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J.H. Millis Letter Cont’d.
J. E. Millis, son of the co-founder, became Sec
retary-Treasurer. The corporation was listed on
the New York Stock Exchange in 1928.
About that time, the organization decided to
enter the full fashioned hosiery field and erected
a large five-story steel and concrete building at
English and Pine Streets in High Point for the full
fashioned operations. Modern machines for the
manufacture of seamless stockings for women
have replaced the full fashioned machines.
After the death of Mr. Adams in 1935, my
father, J. E. Millis, was elected President. He
served as President from 1935 until he became
Chairman of the Board in 1952. He died October
13, 1961. The growth of this corporation is due
in large measure to his 50 years of loyal and dedi
cated service.
In 1952, the Board of Directors elected me
President of the company and my Dad, Chairman
of the Board. I have many fond memories of
summers worked in every plant; and, after attend
ing Davidson College and the University of North
Carolina and having served during World War II
as a fighter pilot with the Army Air Force, was
employed on a permanent basis with the company
on January 1, 1947,
Early in I960, Adams-Millis, in conjunction
with P. H. Hanes Knitting Company of Winston-
Salem, organized Hanes-Millis Sales Corporation,
engaging in the sale of men's, boys', misses' and
infants'hosiery under the Hanes Red Label brand.
In 1963, the physicalassets of Granite Hosiery
Company of Mount Air y, N. C. , were purchased
for cash. This company has been said to be the
largest boys' hosiery mill in the country. During
this time, Donald G. Lindner, a Purdue Univer-
graduate, assumed a key position in our New
York sales office. He is now President of the
Hosiery Division.
In 1965, anew finishing plant and warehous
ing facility, incorporating the most advanced
inventory control and materials handling system
in the industry, was constructed in Kerner sville,
N. C. This new finishing plant and warehouse
facility was dedicated and named in honor of Mr.
J. EdMillis in April 1966, at which time Adams-
Millis received the Sears "Symbol of Excellence"
award from Sears, Roebuck and Company. (This
month. May 1974, we will receive our 8th such
award.) New, advanced, 4-feed knitting machines
for women's seamless stockings were also in
stalled in the ladies' hosiery mill in 1966.
In July of 1965, the corporation acquired
Knit-Sox Knitting Mills in Hickory to strengthen
production of misses' and children's hosiery.
In 1970, the Whisnant Ho siery Mills in Hickory
was acquired and Knit-Sox Knitting Mills was
consolidated with the Whisnant operations.
In 1968, Adams-Millis acquired the Tex-
Elastic Corporation in Archdale, producers of
covered elastic yarns. Another acquisition, Uni-
Royal of Raeford, was bought to increase the
capabilities of processing covered yarns. Ten
texturing machines were installed in the Arch
dale plant in 1968 and twelve more were added
before the texturing machines were moved to a
new Adams-Millis Texturing and Dyeing plant on
South Ehm Street in High Point, Ten additional
machines were installed in the new texturing
plant, which is equipped to texture and dye any
of the thermoplastic fibers. TexElastic contin
ues to be one of the world's largest producers of
covered yarns.
In 1971, Adams-Millis Corporation entered
the double-knit fabrics industry. Two plants,
S & S Mills of Graham and McCuiston Knitting
Mills of Haw River, former commissioned knit
ters, were acquired and were organized into a
single unit--Adams-Millis Fabrics, Inc, Addi
tions have been made to the Graham plant to
increase output of fabrics, and a dyeing and fin
ishing plant has been built in Winston-Salem to
allow the fabrics to be sold directly to apparel
producers.
With the emergence and expected continua
tion of women's hosiery and panty hose as high
fashion items, the main manufacturing plant in
High Point has been steadily modernized with
multi-feed knitting machines equipped with auto
matic toe closures. Automated machines have
also been installed in the finishing department.
A fully automated plant in Edmond, Oklahoma,
is equipped throughout with the newest knitting
machines andfinishing room facilities for the pro
duction of women's hosiery and pantyhose. This
facility, with expanded warehouse space, enables
Adams-Millis Hosiery Company to better serve
customers in the southwestern and western mar
kets.
Adams-Millis Corporation sales are nation
wide in scope. Its ownership is also national in
scope with over 5, 000 stockholders in all of the
50 states, as well as territories and foreign
countries. Of course, allof this growth is attrib
utable to our finest asset in Adams-Millis, our
large number of hard working, dedicated employ
ees. Because of this fact, one of the pleasures
of my life is to have a visit with those retiring
from Adams-Millis. This affords me the oppor
tunity on a one-to-one basis to say "thanks, " and
to reminisce about our past and to discuss th®
future. Many have spent 30, 40--even 50 years
with the company and for this I am deeply grate
ful.