SC-MILLIKEN-&-COMPANY
11.6.2019 18:15:04 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Milliken & Company (“Milliken”), a global diversified manufacturer with more than a century and a half of textile expertise, today announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Polartec, LLC (“Polartec”), a strong global brand known for its innovative performance textiles for outdoor and military apparel, from Versa Capital Management, LLC (“Versa”). The acquisition is expected to close in June. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190611005819/en/
Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, the Polartec brand carries a respected portfolio of fabric technologies for outdoor apparel, from performance-driven and consumer-focused textiles, to flame-resistant, workwear and military-grade fabrics. The addition of the Polartec brand—particularly its outdoor and fleece textiles—rounds out Milliken’s comprehensive portfolio, allowing the company to deliver unprecedented access to a range of performance textiles for consumers, industrial workers and military personnel around the world.
“Polartec brings a wealth of new and respected outdoor textile expertise to complement Milliken’s strengths,” shared Halsey Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Company. “The strategic acquisition broadens our textile capabilities with a product offering to now include fleece and soft-shell outerwear, among others, allowing us to grow in new and exciting spaces.”
“With more than 150 years of textile innovation, Milliken is the best possible ‘natural owner’ of a brand with Polartec’s pedigree. I look forward to supporting the integration,” said Polartec CEO Gary Smith. “I’m grateful to Versa Capital Management for their support in realizing Polartec’s full potential, and I’m extremely proud of the global Polartec team for their dedication and hard work that put the company in the position it is in today.”
“We look forward to growing Polartec’s strong brand at Milliken,” said Jeff Price, president of Milliken’s Performance and Protective Textiles Division. “Polartec expands our regional manufacturing reach and grows our technological expertise, enabling us to further deliver innovative performance textiles to the global market.”
“Milliken provides the perfect platform to ensure the continuation and acceleration of the success of the Polartec brand after years of complex and transformative business repositioning by Gary Smith and his team,” said Greg Segall, CEO of Versa and chairman of Polartec. “It has been a great collaboration with Gary and all of Polartec’s valued employees, and we are proud of all that has been accomplished during Versa’s ownership—notably the feat of reviving an American textile icon and powerful global brand into an enterprise equipped to succeed in today’s highly competitive markets. Milliken is the ideal long-term owner for Polartec, and we look forward to seeing the two companies achieve big things together.”
Versa acquired the assets of the former Malden Mills in 2007 through the then 101-year-old textile manufacturer’s third reorganization. Working with management, the business was transformed, renaming the company Polartec, reorienting it toward a technology- and innovation-led growth strategy, and revamping the company’s leadership, operations, manufacturing footprint and customer relationships.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
Versa and Polartec were advised by Lazard Middle Market and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Milliken & Company was represented by Jones Day.
To learn more about Milliken’s Performance and Protective Textiles Division, visit textiles.milliken.com .
About Milliken
Milliken has been solving everyday problems
with innovative solutions for more than 150 years. Our research, design
and manufacturing expertise reaches across a breadth of disciplines
including specialty chemicals, floor covering, and performance and
protective textiles. An unwavering commitment to ethics guides our work
to redefine how we add strength and protection to products, how we
infuse vibrancy and color into our surroundings, and how we care for the
environment. For us, success is when discoveries made within Milliken
help us all have more meaningful connections with the world. Discover
Milliken at www.milliken.com
,
and join us on Facebook
,
Instagram
,
LinkedIn
and Twitter
.
