Gastonia - US circular knitter Beverley Knits is creating a new finishing division following its acquisition of Gentry Mills.
The new division will be called Creative Dyeing & Finishing and will complement Beverly Knits existing group of companies which includes Creative Fabrics, Creative Ticking, Altus Finishing and Hemingway Sewing Solutions.
For Beverley Knits, the deal follows a strategic decision to expand its vertical integration capabilities. ““A combination of factors led to the decision to invest and expand,” Ron Sytz, CEO of Beverly Knits said. "We have been producing quality circular knit textile products for over 42 years in Gastonia, North Carolina. We feel that this is the right time to further expand our capabilities into dyeing and finishing of fabrics. This continues to support the re-shoring of textile production and to strengthen our capability to produce goods ‘Made in the USA.’ "With this addition, Beverly Knits companies have the ability to provide solutions from knitting all the way to a completed garment.”
The Creative Dyeing and Finishing operation will provide fabric dyeing, finishing, napping and printing services to the apparel, industrial and bedding markets. Investment in advanced control technologies, including upgrading of equipment, will modernize the operation over the next two years.
Robert and JoAnn Sytz founded Beverly Knits in 1980. The company has been owned since 2004 by Ron and his wife, Janet, who serves as chief financial officer.
Beverly Knits is one of the largest circular knitters in the U.S, supplying some of the market's leading brands of performance wear, athletic footwear, and intimate apparel. The ability to innovate and respond quickly to changing demands has been a hallmark of Beverly Knits since its founding, the company says.
The company currently operates 250 circular knitting machines, which produce 30 million square yards of fabric annually. The company’s manufacturing and warehousing facilities cover 310,000 square feet in four buildings located in Gastonia, North Carolina. Approximately 60 per cent of Beverly Knits’ current production is devoted to apparel and 25 per cent to mattress ticking. The balance is split among automotive, medical and industrial fabrics, including those used for lamination and agriculture.
Beverly Knits began producing fire barrier fabrics for mattresses in 1994. In response to the increased popularity of foam mattresses, the company founded Creative Ticking in 2006 to sell its products directly to mattress manufacturers.
