Valdese Expands Custom Dyeing

November 30, -0001

VALDESE, North Carolina—Valdese Weavers has completed the installation of $2.8 million worth of yarn dyeing equipment in its dye house here to produce its own dyed yarns for all of its fabric brands, said President and CEO, Mike Shelton.

The increased dyeing capability will take effect by year end 2009 when the installation of the American and Italian-made dyeing equipment is completed. "It also helps that business is improving for Valdese," Shelton said.

"Customers will no doubt take greater confidence in the fact that we are making this investment to ensure that Valdese will have adequate supplies of finished yarn in one of 7,000 colors for custom dyeing of as little as one piece at a time." Valdese has a history of being a small batch dyer but with its previous acquisitions of Joan, Home Fabrics, Doblin and Mastercraft, its ability to supply custom-dyed yarn to all of these brands has increased.

Historically, Valdese completed 95 percent of its own dyeing in-house. With the expansion of its dyeing equipment, it will be able to offer the same service to all of its brands and customers. Valdese is a yarn-forward, vertically-integrated operation.

The company buys non-dyed yarn from 8 to 10 suppliers worldwide currently, who act as primary and secondary sources for all of the yarn Valdese needs to run its business.

In addition, Valdese has installed a ''bolt-on'' IP system to supplement its SAP software to enable its customers to achieve paperless transactions to whatever extent they require, according to Shelton.


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