(Conover, N.C.) Polyester Fibers, an Empire Investment Holdings company, announced today that the Charlotte, North Carolina location of its Cumulus Fibres division, has been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Labor and the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina for its safety excellence. Polyester Fibers is a diverse manufacturer that produces value-added, high-loft nonwoven textiles for multiple industries and end-uses.

“Congratulations to Polyester Fibers on its recognition for achieving employee safety.”
.Plant representatives from Polyester Fibers were present to receive North Carolina’s Gold Award based on strict evaluation criteria regarding work-related injuries. The Charlotte facility of Cumulus Fibres had zero recordable injuries in 2009. In addition, the facility was recognized with the Million-Hour Award for accumulating one million employee hours with no cases of injury or illness involving days away from work.

“I applaud the team at Cumulus Fibres – Charlotte for their commitment to creating and maintaining a safe work environment,” said Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. “Congratulations to Polyester Fibers on its recognition for achieving employee safety.”

“This recognition highlights Polyester Fibers’ commitment to its employees by providing a safe and healthy work environment,” said Shannon Marshall, chief executive officer of Polyester Fibers. “We are extremely proud of our team in Charlotte as this is a grand accomplishment for them and for all of Polyester Fibers.”

“The success of a safety and health program depends on everyone working together,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “Each employee should be very proud of this achievement. I congratulate everyone at Polyester Fibers, and the Charlotte location of their Cumulus Fibres Division, for receiving the Gold Award and for reaching a milestone of one million hours without a lost work time accident. Your commitment to safety and health is helping make North Carolina workplaces some of the safest in the country.”

About Polyester Fibers

Polyester Fibers is the largest and most flexible manufacturer and distributor of value-added, high-loft non-woven materials for the bedding, furniture, filtration, industrial and retail markets in the United States. The company, comprised of 5 operating units: Tupelo Fibers, Cameo Fibers, Cumulus Fibres, Mountain Mist and Buffalo Batt; has more than 450 employees serving thousands of customers in the United States, Canada and Europe. For additional information please visit www.poly-fibers.com.

About Empire Investment Holdings

Empire Investment Holdings (”Empire”) is a private investment firm focused exclusively on the acquisition and strategic management of non-core business units from public and private corporations. Empire adheres to a well defined and focused acquisition strategy that is driven by the firm’s history in acquiring, operating and managing over 50 corporate divestitures across several industries. Today, Empire’s portfolio is comprised of 7 operating companies, serving over 10,000 customers worldwide, with an international footprint of 25 facilities encompassing over one million square feet of space and over 1,000 employees. For additional information please visit www.empireih.com.