Volume 4
HIGH POIN r WEAVING CO., and HILLCRES I’ THROWING CO., High Point, N. C„ May, 1947
No. 5
A Quick Look
At ^^Bur-Mil”
In Australia
In Australia, land of the kansaroo
and koala bear, 330 employees of Bur
lington Mills enjoy one of the world’s
mildest climates. Thev v\ork at Bur
lington Mills (Australia) Ltd., the Bur
lington plant located near W'est Mait
land, New South ^\’ales, mdustrial
center north of the cosmopolitan cit\'
of Sydney. It is so mild throughout
the vear that snow falls only on the
highest mountains and artificial heat
is seldom required.
Burlington leased the plant site in
1944 from the Australian government.
The building was originally built to
house a wartime munitions factory' and
is a large one covering some 420 acres
of ground. Two separate manufactur
ing operations are carried on here—a
general jacquard fabric dix’ision known
as “Tapitex” and also a rayon piece
goods division.
\V'. E. Rettew, formerly superinten
dent of Burlington’s Cascade plant in
North Carolina, has taken over the
duty of production manager of the
piece goods division and has flattering
comments to make about the Austral
ian employees. In letters back home
he says that he finds the Australians
“kind, considerate, and ingenious” and
that they are “quick to learn and eager
to improve pji the methods shown
them.” ’
Australia is a land of vaning scenes.
On one hand vou have the modern
cities, two of which—Sydney and Mel-
bourne-have populations of over a
million. Then vou have the Maitland
district, wherf^our plant is located.
This is the i^it industrial center of
the countrv'. v,n direct contrast, there
are miles of bushlands and open plains
where the kangaroos and other ani
mals roam wild. Finally, the Aus
tralian Alps compete with the beaches
for vacation travelers.
Burlington Mills is making a name
for itself in this far-away land. The
Australian Minister for Labour and In-
dustn', Hamilton Knight, was very
much impressed by Burlington’s plant
on his recent tour of the Maitland in
dustries. He congratulated the Com
pany on the good relationship estab-
hshed between itself and its employees.
We have the word of Leslie Lawrence,
general manager of the Australian com
pany, that the Burlington name is be
coming known from one end of the
island continent to the other.
The Australian employees join hands
w'ith other Burlington Mills employees
around the world—from the United
States to Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Co
lombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Vene
zuela, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Formed in 1944 the Foreign Divi
sion of the Company now boasts of
some nine manufacturing plants in six
foreign countries and sales offices in
four other countries as well, exclusive
of the ribbon plants. Thcv are a big
factor in complementing the work of
Burlington’s 63 domestic plants.
Safety Bulletin
“Ever Alert—Never Hurt”
Hillerest—128 days worked with
out Lost Time Accident. Last Ac
cident on December 16, 1946.
High Point Weaving—123 days
w'orked without Lost Time Acei.
dent. Last accident on December
29, 1946.
Over Ten Years’ Service
¥
POSING FOR THE CAMERAMAN are four of the group six employees at High Point Weaving Co;;i-
pany who have received lo and 15 year service pins this year. Left to right, they are Boyd Misenheimer, Tilden
Carmicheal, Alta Lanier, and Max Surratt. Two long-time employees, Thelma Mills and Thomas Welch, were not
present when the picture was taken. X
SUPERVISORS WIN
Employees In Both Plants
Receive Service Pin Awards
During the past two months, six High Point Weaving em
ployees have received service pins denoting from 10 to 15 years’
ser\ice with Burlington Mills. Tilden Carniichacl recei\ed his
15-\ear pin on May 23, while Max Surratt, Boyd Misenheimer,
Thomas Welch, 'I’helma Mills, and Alta Lanier received 10-year
pins.
I’ilden began working for Burling
ton back in 1932 at Central Falls. He
was transferred to High Point Weav
ing in December, 1936. .\t the present
he is fixing looms on the second .shift.
Max received his 10-\ear pin on
April 4. He has been employed the
entire time at High Point W’eaving.
Max served in the army from April 5,
1943, until March 16, 1946.
On April 27 Boyd Misenheimer was
awarded a pin for 10 years’ continu
ous service at High Point Weaving.
He served in the arm\’ from January,
1941, until December, 1945.
Another 10-year service pin winner
who has been at High Point the entire
time is Thomas W'elch. He was em
ployed May 7, 1937. Thomas is a
\’eteran having spent over five \ears in
the army.
Thelma Mills received her 10-year
pin Mav 20. She has been employed
as a winder since Mav 20, 1937.
The Preparatory Department’s Alta
Lanier was awarded a lO-year pin Mav
28. She has been employed in that
department as a quiller since Mav,
1937.
In addition to the above, the fol
lowing High Point W'caving employees
have received 5-year pins since Janu
ary 1: William T. Cruthis, Robert
Beauchamp, \^enus Jones, Bessie Jones,
B. O. Lawrence, Mell II. Embler,
John N. Chilton, Clayton Jones, Henr\’
Ilaymorc, Russell D. Harris, and Lind
say Morris.
