Ms. Heather Pretorius has been elected to the Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) of The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) at North Carolina State University.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering from the NC State Wilson College of Textiles in 2003, Heather joined Michelin North America in Greenville, South Carolina, where she held several positions of increasing responsibility before moving to Milliken & Company as a process and product engineer in 2007. Heather has subsequently held numerous manufacturing, quality, business and development roles and currently serves as development manager of Milliken’s nonwovens business. Her most recent experience has been focused upon automotive applications for nonwovens with responsibilities including scoping and vetting R&D projects, working with sales and marketing on new product development launches and leading the R&D team.
Nonwovens is a core technology for Milliken. Milliken believes that combining capabilities in nonwovens, traditional textiles and chemistry via an open innovation model holds great promise for new product creation. To that end, Heather has a strong desire to support the advancement of nonwovens technologies to deepen her and Milliken’s engagement with the industry.
Heather replaces Randy Kohlman, Ph.D., who has moved to a new role at Milliken, as the company’s representative on the SSAB. We welcome Heather and thank Randy for his service to NWI since 2022.
The SSAB manages NWI’s project portfolio to reflect the long-term research interests of the institute and its member companies. The board strives to create a balanced research portfolio and to develop a depth of technical knowledge. Key current efforts include:
- Definition of technical vision as well as challenges and knowledge gaps for the Institute;
- Portfolio management to ensure balance across the Institute’s five research thrust areas (Materials, Extrusion, Engineered Structures, Modeling, and Sustainability); and
- Assuring that the resulting portfolio of program and results enables industry value creation.
Based at the Center for Technology and Innovation on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) is a consortium of stakeholders spanning the breadth of the nonwovens value chain. Operating on an “Open Innovation” platform and covering the full Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range, NWI engages industry, government and academia to enable next-generation nonwoven solutions to mission-critical challenges.
Milliken & Company is a global manufacturing leader whose focus on materials science delivers tomorrow’s breakthroughs today. From industry-leading molecules to sustainable innovations, Milliken creates products that enhance people’s lives and deliver solutions for its customers and communities. Drawing on thousands of patents and a portfolio with applications across the textile, specialty chemical, flooring and healthcare businesses, the company harnesses a shared sense of integrity and excellence to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken’s curious minds and inspired solutions at Milliken.com.
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