INDA/NWI Member fee: $2,500
Non-member fee: $3,300
INDA Headquarters & The Nonwovens Institute
Cary & Raleigh, NC USA
Multiple registrants from the same company receive a discount.
INDA Members may schedule onsite In-person and Virtual training for their organizations with 10+ participants. Contact: mosickey@inda.org
A comprehensive guide of instruction and reference material is provided to each attendee of In-person training. Available to order for the Virtual training for additional fee.
Lead Instructor: Ed Thomas, Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality, Fiberweb, (retired)
Thomas has decades of diverse experience in the synthetic fibers and nonwovens industries inventing and developing new products and processes. His highly respected technical career includes senior-level roles in advisory, process engineering, manufacturing, strategic planning, personnel, new product and market development, and R&D. Thomas’ distinctive career includes VP of Operations and Technology at Fiberweb and retiring from First Quality Nonwovens as Head of Research and Product Development. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY at Buffalo. Thomas received the INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award in 2023 for his key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry.
Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor of Textile Materials and Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension, North Carolina State University, and Executive Director, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI)
Professor Pourdeyhimi received his Ph.D. from Leeds University in 1982. He has taught textile and fiber science, technology and engineering as well as microscopy and image analysis applications to textiles, nonwovens and materials problems both at undergraduate and graduate levels. His research experience covers such areas as image and structural analysis of nonwoven fibrous webs, textile applications in sports, bioengineering and materials, instrumentation and test method development, among others. Pourdeyhimi’s research interests are in the area of nonwovens, materials, biomaterials, modeling performance, special textile structures, and image analysis. His expertise is recognized by major corporations and leading research bodies around the world. He is a consultant to over 30 bodies and major corporations.
Benoit Maze, Ph.D., Director of Education and Administration, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI)
Dr. Maze has been with the institute since 2003 in various research positions, from modeling to product development.
Amy Minton, Physical Testing Lab Manager, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI)
Ms. Minton received her B.S. degree in Textile Technology from NCSU. Ms. Minton has managed the Analytical and Physical testing labs for NWI since 2000.
Matthew (Matt) O'Sickey, Ph.D., Director of Education & Technical Affairs, INDA, joined INDA in September 2022. He has prior experience as the Director of Application Engineering and Research & Development for the Americas at RKW North America and as Director of Global Market Development with Tredegar Corporation. He holds a deeply rooted belief that innovation is the result of the intersection of marketing and technology, and this is reflected in his career path, which encompasses both disciplines. His career has entailed developing and bringing to market a range of hygiene and packaging films and nonwoven laminates. Within the hygiene area, he has worked on the development and commercialization of topsheets, surge layers, waistbands, fit and closure elements, breathable films and laminates, backsheets, pouch films, and bags with more recent focus on sustainable solutions.
Matt has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a Masters of Engineering Administration from Virginia Tech, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University with a heavy emphasis on the processing-structure-property relationships of polymeric materials.