Richard W. Black, Performance Fibers’ Chief Marketing Officer, was the keynote speaker at the Techtextil North America Symposium 2009’s General Session, where he presented “Building a Sustainable Growth Culture.” In his presentation, Black explored how fiber and fabric manufacturers can create a growth culture.

Black joined Performance Fibers in 2007, bringing more than 20 years of extensive global commercial and technology experience to the Richmond-based company. He previously was vice president of global sales at Oberg Industries, a production tool and die stamping business in Freeport, Pa. Prior to that, Black was with General Electric for 18 years in a variety of global and domestic roles in its advanced materials and plastics businesses in marketing, sales leadership, product management and supply chain, including managing Asia Pacific marketing and product development for automotive and electronic resins while living in Singapore.

Performance Fibers is one manufacturer that has embraced a culture of growth. Since the business was sold by Honeywell International to Sun Capital Partners at the end of 2004, it went on to acquire the North American operations of Diolen Industrial Fibers in 2005; the German operations of INVISTA in 2006; and the North American PET and Nylon 6 operations of INVISTA in 2008. With 2008 revenues of approximately $1 billion, Performance Fibers has over 3,000 employees and 10 manufacturing sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas. It was the leading supplier of industrial polyester in 2008, with nearly three times the capacity of its nearest competitor.

“Growth is the great enabler,” Black said. “Nothing energizes a business like growth.”

According to Black, creation of a sustainable growth culture requires fibers and fabrics companies to:

• Think globally – align with their customers
• Be industry experts – know their customers
• Develop applications – to drive new products
• Create technology – focused on customer needs

“These are textbook answers, but execution is the key,” Black noted.

Black challenged the industry to “dare to dream,” citing examples of “dreamers” who have changed the game in their industries, such as Apple and Starbucks. “New thinking helped Apple turn a portable music player into one of the most profitable and sought-after electronic devices of the last quarter century,” Black pointed out. “And new thinking helped Starbucks turn plain coffee into billions of dollars of revenue per year.”

Black asserted that now is the time for the fiber and fabric industry to become a business of dreamers. “Fiber and fabric manufacturers need to ask themselves, ‘What is the next big application? Where is the sleeping giant? What material can we displace because our product adds more value? What is the next generation of polyester fiber?  How can we move faster in bringing new products to market?,” Black said.

We need to dream with our customers, asking them ‘What keeps you awake at night? How can I solve your problems? How do we grow our businesses together?’ This is how we can become true partners with our customers.”

Black noted that becoming a business of dreamers will require fiber and fabric manufacturers to change the way they think, and some already are. He cited examples of companies like Gore and Milliken, both of whom are on FORTUNE magazine’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For.” “These two companies have several things in common,” Black said. “Both are privately held, they have inspired, innovative employees and they have a differentiating commitment to innovation.”

“Innovation is not dead in the textile business, but it must be driven by customer needs,” Black asserted. He cited fiber and fabric companies, such as Auxetix, Thermore and Future-Shape, who are creating innovative products that have the potential to be game-changers for their customers.

 “Your products are a commodity only if you treat them so,” he added. “Low margins are only for those who accept them. Textile manufacturers need to look upstream and downstream for opportunity.”

Black urged manufacturers to remember that “we control our own destiny.” “We need to change the culture from reactive to proactive,” he said. “Textile still has the ability to provide an environment that attracts the best people.”

In closing, Black encouraged manufacturers to “Dream and excite your business like never before!”