About Polartec, LLC
Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts,
Polartec is the premium provider of innovative and sustainable textile
solutions, combining innovation with eco-engineering to provide
relevant, market-applicable textile solutions. Since inventing modern
technical fleece in 1981, the engineers at Polartec continue to advance
the science of fabric, creating fabric technologies that solve problems
and improve the way products are designed and used. Polartec products
range from lightweight wicking and cooling fabrics, to insulation and
weather protection textiles, and are utilized by leading consumer
brands, the U.S. Military and other global militaries, flame resistance,
workwear, and contract upholstery markets. For more information, please
visit www.Polartec.com
and follow Polartec on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
About Versa Capital Management, LLC
Versa Capital
Management, LLC is a private equity investment firm focused on control
investments in special situations involving middle market companies and
their management teams. Versa focuses on businesses in a diverse array
of industries where value and performance growth can be achieved through
enhanced strategic, operational and financial management. For more
information, please visit www.Versa.com
.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190611005819/en/
Contact:
Polartec and Versa Capital Management Abernathy MacGregor Chuck Dohrenwend or JP Letourneau cod@abmac.com / jpl@abmac.com 212.371.5999
Milliken & Company Mollie Williams mollie@mwilliamscg.com 864.419.6204
Liz Morris liz@mwilliamscg.com 864.918.5196
Social Media:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Suzano Reports Record Sales and Continued Improvements in Operational Efficiency in 202511.2.2026 00:44:00 CET | Press release
Suzano, the world’s largest pulp producer, announces its results for both the final quarter (4Q25) and the full year (2025), reporting record annual sales volumes and net revenue. The company also reported an improvement in its cash cost of pulp production, reflecting the drive for improved operational efficiency. Pulp and paper sales reached 14.2 million tonnes, a 15% increase compared to 2024. This performance was driven primarily by the strong operational contribution of the Ribas do Rio Pardo pulp mill, which began production in July 2024, and the company’s paper mills in the United States. As a result, Suzano’s full‑year net revenue reached a record R$50 billion in 2025. The company’s consistent focus on efficiency and cost discipline also contributed to a meaningful reduction in the cash cost of pulp production. Excluding downtime, the annual cash cost was R$817 per tonne, reaching its lowest annual level since 2021. Operational efficiency also helped Suzano deliver operating cas
Eclipse Signs Partnership Agreement With BNP Paribas to Power the Next Stage of Growth11.2.2026 00:05:00 CET | Press release
The agreement includes a strategic equity investment in Eclipse by BNP Paribas Eclipse, a leading battery storage, development, and energy trading company, and BNP Paribas, one of the largest banks in the Eurozone, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and strengthen Europe's energy resilience. This partnership includes a strategic equity investment in Eclipse by BNP Paribas. Through its proprietary algo trading software, Flowstream, Eclipse optimizes battery energy storage assets in real-time for its own and third-party assets. As an integrated BESS player, Eclipse develops, owns, and operates industrial-scale energy assets. The company currently has a pipeline of 16 projects in France and Belgium, representing a total capacity of 850 MW. The partnership with BNP Paribas provides asset owners with tailored financing solutions for BESS projects, as well as hedging instruments to manage merchant risk and reduce asse
World Governments Summit 2027 Date Announced, Following Largest-Ever Global Participation10.2.2026 22:06:00 CET | Press release
Largest edition in the summit’s history convened 6,250+ global leaders, policymakers, and experts from 150+ countriesWorld leaders, including presidents from Switzerland, Sierra Leone, and beyond, lead strategic dialogues Under the leadership of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the World Governments Summit concluded in Dubai with its largest-ever participation, featuring more than 6,250 attendees. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210283291/en/ World Governments Summit 2026 concludes in Dubai with record participation, bringing together more than 6,250 global leaders from over 150 countries to advance dialogue on governance, innovation, and sustainable development (Photo: AETOSWire) A Global Platform Convening Global Leaders Held in Dubai from 3 to 5 February, t
Palantir and Airbus Extend Strategic Collaboration10.2.2026 22:01:00 CET | Press release
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) is proud to announce the extension of its collaboration with Airbus through a multi-year agreement, confirming a relationship that has driven innovation across the aerospace industry for over a decade. Under this renewed contract, Airbus will continue to rely on Palantir for Skywise, its civil aviation open data platform. The Skywise platform enhances aircraft and equipment designs and enables greater efficiency, safety and sustainability in the production of civil aircraft across the Airbus industrial footprint. It also improves the performance of airlines’ operations by combining in-flight engineering and operational data in an analytic rich environment enabling airlines to address their main challenges. This renewed commitment comes at a pivotal time, as the aerospace sector faces demands for innovation, agility, and competitiveness. With this renewed collaboration, Palantir will provide Airbus and its customers with continued access to cutting-ed
Grand Prix ACF AutoTech 2026 Unveils Its Six Finalist Startups10.2.2026 19:31:00 CET | Press release
The jury of the Grand Prix ACF AutoTech 2026, which met on February 9 at the Automobile Club de France, has selected six finalist startups following several hours of deliberation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210456562/en/ Jury members The selected companies stand out for their technological ambition, economic viability and tangible impact on automotive cost reduction and industrial performance. Key themes this year include AI-assisted engineering design, strategic independence from critical materials, and advanced LiDAR optimization. Finalist startups include: Grand Prix ACF (Mature startups) - Altrove (Paris, France): Develops innovative alternatives to high-risk critical inorganic materials using a proprietary algorithmic approach and unique artificial intelligence, strengthening industrial resilience and technological sovereignty. - Cognitive Design Systems (Toulouse, France): Provides an AI-powered
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom