American Viscose Corporation
| Company type | Private (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Textile manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Courtaulds (British parent company) |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Founder | Samuel Agar Salvage |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Rayon fibers, synthetic fibers, polyester yarns, acetate yarns, rayon cords for automotive tires |
American Viscose Corporation functioned as the American branch of the British enterprise Courtaulds, specializing in the production of rayon and synthetic fibers. Operating between 1910 and 1976, the company was later renamed Avtex, which ultimately ceased operations in 1990.
History
Established in 1909 by businessman Samuel Agar Salvage under Courtaulds' umbrella, American Viscose emerged as the foremost rayon supplier in the United States and was the pioneer in domestic artificial silk manufacturing.
Significant production facilities were located in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania (1910), Roanoke, Virginia (1916), Lewistown, Pennsylvania (1920), Parkersburg, West Virginia (1927), Meadville, Pennsylvania (1929), as well as Nitro, West Virginia and Front Royal, Virginia (1940). The 1946 merger with Sylvania Industrial Corporation incorporated a plant at Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Amid wartime demands in 1941, British ownership divested the company under U.S. government pressure to a consortium of 152 American investment groups led by Morgan Stanley & Co., involving a public offering of 228,480 shares. By 1949, ownership transitioned to Monsanto Corporation, followed by acquisition by FMC Corporation in 1963. FMC shut down the Parkersburg facility in 1974 and transferred ownership to employees in 1976, rebranding it as Avtex Fibers.
Expanding beyond textile manufacturing, AVC gained controlling interest in five television station construction permits in 1967 via U.S. Communications, Inc., entering media markets such as Philadelphia. However, due to insufficient advertising income, three stations were shuttered by 1971 and all assets were sold off by 1972.
Although Avtex Fibers closed its Nitro plant in 1980, it remained the leading rayon fiber producer domestically by 1983 and also manufactured polyester and acetate yarns.
Several former manufacturing sites became environmental concerns; most notably, the Front Royal facility operated from 1940 until its 1989 closure following over 2,000 environmental violations including PCB contamination of the Shenandoah River. The property was demolished in 1997 and is currently undergoing remediation efforts led by FMC and the EPA.
The company's product range comprised rayon fibers for textile applications and rayon cords used to reinforce automotive tires. Due to declining demand and rising expenses, Avtex halted rayon production in 1988; a brief venture into aerospace fiber manufacturing followed before final closure in 1990 prompted by economic challenges and environmental issues.