PGI Develops Restructuring Plan Produces Fabric For DuPont

Polymer Group Inc. (PGI), North Charleston, S.C., is in the process of finalizing a restructuring
plan, which the company hopes will result in a fourth-quarter restructuring charge of no more than
$150 million.Jerry Zucker, PGI chairman, president and CEO, said, This decision will result in a
repositioning of assets throughout our system, reducing much of the trial, qualification and
commercialization costs of our Apex® programs and a material reduction in our manufacturing costs.
This restructuring will result in annual savings in the range of $55 to $60 million once fully
implemented.In other company news, PGI recently entered into a supply agreement with Wilmington,
Del.-based DuPont. Under the agreement, PGI will use DuPonts Nomex® fiber in the manufacture of its
Miratec®/Apex® fabric for the DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems business. DuPont introduced various new
thermal-protective apparel fabrics made from Nomex earlier this fall.The combination of the Nomex
fiber and the Miratec/Apex technology yields a fabric that capitalizes on the thermal-protective
properties of Nomex fiber and the unique characteristics of PGIs Miratec/Apex technologies, said
Grant Reeves, COO, Oriented Polymers Division, PGI.Miratec fabrics are manufactured using PGIs
proprietary Apex laser and fabric-forming technologies.

December 2001

FiberBuys Offers Contact Feature

FiberBuys.com, an on-line fiber resource center, is offering a supplier contact feature for all
products in hopes of facilitating quick, easier communication between buyers and sellers. Motivated
by customer demand, the feature allows buyers that have questions about specific products to
contact suppliers directly.To use the supplier contact feature, customers log on to the
Fiberbuys.com website, click on an envelope-shaped icon adjacent to the specific product and type a
question or comment. An e-mail is sent directly to the supplier of the designated product.The
supplier contact feature gives us the ability to find out what our buyers really want and to get it
to them in the most efficient, effective manner, said Patricia Liskoff, director of operations.
December 2001

Burlington Receives Final Approval On New Financing Agreement

GREENSBORO, N.C., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ — Burlington Industries, Inc.(OTC Bulletin Board: brLG)
announced today that it has received final courtapproval for its Debtor-in-Possession (DIP)
financing. The final agreement,which is underwritten by JPMorgan Chase Bank, increases the
availablefinancing from $125 million to $190 million, subject to the terms of theagreement. This
additional financing provides significant liquidity and willsupplement the company’s resources, if
needed, during the reorganizationperiod. The company’s operations and delivery of products are
continuingwithout interruption. Burlington Industries, Inc. is one of the world’s largest and
mostdiversified manufacturers and marketers of apparel and interior furnishings. This press release
contains statements that are forward-looking statementswithin the meaning of applicable federal
securities laws and are based uponthe company’s current expectations and assumptions, which are
subject to anumber of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differmaterially
from those anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include,among other things, global economic
activity and the implications thereon ofthe attack on September 11 and the U.S. government’s
response thereto, thesuccess of the company’s overall business strategy including
successfulimplementation of the company’s restructuring plan, the confirmation of therestructuring
plan and the DIP financing commitment, the terms and conditionsof the DIP financing, the impact
that public disclosure of the company’sChapter 11 filing may have on the company’s relationships
with its principalcustomers and suppliers, the success of the company’s expansion in
othercountries, the demand for textile products, the cost and availability of rawmaterials and
labor, the company’s ability to finance its operations andrestructuring activities, the level of
the company’s indebtedness and abilityto borrow, and the exposure to interest rate fluctuations,
governmentallegislation and regulatory changes, and the long-term implications of regionaltrade
blocs and the effect of quota phase-out and lowering of tariffs underthe WTO trade regime and other
factors identified in the company’s filingswith the Securities and Exchange Commission.SOURCE
Burlington Industries, Inc.Copyright © 1996-2001 PR Newswire Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ATMI Opposes Removal Of Duties On Pakistani Imports

