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Amco News
February, 1981
Vol. 37, No. 1
1
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-S'*’ * " vte'
Plant iS, Franklinton
Re-Engineering of Plant #8 Near Completion
When Adams-Millis Cor
poration purchased the
Franklinton, N.C. plant of
Durham Hosiery Company
last year, it acquired part of
a firm that at one time was
known as the largest pro
ducer of hosiery in the
world. Founded in 1898,
Durham Hosiery was known
also as one of the oldest
hosiery firms in this coun
try.
Final renovation is being
completed at the Franklin
ton plant to make it a sister
facility to Plant #7 in High
Point. Walter Voncannon,
Vice President of the Ladies’
Hosiery Division, is direc
ting this transition at the
new plant with the
assistance of Richard Nor
wood, Plant Manager there.
A sewing and finishing
facility. Plant #8 will seam,
package and ship greige
goods shipped to Franklin
ton from other Adams-Millis
plants. Goods finished there
will include pantyhose, knee-
highs, foot socks and thigh-
high stockings.
Adams-Millis’ purchase of
the Franklinton plant in ef
fect saved the jobs of some
80 employees as Durham
Hosiery had planned to close
its operations there. Mr.
Voncannon said when the
plant is at top production,
some 125 persons will be
employed.
George Cralle, President
of Durham Hosiery, recalled
some of the colorful history
of that firm, stating that at
the peak of its production,
boxcar loads of hosiery pro
ducts would be shipped from
Durham. “Large banners
stating ‘Another carload of
durable Durham hosiery!’
would be strung on the box
cars,’’ he said. Early records
of the company indicate it
also owned its own cotton
mills and produced the yarn
for its 17 plants. At one
time, the company operated
plants in Carboro, Mebane
and also in High Point.
When renovation is com
pleted, Plant #8 will be one
of the most modem and
automated hosiery plants in
the country, Mr. Voncannon
said. A total of 1,400 feet of
conveyor systems are under
installation, which will move
goods automatically from one
stage of production to
another. Also, a carousel-
type conveyor will act as a
continuous supply line to
the Folding and Box Stock
areas. New storage racks,
which are 12!/2-feet high,
feed directly to the flow
through racks to facilitate
order picking. All the equip
ment is expected to be fully
operational by May of this
year.
Among the many Adams
Millis personnel who assist
ed in the transition at Plant
#8 were Jerry Reeve and Ray
Willis of the Engineering
Department.
Franklinton
Has Interesting
History
Plant #8 in Franklinton is
located on U.S. Highway 1,
one of the main highway
arteries on the Eastern Sea
board. Franklinton is a 25-
minute drive north of
Raleigh, the state capitol,
and is in Franklin County
which was formed in 1779.
“Franklinton Depot’was first
established in 1839, with the
(Con’t. on page 3)
Richard Norwood Jr.
Rick Norwood
Manager
at Plant #8
Richard (Rick) H. Nor
wood, Jr. is Plant Manager
of Adams-Millis Corpora
tion’s most recently ac
quired plant, #8 in Franklin
ton. He is a native of
Townsville which is several
miles north of Franklinton,
and is a graduate of Atlantic
Christian College in Wilson
with a degree in Business
Administration. He most
recently was with Huyck
Farmer in Wake Forest as
Personnel Manager; and
prior to that held the same
position with Americal Cor
poration in Henderson for
seven years.
Rick and his wife, Joan,
have two sons, Richard, III,
(Hank) and Alan. One of
Rick’s hobbies is running,
and he usually tries to run
three to five miles every day.
(Con’t. on page 7)
Robert Grant
James Williams
James Halvorsen
James Millis, Jr.
Ronald Stroup
Retirement, Promotions In Sales and Marketing
Announcement that
Robert P. Grant, Senior Vice
President and Director of
Sales and Marketing of
Adams-Millis Hosiery Com
pany, will retire June 1 of
this yetir has been made by
Robert M. Bundy, Jr., Presi
dent. At the same time, Mr.
Bundy announced that
James A. Williams has been
named to succeed Mr.
Grant, who will remain ac
tive in his position to assist
with the transfer of duties
until his actual retirement
date. Jim’s previous posi
tion had been Vice President
and Account Executive for
Supermarket and Special
Accounts. He will report to
Mr. Bundy in his new posi
tion.
Other promotions in Sales
and Marketing announced
by Mr. Bundy include
James P. Halvorsen to Vice
President and Sales
Manager, from the position
of Account Executive, and
James H. Millis, Jr., who
has been promoted from
Director of Marketing and
Product Development to
Vice President of Market
and Product Development.
Both will report to Jim
Williams. Also, Ronald W.
Stroup has been promoted
to Vice President and Ac
count Executive for Super
market and Special Ac
counts and will report to Jim
Halvorsen.
Mr. Bundy expressed ap
preciation to Bob for his
work with Adams-Millis
during his sixteen years
with the company and wish
ed him well in his retire
ment. Bob’s work included
the sales and merchandising
of specified key accounts
such as Sears, the largest na
tional retail and mail order
house in the world. Mr. Bun
dy noted that during Bob’s
career with Adams-Millis,
the hosiery company has
received the Sears’ Symbol
of Excellence Award for fif
teen consecutive years.