is slated to grow even more under a deal announced this week whereby Glen Raven will by October acquire Sunbury Textile Mills, a market leader in the design and manufacture of decorative jacquard fabrics. Sunbury, which dates back to 1954 and has been a partner of Glen Raven's for 22 years, will add to Glen Raven more than 200 employees, a manufacturing plant on 65 acres of land in Sunbury, Pa., and - most importantly - an expertise and client base in innovative decorative jacquard upholstery fabrics. Sunbury also has a design center in New York City that will provide Glen Raven broader exposure to a broader client base.

Already, Glen Raven's roster of clients is far more diverse than during much of its early history, thanks in large part to Gant's leadership and call for constant change. Customers today reflect the broad diversity of the firm's products: automotive headliners for the likes of luxury vehicle makers such as BMW, Ferrari and Porsche; Sunbrella fabric used in furniture for Crate & Barrel; and sailcloth for boats produced by Grady-White, Regal and Chris-Craft. (The privately held company declined to disclose sales figures as well as provide percentages of what each market represents.)

Now, after a 46-year career with the company, Gant plans to spend more leisure time with his family and visiting his beach homes in Atlantic Beach and Key West, Fla.

But he will continue to have a hand in local initiatives as well as the business, said Oehmig, a native of Anderson, S.C., who joined Glen Raven 28 years ago.

“This is a very emotional time for him — I mean this is what Allen does,” he said. “We’ve worked closely together, we know each other well enough. He never felt pressure from me. We have a great working relationship. He has committed that (the transition) will be in 2017, but quite frankly I think our relationship will remain very similar ongoing.”

Allen Gant Jr.

Family: Wife Denise; children: daughter, Grayson Gant; son, Allen Gant III

Education: Christchurch School in Virginia, attended UNC-Chapel Hill before joining Glen Raven in 1971

Top hobby: Fly-fishing

Biggest fish caught: A Marlin in the neighborhood of between 700-800 pounds; tuna up to 800 or 900 pounds

Secret to being a good fly-fisherman: Patience

Vacation homes: Key West, Atlantic Beach

No. of boats: Two

Wake-up time: Between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. “I’m up and I’m at them, and I’m doing things.”

Bedtime: 10 p.m.

Civic Involvement: Board member of Cone Health, Elon University board of trustees; Piedmont Triad Partnership

On leadership: “Leadership can be very lonely because you know of certain things that you can’t discuss with others. But all that is insignificant compared to the joys of watching other people succeed.”

Do you see yourself starting a new company? “I don’t have anything percolating at the current time, but I’m open to those opportunities as they present themselves.”

Will it be strange not to come into the office each day? “It probably will. I bought another house, which literally adjoins my property — it was my aunt’s house — and so that’s going to be a place for my office. That’s where I’ll be spending most of my time.”