NATIONAL SPINNING CO.240 Spinning Road, Whiteville
 

Top local official: Rudy Ballance, plant manager

Number of employees: 250 in Whiteville, 375 total in North Carolina

Year founded: This location was established in 1960, and the company began in 1921.

Company description:

Jim Booterbaugh, CEO: National Spinning is the leading U.S. spinner of acrylic, wool and polyester yarns for hand knitting, socks, apparel and industrial goods.

Description of products made locally:

Acrylic yarns for hand knitting; wool yarns for socks and sweaters; and Nomex (flameresistant) yarns for military uses

Places of product distribution:

Yarns are sold all over the United States, Mexico and Central America.

What made the company decide to make its goods locally?

Booterbaugh: “When the former CEO and chairman Joe Leff decided to relocate manufacturing from New York in the late 1950s, he searched across North Carolina and decided that Whiteville, North Carolina, was ideal for manufacturing. He believed the farming mentality of the local workforce would translate well into textile manufacturing.”

What’s your target market?

Booterbaugh: “Hand knitting, socks and industrial goods.”

What’s planned next?

Booterbaugh: “Several small projects have taken place over the past five years to increase capacity and diversity of the plant. The most recent addition of machinery is being completed now and should allow for up to 10 percent increase in capacity.”

EDITOR’S NOTE

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