The textile industry is experiencing a remarkable revival in Greensboro, North Carolina, bringing both opportunity and unique challenges to the region’s commercial infrastructure. The state of North Carolina is seeing a revival of its textile heritage, with a host of investments, factory openings and expansions breathing new life into the industry. Between January 2020 and December 2021, new and expanding textile operations have created 1,400 new jobs and announced more than $285 million of investments in North Carolina. This resurgence is creating unprecedented demands on commercial duct cleaning services as modern manufacturing facilities face complex air quality challenges.<\/p>\n
Children’s wear manufacturer LT Apparel Group said in December it was expanding operations in North Carolina with an investment of at least $57 million in Greensboro. The company’s project will add a minimum of 116 new jobs to the community and will help increase industrial capacity at the Reedy Fork Corporate Park. This investment exemplifies the broader trend of textile manufacturers returning to the region that once defined American textile production.<\/p>\n
Data supplied to Sourcing Journal from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) showed employment in the state’s textile industry was 35,813 as of the second quarter of 2021, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics “Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.” These workers are employed in 828 textile manufacturing facilities compared to 600 in 2019.<\/p>\n
Today’s textile facilities in Greensboro operate with significantly more advanced technology than their predecessors. More than four decades after Revolution Mill’s looms went silent, the textile industry has returned. “These companies have all decided, ‘Well, let’s go back to the mill,'” says Belk. However, this modernization brings unique air quality challenges that require specialized commercial duct cleaning expertise.<\/p>\n
Manufacturing environments often generate higher volumes of dust, debris, and airborne particles compared to standard office settings. This makes regular air duct cleaning essential to maintaining air quality and equipment performance. In textile manufacturing, the combination of fabric fibers, dyes, chemical treatments, and modern high-speed production creates complex contamination patterns in HVAC systems.<\/p>\n
One of the most critical challenges facing commercial duct cleaning services in textile facilities is fire prevention. Flammable matter such as lint, oil or wood dust can be ignited by a nearby source of heat or sparks. One company, a textile manufacturer, became our client after losing a half-million-dollar smog-reduction unit when a fire roared through the ductwork, across the factory and into the unit at the end.<\/p>\n
Heavy accumulation of residue can clog the ducts, render the ducts ineffective at drawing air well, and even cause ductwork to collapse or fall down based on sheer weight. Significant improvements in air quality and energy efficiency mean better employee health, fewer sick days, higher product quality, significantly reduced energy bills, and reduced risks of fire, product contamination and employer liability.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest challenges in commercial duct cleaning is navigating through complex ductwork that is often not designed with cleaning in mind. To overcome this, cleaning protocols must be customized to fit the specific ductwork layout. Modern textile facilities often feature intricate ventilation systems designed to manage specific airborne contaminants while maintaining precise environmental controls.<\/p>\n
Unlike residential air duct cleaning, the systems in manufacturing facilities often involve larger and more complex HVAC systems, including larger ductwork, higher ceilings, and specialized air filtration systems. To handle these unique challenges, we use state-of-the-art equipment and tools that allow us to access and clean ducts in even the most difficult-to-reach areas.<\/p>\n
In some settings, however, the need for air duct cleaning is more immediate. Food manufacturers, for instance, require duct cleaning services on a quarterly, semi-annual and annual basis due to the food particulate they get in their system, leading to mold and pest concerns. The same goes for manufacturing operations that create combustible dust hazards. Textile facilities often fall into this category, requiring more frequent professional cleaning than standard commercial buildings.<\/p>\n