THE MILL WHISTLE
/ol. 32
Eden, N. C., January 28, 1974
No. 13
Company Unveils New Carpet Technology
Two dramatically new tech-
lological developments giving a
‘new frpedom” to the design of
arpets and rugs were unveiled
ly the Karastan and Laurelcrest
Marketing
"'ieldcrest
ointly-held
^ew York.
Karastan
Divisions
Mills, Inc., at
press meeting
introduced the first
arpets (and rugs made on its
xclusive “Bondi System,” a
evolutionary new construction
lethod for producing multi-
olor designs in pile fabrics
fficiently and economically.
Laurelcrest showed the first of
ts “Tapestry-Crafted”
roadlooms utilizing a
ompletely new technique for
eproducing multi-color
atterns on trufted carpets.
The Bondi System
As presented by Walter B.
Juinan, president of both the
larastan and Laurelcrest
Marketing Divisions, “The
londi System is unique in many
ihases from any other carpet
onstruction method.”
Invented in Italy by Emanuele
londi, whom Mr. Guinan
lescribed as an “internationally
amous textile engineering
genius,” the Bondi System was
purchased outright in February,
1973 by Fieldcrest Mills, Inc.,
from Mr. Bondi’s firm, Societa
Impianti Consulenze
Industriala. The purchase
included the machinery,
technology, patents, world-wide
rights of the process and
“Signore Bondi’s invaluable
guidance and know-how,” Mr.
Guinan added.
New Manufacturing Facility
The complete machinery was
removed from its Italian plant
and shipped intact to a new
carpet manufacturing facility
built by Fieldcrest in Whiteville,
which is now in production.
Mr. Guinan stressed that the
Bondi system is not weaving, not
tufting and not printing, but a
completely different method for
fabricating pile carpets with
multi-color patterns.
He explained that the system
utilizes computer technology to
“scan” a carpet design and
select the proper colored pile
yarns to go into the correct
sequence to form the pattern.
One the carpet yarns are
formed in the machine to the
(Continued on Page Five)
T, E. Bondurant Attains
50 Years Of Service
T. Earl Bondurant, of the
Draper Sheeting Mill, completed
50 years of continuous service
Januay 23 and was honored by
the Fieldcrest management at a
luncheon at Meadow Greens
Country Club. Other members of
the 50-Year Club attended.
Mr. Bondurant was first
employed at the old Nantucket
Mill and worked as a weaver on
ginghams and sheeting. He was
transferred to the Draper
Sheeting Mill when sheeting
operations were consolidated
there in 1937.
He was a weaver until 1941
when he was promoted to
breakdown man and then to
loom fixer. He was a loom fixer
for the next 27 years and now
works as a spare loom fixer.
Mr. Bondurant is a native of
Eden and is married to the
former Lena Dix. They have one
daughter, Mrs. Doris B. Powell,
a billing clerk at the Sheet
Finishing Office; two
grandaughters and one great-
granddaughter
Mr. Bondurant and his wife
attend First Christian Church
where they have been members
for over 40 years. When he is not
at the mill, Mr. Bondurant
enjoys working in his workshop
t
iji-v
M
'Mi
'M
li;
5 ♦ 4 ’
t ■ 1
This intricately-patterned Oriental design rug was produced on Karastan s new Bondi
System”, a revolutionary new method of manufacturing multi-color patterned carpets
and rugs.
Namath Will Do Television
Ads For St. Mary's Line
T. EARL BONDURANT
... Half-Century of Service ...
in the basement of his home.
Of his 50 years with the
Company, Mr. Bondurant said:
“I’ve made a lot of friends
during my years at work and I
appreciate them.”
He said the greatest changes
in the mills he has noticed in 50
years are the tremendous
improvements in working
conditions. He said the
waterworks and sewerage
systems and the consolidation of
the City of Eden were the
greatest improvements in the
community he has seen in his
lifetime.
Joe Namath, outstanding NFL
personality and an active figure
in the business and enter
tainment fields, has entered into
an agreement with Fieldcrest
Mills, Inc. to promote an
exclusive line of the company’s
St. Mary’s products.
The announcement was made
by D. M. Tracy, president of the
Fieldcrest Marketing Division.
The Company’s St. Mary’s
brand is distributed through
America’s leading mass
retailers.
bath area of home furnishings.
In making the announcement,
Tracy stated, “Joe’s a sure-fire
attention-getter, especially with
the women. When he talks, they
listen!” Namath took a slightly
different tack.
Seemingly undisturbed about
being linked with sheets and
bedrooms, he grinned, “The
products are real nice, and you
know I’ve always had a sincere
interest in being associated with
beautiful things!”
St. Mary’s will market the new
bed and bath collection under
the name “Playmaker.”
Namath will be featured in the
related T.V. advertising
campaign, packaging and pro
motional materials. The kickoff
is slated for the Plaza’s posh
penthouse apartment on
February 4.
It is Namath’s first endorse
ment venture into the bed and
Joe Namath and D. M. Tracy at TV contract signing.