STM Acquires Gessner Industries/W&J
Danville, Va.-based textile machinery supplier Southeastern Textile Machinery Inc. (STM) has
acquired the assets of Concord, N.C.-based Gessner Industries/Winsor & Jerauld (W&J), a
115-year-old manufacturer of tenter frames. The acquisition includes W&J's finished parts
inventory, patents, engineered drawings, company service records, resources and knowledge of tenter
solutions, and will enable STM to provide a comprehensive line of tenter products and services in
the United States through its newly established W&J Division. W&J's tenter frames are used
in a range of industries including textiles, nonwovens such as geotexiles, plastics, coating and
laminating.
"Through the years the W&J brand has stood for quality, durability, performance and service," said Walter M. Hoover, former W&J owner. "We've provided unique tentering solutions and have expanded to service a variety of tenter brands, domestic and foreign, with specialty, hard to find parts. As far as we know, W&J is the only U.S. source for complete tenter service and parts, new and used. STM will now carry the W&J tradition and torch of being America's single-source solution for tenter needs."
According to STM President Thomas Aiken, during the U.S. textile industry's downturn over the past decade, many companies purchased lower-quality, lower-cost tenter components from abroad that resulted in higher overall costs in the long run. Aiken notes that the domestic textile industry is recovering, and companies are looking for quality American products.
"The American textile industry is rebounding with continued overall sales improvements," Aiken said. "Companies are looking to increase capacities and need reliable sources for equipment upgrade, repair and replacement. Our acquisition of the Winsor & Jerauld brand and related technical files, services and expertise positions us to support the new American textile production paradigm of efficient, quality throughput and quick turnaround. And we expect to increase employment with this acquisition, which will help the overall American economy as well."
October 4, 2011
"Through the years the W&J brand has stood for quality, durability, performance and service," said Walter M. Hoover, former W&J owner. "We've provided unique tentering solutions and have expanded to service a variety of tenter brands, domestic and foreign, with specialty, hard to find parts. As far as we know, W&J is the only U.S. source for complete tenter service and parts, new and used. STM will now carry the W&J tradition and torch of being America's single-source solution for tenter needs."
According to STM President Thomas Aiken, during the U.S. textile industry's downturn over the past decade, many companies purchased lower-quality, lower-cost tenter components from abroad that resulted in higher overall costs in the long run. Aiken notes that the domestic textile industry is recovering, and companies are looking for quality American products.
"The American textile industry is rebounding with continued overall sales improvements," Aiken said. "Companies are looking to increase capacities and need reliable sources for equipment upgrade, repair and replacement. Our acquisition of the Winsor & Jerauld brand and related technical files, services and expertise positions us to support the new American textile production paradigm of efficient, quality throughput and quick turnaround. And we expect to increase employment with this acquisition, which will help the overall American economy as well."
October 4, 2011
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