Sarla Performance Fibers Ltd. — an India-based manufacturer of polyester and nylon textured, twisted and dyed, covered, and high-tenacity yarns as well as sewing threads — is investing $13.8 million to establish a yarn and thread manufacturing business in Walterboro, S.C., that will operate under the name Sarlaflex.
The new plant — which will be housed in a former JP Stevens facility — will manufacture polyester yarn for apparel and upholstery applications and is expected to target the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) markets as its yarns will comply with the FTAs' country of origin rules, according to textile industry consultant Alasdair Carmichael, who also noted that the plant will be chip-fed with new partially oriented yarn (POY) extrusion, drawtexturing and twisting equipment scheduled to be delivered in early 2013. Sarlaflex is expected to begin production by May 2013 and create 100 jobs.
"We are pleased to establish our U.S. presence here in South Carolina," said Bobby Downs, executive vice president, Sarla Performance Fibers. "Colleton County offers us an excellent business environment, skilled workforce talent, exceptional market access and close proximity to the Port of Charleston. We appreciate all the support we've received from state and local officials in bringing this project to fruition."
Sarla Performance Fibers has subsidiary operations in Portugal, joint venture manufacturing operations in Honduras and Turkey, and distribution centers in Thailand and Vietnam. The company exports its products to more than 40 countries.
