From one small mill to four large, modern textile plants in just half a
century ... this is the history of Alice Manufacturing Company. Dynamic,
imaginative people made it happen.
E. H. Shanklin built the Alice Mill in 1910 and named it for his only
daughter, Alice.
Progress really began, however, in 1923, when A. Foster McKissick and
his son, Ellison Smyth McKissick, Sr., purchased the plant. At that time
Ellison S. McKissick, Sr. became President, and his father, A. F.
McKissick, became Vice President. The Alice Plant was doubled in size in
1926 and new equipment installed to greatly increase production. New
employees joined the team and new families enriched the community
surrounding the plant.
At the same time, plans were already underway for a new plant. This
facility, built in 1928, was named for the hill it crests and the family
which once lived there ... the Arial Plant. The community of Alice
continued to grow steadily with new homes, streets, churches and schools
springing up around the two mills.
In 1953, when E. S. McKissick, Sr. resigned as president to become
chairman of the Board of Directors, his elder son, A. Foster, became
president. The same year a new plant was
built…Elljean, its name a
combination of Ellison and Jean, given names of Mr. and Mrs. E. S.
McKissick, Sr. The first one‑story facility, Elljean housed basically
the same interior space as its sister plants and brought total annual
production of Alice fabrics to 50 to 60 million yards of print cloth.
In 1955 Ellison S. McKissick, Jr. became president and now sought to
bring the company into the broadcloth market. So the Foster Plant, named
after A. Foster McKissick, was built in 1959 adjacent to Elljean. At
that time, Alice Manufacturing
Company, for years a leader in the print
cloth market, gained immediate recognition as a producer of finest
quality broadcloth. Simultaneously, the firm topped its production
records by increasing the figure to over 100 million yards per year.
With new public interest in polyester‑cotton blends, further
expansion was initiated in 1966 with the building of the Ellison Plant.
One of the most modern designs to be seen in a textile plant,
Ellison
led the company into the production of custom blended fabrics. Now each
plant independently produces these fabrics in addition to original cloth
products. In 1988 E. S. McKissick, Jr. was named Chairman of the Board
and his son, E. Smyth McKissick III, became President of the Company.
Through the 90’s, Alice’s engine for growth was an aggressive
modernization program that allowed the company to stay on the “cutting
edge” of technology.
In August 2000, building on its manufacturing strengths, the company
began t
he execution of an exciting new strategic direction with the
establishment of the Ellison Division. Through this division, Alice
Manufacturing was transformed into a “virtual vertical” company that
offers “consumer ready” bedding products and accessories direct to
retail.
The Ellison label brings to the market products with fabrics of the
highest quality yarns spun and woven in our company’s plants in South
Carolina. The products most importantly are also driven by outstanding
designs and outstanding service.
Today, the Alice system employs more than 850 citizens of its
area.
A community of people.
Just as employees demonstrate pride in Alice Manufacturing Company, a
fact which makes this company outstanding, so Alice demonstrates pride
in its people which helps make the community outstanding. It's a
hand‑in‑hand working relationship.
The employees of Alice are unique. Throughout our plants may be seen
industrious, enthusiastic people. That's because every employee knows he
is helping to create some of the best cloth available in the textile
industry. Alice employees are confident in their company, confident in
their product and confident in themselves.
The results of employee pride are striking. It is evident in the
consistently high production rates. It is evident in the quality of the
finished product. And it is evident in the plants themselves, the
attractive, orderly appearance of employees, work areas and break areas.
Of course, Alice Manufacturing Company is acutely aware of the employee
role in its success. So throughout its history, Alice has shown its
appreciation of these people and their families through active community
concern.
From the first, Alice has helped to build the surrounding communities.
The Company has participated in the construction of streets, churches,
schools, hospitals and has contributed directly or indirectly, in the
development of utilities, recreational facilities and other amenities of
modern living. And, most important, this community service remains alive
today.
Alice
Manufacturing Company, Inc
