Kayser-Roth
Subsidiary | |
Industry | intimate apparel and hosiery |
Predecessor | Julius Kayser & Co. |
Founded | 1958 |
Headquarters | Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Kevin Toomey (president and CEO) |
Products | Hosiery, socks, lingerie, sleepwear |
Parent | Golden Lady |
Divisions |
No Nonsense HUE |
Website | http://www.kayser-roth.com/ |
Kayser-Roth Corporation (a subsidiary of Golden Lady) is an intimate apparel and hosiery manufacturer based in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company currently markets two brands in North America, No Nonsense and HUE.
History
Julius Kayser & Co., the predecessor to the modern Kayser-Roth Corporation, was founded in the early 20th century by Julius Kayser and was a notable manufacturer of hosiery, lingerie and gloves. In 1958, the company purchased the Chester H. Roth Company, forming Kayser-Roth. Alfred P. Slaner, the first head of the merged company, developed Supp-Hose hosiery.[1]
In 1973, in order to compete with the L'eggs brand (currently owned by HanesBrands), Kayser-Roth launched No Nonsense, which was one of the first brands of hosiery to be sold in supermarkets, drugstores and discount department stores. In 1975 Kayser-Roth was purchased by conglomerate Gulf+Western.
In the years under Gulf+Western's stewardship, improvements were made to Canadian manufacturing plants, most notably in Ontario and Quebec. Forays into diverse markets such as the automotive industry were carried out. During the late-1970s and early-1980s almost every automobile produced had Kayser-Roth components on board.
In 1985 Gulf+Western began divesting all of its non-entertainment enterprises, with Kayser-Roth being sold to the Wickes Companies. Eight years later the Mexican hosiery manufacturer Grupo Synkro purchased the company for approximately US$230,000,000.[2]
In 1999, Italian Golden Lady, the largest hosiery manufacturer in Europe, acquired Kayser-Roth Corporation from Grupo Synkro and reorganized the company. During the 2000s (decade), the No Nonsense brand expanded to include bras, panties, sleepwear, socks for women and men, and foot comfort products.
In April 2011, Kayser-Roth partnered to become an exclusive distributor of socks and hosiery for Jockey International.
Today, Kayser-Roth products are featured on the television show Gossip Girl and have also previously been showcased on The View.
References
- ↑ "Kayser Roth Corporation". Textile Industry History. Archived from the original on 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ↑ "GRUPO SYNKRO AND MEXICAN INVESTMENT GROUP AGREE TO ACQUIRE KAYSER-ROTH CORPORATION". PR Newswire Association LLC. Retrieved 2010-09-04.