In response to the proposal by the Bush Administration to eliminate duties on imports of textiles
and apparel from Pakistan, Charles Hayes, American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI)
president, said: The U.S. textile industry is already reeling from imports from Pakistan and other
Asian countries at artificially low prices resulting from devalued currencies across Asia.
Eliminating duties will depress prices still further and dramatically increase imports.As an
alternative to eliminating duties, ATMI is urging importers to continue to order goods from
Pakistan, even though U.S. textile companies compete directly with Pakistani companies. Importers
including Nike, the Gap, Russell and JC Penney have said they will not cut orders. Eddie Bauer is
planning to increase orders.ATMI notes that there are other steps the U.S. government could take to
stabilize the business situation in Pakistan. One step would be to authorize the Overseas Private
investment Corp. (OPIC) to provide government-paid insurance for all textile and apparel shipments
coming from Pakistan over the next three years. This step would guarantee importers and retailers
against any disruptions due to political or economic instability. ATMI believes this move would
return the situation to normal and cause no further hardship for U.S. textile workers.
December 2001

James H Heals Redesigned Orbitor Offers Flexibility

James H. HealandCo. Ltd., United Kingdom, has reengineered its Orbitor pilling and snagging
tester for use on woven or knitted materials.Offering flexibility, the two- or four-position
instrument can be configured with any combination of pilling box, snagging box, pilling drum or
snagging drum.The new design includes six speeds in addition to three standard speeds, with the
option to reverse for non-standard test applications and developmental work.Equipped with
individual position counters, the Orbitor enables the operator to monitor multiple tests
simultaneously. An inverter drive maintains constant speed and features an over-torque sensor that
will safely stop the instrument if obstruction is detected.The tester complies with requirements of
EN ISO 12945-1 and MarksandSpencer test methods P18A, P18B and P21A.

December 2001

AATCC Photo Flash Report

 The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) 2001 International
Conference  and Exhibition, held October 21-24, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenville,
S.C., billed itself as the world’s largest technical conference dedicated to wet processing. The
theme of this year’s event was “Technical Innovations for Global Challenges.”A. Blanton Godfrey,
dean of the College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, delivered the keynote address
October 22. In his speech, Godfrey focused on trends, challenges and observations of a global
marketplace.Almost 50 exhibitors presented a wide range of software, equipment and solutions for
the wet-processing industry.

Russell J. Crompton, president, Benjamin Cartwright, sales/service engineer, and Marvin De
Witte, manager, with SDL America

Gary Champion, technical sales representative, and Danny Thompson, customer service center
manager, represent CHT R. Beitlich Corp.

Omnova booth

Tony Mobley, technical sales, and Laurence F. Bond, general manager, national sales, both
with Atlas Material Testing Solutions

Bob Griswold, account executive, and Tim A. Cassell, regional manager, both with X-Rite Inc.

Norm Demers, technical support manager, Minolta Corp., demonstrates the CM-2600d portable
spectrophotometer.

Joe D. Parker demonstrates one of GretagMacbeth’s systems to a visitor.

 
December 2001

Quality Fabric Of The Month: Microbes Begone!


QFOM_1242T
he Fosshield Technology Division of Foss Manufacturing Co., Hampton, N.H., has developed an antimicrobial technology by which it embeds AgION™, a silver-based inorganic zeolite, in its
solution-dyed polyester Fossfibre® bicomponent fiber. Fossfibre with AgION is suitable for all textile applications in which antimicrobial protection is desired.

Foss sells the product to companies thatmanufacture textiles for such markets as hospitality, medicine and health care, travel and others. It has also recently entered the consumer market by introducing its own product – Fosshield® antimicrobial cleaning wipes.

The heavy-duty nonwoven wipes can be used throughout the home to clean everything from countertops, sinks and bathrooms to dishes – any non-fabric surface that needs to be cleaned. Foss claims they can be used wet or dry; with or without soap, detergent or other cleaning agents. The wipes will hold up for weeks and can be washed many times, even with bleach, without destroying the antimicrobial properties, thus reducing waste while maintaining their freshness.
Silver Lining

Silver has long been recognized as an effective inhibitor of bacterial growth. As an early example, says Foss, the ancient Egyptians used it 6,000 years ago as a lining in vessels intended for long-term water storage.

More than 650 strains of bacteria, yeast, fungi and mold are known to be vulnerable to silver’s antimicrobial properties. In addition, it is all-natural, inert and nontoxic. In laboratory testing, AgION has destroyed 99.99-percent of many infection- and odor-causing bacteria.
As well, because AgION is inorganic and not a drug-based antibiotic, bacteria are not able to develop resistance to its properties.

The bicomponent fibers in Fossfibre are specially designed so that AgION is found only on the sheath, providing optimum exposure to the destructive bacteria. Foss claims the silver zeolite molecule is extremely stable, even under the most severe production conditions, withstanding temperatures of up to 800°C and having a pH stability of 3-10.

Fossfibre with AgION is also available with additional additives to provide fire retardation, ultraviolet stabilization, conductivity, stain resistance and moisture transmission. As well, it can be blended with cotton, wool, silk or flax.


For more information about Fosshield Antimicrobial Technologies, contact Al Bobst (603)
929-6092; (800) 746-4018.


December 2001

Outlast Partners With Asian Manufacturers

Outlast Technologies, Boulder, Colo., has partnered with five Asian manufacturers to meet the
growing demand for its phase change technology products with greater selection and competitive
pricing. Outlast specializes in the research, development, design and application of phase change
materials (PCMs) for apparel, footwear, home furnishings and other markets
(See Quality Fabric of the Month, ATI, April 2000).Outlast will manufacture all of its
fabrics in Asia, including fabrics featuring the new Matrix Coating Technology (MCT). Without
losing the effectiveness of the PCMs, the MCT coating provides more stretch, moisture management
and air permeability to the fabric, the company claims.New partnerships with Itochu, Inoac, Daiyu,
Tiong Liong and P.T. Tomenbo will provide Outlasts global markets with superior-quality products at
competitive Asian prices, said George Cattermole, president and CEO, Outlast. Additionally, our
presence in Asia improves our capability to deliver products faster to customers with downstream
manufacturing operations in Asia.

December 2001

DuPont Launches Lycra Campaign TACTEL Prisma

DuPont, Wilmington, Del., has launched a new advertising campaign to support the growing trend of
jeans made with Lycra®. In the first such campaign for Lycra What do you look for in a great pair
of jeans DuPont will spend $10 million in advertising.The television commercial is lively and hip;
it captures the more fashionable and trendy personality of Lycra and emphasizes the way people live
in their jeans with Lycra; they look and feel good; they are comfortable and free, said Linda
Kearns, global brand manager, Lycra.In other news, DuPont ApparelandTextile Sciences has introduced
TACTEL® prisma, a new yarn that combines two polymers during spinning to achieve two-color heather
effects that incorporate different degrees of shine, sparkle and color. TACTEL prisma is available
in a 156f71 flat yarn for use in circular knits, knitwear and in woven fabrics.

December 2001

Cone To Use Quickwash In Denim Production

The Cone Mills denim plant in Cliffside, N.C., has purchased its first Raitech Quickwash Plus
machine. The testing machine will be incorporated directly into the manufacturing process on the
production floor. Cone hopes the machine will help reduce the number of denim reruns.Some Quickwash
Plus customers keep the machine in the lab, said Lan Brady, quality analysis manager, Cone Mills.
But for us, its best suited for use in our process.Brady said plant reruns were extremely
time-consuming. A trip to the warehouse was required to cut a two-yard denim sample, followed by
three wash cycles over a 12-hour period. With the new machine, 7 inches of fabric is required for
the test, and the test time is reduced to 30 minutes.
(See Measuring Up, TI, this issue).

December 2001

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