Apex Mills, a leading warp knit textile manufacturer specializing in Application Driven DesignTM reaffirms its commitment to innovation with a strategic new hire of a Director of Product Development. Stephanie J. Rodgers joins the Apex Mills team bringing new skills in textile technology and advanced materials that can best position Apex Mills for the revolutionary changes taking place in the textile market.
As smart textiles continue to develop and new applications emerge, we are committed to exploring ways to integrate circuitry and sensors into the yarns we use, or knit into the fabric itself, to better serve the needs of our customers. Used across industries, this technology can sense, communicate, store energy, regulate temperature, monitor health, and more, ultimately improving utility for the end user. In addition, improved fabric finishes are surfacing with novel properties that surpass the current treatments for flame resistancy, antimicrobial and moisture wicking agents.
Ms. Rodgers joins us from Microsoft Corporation where she served as Principle Textile Engineer, gathering best practices and synthesizing them into forward thinking designs. Her knowledge of various resins, coatings, fabric finishes and strategic material placement will enhance the experience and fabric solutions customers receive.
Prior to her tenure with Microsoft, Ms. Rogers was the Director of Quality, responsible for all material criteria and testing compliance at Fisker Automotive, Inc., a luxury automobile manufacturer who designed and brought to market the first high-end electric car. Throughout her highly accomplished career in textile development, she has worked with large OEM manufacturers including General Motors and Magna International and has assisted with design driven innovations in the contract furniture, geotextiles and consumer electronics markets.
Jonathan Kurz, Owner and CEO of Apex Mills states, “I came to know Stephanie over the years when our paths crossed at trade shows and conferences. When we worked together to develop a fabric for Microsoft, I only became more impressed with her knowledge and ability to identify resources and strategies to address complex design challenges. She has one of the most inquisitive, engaged and forward thinking minds in our industry. Her role at Apex Mills is to create innovative business and product opportunities, demonstrate yarn technologies and elevate technical textile conversations within the industries that we serve. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team.”
Ms. Rodgers adds, “I am excited for the opportunity to work with the Apex Mills team and use my skills to help the company engineer new products and stay ahead of emerging trends.”
Apex Mills was founded in 1943 and has evolved into a leading textile mill engineering fabric solutions for the Department of Defense, NASA and today’s biggest brands. With all manufacturing done in the USA, our team provides in-person collaboration, on-site development, tight quality control and quicker delivery. For more information, visit www.apexmills.com.
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