Two Hillerest employees, Eldon
Freeman and Herbert Fox have re
ceived 5-year pins this year.
W’e extend congratulations to all of
these holders of service pins and we
point with pride to the large number
of faithful employees who have been
with us for so many vears.
Company Puachases
Statesville Plant
Statesville Cotton Mills, Statesville,
N. C., was purchased by Burlington
Mills this month. Date of take-o\er
was May I.
The Statesville plant is engaged pri
marily in the production of jacquard
fabrics and colored cotton yarns. The
plant will be considered a part of the
Decorative Fabrics Division of the
Company but will also continue pro
duction of dyed cotton yarns, a new
field for Burlington.
The plant is niodernly equipped,
having 16,000 spindles and 56 jac
quard and plush looms. Present local
management will continue.
J. M. T. AWARDS
Two High Point Weaving super
visors and one from Hillerest were
awarded U. S. Savings Bonds this
month for job method improvements.
Grady Helmstetler, first shift I’hrow-
ing supenisor at High Point W'eaving
heads the list, having been awarded
three $25.00 bonds this month. Clar
ence Agner received tvvo, and Cecil
Spencer and Ted Wilkes got one each.
.\long with the bonds Helmstetler
received $4.00 in cash; Spencer and
W’ilkcs received $3.00 each and Agner
got $2.00. Others receiving cash a\\ards
were Noah Garner and Jordan Spencer
from High Point W’caving and Forrest
Archer and Tom Hill from Hillerest.
Cash awards are given for each ap-
pro\ed proposal and a bond is award
ed for a total of 200 point credits.
Hal Ballard’s
Father Dies "
Hillerest employees regretted to
learn of the death of Mr. Ballard’s
father, Thomas Aven' Ballard, on May
11 at his home in Salisbun', N. C.
The elder Mr. Ballard had been in
failing health for several months, but
his passing came as a shock. At the
time of his death he was connected
with Cartex Mills in Salisbun-, N. C.,
although he had previoush- held tex
tile positions in Clover, S. C., and
Cherrvville, N. C.
The funeral was held Tuesday, May
13, at the Lutheran Church and in
terment was in the Cherryville Church
cemctcrv.
Employees of Hillerest and High
Point W'eaving express their deepest
sympathy to the Ballard family.
HUFFINES NEW
HEAD OF SALES
DEPARTMENT
R. L. Huffines, Jr., was recently
named president and director of Bur
lington Mills Corporation of New
York.
Huffines, previously vice-president of
the New York company, will, in his
new capacity, direct the sales activities
of the entire Burlington Mills organ-
iziition. In addition to his duties with
the selling company, he is vice-presi
dent, director and a Member of the
executive committee of the Company.
Old employees at Lakedale will re
member Huffines as general manager
of that plant several years ago.
At the same time, W. Malcolm
Brady, \V'alter S. Ilorne, Alfred C.
W^erner, Joseph \V. Stark and John P.
Dovle were named Vice-presidents and
directors.
Bradv is merchandising manager of
the Spun Division of Burlington Mills
Corporation of New York. At a recent
meeting of the Board of Directors of
the parent company in Greensboro he
was made director and member of the
executive committee of the parent com
pany. Horne is merchandising manager
for the Decorative Fabrics Division and
W^erner heads the merchandising activ
ities of the Company’s Foreign and Ex
port Division.
Stark heads the Narrow Fabrics
Division, created when Burlington pur
chased General Ribbon Mills and other
Stark interests in l!|j^. Doyle is in
charge of Hosiery D^sion sales.
Proposed Merger of
May, McEwen and
Burlington Mills
Burlington Mills l^Jarranged a con
solidation of operatii with May, Mc-
Ewen-Kaiser Company of Burlington,
N. C., subject to approval of stock
holders of both companies, it has been
announced by J. C. Cowan, Jr., gen
eral manager of the Company.
The deal will combine with Burling
ton Mills one of the largest hosiery
concerns in the south. The May or
ganization has 2700 emi>loyees in eight
plants engaged in the production of
seamless and full fashioned hose. Their
trademark, “Cameo,” is well known to
the shopping public.
In making the announcement, Mr.
Cowan said, “We have watchcxl with
admiration the success of May, Mc-
E\\en Kaiser Company over the years,
and we look fonvard to becoming as
sociated with such a fine and progres
sive organization.”
NEW MAIL ORDER
ITEMS AVAILABLE
“More for your choosing” seems to
be the theme of the mail order serv
ice’s program these days. Within the
last few' weeks, many new items have
been added to make your selection of
Company-made materials a wider one.
Consult your mail order catalogs for
the following new items:
W'ashable faille crepes in 11 new
colors.
Bridal or slipper satin available in
five colors.
Tea rose lingerie satin in the wide
60-inch material.
Printed crepes in various designs
and colors, sheer as well as flat goods.
Spring colors in the flannel material
line.
Gabardine fabrics in a 100% rayon
fabric with crease resistant finish.
Striped and checked suiting material.
Summer colors in girls’ cotton ank
lets.
More-than-doubled increase in the
drapery’ material line.