Guilford Expands European Presence

WILMINGTON, North Carolina, November 14 --

Guilford, a global designer and manufacturer of performance textiles, announced today the expansion of its European operations with the establishment of Guilford France. Guilford France was formed by the acquisition of France-based Salome-Rokona, which includes manufacturing operations and sales offices.

The creation of Guilford France secures the continued operation of the plant in Troisvilles, northeast of Paris, which is the principal provider of warp knit textiles for the French automotive headliner market. The newly acquired company will gain immediate access to Guilford's global R&D network and quality systems.

Guilford has been advancing a strategy to expand globally, supporting car manufacturers worldwide by looking in China, Japan and Europe. Regarding the importance of this acquisition, Joe Cottone, Vice President of Strategic Planning, said, "France, second only to Germany in European production of automobiles, represents a very important market and a great growth opportunity for Guilford. To best service the needs of important customers, such as PSA and Renault, we felt a local presence was critical."

Guilford, who recently moved their worldwide headquarters to Wilmington, North Carolina, is an integrated designer and manufacturer of performance textiles and the world's largest warp knit textile company. Guilford serves a diversified global customer base with Automotive Products, Technical Textiles and Specialty Apparel Fabrics.

Marc Bourhis of Guilford, +1-910-794-5901, or mbourhis@gfd.com