DAK Americas LLC (DAK) has announced that its Cooper River Site, near Charleston, SC, will close its Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF) manufacturing operations. On its newer capacity installed in 2003, the site will continue to manufacture PET Resins for the bottle and packaging industries.

The PSF operations, which serve the Nonwovens and Textile markets and were established over 40 years ago, will close on December 31, 2021. Around 200 full-time employees and 40 contract staff will be affected by the closure. As part of the termination, employees will receive timely notice and a detailed separation package.

Jorge Young, DAK’s Co-President stated: “This is a very difficult decision for us. The closure of the fibers operations comes after an extensive analysis of our ability to be cost competitive in an extremely challenging market that has faced prolonged and continuing pressure from low priced imports. Current economics do not support the extensive investment needed to revitalize the site and meet future market needs.” He further added,” We thank our employees for their many years of commitment and service.”

DAK Americas is committed to meeting the diverse needs of the polyester value chain by providing industry-leading goods and services from its global manufacturing facilities.