On August 5, 2008, Performance Fibers (Richmond, VA) announced plans to again increase capacity for HMLS (high modulus, low shrinkage) polyester fiber and fabric at its factory in Kaiping, China to meet demand from the tire industry.
The latest expansion will increase combined production of dimensionally stable polyester fiber and fabric production by 50 percent. The new project is part of a multi-phase expansion plan over the past four years to expand capacity for DSP yarn and fabric.
The expansion will include the addition of new advanced spinning machines to produce HMLS fiber, continuing a plan that added the infrastructure for this new equipment in 2006. The first part of this expansion is expected to come online in November 2008, with the following stage to begin production in early 2009. The company also will add direct cablers and air jet looms to increase fabric capacity. Construction on a second level of its existing facility to house the new, state-of-the-art equipment will begin this quarter, with production to begin next year.
Here is the press release.