“Walker County deserves credit for keeping us here because we were looking at a possible relocation,” chief operating officer Mike Lee said. “Because the county was willing to work with us, this new investment will keep us operating here.”
The company has a second operating location in Spartanburg, S.C., that was being considered for relocation of the plant, Walker County commissioner Bebe Heiskell said.
“We are so glad that United Synthetics has chosen to stay and make this expansion happen here,” she said.
This reinvestment will pay for new operating equipment for the plant and a new warehouse to be constructed on the 16-acre site, she said.
“These plans will allow the LaFayette operation to remain competitive with the other operations the company has in different locations outside of Georgia,” Heiskell said.
Walker County was not asked for any financial assistance with this project, she said.
United Synthetics is a subsidiary of Stein Fibers LLC, whose headquarters are in Albany, N.Y. The company operates several distribution facilities in places like Los Angeles and Vancouver for the polyester staple fibers it produces within the LaFayette and Spartanburg production plants.
The fibers are used in many applications, including furniture, medical devices, and household items such as pillows and comforters.
Lee said site preparation work should begin within a few weeks for the new warehouse, with actual construction of the building to begin mid October.
“We have already set the new production equipment in place,” Lee said.
United Synthetics employees about 60 workers.




