Red Bank, N.J.-based Concept III Textiles International – a developer and sourcer of fabric-based
finished products for outdoor and activewear markets – has announced that its supplier Glenoit
Fabrics (TT) Corp. Inc., Tarboro, N.C., has been sold by China-based Haixin Group Co. Ltd. to
Tarboro Textiles LLC.
Glenoit was founded in the 1950s to produce sliver knit pile fabrics. Following bankruptcy
reorganization in 2002, Haixin purchased Glenoit, and in subsequent years, Glenoit lost market
share and reduced its output. In late 2005, Haixin announced plans to close the Tarboro plant,
intending to move that production to China and Canada. To avert the closure, plant manager Jerry
Howard and his staff formed Tarboro Textiles, taking over production and manufacturing Glenoit
fabrics for Haixin on a contract basis, with a focus on customer-specific fabrics. By 2007, the
operation had returned to profitability.
In a shift of its strategic focus, Haixin decided to terminate manufacturing in North America
and entered into negotiations with Tarboro to transfer ownership of Glenoit. Tarboro has received
financial backing from a local businessman and now controls Glenoit’s operations, including
production, customer interface and the company’s relationship with Concept III, as well as all
profits and losses.
Concept III has a longstanding relationship with Glenoit. In the mid-1990s, the two companies
partnered to debut GlenPile performance piles and Berbers for outdoor and outerwear applications.
Concept III has long been the source of a large portion of Glenoit’s orders.
May/June 2009
