Located in Raeford, North Carolina, Copia Labs, Inc. is a small, family owned and operated chemical company that prepares custom products for the textile, automotive, metal-finishing and commercial printing industries. Todd and Frances Sumner, a mother-and-son team, began Copia Labs, Inc. in 1994 with only a staff of three and a typical, textile-based product line. Since then, the company has boomed thanks to technically innovative ideas from an increasing number of employees and associates. 

Copia's employees and associates bring more than 65 years of experience in specialty and textile chemicals to its customers. Their knowledge has served the development and manufacturing teams of some of the finest chemical operations in the Carolinas. From the labs to the dye houses, solutions to age-old problems facing chemical companies were fueled from their creative power. 

When companies saw drastic shifts in public sentiment and the business environment during the early 1990's, different problems arose for manufacturers. Awareness of ecological destruction from years of industrial pollution heightened. Technology expansion made time crunches a constant. The essence of good business etiquette became relationship building. And the static chemical industry, much like other traditional industries, needed to adapt. 

To respond, Copia's management once again utilized its creative power to help its clients address these new concerns. It closely scrutinized the environmental impact of its products and production processes while crafting innovative, solution-oriented chemicals for its product line. And management developed new company goals that were aligned with client needs. The goals simply were: 

• to increase clients' efficiency rates through chemicals that save time and money 

• to push for a cleaner environment on a local and national scale

• to build relationships with clients through personal attention and detail

Over the years, these goals have remained unchanged because of their relevance to current manufacturers. Their inherent quality has been a key factor in Copia's success- delivering the incredible growth of the past eight years. By integrating its commitment to the environment with superior products and service, Copia Labs, Inc. continues to build upon this foundation, which promises more growth in the future for this hometown business.