Wellford, S.C.-based Leigh Fibers, a fiber and textile recycler and mattress industry supplier, shut down its fiber-reprocessing facility in Montreal, Leigh Textile Co., in December due to a declining customer base for recycled textiles in Canada and the northeastern United States.
“It was a difficult decision to close an operation that has been part of the Leigh family since 1948,” said Keith Taylor, Leigh Fibers president. “But so many customers in this region have gone out of business or substantially reduced their volume in the past few years that the plant can no longer operate profitably. The Canadian market, however, remains an important component of Leigh’s future growth, and we will continue to serve our existing customers and to actively seek new opportunities.”
All Leigh Textiles customers will be served from the Leigh Fibers facility in Wellford, which has a capacity of 1 million pounds a day. It is North America’s largest fiber-reprocessing operation, Taylor said.
The company provided career-transitioning support to all Leigh Textiles employees and retained an outplacement firm to aid in the effort. Some employees were expected to take positions with the company in South Carolina.
