Re Tennis Ball Production
January 09 2001 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:8949W
Amer Group PLC
9 January 2001
WILSON TO MOVE TENNIS BALL PRODUCTION TO THAILAND
Wilson Sporting Goods, a subsidiary of Amer Group Plc, is
closing its tennis ball manufacturing plant in Fountain Inn,
South Carolina, and moving its production to Thailand, effective
today. Some additional minor costs will be incurred due to this
closure.
The reasons behind the decision to outsource tennis ball
manufacturing are the rise of raw material and labor costs in
the US as well as prevailing market conditions. As a result, all
Wilson tennis balls will now be manufactured in Thailand and
Indonesia, from where Wilson has already been sourcing some
tennis ball production.
The Thai supplier's new, state-of-the-art facility with its all
new equipment, is able to produce better quality at lower prices
than the Fountain Inn factory. Wilson has already been shipping
tennis balls from the new factory, which is located near
Bangkok, since the fourth quarter of 1999. This supplier already
manufactures products for Wilson's Team Sports Division.
Wilson employed approximately 300 full and part time staff at
Fountain Inn, all of whom will be assisted in securing new
employment through regional employment programs.
AMER GROUP PLC
Communications Dept.
Marja-Leena Simola
Vice President, Communications
Tel. +358 9 7257 8306
Fax +358 9 791 385
E-mail: marja-leena.simola@amer.fi
For further information, please contact:
Mr Roger Talermo, President & CEO, tel. +358 9 7257 8210
Mr Pekka Paalanne, Senior Vice President & CFO,
Tel. +358 9 7257 8212