Oj
THE MILL WHISTLE
Eden, N. C., Novembers, 1975
No. 9
®>OOo project designed
efficiency and
quality to the
gashing Department,
Nal t ” “washer,” or rug
repj ^'■aatment range, has
wacedby a new machine
stainless-steel
The old machine
lo 'a use since 1933.
interruption of
the new range was
*8 operation of new rug chemical treat-
8® at Karastan are, from left, John Cun
ningham, plant manager; George Hairston, (hid
den in center); and James Robertson.
Chemical Ranse Installed
installed in parts over a period of
18 months. The old machine was
torn out a section at a time and
the new section installed and
started up. The procedure was
repeated until the entire 85-foot
range was in place and in
operation.
The range is used for the
chemical treatment of all
pattern rugs. It can process 12-
foot widths whereas the former
’^merest Continues
^ Conserve Energy
unit was limited to 10 feet. The
new machine has the potential
for faster operation and for
usage of decreased amounts of
water and chemicals. Also, the
range is made of materials that
should last indefinitely, mill
officials said.
Specifications for the new
range were drawn by the
Fieldcrest Engineering
Department. The machine was
built by Greenville Steel, Inc.,
Greenville, S.C., and the
hydraulic drive by Jett
Engineering Co., Charlotte. The
installation was by local
contractors under the direction
of Fieldcrest engineers.
®^nergy Conservation
Uids Fieldcrest as a
continuing strenous
Chservation measures
c started two or three
w-
shortage of natural
tj ® the major problem in
■ef Fieldcrest this
the company is
to ^ to take important
Conserve all kinds of
|Vt?®'’ticularly electricity.
t'uve been made to
Su^’^tural gas from
curces. However, any
Suh ® so obtained would be
jf stantially higher cost
'91,, Purchased from the
9ot^®urching for a way to
Ural gas durign the
threatened shortage, Fieldcrest
also has arranged for standby
fuels wherever possible. Oil and
coal are available now for
boilers but could be in short sup
ply before the winter is over.
It is expected, too, that
whatever energy or fuel is
available this winter, it will be
more expensive. Even without a
shortage it would be desirable to
conserve energy because of the
cost involved.
Electricity, while available,
has continued to rise in cost. As
every householder knows,
through rate increases and the
“fuel adjustment allowance” the
cost of electricity has risen
sharply. Because Fieldcrest
uses such enormous quantities of
(Continued To Page Eight)
Earnings Up
Fieldcrest Mills’ sales and net
earnings for the third quarter
posted significant increases over
a like period in 1974, President
William C. Battle reported
October 27.
Net earnings of $3,355,000 ($.93
per share) constitute a record
amount for the third quarter,
and a substantial increase over
the $734,000 ($.21 per share)
reported for the same period last
year.
Last year’s earnings have
been restated to reflect the LIFO
method of inventory valuation.
Sales were $84,784,000, which
represented an increase of 13
(Continued To Page Eight)
Conservation Week
Will Be Observed
With winter almost upon us
again, Fieldcresters like
everyone else are concerned
about the predictions of natural
gas shortages and limited fuel
reserves not to mention the high
price of keeping one’s family
warm, fed and mobile.
Governor James E.
Holshouser, Jr. has announced
that the week of November 2-8
has been set aside as Energy
Conservation Week in North
Carolina. In making the
proclamation the governor noted
that North Carolinians must
recognize that they are faced
with a long-term energy prob
lem. The best solution, he said, is
to cut back consumption of
energy through conservation
measures.
Energy Conservation Week
emphasizes that conserving
energy must be a major priority
in the lives of all North Caro
linians and that it is the
responsibility of each individual
to do whatever possible to cut
back on energy consumption.
Fieldcrest employees, no
matter in which state they live
and work, must accept this
responsibility also since the
energy problem is not confined
to North Carolina alone but
affects every American in every
state.
The United States today
imports approximately 35
percent of its petroleum
products. With 23 percent of that
tied up in the unstable politics of
the Middle East, the United
States could be cut off from its
energy supplies or be forced into
paying exhorbitant prices at any
moment.
While it is not true that energy
conservation means complete
sacrifice of the luxuries
Americans enjoy, it does mean
that those luxuries must be used
more sensibly because it is going
to cost even more to use them.
The most important element
of conserving energy is planning
which will be necessary until
conservation procedures
become automatic.
Studies reported on family
trips in passenger cars provide a
good example of how planning
can reduce energy consumption
(Continued To Page Eight)
Special Rug^ Carpet Sale
Planned For Employees
Employees and retired
employees will be able to
buy carpet and rugs at
special sale prices in a
“warehouse sale” to be held
at the Karastan Service
Center at Eden and the
Laurelcrest Service Center
at Laurel Hill Saturday,
November 8, from 9 a.m.
until 6 p.m.
For this sale only, carpet
and rugs will be offered to
employees and retirees on a
cash-and-carry basis at
unusually attractive prices.
The same assortment of
products will be available at
both locations.
Admission to the
warehouse will be for em
ployees with a permanent
Fieldcrest identification
pass. Employees’ wives and
husbands may accompany
them. Temporary
identification passes will
not be honored. Retirees
may use their Fieldcrest
Store cards for
identification.
The Security Department
will check all identification
cards before the employee
or retiree is admitted to the
warehouse. Merchandise
purchased must be for
personal use only.
Joseph L. Connolly,
Karastan’s manager of
customer services and
warehousing, said the
merchandise being offered
will be in limited qualities
and styles but will be very
attractively priced.
“Certain of these items,
such as discontinued styles,
previously were disposed of
through other distribution
channels,” Mr. Connolly
said. “We are pleased that
through this sale company
employees will have the
first opportunity to
purchase them.”
Mr. Connolly emphasized
that the sale is for em
ployees and retirees only
and that identification will
be required. However, an
“Authorization for Rug or
Carpet Purchase” (Form
FCO-13) will not be neces
sary.