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American Woolen Company

January 01, 1970

The American Woolen Company is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of men’s and women’s worsted and woolen fabrics. Based in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, the company operates from the 160-year-old Warren Mills, which it acquired from Loro Piana SpA in June 2014.[1]

History edit

 
Ayer Mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts

1899-1950 edit

The American Woolen Company was established in 1899 under the leadership of William M. Wood and his father-in-law Frederick Ayer through the consolidation of eight financially troubled New England woolen mills. At the company's height in the 1920s, it owned and operated 60 woolen mills across New England. It is most known for its role in the Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912.

The American Woolen Company was the product of the era of trusts. Overproduction, competition and poor management had brought the New England textile industry to its knees by the 1890s. In particular, family trusts, the main shareholders of many of the mills, insisted on receiving high dividends instead of making necessary capital improvements. Frederick Ayer, successful Lowell merchant, purchased the Washington Mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and hired his son-in-law, William M. Wood to run it. Wood had already successfully turned around a bankrupt mill in Fall River. With Ayer's financial backing, Wood brought together various under-performing mills in the aim of reducing competition and increasing prices. He convinced investors to permit profits to be reinvested into new plants and machinery.

 
Wood Mill, Lawrence

In 1901, the company purchased the failing Burlington Mills in Winooski, Vermont, and restored their profitability. These mills closed in 1954.[2]

In 1905, the American Woolen Company built the largest mill in the world, the Wood Mill in Lawrence, followed by the neighboring Ayer Mill in 1909. The Ayer mill's 22 foot diameter 4-sided clocktower is only a foot smaller than Big Ben and purportedly only second to it in size in the world (among chiming 4-sided clocktowers).

Following the 1912 Lawrence Textile Strike, the AWC was forced to increase wages. The company reached its apogee in the 1920s, when it controlled 20% of the country's woolen production. Most of these mill operations had started as 100% water-powered, but added coal-fueled steampower in the late 1800s as demand exceeded what could be provided by water alone. However, even though technology was continually updated, these unionized New England mills were unable to compete with non-unionized Southern mills able to produce staple woolen products, such as blankets, more cheaply. Additionally, fashions changed with the introduction of polyester and rayon, and demand for worsted wool plummeted by the mid-1920s.[3] The two world wars were a boon to the AWC, keeping the company prosperous into 1945. American Woolen Company ranked 51st among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts.[4]

Workers housing edit

In 1902 the company built Presidential Village, a neighborhood of about 200 rental houses for workers at its mill in Maynard, Massachusetts.[5] All of the homes were auctioned to highest bidders in August 1934. The company was also auctioning housing at other New England mills.[6]

In the early 1920s American Woolen Company (re)built Shawsheen Village built on the site of the former Frye Village of Andover, Massachusetts, to house the company's middle to upper management, near the company headquarters.

1950-present edit

Following the end of the Korean War, government contracts ended. Virtually bankrupt, the American Woolen Co. was purchased by Textron and incorporated into its Amerotron division in 1955.

In 1966 an Uxbridge, Massachusetts-based, wool blanket contractor purchased the American Woolen Company trademark in order to better support its business activity of the manufacturing and distribution of woolen blankets for the American domestic market. In 1987, American Woolen sold its Uxbridge blanket manufacturing facility, relocated to Miami, Florida, and focused its activity on the importing and wholesaling of woolen blankets targeting relief organizations, municipalities, aid agencies and the general hospitality sector.

In 2013 an investment group led by Jacob Harrison Long completed the purchase, carve out and realignment of American Woolen Company’s business activity with the intent to focus the company on the design and manufacture of fine American-made worsted and woolen apparel fabrics.

