The sheriff’s sale for Vidalia Mills has been moved from April 9 to May 14, according to Stephen Strohschein, partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, the law firm working on the sale.
Last month, the Concordia Parish sheriff’s office announced that the property would go up for auction following reports that the mill owes approximately $32.5 million in principal, interest, and late charges as of Nov. 14, 2024 to the Jefferson Financial Federal Credit Union and Greater Nevada Credit Union.
More from Sourcing Journal
The sale will include 81.87 acres of land which was purchased from the town in 2017 for $12 million, the 900,000-square foot former Fruit of the Loom distribution center that Vidalia Mills retrofitted for its manufacturing facility, and numerous pieces of equipment.
It will be sold as one lot—not piece by piece.
The future of the 40 American Draper X3 selvedge looms that were housed at the facility has caught the attention U.S. denim insiders. However, their current ownership remains a point of contention.
The looms are reportedly neither owned by Vidalia Mills nor its parent company and were originally acquired by an unnamed investor of the mill when their owner, White Oak, shut down at the end of 2017. Vidalia Mills went on to produce U.S.-made selvedge for brands like Imogene & Willie, Devil-Dog Dungarees and Trinidad3 using the heritage looms.
A “Notice of Seizure” recorded on Feb. 24 and obtained by SJ Denim does not name the Draper X3 looms.
Strohschein said the list of the equipment being sold is still being worked on. Inventory begun this week and it may be finalized next week. Strohschein added, that to the firm’s knowledge, there are “some Draper looms remaining on the premises” subject to the final inventory.
Vidalia’s financial troubles has shone a spotlight on the trials and tribulations of producing denim domestically as well as the industry’s effort to maintain the U.S.’s denim heritage. Several manufacturers have expressed interest in ensuring the looms stay in the U.S.
Other types of machinery and equipment are listed in the “Notice of Seizure” including several Zinser 351 ring spinning frames, Rieter SB-D45 and SB-D40 draw frames, Picanol Omnimax Plus rapier looms, Unimac industrial washing machines, Whirlpool domestic washes and tumble driers. Sewing, lab testing and finishing equipment, and a warp dyeing slashing system are also named.