On the Line: Vectorply makes materials in Alabama for use around (and out of) the world
This is part of an Alabama News Center video series On the Line focusing on manufacturers across the state that design and create interesting, innovative and useful products. To kick off our series, we are starting in Phenix City, home of performance composite reinforcement manufacturer Vectorply Corp.
While you might not have heard of Vectorply, there’s a fairly large chance you’ve encountered a product that has used materials manufactured by the company. Originally founded in 1992, Vectorply develops, manufactures and distributes composite reinforcement fabrics engineered to customer specifications. The company offers more than 350 unique styles of fabrics made of a selection of fibers, including E-glass, carbon and aramid.
“Rather than just pulling products from the shelf, we make a lot of custom fabrics that are designed to meet specific strength, weight or cosmetic requirements for our customers,” said Scott Phillips, Vectorply’s marketing manager. “Our materials are used worldwide for a variety of applications such as satellites, bridge decks, utility poles, snowboards and many types of boats are produced with our fabrics, and you probably wouldn’t know that the material used to create those products was made right here in Phenix City.”
After the fabric’s production, the rolls are shipped off to companies around the globe, who then in turn use the materials in their own manufacturing.
“Our fabrics are sold and distributed across the world,” Phillips said. “There’s a lot of opportunities for composite market growth, and our employees are driving growth in the market by producing high-quality fabrics that are innovative and push the limits of what is currently possible.”
Vectorply’s unique position as an engineering and technical service-driven company provides a wide array of career opportunities. The company’s production team consists of creelers, machine operators, electrical and mechanical technicians, shift supervisors and various manufacturing management positions.
Vectorply’s central location in Phenix City is also home to the company’s corporate operations, which include sales and marketing, finance, customer support and a full staff of engineers dedicated to providing the highest level of support for customers across the globe.
Check out the video included in this story for the inaugural ‘On the Line’ view focusing on Vectorply and its manufacturing process.