iLLL.
XIX
Spray, N. C., Monday, December 19, 1960
NO.
Crowds Attend
^l>ildren’s Parties
‘‘ictur,
at children’s parties appear
® Jour and six.
audiences attended the
tjj Christmas parties sponsored
ie ® p^rolina Cooperative Council for
^ielij ^^'iren of all the employees of
Mills Saturday, December 10.
s Were held at Spray and Fieldale.
As j^timated 3,000 persons were on
\}^ party in the Morehead
gymnasium during the af-
the T children of employees
oj area. D. E. Simons, presi-
Council, was master of cere-
numbers.
attendance chair-
““auctpH j
StrijJ J- K. McConnell, in-
'Chaplain, gave the invocation.
Harold W. Whitcomb spoke
holiday greetings from
^st »..fSement and owners of Field-
AtS-^' Inc.
'it furnished by Ar-
et W Cracker jacks from
J Charlotte. Their vari-
.Of music and comedy was
Ca Arthur himself led the
the singing of Christmas
Cjj . the Cracker jacks played and
drawings for at-
^''a Clock radios were won
i C. ^ 3fns, of Karastan Setting, and
of the Bedspread Carding
a Karastan Setting,
'6stgj ®®theart Rose blanket and G.
V (Co '+• C®*^tral Warehouse, won a
on page eight)
^it Union Schedule
V FieiH
'''ill u Mills Credit Union of-
l [ '*'bej. 2^ closed from noon Friday,
‘he p. Monday, January
% . *'*stmas-Ncw Year’s holi-
>noii?u ®®™Puting dividends for
*s ending December 31. The
A Christmas Message
FROM OUR PRESIDENT
This coming week end our mills and offices will be closed while
all of us at Fieldcrest join with Christian people throughout the world
in celebrating Christmas. Families and friends will draw together to
renew family ties and to observe Christmas in the traditional manner
as they have done for many, many years.
The following Sunday will be New Year’s Day, the end of 1960
and the beginning of a new year. At this particular season, it is custo
mary to look back over the year just ending and try to plan for the
year ahead. For our company, the year 1960 has not been as profitable
or successful as 1959.
The year started out very well and the first six months saw high
volume and good shipments. Beginning in the third quarter, in line
with the general economy, our new orders fell off substantially from
last year. This trend continued during the fourth quarter and for the
first time in several years overtime work has been reduced, and in re
cent weeks it has been necessary to curtail in some plants. This curtail
ment will affect a considerable number of people for some weeks
ahead.
The company is in excellent general condition, however. During
the year we have completed a major improvement and rehabilitation
program in most of our mills, the results of which are evident to all
of you. The consolidation of the St. Marys Blanket Mill with our
Draper Blanket Mill and Central Finishing Mill resulted in the addi
tion of approximately 200 jobs in those plants. Several million dollars
were spent in this program and both mills have been substantially
improved.
Very substantial additions and improvements have also been made
to our Karastan Mill, our Bedspread Finishing Plant, our Sheeting
Mill and at our Towel Mill in Fieldale.
Our Automatia Blanket operation has been transferred to a new
and modern plant at Smithfield, North Carolina, which should result
in a more competitive situation, enabling us to hold our place in the
automatic blanket industry. I am glad to tell you that approximately
one-half of the people formerly employed in our Automatic Blanket
Mill at Spray have already been reemployed by the Company in our
other plants. We shall continue to place these people in jobs for which
they are suited as fast as they become available.
We have long needed a woolen spinning mill to manufacture the
pile yarns for our Karastan Rug MiU. In August, we purchased an
excellent mill of the right size and properly equipped, from the Art-
loom Carpet Company, located in Greenville, North Carolina. We feel
that this purchase places our Karastan Mill in a more competitive
position in the industry and greatly strengthens our floor covering
operation.
We have also continued to strengthen our sales and marketing
efforts and have made good progress in those directions. We opened
(Continued on page eight)
will re-open on regr-
® Tuesday, January 3.