Leroy Springs & Company history

Early in 1942 the company began manufacturing fabrics for a variety of military uses, including uniforms, tents, gas masks, and gun covers.

Elliott Springs feared this schedule would wear out the mills' machinery, so he instructed one of his plant managers to buy and store every replacement part available--an effort that paid off when the mills resumed normal operations in 1945.

In 1953, LSC accepted responsibility for a new mission – to assume ownership and management of the myriad of recreational facilities which had been assembled by Springs Mills for the workers and community to enjoy.

Elliott Springs remained president of the company until his death in 1959.

Close expanded and modernized many Springs facilities and built a new headquarters for the sales organization in New York in 1962.

In 1966 the sales group merged with the manufacturing company, with the resulting entity named Springs Mills, Inc.

During Scotese's tenure, Springs expanded via numerous acquisitions, including, early in 1970, the finished-goods division of Indian Head.

In 1972 Springs became a partner in a joint venture to start a textile plant in Indonesia, P.T. Daralon Manufacturing Co.

The Indonesian plant went into operation in 1975, but failed to generate enough revenue to maintain working capital; the unit's creditors had to defer interest and other payments.

Walter Y. Elisha succeeded Peter Scotese as president of Springs in 1981; like Scotese, Elisha came from the retail sector.

Springs made a major acquisition in 1985--M. Lowenstein Corporation, a New York textile maker that, like Springs, had been in business since the 19th century.

As company officials had projected, by 1993 Springs derived 65 percent of its revenues from home furnishings sales, due in part to its acquisitions the previous year and to the growing North American market.

The Intek office panel business was sold by Springs in 1995, which was a record year for the company's net sales: over $2.26 billion.

In January 1997, Crandall Close Bowles was elected president and chief operating officer of Springs by the board of directors.