Burlington Industries LLC, a division of Greensboro, N.C.-based International Textile Group Inc. (ITG), has been awarded two contracts from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) totaling a maximum of $160 million to provide wool-blend fabrics for use in the newly updated U.S. Army dress uniforms. The contracts come on the heels of four contracts totaling $71 million that Burlington was awarded in April.
"The award of these contracts demonstrates the strategic value that Burlington provides to the U.S. Military as the dominant supplier of worsted wool dress uniform fabrics for all branches of the military," said Burlington President Jeff Peck.
Wool top is dyed and spun into yarn at Burlington's Raeford, N.C., plant and then sent to its Richmond plant in Cordova, N.C., to be woven into worsted wool and wool-blend fabrics, which are then returned to Raeford to be finished and shipped to specified cutters to make the final uniform. Burlington has developed the fabrics to offer advanced durability and wrinkle-resistance.
ITG has combined resources from its Burlington Worldwide, Safety Components, Narricot and Carlisle Finishing business units in an effort to expand its military business and offer a range of fabrics for specific military applications including camouflage combat and utility uniforms; Class A dress uniforms; physical training and extreme cold weather wear; flame-resistant and fire-fighting protective apparel; high performance equipment; ballistic fabric and webbing for body armor; and load carrying equipment.
"ITG's military fabrics business is critical to our U.S. structure and to our overall business," Peck said. "The diversification of our technical product line has strengthened our value and service to the U.S. Military, opening new opportunities for both ITG and the military."
In other company news, Burlington has announced that it has been certified as a partner in the bluesign® system, administered by Switzerland-based bluesign Technologies AG - a third-party certifier of products and manufacturing processes according to strict environmental, health and safety standards. Its first bluesign-approved fabrics will be produced at its manufacturing facility in Jiaxing, China, which produces technical synthetic fabrics for the active and outdoor markets, contract interiors, apparel, and uniform, among other specialty uses.
