The Performance Fibers of today was established in 2004 when the business was sold
by Honeywell International to Sun Capital Partners, Inc. Performance Fibers continues
a legacy of commitment, reliability, growth and innovation that traces its roots
to the post-World War II years when the fibers business was begun by Allied Chemical
(subsequently AlliedSignal and Honeywell).
Initially, the fibers group produced nylon for use in apparel and industrial applications.
In the early 1970s, production of polyester began and in the years that followed
came product improvements and innovation, as well as domestic and international
expansion.
To learn more about Performance Fibers’ rich history, please click on the boxes
at right, or download our timeline below.
1920 – Allied Chemical & Dye established.
1950s – After World War II, Allied began manufacturing new products,
including Nylon 6 (for making everything from tires to clothes) and refrigerants.
1958 – Company was re-named Allied Chemical Corp.
1971 – Commissioned Moncure plant in North Carolina, which produces
DSP® fiber, standard, low-shrink and low-denier polyester and adhesive
activated fiber.
1971 – Introduced A.C.E.® polyester fiber, a high-tenacity
industrial polyester yarn with excellent mechanical quality, dyeability and tensile
strength. A.C.E. polyester fiber is designed for a broad spectrum of applications,
including narrow and broadwovens, as well as cordage.
1986 – Introduced DSP® high-performance fibers. Used
in a variety of industrial and consumer applications, these high-modulus, low-shrinkage
polyester fibers provide high-performance reinforcement with excellent dimensional,
thermal and chemical stability, virtually no moisture absorption, high strength
and toughness.
1993 – Commissioned European plant in Longlaville, France. Products
produced in Longlaville include DSP® fiber and 1W78 fibers.
1993 – Introduced PenTec® PEN (polyethylene naphthalate)
fiber, a new-generation high-modulus fiber for tire reinforcement, engineered products
and a wide variety of other applications such as offshore mooring and sailcloth.
1996 – Established joint venture plant in Kaiping, China. Located
in the Guangdong Province of China, Performance Fibers’ Kaiping plant produces dimensionally
stable polyester fibers and treated fabrics for tire reinforcement, automotive and
other industrial and consumer uses, marketed under the trade name DSP fibers.
1997 – Introduced SeaGard® marine overlay finish,
which is engineered to minimize wet, yarn-on-yarn abrasion.
1998 – Formed AlliedSignal Performance Fibers business unit.
1999 – AlliedSignal acquired Honeywell and adopted the better-known
Honeywell corporate name.
1999 – Introduced WickGard® finish, a proprietary,
“no-wick” finish specifically designed for use in outdoor fabrics. Its anti-wicking
properties prevent delamination due to moisture, and inhibit unappealing aesthetic
problems such as mildew and discoloration.
1999 – Introduced Substraight®, a premier, high-strength
polyester fiber with a full range of shrinkage, strength, elongation and toughness
properties for coated and laminated fabric requirements. It also can be manufactured
with WickGard, an anti-wick finish, to inhibit mildew.
2004 – Introduced Beltec® fiber, which is specifically
designed to enhance the performance of tires as a cap ply. Use of Beltec has resulted
in a high-performing tire that is potentially more durable and secure, with better
handling and less flat spotting.
2004 – Honeywell International sold its Performance Fibers business
to Sun Capital Partners, Inc. and Performance Fibers was established as a stand-alone
company.
2005 – Performance Fibers built a second plant in Kaiping, China,
doubling its capacity.
2005 – Acquired the North American operations of Diolen Industrial
Fibers, including plants in Scottsboro and Winfield, Alabama.
2005 – Acquired the minority shares from its Chinese joint venture.
2006 – Acquired INVISTA GmbH’s German operations, which produce a variety of products including
sewing thread and embroidery yarns.
2007 – Established Performance Fibers’ European headquarters in
Bascharage, Luxembourg.
2007 – Introduced high-tenacity, high-modulus A360 fiber, which
offers an alternative to rayon for the tire industry.
2007 – Introduced 1H75 fiber for tire cord, power transmission
belting and hose applications. 1H75 is designed to deliver a significant increase
in strength while maintaining dimensional stability.
2008 – Acquired INVISTA’s North American tire cord, industrial
polyester filament and Nylon 6 businesses.
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