Gaston College
New Fiber Innovation Center for advanced materials

The new FIC will be a facility expansion of the Kimbrell Campus and be a resource of the Manufacturing & Textile Innovation Network (MTIN), a partnership between Gaston College’s Textile Technology Center and the Manufacturing Solutions Center of Catawba Valley Community College, Hickory, NC/USA. The MTIN partnership was formed to develop a regional workforce focused on advanced materials and textile testing development.
The FIC will provide a state-of-the-art facility to develop and test advanced fibers for the advanced materials industry for products such as crucial personal protective equipment (PPE), smart textiles for the defense sector, and many other proprietary products developed by national and international clients of the MTIN.
The FIC will be the only facility in North America open to industry that will house the entire range of advanced fiber development capabilities. In addition to providing support for the textile and manufacturing industries, the new FIC will enable Gaston College to expand its Academic and Industry Training programs. The College will offer a 2-year Associate in Applied Science degrees in Textile Technology and in Cybersecurity.