The Dunean Mill in Greenville, N.C., has been owned by many companies since it opened in 1912. The mill’s current owner, Safety Components Fabric Technologies Inc., helped the Greenville County Council celebrate Dunean Mill’s 100th anniversary on April 15, 2012, now proclaimed Dunean Mill Day. “We hope it will celebrate another 100 years of innovation,” says WeatherMax product manager John Pierce, on behalf of Safety Components Fabric Technologies.

The mill’s long history of flexibility and innovative fiber technology led it to be one of the first mills to weave rayon, polyester, DuPont Nomex® and Kevlar® fabrics. Materials from Dunean Mill have supported every U.S. military action since World War II, and fabric from the mill was worn by astronauts on the Apollo moon missions. The plant has 365 employees and now makes airbags for the automotive sector.