Burlington to shut window facility

GREENSBORO, NC — Burlington Industries will shrink its manufacturing base further with the closing of its Mount Olive, NC plant in early June.

The sewing facility produced window fashions primarily for mass merchants and department stores, the company said in a statement, and employed 170 people.

"Continued pricing pressures brought about by lower-cost imports has made it necessary for us to reduce our capacity in line with demand and concentrate our production in our most flexible and low-cost facilities," said Wallace Horton, plant manager, Burlington, also in a statement. "We regret the impact this will have on our employees. It is through their outstanding efforts that we have been able to continue operating the facility up to this point."

Approximately 170 people were employed at the plant, some of whom will be placed with other local employers while some will be let go. Those released outright will receive 60 days notice and severance benefits.

According to Delores Sides, director, corporate communications, the home textiles manufacturer, based here, continues to operate two other window covering producing facilities, one in Reidsville, NC and the other in Mexico.

"We will be balancing capacity with demand," Sides said, noting that the products manufactured in the Mount Olive plant will continue to be produced in the other facilities.