Machinery accident kills NEPTCO worker

By Sarah Newell Williamson | Hickory Daily Record

Published: June 9, 2009

LENOIR - A factory accident killed a Lenoir man Sunday.

Mikeal Woods was caught in a machine at NEPTCO, the company he'd been employed with for more than 18 years, said Capt. Sid Pope with the Lenoir Police Department.

Woods was working at NEPTCO on Hickory Boulevard in Lenoir at about 4:45 a.m. when he was trapped in the lamination machine, Pope said.

Pope said Woods accidentally fell into the machine.

"It appears that three people were working at the time," Pope said. "He was pulled into the lamination machine. It appears to be an accident."

NEPTCO, a company that is more than 55 years old, makes polymer coatings. It also makes laminates of films, foils, fibers, composites, papers, non-wovens and customer-formulated adhesives, according to the company's Web site.

Pope said the police department has never been called out to any accident like this at NEPTCO before.
Woods, 62, died at the facility, Pope said. He is a husband, father and grandfather, Pope said.

"It's just a sad situation," he said.

Woods is survived by his wife, Kathy Triplett Woods; a daughter; two stepchildren;, four grandchildren; a sister; and three brothers.

A celebration of Woods' life will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at Lenoir Community Church. For complete obituary information, read Wednesday's edition of the Hickory Daily Record.