On March 26, Performance Fiber announced that it would idle all manufacturing at its plants in Winfield and Scottsboro, Alabama. The action will idle polyester fiber converting operations at Winfield and fabric dipping operations at Scottsboro. The company cited reduced demand from US tire customers, combined with an increasingly competitive industry and higher operating and raw material costs, as factors driving the decision. The timing of the shut-downs will be determined by the transition period necessary to meet customer contracts.
Responding to similar conditions, Performance Fibers idled polyester fiber production at Scottboro in 2006, while maintaining a scaled-back fabric dipping operation at the site.
Here is the press release on the rationalization.
On March 10, Performance Fiber announced that it had completed the acquisition of INVISTA’s North American tire cord and polyester industrial filament businesses. The deal included four plants in the US and Mexico that manufacture industrial polyester, nylon-6 and tire cord fabric. Terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed.
Here is the press release on the acquisition.