Muratec USA’s Terry Bame teaches a class on textile machine maintenance in the late 1980s. Bame celebrated 41 years with the company in 2024.

Terry Bame, Muratec’s yarn lab and mechanical repair manager, said he remembers being in awe of how fast the first Murata Jet Spinner, or MJS, made yarn.

The machine used compressed air rather than mechanical parts to spin yarn.

“However, other than the speed, I didn’t know anything about the yarn,” Bame said. “I didn’t know about the yarn strength or elongation, moisture absorption, yarn softness/flexibility or yarn performance at downstream processes. High speed doesn’t matter if the yarn doesn’t perform well at the next process, or if the fabric is so harsh and stiff that the consumer won’t buy it.”

The early MJS was somewhat limited because it could only spin 100% polyester and blends of polyester and cotton, with the cotton being no more than 50% of the blend. Fortunately, the market for poly/cotton yarns was huge because of the demand for bed sheets, pillowcases and T-shirts.

“We later learned that MJS yarn was also great for the outside of sweatshirts due to the nature of the yarn to resist the formation of the little pill-like fiber balls commonly seen on sweatshirts and sweaters,” Bame said. “These products alone allowed MJS to get a small but significant share of the market having over 2,000 machines running in the US at its peak.”

Today’s VORTEX spinning machine is three times faster than the early MJS. It’s much more versatile and makes a higher quality yarn.

Air-jet spinning is just one of the innovations Bame’s seen in his long tenure at Muratec. With 41 years with the company, he shared some reflections on changes in the industry, his work philosophy and more.

What drew you to Muratec USA and what has kept you here?

In 1982, I had been working four years for Cannon Mills, a bed and bath textile manufacturer, when I was asked to help test and evaluate a new and innovative spinning machine entering the market. Cannon was considering investing in this machine which used compressed air to insert twist in yarns. This made the machine very fast and productive. It was called the Murata Jet Spinner, or MJS, and was made by a company called Murata Machinery based in Kyoto, Japan. At the time it was the only machine in the world to use air to spin yarn.

Over the following months, I met the Japanese engineering team responsible for everything from conceptualizing to maintaining the machine. The technology was so new, the engineers worked on site so any problems could be quickly identified, evaluated, and corrected. They were smart, dedicated, courteous and appreciative, and I was impressed with their commitment to the success of this new machine. Every Murata engineer and manager I met shared this level of commitment.

Forty-two years later, most of the people have changed. But, the basic principles of pride and excellence, and the importance of positive relationships with customers remain. This is what brought me and keeps me at MMUSA.

How has technology and your industry evolved during your time at Muratec USA?

Due to international competition, where the USA is often at a disadvantage, it is expected that new technology will reduce costs, which translates to higher machine productivity and lower labor requirements. A good example is yarn spinning, where twist is inserted in a yarn-sized strand of fibers. For 125 years, a process called ring spinning was predominately used to produce yarns. Ring spinning has been around for two hundred years and even though it’s slow and labor intensive, it is still widely used. Ring spun yarns are the benchmark for yarn quality but have been replaced in some markets with newer spinning systems, which are up to fifteen times faster and require fewer processes and less labor.

In 1965, 95% of all apparel and bedding used in America was produced by the American textile industry. And even though Murata’s business was still very good through most of the 1980’s, the strength of the dollar, the rise of globalization and the availability of low-cost imports, began to take a toll on our industry’s profits. The situation went downhill seemingly overnight. By 1995, American manufactured textiles accounted for only 2 percent of U.S. consumption. Small companies, of which there were tens-of-thousands, were absorbed by larger competitors, or forced to close because they could not compete.

Our industry will never again be what it once was. However, we are making a bit of a comeback. Trade agreements with western hemisphere countries, financial and social changes in countries where child labor, low pay, and environmental irresponsibility are the norm, and pressure to restructure trade rules like “de minimis” which offer exploitable loopholes, have helped level the playing field.

What has been your work philosophy or motto?

I joined Muratec in July of 1983. For me, there’s no magic formula or philosophy to staying with a company for a long time… it’s more of a mind-set. If you’re lucky enough to work for a strong company that treats their employees well, if you enjoy what you do and don’t dread coming to work every day, if your compensation allows a comfortable living for your family, if you work with good people and you’re willing to do a fair day’s work, then the rest is easy. At the end of the day, longevity is more about the company than about the person.

Terry Bame discusses textile machinery with middle school students visiting Muratec USA on Manufacturing Day in October 2024.

Share a memorable experience or project at Muratec USA that had a lasting impact on you.

During my time at MMUSA, I was lucky to have the opportunity to go to Japan twice. I spent most of my time in Kyoto and Osaka.

Their cities and historical sites, which are also tourist sites in and around Kyoto, are immaculate. There is no litter, no cigarette butts, or even dirt on the streets or sidewalks. The vegetation in natural areas is perfectly maintained. The cities of Kyoto and Osaka combined have 4.25 million people. I saw one homeless person during the four weeks I spent there.

On the weekends, one of the engineers or managers would give his personal time to take us sightseeing. The historical sites, some of which are more than 1,000 years old, are mostly either religious shrines, or palaces once belonging to past emperors. In 2019, 32 million tourists visited Japan. Considering there are 2.5 million people visiting these sites per month, they are still beautifully preserved and maintained. Walking into those buildings is as close as anyone can get to stepping back in time.

The average population density in Japan is 8.5 times that of the USA, so a dependable public transportation system is a must. And they have it down to an art. They have a system of trains that run on 19,000 miles of rail. The trains are very crowded but very efficient. In 2019, 25.2 billion tickets were purchased.
Over the years, I’ve seen the unselfish attitude and resolve of their people. It is extraordinary, and shows in the maintenance and preservation of their limited land, historical sites, and infrastructure.

What advice would you give someone just starting out at Muratec USA?

You’re working for a good company, so do your best. Be willing to occasionally do things outside your comfort zone because that’s an opportunity to grow. Don’t pass-up a chance to help someone that needs help. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas with your manager or to speak up when you strongly disagree. Be honest, but never confrontational or disrespectful.