Vol. 31
Eden, N. C., March 5, 1973
No. 17
TERRELL M. FULCHER
Fulcher Honored For
50 Years Of Service
Terrell M. Fulcher, section foreman
the Slashing Department at the Field-
Towel Mill, completed 50 years of
^^htinuous service with the Company
Th
ursday, March 1.
He was honored by the management
the Company at a luncheon at Mead-
Greens Country Club on the anni
versary date, attended by other mem
bers of Fieldcrest’s 50-Year Club. Mr.
hlcher was presented his 50-year pin,
® gift and a letter of commendation
fom President William C. Battle.
^ A. native of Patrick County, Va., Mr.
ulcher has worked at the Fieldale
jjill continuously since March 1, 1923.
started as a sweeper in the Spinning
j^epartment and later worked in the
**^ker Room and the Weave Room.
,, In 1930 he was transferred to the
Jashing Department and in 1934 was
^\aned in charge of that department
"'ith the title of second hand. He has
'^antinued as head of the department
that time, a period of nearly 40
5'ears.
^r. Fulcher lives on a large farm he
(Continued on Page Three)
Fieldcrest Announces Construction Of
Whiteville Carpet Manufacturing Piant
Construction of a carpet manufactur
ing facility in Whiteville has been an
nounced by Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.
A 25-acre tract with a shell building
has been purchased by Fieldcrest Mills
from the Columbus County Development
Committee, according to William C.
Battle, president of Fieldcrest Mills,
Inc.
The 43,000-square foot facility is ex
pected to be ready for the installation
of machinery within two months. Ap
proximately 75 persons are expected to
be employed in the plant by the end
of the first year.
Future plans for the operation call
for expansion of the plant to 128,000
square feet with employment of about
335 by the end of the first five years.
Fieldcrest purchased the machinery,
technology, patents and world-wide
rights of this carpet manufacturing pro
cess from Societa Impianti Consulenze
Industriali, an Italian firm owned by
Mr. Emanuele Bondi.
Mr. Bondi, a recognized international
inventor and engineer, developed this
completely unique and revolutionary
process of manufacturing carpets after
several years of research and develop
ment which led to the present state of
technology. Patents have been issued
in several countries and are pending
in many others.
The manufacturing system is both
versatile and productive as well as be
ing capable of rapidly changing to va
rious types of carpets and rugs.
A wide range of patterned carpet and
rugs designed for the quality and style
conscious consumer will be produced
and sold under the Karastan and Laurel-
crest labels. Sales service, warehous
ing and distribution functions will be
located at the nearby Laurelcrest Car
pet Plant at Laurel Hill.
Harry H. Davis, formerly superin
tendent of weaving at the Karastan Rug
Mill, Eden, has been appointed general
manager of the Whiteville plant, re
porting to J. P. Kitchens, division vice
(Continued on Page Eight)
Johnny Still On Job
Sales Show Increase
Of 7 Percent In ’72
Johnny Barber has worked 11 years
without missing a day. See story and
pictures of other Blanket Mill attend
ance ehampions on page two.
Fieldcrest Mills, Inc., February 21 re
ported increases in sales for the 11th
consecutive year. Sales for the year
1972 reached a level of $244,081,000 an
increase of 7% over 1971.
Fieldcrest’s after-tax earnings for
1972 were $7,504,000 as compared to
$7,907,000 in 1971 after elimination of
nonrecurring gain of $2,733,000 in 1971
resulting from the sale of John P. Ma
guire & Co. Earnings per share before
extraordinary item were $2.10 in 1972
compared to $2.22 in 1971.
W. C. Battle, president and chief ex
ecutive officer, observed that earnings
for 1972 were somewhat lower than had
originally been expected. Phase II re
strictions on price increases and mar
ket conditions made it difficult to in
crease prices sufficiently to offset in
creases in raw material costs, particular
ly of wool and cotton, and labor costs.
(Continued on Page Eight)