 
Warren Mills' primary building, 8 Furnace Avenue, American Woolen Company's headquarters

In June 2014, American Woolen purchased the Warren Mills complex from Italian luxury apparel group Loro Piana SpA,[7] which had owned and operated the mill for 26 years. Recognized as being "on par with the best mills in Europe,”[1] Stafford Springs, Connecticut based Warren Mills is American Woolen Company's headquarters where the company produces worsted wool for men's suits and cashmere and camel hair for coats. The acquisition was made with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, which provided American Woolen Company with a loan and a grant to help cover the building acquisition costs. The acquisition was made with the intent to "reintroduce luxury worsted and woolen textile manufacturing to the United States.”[7]

Original Mills, some founded as early as 1846 edit

American Woolen Company was created by the assimilation of the following mills, March 29, 1899:[8]

Later mills edit

  • Assabet Woolen Mill, Maynard, MA[9]
  • Anchor-Inman Mills, Harrisville, RI
  • Anchor-Sheffield Mills, Pascoag, RI
  • Anderson Mills, Skowhegan, ME
  • Arms Mills, Skowhegan, ME
  • Baltic Mills, Enfield, Enfield, NH
  • Bay State Mills, Lowell, MA
  • Breaver Brook Mills, Dracut, MA
  • Beoli Mills, Fitchburg, MA
  • Bradford Mills, Louisville, KY
  • Brown Mills, Dover, ME
  • Burlington Mills, Winooski, VT
  • Champlain Mills, Winooski, VT
  • Chase Mills, Webster, MA
  • Dracut Mills, Dracut, MA
  • Forest Mills, Bridgton, ME
  • Foxcroft Mills, Foxcroft, ME
  • Fulton Mills, Fulton, NY
  • Globe Mills, Utica, NY
  • Hartland Mills, Hartland, ME
  • Hecla Mills, Uxbridge, MA
  • Indian Spring Mills, Madison, ME
  • Kennebec Mills, Fairfield, ME
  • Lebanon Mills, Lebanon, NH
  • Manton Mills, Manton, RI
  • Mascoma Mills, Lebanon, NH
  • Moosup (Lower) Mills, Moosup, CT
  • Moosup-Glen Falls Mills, Moosup, CT
  • Naragansett Worsted Mills, Warren, RI
  • Newport Mills, Newport, ME
  • Oakland Mills, Maine, Oakland, ME
  • Ounegan Mills, Old Town, ME
  • Pioneer Mills, Pittsfield, ME
  • Prospect Mills, Lawrence, MA
  • Puritan Mills, Plymouth, MA
  • Ram's Head Yarn Mills, Lowell, MA
  • Ray Mills, Franklin, MA
  • Riverina Mills, Medford, MA
  • Rochdale Mills, Rochdale, MA
  • Royalston Mills, South Royalston, MA
  • Saranac Mills, Blackstone, MA
  • Sawyer Mills, Dover, NH
  • Sebasticook Mills, Pittsfield, ME
  • Vassalboro Mills, Vassalboro, ME
  • Waverly Mills, Pittsfield, ME
  • Whitestone Mills, Elmville, CT
  • Warren Mill, Stafford Springs, CT

[10]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Lee, Mara (2014-06-20). "Warren of Stafford, 160-year-old Textile Mill, To Re-Open". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  2. ^ Krawitt, Laura, ed. (2000). The Mills at Winooski Falls: Winooski and Burlington, Vermont (First ed.). Winooski, Vt.: Onion River Press. ISBN 9780965714440.
  3. ^ Frederick Zappalla, "A Financial History of the American Woolen Company". (MBA Thesis, University of Pennsylvania, 1947)
  4. ^ Peck, Merton J. & Scherer, Frederic M. The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis (1962) Harvard Business School p.619
  5. ^ Park, Edwin (13 May 1909). "Maynard's Fate Hangs on Tariff: Largest Woolen Mill in World Within Its Borders". Boston Globe. ProQuest 501250227.
  6. ^ "Great Auction of 1932". Hartland Historical Society. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Connecticut wool mill to reopen under new owner". WTNH Connecticut News. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  8. ^ "A sketch of the mills of the American woolen company - American Woolen Company - Google Boeken". American Woolen Company. 1977-01-01. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  9. ^ January 1992, "Development of the Assabet Mills in 19th Century Maynard," John R. Mullin, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Faculty Publication Series http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=larp_faculty_pubs
  10. ^ American Woolen Company mills, by American Woolen Company (Publisher Boston, Mass., American Woolen Company)(1921)
  • Roddy, Edward. Mills Mansions and Mergers: The Life of William M. Wood. North Andover, Massachusetts: Merrimack Valley Textile Museum, 1982.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Woolen Company.
  • Photo of workers, Lawrence, Mass.
  • Shawsheen Village Historic District
  • Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. VT-11, "American Woolen Company, East Canal Street, Winooski, Chittenden County, VT", 9 photos, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page

