As part of an on-going cost restructuring plan, US clothing and roll cover manufacturer Xerium Technologies (Raleigh, North Carolina; www.xerium.com) in late January 2013 said it would close two more production plants, further cut down the number of employees in Europe and continue moving its polyurethane roll casting equipment to China. The latest facilities to be shuttered are its paper machine clothing facility in Zizurkil / Spain as well as its spreader roll plant in Charlotte, North Carolina / USA.

The announcement comes at a time when Xerium Technologies already is in the midst of several cost-cutting initiatives, including the closure of its roll covering plant in Meyzieu / France as well as the termination of several European sales agency agreements.

Xerium’s Stowe Woodward division specialises in providing technology for rubber, polyurethane, ceramic and composite covers and currently is developing new materials such as nanotechnology-based composite covers that deliver much improved performance in the paper-making process.