Albany International Corp., a Rochester, N.H.-based advanced textiles and materials processing company, has announced plans to cease manufacturing at its forming fabric facility in Menasha, Wis., in January 2012, eliminating 48 jobs. The company reports the closure is necessary in order to align its paper machine clothing manufacturing capacity in North America with expected long-term demand. Production will be relocated by July 2012 to Albany's other forming fabric manufacturing plants in North America.

Forty-four employees involved in research and development (R&D), product management, quality systems, customer service, technical and design and administration will remain at the Menasha facility, which going forward will operate as a R&D center and as a center of excellence in forming technology.

Albany International will have 24 plants remaining globally after the closure, five of which manufacture forming fabrics. Six of the 24 plants are part of Albany Door Systems, which the company is selling to New Haven, Conn.-based Assa Abloy Door Security Solutions. Albany also recently announced plans to cease manufacturing at its corrugator fabrics plant in Menands, N.Y. (See " Albany International To Close Plant In Menands, N.Y.," www. TextileWorld.com, Oct. 18, 2011).

December 13, 2011