Unifi Chooses BHS, NRT for Plastics Recycling Facility

System to purify PET for REPREVE® yarn used in apparel and automotive industries

Eugene, Ore. – July 29, 2015 – Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. (NYSE:UFI) has selected Eugene, Oregon-based Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) to design, manufacture and install a front-end PET purification system in the Company’s Reidsville, N.C., facility. The approximate $25 million investment will help Unifi achieve its goal of backward integration into bottle processing for its REPREVE® recycled fiber product line.

The new system, set to begin operation in June 2016, will feature the latest in screen, air and optical sorting technologies from the BHS Family of Companies, including BHS, Nihot and National Recovery Technologies (NRT). The nine NRT optical sorters with In-Flight Sorting® technology are pivotal to the secondary plastics purification process. The system will process approximately 22,000 pounds per hour of PET bales, removing the non-PET content in preparation for converting the bottles to flake.

“We chose BHS and NRT because of their collaboration and attention to detail throughout our decision-making process,” said Mark McNeill, vice president of technology and business development for Unifi. “Their customer service and engineering abilities stood out as first-class, and after conducting site visits and research, we found that BHS and NRT offered the best available technology. This state-of-the-art facility will raise the bar for Unifi, allowing us to internalize the majority of our flake requirements as we continue to expand our REPREVE filament and polymer chip business.”

REPREVE is a leading brand of recycled fiber that transforms recycled plastic bottles into yarn for products people wear and use every day. Since 2009, Unifi has recycled more than 4 billion plastic bottles into REPREVE-based products made by some of the world’s favorite brands, including Haggar, Ford and Quiksilver, among others.

“This is an exciting project for all of us,” said BHS CEO Steve Miller. “Unifi is on the leading-edge of recycling, transforming plastic bottles into high-tech fibers that are used by world-leading brands,” Miller continued. “The company’s investment in this technology reflects Unifi’s commitment to creating material of the highest quality.”

National Recovery Technologies (NRT)

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, NRT is a leader in designing, manufacturing and installing optical sorting technology. Since our inception in 1981, our people have been industry thought-leaders and innovators. Today, we apply our technology in automated industrial inspection systems, materials handling and process control, particularly in processing material for recycling. Our team is focused on technology innovation, quality of manufacturing and a strong commitment to customer service.

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS)

Headquartered in Eugene, OR, BHS is a worldwide leader in the innovative design, engineering, manufacturing and installation of sorting systems and components for the solid waste, recycling, waste-to-energy, and construction and demolition industries. Wholly-owned subsidiaries include Nihot (Amsterdam), NRT (Nashville, TN) and Zero Waste Energy (Lafayette, CA). Clients around the globe choose BHS because of its experience, dedication to cutting-edge technology, quality construction and durability, and unmatched customer service. BHS has built some of the largest and most durable MRFs in the world – and they are achieving the highest throughput, recovery, and purity rates in the industry.