January 01, 1970
american, woolen, company, designer, manufacturer, distributor, women, worsted, woolen, fabrics, based, stafford, springs, connecticut, company, operates, from, year, warren, mills, which, acquired, from, loro, piana, june, 2014, contents, history, 1899, 1950,. The American Woolen Company is a designer manufacturer and distributor of men s and women s worsted and woolen fabrics Based in Stafford Springs Connecticut the company operates from the 160 year old Warren Mills which it acquired from Loro Piana SpA in June 2014 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 1899 1950 1 2 Workers housing 1 3 1950 present 2 Original Mills some founded as early as 1846 3 Later mills 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit nbsp Ayer Mill Lawrence Massachusetts 1899 1950 edit The American Woolen Company was established in 1899 under the leadership of William M Wood and his father in law Frederick Ayer through the consolidation of eight financially troubled New England woolen mills At the company s height in the 1920s it owned and operated 60 woolen mills across New England It is most known for its role in the Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912 The American Woolen Company was the product of the era of trusts Overproduction competition and poor management had brought the New England textile industry to its knees by the 1890s In particular family trusts the main shareholders of many of the mills insisted on receiving high dividends instead of making necessary capital improvements Frederick Ayer successful Lowell merchant purchased the Washington Mills in Lawrence Massachusetts and hired his son in law William M Wood to run it Wood had already successfully turned around a bankrupt mill in Fall River With Ayer s financial backing Wood brought together various under performing mills in the aim of reducing competition and increasing prices He convinced investors to permit profits to be reinvested into new plants and machinery nbsp Wood Mill Lawrence In 1901 the company purchased the failing Burlington Mills in Winooski Vermont and restored their profitability These mills closed in 1954 2 In 1905 the American Woolen Company built the largest mill in the world the Wood Mill in Lawrence followed by the neighboring Ayer Mill in 1909 The Ayer mill s 22 foot diameter 4 sided clocktower is only a foot smaller than Big Ben and purportedly only second to it in size in the world among chiming 4 sided clocktowers Following the 1912 Lawrence Textile Strike the AWC was forced to increase wages The company reached its apogee in the 1920s when it controlled 20 of the country s woolen production Most of these mill operations had started as 100 water powered but added coal fueled steampower in the late 1800s as demand exceeded what could be provided by water alone However even though technology was continually updated these unionized New England mills were unable to compete with non unionized Southern mills able to produce staple woolen products such as blankets more cheaply Additionally fashions changed with the introduction of polyester and rayon and demand for worsted wool plummeted by the mid 1920s 3 The two world wars were a boon to the AWC keeping the company prosperous into 1945 American Woolen Company ranked 51st among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts 4 Workers housing edit In 1902 the company built Presidential Village a neighborhood of about 200 rental houses for workers at its mill in Maynard Massachusetts 5 All of the homes were auctioned to highest bidders in August 1934 The company was also auctioning housing at other New England mills 6 In the early 1920s American Woolen Company re built Shawsheen Village built on the site of the former Frye Village of Andover Massachusetts to house the company s middle to upper management near the company headquarters 1950 present edit Following the end of the Korean War government contracts ended Virtually bankrupt the American Woolen Co was purchased by Textron and incorporated into its Amerotron division in 1955 In 1966 an Uxbridge Massachusetts based wool blanket contractor purchased the American Woolen Company trademark in order to better support its business activity of the manufacturing and distribution of woolen blankets for the American domestic market In 1987 American Woolen sold its Uxbridge blanket manufacturing facility relocated to Miami Florida and focused its activity on the importing and wholesaling of woolen blankets targeting relief organizations municipalities aid agencies and the general hospitality sector In 2013 an investment group led by Jacob Harrison Long completed the purchase carve out and realignment of American Woolen Company