Carpenter expanding facilities

By Michele SanFilippo -- Home Textiles Today, 3/22/2004 12:00:00 AM

RICHMOND, VA. —

Carpenter Co. is currently expanding its consumer products manufacturing facilities. The company is adding 100,000 square feet at its Altoona, Pa. plant, 70,000 square feet in Russellville, Ky. and 200,000 square feet in Elkhart, Ind. In addition, state-of-the-art quilting lines will be added in Taylor, Texas and Altoona.

In order to provide value-added visco-elastic products, Carpenter will begin pouring visco-elastic foam in Elkhart; Lathrop, Calif.; and Fogelsville, Pa., later this year.

"In order to service our customers better and facilitate the increased demand for our products, virtually all of our plants will undergo major renovations over the next few months," said Dick Davidson, Carpenter's vice president of manufacturing.

Carpenter has also purchased new blowing lines to produce blown synthetic down pillows, comforters, fiberbeds and other products. Additionally, the company is setting up quilting machines to make polyester mattress pads.

Carpenter is adding a third molding line in Elkhart to make sure it has the capacity to meet the demand for existing products, as well as new products it will introduce during the coming months. Elkhart will also have two additional polyester pillow lines as well as new quilters for polyester mattress pads.

The company is adding two Airlay lines for its outdoor furniture cushion business. "This business is three years old, and we see a tremendous opportunity to be a force in this market," said Dan Schecter, vice president of sales and marketing. "This is an exciting time for the division and our company."