Honor recognizes up-and-comers in Indiana advanced manufacturing and logistics
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- FiberX's Plant Engineer and Operator, Angela Perez, has been named to Conexus Indiana's Rising 30 Class of 2025 for her work in advanced manufacturing and logistics. Conexus recently announced the fifth annual Rising 30, an exclusive group of young professionals making significant early-career contributions to Indiana's advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors.
The Rising 30 program, presented by Purdue University, continues Conexus Indiana's commitment to strengthening and promoting Indiana's vital manufacturing and logistics ecosystem. These honorees represent exceptional talent under the age of 30 who are already reshaping Indiana's largest industry sector and will lead it into the next era of innovation.
Perez has been instrumental in optimizing FiberX's corn stover processing equipment, developing innovative solutions that transform agricultural waste into high-performance industrial materials. Since joining the company in 2023, she has led the design and implementation of FiberX's automated fiber processing line, increasing production efficiency by over 40% while maintaining the company's rigorous quality standards. Her work has been pivotal in scaling FiberX's sustainable biocomposite materials for commercial applications in the plastics and materials industries.
"Angela represents the perfect blend of technical expertise, practical innovation, and processing management that drives FiberX forward," said Dave Skibinski, President and CEO of FiberX. "She led the design and fabrication of essential components to automate our fiber processing line. Angela tackled our biggest manufacturing challenges with creativity and determination, turning equipment from other industries into novel solutions for processing agricultural biomass. Her work has not only improved our operations but has helped make sustainable materials more accessible and affordable for manufacturers across multiple industries. We couldn't be prouder to see her recognized among Indiana's brightest young talents."
The 2025 honorees span a wide range of specialties – from engineering and operations to research and development, technical services and strategic leadership. They represent organizations ranging from established global corporations, emerging startups, and local family businesses distributed throughout Indiana's manufacturing hubs from South Bend to Jeffersonville.
Rising 30 candidates are nominated by their employer or an industry representative, and winners are selected based on their career accomplishments to date. In the coming year, the Rising 30 honorees will participate in Conexus Indiana's work by serving as thought leaders on topics including technology adoption and workforce development.
"When I visit our manufacturing facilities across Indiana, I'm always struck by the ingenuity of our young talent," said Jay Wirts, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana. "These Rising 30 honorees aren't just building products—they're building the future of Hoosier manufacturing and ensuring our families and communities thrive. Each one of them represents why Indiana continues to strengthen its position as a global manufacturing and logistics powerhouse for generations to come."
The 2025 Rising 30 honorees were honored during a special event on Thursday, May 15 in downtown Indianapolis. To view bios of each honoree, visit www.conexusindiana.com/rising-30. Nominations will open for the 2026 class in November.
About Conexus Indiana
Conexus Indiana, a branded initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), is dedicated to advancing the Hoosier State's position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics. Working closely with industry, academia, and government partners, Conexus Indiana drives workforce development, economic growth, and innovation across the state. For more information, please visit ConexusIndiana.com.
About FiberX
FiberX upcycles corn stover, the world's largest agricultural by-product, into novel chemical product feedstocks significantly reducing or eliminating the use of petrochemicals. FiberX has automated processing of corn stover into microfibers that have been combined with synthetic and bio- plastic polymers to make bio-composite plastics. These same fibers can be used as a feedstock for making paper products. Using technology developed at Purdue University, FiberX extracts and depolymerizes lignin, creating tunable lignin that can be used as a sustainable and novel feedstock for industrial resins, coatings and adhesives. For more information, visit fiberxproducts.com
Media Contact
Kate Sterling, FiberX, 1 6417153900 569516, [email protected], fiberxproducts.com
SOURCE FiberX
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