s business activity with the intent to focus the company on the design and manufacture of fine American made worsted and woolen apparel fabrics nbsp Warren Mills primary building 8 Furnace Avenue American Woolen Company s headquarters In June 2014 American Woolen purchased the Warren Mills complex from Italian luxury apparel group Loro Piana SpA 7 which had owned and operated the mill for 26 years Recognized as being on par with the best mills in Europe 1 Stafford Springs Connecticut based Warren Mills is American Woolen Company s headquarters where the company produces worsted wool for men s suits and cashmere and camel hair for coats The acquisition was made with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development which provided American Woolen Company with a loan and a grant to help cover the building acquisition costs The acquisition was made with the intent to reintroduce luxury worsted and woolen textile manufacturing to the United States 7 Original Mills some founded as early as 1846 editAmerican Woolen Company was created by the assimilation of the following mills March 29 1899 8 Washington Mills Lawrence MA Fitchburg Mills Fitchburg MA Beoli Mills Fitchburg MA Valley Mills Providence RI National and Providence Worsted Mills Providence RI Fulton Mills Providence RI Saranac Mills Providence RI Riverside Worsted Mills Providence RILater mills editAssabet Woolen Mill Maynard MA 9 Anchor Inman Mills Harrisville RI Anchor Sheffield Mills Pascoag RI Anderson Mills Skowhegan ME Arms Mills Skowhegan ME Baltic Mills Enfield Enfield NH Bay State Mills Lowell MA Breaver Brook Mills Dracut MA Beoli Mills Fitchburg MA Bradford Mills Louisville KY Brown Mills Dover ME Burlington Mills Winooski VT Champlain Mills Winooski VT Chase Mills Webster MA Dracut Mills Dracut MA Forest Mills Bridgton ME Foxcroft Mills Foxcroft ME Fulton Mills Fulton NY Globe Mills Utica NY Hartland Mills Hartland ME Hecla Mills Uxbridge MA Indian Spring Mills Madison ME Kennebec Mills Fairfield ME Lebanon Mills Lebanon NH Manton Mills Manton RI Mascoma Mills Lebanon NH Moosup Lower Mills Moosup CT Moosup Glen Falls Mills Moosup CT Naragansett Worsted Mills Warren RI Newport Mills Newport ME Oakland Mills Maine Oakland ME Ounegan Mills Old Town ME Pioneer Mills Pittsfield ME Prospect Mills Lawrence MA Puritan Mills Plymouth MA Ram s Head Yarn Mills Lowell MA Ray Mills Franklin MA Riverina Mills Medford MA Rochdale Mills Rochdale MA Royalston Mills South Royalston MA Saranac Mills Blackstone MA Sawyer Mills Dover NH Sebasticook Mills Pittsfield ME Vassalboro Mills Vassalboro ME Waverly Mills Pittsfield ME Whitestone Mills Elmville CT Warren Mill Stafford Springs CT 10 References edit a b Lee Mara 2014 06 20 Warren of Stafford 160 year old Textile Mill To Re Open Hartford Courant Retrieved 2018 03 29 Krawitt Laura ed 2000 The Mills at Winooski Falls Winooski and Burlington Vermont First ed Winooski Vt Onion River Press ISBN 9780965714440 Frederick Zappalla A Financial History of the American Woolen Company MBA Thesis University of Pennsylvania 1947 Peck Merton J amp Scherer Frederic M The Weapons Acquisition Process An Economic Analysis 1962 Harvard Business School p 619 Park Edwin 13 May 1909 Maynard s Fate Hangs on Tariff Largest Woolen Mill in World Within Its Borders Boston Globe ProQuest 501250227 Great Auction of 1932 Hartland Historical Society Retrieved April 23 2024 a b Connecticut wool mill to reopen under new owner WTNH Connecticut News 2014 06 20 Retrieved 2018 03 29 A sketch of the mills of the American woolen company American Woolen Company Google Boeken American Woolen Company 1977 01 01 Retrieved 2012 06 12 January 1992 Development of the Assabet Mills in 19th Century Maynard John R Mullin University of Massachusetts Amherst Landscape Architecture amp Regional Planning Faculty Publication Series http scholarworks umass edu cgi viewcontent cgi article 1039 amp context larp faculty pubs American Woolen Company mills by American Woolen Company Publisher Boston Mass American Woolen Company 1921 Roddy Edward Mills Mansions and Mergers The Life of William M Wood North Andover Massachusetts Merrimack Valley Textile Museum 1982 External links edit nbsp Companies portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Woolen Company Photo of workers Lawrence Mass Shawsheen Village Historic District Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Historic American Engineering Record HAER No VT 11 American Woolen Company East Canal Street Winooski Chittenden County VT 9 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Woolen Company amp oldid 1220762749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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