Springs Industries Inc., Fort Mill, S.C., announced plans to invest $20 million to convert the
Elliott Plant in Fort Lawn, S.C., from an apparel weaving facility to a state-of-the-art home
furnishings weaving plant.Consolidations of greige manufacturing and the recent sale of Springs’
apparel fabrics division led to the decision to convert the Elliott Plant to a home furnishings
plant with the installation of modern weaving equipment.”The Elliott Plant is steeped in the rich
history of our company,” said William K. Easley, Springs’ president of Textile Manufacturing.”Built
under the leadership of H. William Close and named for Colonel Elliott White Springs, the plant
will undergo a transformation from an apparel weaving facility to one that will supply Springs with
fabrics for our home furnishings business.”He added: “this modernization project is a continuation
of Springs’ ongoing plans to modernize, streamline and consolidate manufacturing to reduce costs
and improve productivity.”According to the company, as a result of the sale of the apparel fabrics
division, Springs will also phase out the weaving operations at the Lancaster Plant, Lancaster,
S.C., beginning in April. Approximately 65 jobs will be eliminated, but the company anticipates
that all affected associates will be offered jobs at the nearby plants, including Elliott, Frances,
Leroy, Katherine and Eureka.
March 1999
