AstenJohnson’s Clinton, South Carolina location is making a significant capital investment to expand its advanced high-speed weaving capabilities and fully transition away from traditional production methods. This upgrade is designed to maximize asset utilization, standardize manufacturing processes, and elevate product quality while improving overall operational efficiency.
The investment fundamentally changes how base fabrics are produced. Rather than dedicating individual machines to single, order-specific bases—a conventional approach that limits throughput and creates scheduling constraints—Clinton will produce larger, continuous base fabrics on advanced weaving platforms. These bases can then be converted efficiently into finished products as demand requires. As a result, 100% of weaving at the Clinton site will occur on advanced platforms, eliminating conventional production and simplifying the manufacturing footprint.
From an operations standpoint, this shift delivers measurable benefits. Producing larger bases significantly reduces changeovers, setup time, and non-productive capacity, improving overall equipment effectiveness and throughput. Standardized base production also enables more predictable planning and better alignment between weaving, finishing, and downstream operations.
Equally important, the new model improves responsiveness without adding capacity. By holding versatile, high-quality base fabrics instead of waiting for individual bases to be woven, Clinton can shorten lead times, reduce backlog risk, and react faster to changes in customer demand. This improves service levels while making more efficient use of materials, labor, and capital assets.
Within this advanced manufacturing framework, the AccuFlow X design represents a strategic enabler. It was developed to support an improved, more robust seam in Press felts while fitting seamlessly into a standardized, repeatable production process. By integrating multiple technologies into a single, controlled workflow, the AccuFlow X design reduces process variability and improves consistency at scale—key objectives of this investment.
The AccuFlow X process is built around precision and repeatability. Base formation, seam preparation, and critical process steps are tightly controlled and standardized, reducing reliance on manual adjustment or individual operator technique. This approach improves yield, ensures consistent performance from order to order, and supports stable, high-volume production.
Safety remains a core operational requirement of the investment. All new equipment and processes are implemented within AstenJohnson’s established safety systems, including guarding, procedures, training, and maintenance standards. This ensures that productivity gains are achieved without increasing operational risk.
Overall, this capital investment positions the Clinton site with a modern, efficient, and scalable manufacturing platform. By eliminating conventional production methods and consolidating weaving onto advanced high-speed platforms, AstenJohnson is creating a stronger operational foundation to support future growth and evolving market demands.
